by Lacey Silks
“Come on. I’ll tell you about it inside.”
We took our customary pictures as a couple by the barn door and then went inside to find our table. The barn was decorated with giant sunflowers, haystacks, pitchforks, wheelbarrows, and other farm tools, completing the farm theme we were going for. It wasn’t that difficult to come up with decorations when every second house in town was an actual farm. White lights were strung on cords that spanned the width of the barn, spaced every few feet apart. The intimate lighting sent shivers up and down my arms.
Nick and Daisy joined us soon after we arrived. We exchanged hugs and a few polite words. Nick didn’t look too happy, but at that moment, I didn’t have time to baby him. He was the one with the great idea of keeping our relationship a secret, so he could suffer some more.
There were six tables of eight set up for prom. Given that our school was so small we only had one graduating class, it was a tradition to have prom with the graduates from a neighboring town. Each year a different school hosted the event, and this time, it was our turn. The seating arrangements had been mixed to avoid rivalry and each table had almost an even number of teens from each school.
When the time came for a first dance, I took Carter’s hand as he led us to the middle of the dance floor. Nick’s face took on a new shade. It wasn’t even close to red, but more like purple.
I put my arms around Carter’s neck and he lowered his hands to my waist, the way all other couples were dancing. I was wearing a halter top long blue dress that curved just over my hips before flaring at the bottom. Feeling another man’s hands on my body felt odd, but Carter was a gentleman, which couldn’t have been easy for him. Carter was one of those guys who spoke his mind before thinking, and I constantly had to remind him how to act around ladies. But not tonight. Tonight, his acting was perfect. Was he acting?
He leaned in to my ear, whispering, “Would it be pushing it if I kissed you?”
“If you value your life, then yes. I’m not sure how much longer Nick will be able to play this game.”
“Which means that I’m doing my job. He better stand up for your honor soon, because I’d love to dance with Daisy.”
“Well, what do we do, then?”
He lowered his hands from my hips and slid them down to my ass, squeezing it, forcing my body much closer to his, feeling his every manly muscle and curve.
Oh!
I touched my hand to his cheek in the most loving manner I could muster. It took seconds for Nick to be at our side with Daisy. He bumped my shoulder, anger burning in his eyes.
“What the hell are you doing, Jo?”
“Ahm, dancing?”
“Hey, the song’s not over yet,” Carter complained.
“Piss off, Carter! And get your fucking hands off her ass.”
“Why?” he asked, dumbfounded, stopping our slow swaying motion. “I mean, it’s what happens at proms, you know. You dance, you kiss, steal a little touch here and there—”
“Because that’s my ass!” Nick growled and let go of Daisy, stepping between us, right into Carter’s face. “And if you say another word about any other part of her body, I swear I’m going to rip your balls off.”
By that time, a few of the other couples had stopped dancing as well. It felt like the entire hall quieted, and everyone was looking at the four of us. Daisy, whom I’d spoken to about our plan in the bathroom, was standing to the side, chuckling.
“Hey, the last time I checked, it was my ass!” I touched Nick’s tense shoulder.
Nick looked from me to Carter in confusion as we both said, “Gotcha!”
“Wait, what’s going on?” he asked.
“Nothing, you silly monkey. Now come and dance with me so that Carter can dance with Daisy.”
“Wait, but what about—”
“Nick, just shut up, will you!” I finally grabbed him by his neck and pulled his mouth to mine in a lip-lock.
His shoulders lowered in relief as he found my waist and brought me to him, making everything right again. God, it felt so good to kiss him out in the open. A few of our friends cheered and clapped. Someone yelled, “Finally!” and I took my mouth away from his, continuing the dance. Daisy was already in Carter’s arms, practically glued to him, and his hands were down on her ass now.
“It was a joke?” Nick asked.
“Yes. I’m sorry, but Carter figured it all out before we even got here.”
“Shit! I was about to punch him.”
“My hero.” I kissed him again.
“If you plan to pull another joke on me any time in the future, then I suggest no one grabs your ass but me.”
Nick’s voice was low and tender, like he wanted to grab me right then and there and have his way with me in the middle of the dance floor.
“Noted. But I don’t think we’ll have that much time to practice your ass grabbing skills. You’re leaving in a week.”
His body tensed for a brief moment, making me realize that his decision was weighing as hard on him as it was on me.
“Then let’s make the best out of the time we have left, Joelle.”
What was happening? What was that dazed look on his face all about? And those dreamy eyes… what was he planning?
“I’ve been meaning to say this for a long time, baby and I’m so sorry that I haven’t said it sooner.” He paused and I leaned my head to the side, wondering what it was that he wanted to say to me.
“I not only see you the first thing in the morning and last thing at night, but also in my dreams. You are my life, and I don’t know how to live or breathe without you.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a square box.
I stopped moving.
“Oh, my God.” My hand flew to my mouth, covering it.
“Don’t freak out, I’m not proposing,” he assured me.
Thank goodness! I didn’t think that I was ready for a proposal.
“But I want you to have this ring to remind you that you’re mine and I’m yours and I’m coming back for you. It’s a promise ring. Nothing will stop me, so all I ask of you is to wait for me. Please wait for me, Joelle, so that I can be everything you want for the rest of our lives.”
By that time I was crying. This was much better than a proposal. Who knew Nick could speak about us with so much emotion? He removed the ring from the box, saying, “I should have told you this way before, and I’m sorry that I haven’t. I love you, Joelle. I love you with all my heart, with everything that I am and everything that I ever will be.”
I gasped.
We always knew it, but we never said it. Today was the first time I heard the words come out of his mouth.
“Nick, I love you too. So, so much.”
He slid the ring, a small round diamond, around my finger, and then his mouth crushed against mine, putting on another display of our love for everyone.
Once we got that out of the way, all the girls wanted to see the ring. While I kept explaining that it was just a promise ring, I couldn’t stop thinking that it meant so much more. Prom night was officially the best night of my life, and I had no idea that Nick had planned for it to get even better.
Chapter 10
By the time we got in my father’s truck, which Nick had borrowed, it was one in the morning. I was tired but excited at the same time. So excited that I didn’t notice when Nick drove to Pebble Beach, where we always skipped stones in the summer. He took my hand and led me down a path through the shrubs and the trees.
“Are we skipping stones?” I asked.
“Only if you’d like. I was hoping though that we could spend the night here. Together.” He pointed to a tent that had been set up near the cliff.
Oh!
“But if you’re not comfortable—”
“No, I’m comfortable. Totally comfortable.” I squeezed his hand in assurance. “There’s nothing more that I want.”
I’d been wanting to spend the night with Nick for a long time and had been wondering whether
we’d get a chance to be together before he left. And now I got my answer.
The moon lit the sky and the lake, reflected on the wet stones at the shore where the gentle waves lapped. It was a good thing that it was a full moon; otherwise, I wasn’t sure whether we’d be able to find our way with only a single flashlight.
“I told my father I’d be back before sunrise,” I warned him.
“Hmm, then we better get going.”
In one swift scoop he lifted me into his arms and kissed me hard on my mouth, while carrying me toward the tent. I held the flashlight, lighting the way for Nick. Somewhere along the way, my shoes fell off my feet, but I didn’t care. We climbed inside the tent, and as soon as Nick zipped the front closed, I felt nervous. He turned on a battery-powered lamp before removing his suit jacket. A mattress with blankets and pillows had been set up in the middle.
“Are you cold?”
“No, just nervous. It’s my first time.”
“I know, Jo. It’s mine as well.”
That was good. If one of us screwed up making love for the first time, neither one would know it. Could you screw up? His hand slowly grazed over my arm, killing off the unsettling nerves that were prancing around in my stomach. Once I closed my eyes and found his mouth, the evening felt more natural. Nick helped me with the zipper at the side of my dress, and I unfastened the buttons on his shirt. Soon enough, we were sitting on the mattress in our undergarments, almost as calm as though we were wearing bathing suits. At least that’s what I was pretending to have on — it kept the nerves more balanced. Of course, when Nick wore his swim shorts, they didn’t tent out as much as his boxer briefs were doing tonight. I felt my nipples harden at the sight and shifted my weight, slowly reaching around my back for the clasp of my bra. When it fell down to the mattress, Nick sucked in a sharp breath of air.
“Jesus, Jo. You look so beautiful.”
He then proceeded to remove his underwear and my eyes grew wide. In the dim light of the lamp, I stared at his generous length, wondering how much it would hurt when he entered me. I’d felt him through his jeans, and on the warm summer days through his shorts, but I hadn’t expected him to be this size when freed.
I grasped the sides of my panties and slid them down my thighs, lower legs, and off. Naked, we stared at each other, appreciating the natural beauty. Nick had been hard from the moment he set me down on the mattress, and I wondered whether that hurt him. I’d never felt as swollen between my legs as I did now. I craved to touch him and for him to touch me.
“I’ll take it slow, Jo. I promise.”
“I know. I trust you.”
With that he lowered his mouth to my shoulder, slowly guiding my body to lie back on the firm mattress. His mouth trailed to my breasts. He’d touched them before but never kissed them, and I found the contact pleasurable. I pushed my chest higher into his mouth, hungry for more. He did this thing with his tongue around the rim that was a trigger for my hips to push into him as well. When he felt me press against his thigh, his hand weaved down my body to my center, where he touched me, slowly sliding his fingers between my folds.
I could barely breathe. The echo of my moans as he played with me filled the tent. My hips were moving back and forth along with his. I felt his girth on my stomach and positioned myself to feel more of him. I lowered my hand to feel him and curved it around his width, lining myself closer to his center.
“Not yet, baby. I need you nice and wet first. It will hurt less.”
“How do you know this?”
“Guys talk.”
Oh! Well, I liked that part. At least one of us knew what we were doing. I lifted my arms over my head, holding onto my hair, concentrating on what was happening to my body as he cherished it with his kisses and touches. I liked both his hands and his mouth on me, especially when he rubbed me with his fingers. A swell was building in my lower half, my body getting hotter with each lick of his tongue over my skin and the hot kisses that followed. The relentless teasing of his fingers between my legs stirred up my inner sexual needs, and I wanted him to touch me like that forever. The faster he circled his fingers, the more I writhed underneath him. I couldn’t understand what was happening to my body. When I’d masturbated on my own it was always quick and fierce. But his teasing and his touches had been building up the pressure, and the sensation was so different. Him stroking me, was a hundred times better and stronger than doing it solo, and it built until it broke me apart, and I shuddered at the burst of pleasure from beneath his fingers.
“Oh, God! Nick…”
He kept on stroking and I kept on shaking, wondering whether the sensation of leaving this planet was real or my lust-infused imagination. I was floating, my mind spinning as spasms consumed my body. And then slowly the orgasm settled, and Nick gently slid his hand over my thigh, kissing me tenderly. I watched him, breathing hard, remove a condom from a side pocket, rip open the foil, and roll it down on himself.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes, please.” I wanted so much more of this elation; while my body had returned to earth, my mind was still in the clouds. Nick positioned himself above me, lining up. I felt his tip block my entrance, and I held my breath.
“Relax, Jo. It won’t help if you tense up.” He lowered his mouth to mine, gently kissing me again, reducing my fear. I let my knees fall apart, and Nick moved his hips slightly forward.
“Ah!” I shut my eyes.
“You okay?” he whispered.
“Yes; try deeper.”
He moved in further. A ripping pain seared through me, but once he slid in more and I adjusted, it seemed to ease. I could still feel the ache, but it was slowly being replaced by the exquisite feel of him deep inside me, stretching me for the first time. I smiled against his lips, wanting to shout, “We did it!”, but I guessed that would have been immature.
Nick slid back and forth at a steady pace, slowly, watching me from above while I concentrated on how full I felt with him inside me. I used the moment to touch his body, sliding my hands along his braced arms and over his chest. His hair tickled my chest as he moved. Nick looked so handsome tonight. I sighed with happiness, drawing my finger over his left brow touching the scar from our camping trip. It was beautiful. He was beautiful and sexy and everything I’d always wanted. His breaths became heavier and his thrusts more frequent. My body jolted up each time he pushed inside me, and while the pain was still there in the background, it was so worth it. Connecting like this brought us closer. This moment of having him inside of me for the first time, marking me as his, would forever be sealed in my heart.
He let go of another grunt, his hips thrusting forward one last time. His arms shook and beads of sweat dripped off his chest onto mine before he breathed again. He withdrew slowly, ensuring I was comfortable, but even after he did, I still felt like he was inside me, and I smiled. Nick removed a moistened towel from a Ziploc bag in the backpack already stashed in the tent.
“What’s that for?”
“Open your legs, Jo. You bled a little.”
And he was ready for that?
He touched my knee, guiding it to the side, and proceeded to wash me.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Good. Wonderful, actually.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded. “It was amazing Nick. I mean, I have nothing to compare it to, but it was everything I could have hoped for. What about you?”
“I just wish we could have gone longer.”
“Well, we have our whole life to practice, right?”
“Yeah, but now I’m beginning to doubt whether going away was a good idea. I could get used to being between your legs all the time.”
I laughed somewhat greedily, happy that Nick was having doubts about going away. Still, he was my Nick, and I would do everything to show him how much I loved him, and that included supporting his decision.
“I can’t imagine what it will be like to live without you. I mean, I’ve known you my entire l
ife, but I’ll be here when you come back. I’ll wait for you for as long as I have to.”
He covered us both with a blanket, and I snuggled into his body.
“I love you, Joelle. I will love you for the rest of my life.”
“I love you too.” I paused, watching the few hairs on his chest move with the breeze of my breath in the dim light. “Nick?”
“Yes?”
“I want to officially tell our parents about us. Can we?”
“Yes, I think we should.”
Good. I didn’t want to be crying over him and for my father to be worried. And I wanted to be able to talk about him with his mom while he was away. We could keep each other’s spirits lifted that way.
“Do you think we should get going? I don’t want to fall asleep and miss my curfew.”
“Yes, but the night’s not over yet, baby.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I heard the best view of the night sky is around four in the morning. Which means that we have about half an hour to make it to your rooftop.”
“Mine?”
“Yes, yours.”
I’d been waiting forever to watch the stars from my rooftop, but since Nick had always beat me at stone skipping, we’d always watched the night sky from his. Okay, so I knew that the contest wasn’t fair because of his stronger arm and better aim, but I’d agreed to it, and I wasn’t someone to quit when my back was against a wall.
After what seemed like only minutes of rest, snuggling against him, he helped me with my dress, every so often stealing a kiss. I was so in love with this man that I felt like I was flying on cloud nine. Now that we were officially a couple, I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could. We only had a week before he left, and I was already missing him.
When we got home, the lights were still on. We walked through the door hand in hand. In the kitchen, my father was sitting at a table with Marge, having a tea, relaxed as ever. When they saw us holding hands, they both smiled.
“Finally,” Marge exhaled. “We were beginning to worry you two would never come out.”
“You guys knew?” Nick asked.
