They made the drive in silence and he stumbled from the car and into the kitchen. She secured the garage and closed the connecting door.
The moment Elizabeth turned around, Dylan grabbed her in a desperate hug and sobbed against her neck.
His hands were inside her coat and she could have stayed like that forever. She whispered to him, hugged him back, and steadied the racing of her heart.
“I’m sorry, so sorry, Lizzy.”
He tightened his arms almost painfully around her but she didn’t mind. Her thoughts were stuck on how large and warm his palms felt pressed against her back. Their chests were pressed tightly together and she didn’t know if it was her heart or his that pounded so hard.
“Let me stay for a little while, Lizzy?” Nodding against him, she relished the feel of stubble against her cheek. “Thank you.”
“Let’s get you cleaned up, Dylan.”
“Don’t you want to know why I was arrested?” His voice was soft against her hair and she thought he might be afraid to tell her what happened.
“After you’re clean and rested, you can tell me. Right now, you need a shower, food, and sleep.”
He let her go slowly, almost hesitantly, as his hands slid from her back to her sides. He took her hand and gripped it firmly. She led the way through the downstairs and up to her bedroom to get him clothes from her dresser.
The moment he cleared the door a step behind her, he closed it and brought her to a stop. Elizabeth turned to look at him in surprise.
“Lizzy…”
“Yes?”
He tugged her closer. She noticed he was taller than the last time she’d seen him.
Even as she absorbed a simple detail she’d missed until this moment, he put his arms around her and dropped his mouth over hers.
It was a far different kiss than the ones he’d given her before.
Stunned, Elizabeth didn’t know what to do. He licked softly over her lips and she gasped. Dylan took advantage by dipping his tongue just inside and coiling it around the tip of hers.
She must have made a sound that communicated her distress because he broke the kiss and stared into her eyes.
There was no way to hide her confusion but his expression was gentle.
One hand lifted to cup her head, his fingers smoothing through her hair. Instinctively, she leaned into the simple caress.
“It’s so soft.” Elizabeth didn’t reply and Dylan didn’t look away. “I’ll go slower…is that alright?”
Despite her inexperience, she understood what he was asking. It was in her nature to give but she’d never so much as had a man’s tongue in her mouth until moments before.
Dylan had been through a horrible ordeal and here he was, with her…again. He sought comfort – a connection – in a manner that she’d never shared with another person.
Still, loving him as greatly as she did made the decision an easy one. “Yes. It’s alright.”
He exhaled heavily, his copper eyes boring into hers, and she hoped he couldn’t see how hotly she blushed.
“I take so much from you, Lizzy.”
“You accept what I give freely, Dylan.”
Without another word, he cupped her face in his large palms and kissed her again. It was deeper, more focused this time, and he kept his promise to go slower.
He pushed her jacket off her shoulders and shrugged off his own but she was overheated anyway.
In fact, as he methodically removed one article of clothing after another, she grew even warmer.
At his urging, she toed off her sneakers and he bent to take off her socks. As he straightened, he kissed her again. While she was distracted, he tugged her t-shirt over her head.
She was grateful that the darkness of the room was barely relieved by the streetlight through her curtains.
Never comfortable with her own nakedness, Elizabeth wondered if seeing her body in full light would have caused Dylan to change his mind.
Shoving that thought away as hard as she could, she soaked up the feel of his hands on her. Tactile sensations she never imagined she would experience with anyone, much less this man.
The feel of his hands unsnapping her jeans, lowering the zipper, and pushing them over her thighs was unlike anything she could put into words. Movements she did herself every day suddenly took on a sensuality she wouldn’t have imagined was possible.
When she was down to her underthings made of simple and functional white cotton, he stripped his t-shirt over his head and wrapped his arms around her.
Their bare skin touched from shoulders to knees and there was so much physical input to process that she was lightheaded.
Dylan guided her backwards, slow steps that moved them across the room. The cool threads of the braided rug tickled the bottoms of her feet.
When the back of her legs touched her bed, he steadied her from dropping to it awkwardly. Instead, he lowered her gently to the edge of the mattress and knelt to untie his boots.
He rested his forehead on her bare thigh and her hands settled in his hair. Elizabeth was fascinated by the softness of the dark blonde strands.
Lifting his face, she stared into copper penny eyes she’d dreamt about for so many years. It had always been his eyes she saw when she touched herself, that looked at her with love.
It had always been a dream. Never had she imagined Dylan being here with her like this. For one second, she wondered if she was in the midst of a dreamlike space, the area of her mind where he usually resided.
As if he sensed her need to be closer, Dylan rose and moved between her knees. His bare sides were warm against her inner thighs. One arm slid around her back and his other palm moved up the center of her body to rest over her heart.
“Are you afraid, Lizzy?”
She shook her head slowly. Nothing could make her afraid of him. His soul was in his eyes and it was beautiful. He probably didn’t know that but maybe one day, she could help him see it. She hoped that might happen.
“I won’t hurt you.”
“It always hurts once, Dylan.”
His eyes stayed on hers as his hand drifted to the side to cup her breast. The warmth easily penetrated the thin cotton.
Her breath caught and she began to tremble.
There was so much more touch involved in lovemaking than she’d ever realized. He gave her time to adjust – letting her feel as much of his body as possible. His arm at her back held her, his fingers massaging into the taut skin of her shoulders.
“Are you sure, Lizzy? Giving this to me…you can’t take it back. It’s forever. I don’t want you to regret it when it’s too late. There could be someone great in your future; someone you’ll wish had been your first.”
There was no doubt in her mind that Dylan was unfamiliar with confirming that a woman wanted to have sex with him. She imagined that his sexual partners to date were likely far more experienced and knew how to assure him by their own actions that they were on board with where things were headed.
She didn’t have those skills.
As a careful person her entire life, Elizabeth paused to think. She did not know what having this time with Dylan would mean but she knew what not having it would mean.
It was not an experience she was willing to lose.
Lifting her hands, she stroked her fingers over his face. “There’s someone great in my present and I want this, Dylan. With you.”
He gave a small nod and she wondered at the expression that flickered over his face. Lightly squeezing her breast, he kissed her lips and stood.
Where she sat, her face was level with the waist of his jeans. Her eyes followed his hands as they moved over the button and zipper of the denim.
His fingers were long and blunted at the ends. There were impact bruises under his nails and her heart ached for him.
Whatever she could do to ease the very real pain in his life would make her equally happy.
Pushing the jeans down his legs, he stepped out and she was hypnotized by th
e outline of his cock behind his boxers. Her eyes were wide when they lifted to his.
Dylan gave her a small smile and cupped her cheek. “It will be okay.”
He encouraged her to lie back and get comfortable on her bed. Raking his hands under her neck, he untucked her hair from beneath her back and fanned it across the pillow. When she was settled, he stretched out beside her.
“Lizzy.”
Dylan kissed her as his hand roamed almost delicately over the front of her body.
Twice, she tensed and he whispered for her to trust him and relax, that he would take care of her.
Elizabeth trusted him to do just that.
As his hand slid flat beneath the band of her panties, she whimpered unconsciously and he stopped. His palm rested warmly over the skin of her abdomen as he took his time kissing her again.
As he edged back to stare down at her face, she focused on his copper eyes. Eyes she knew so well, had always admired, and that had seen so much pain already.
It comforted her to look into them, settled her to have them as an anchor in her very real virginal fear.
She held his gaze as his fingers played over her damp folds. Dylan smoothed over the tiny bundle of nerves she’d discovered far later than most young women probably did, and finally, he gently pressed inside her body with the blunt tip of one finger.
His thumb made small circles as he slowly stroked in and out. The image of his eyes kept her grounded in the moment when she stared into them so she maintained eye contact and listened to the sound of her blood thumping in her ears, as well as the ragged whisper of their breathing.
The first climax crashed over Elizabeth much faster than it had ever happened when she was by herself; her body went taut with his name a gasp on her lips.
“Dylan…” Her eyes tried to drift closed but still she watched him between the slits.
“I’ve got you, Lizzy. Everything is okay.”
She couldn’t stop shaking. Her world seemed to shift on its axis as she realized how alone she’d been all her life. In a single moment, she understood that she needed this man far too much.
It was glaringly obvious that she hadn’t even noticed other men around her. She craved his touch, his words, his attention in a way that made her feel weak and afraid.
Elizabeth was also painfully aware that Dylan had made her no promises.
There was no expectation of “tomorrow” or even a guarantee that she’d ever see him again. Yet nothing would have made her stop what was about to happen.
She needed this so much more than he did.
“Dylan…please.”
Unsure how to express what she wanted delicately, she hoped he would understand and he did. Leaning down to kiss her, he slid his hands under her to remove her bra then worked her panties over her hips and down her legs.
When she was completely naked, he gave her another kiss and got up. From his jacket, he removed condoms and quickly stripped his boxers away.
As he rejoined her on the bed, skin to skin, she wrapped her arms around his upper body.
Working to control her breathing, she let her eyes close while the rustle of plastic seemed loud in the room. There was movement above her as he settled between her legs.
“Lizzy…?”
Elizabeth opened her eyes and stared at him, absorbing every detail of Dylan Lang preparing to make love to her. Bruises stood out against his too-pale skin, even in the dim light. His shaggy hair appeared darker now and it roughly framed his face. It was obvious he didn’t get enough to eat.
He was the most perfect creature she’d ever seen.
Positioning his cock at the entrance of her body, a strong arm wrapped around her and his palm cupped her shoulder. His other hand lifted to smooth her hair away from her face.
For a long moment, Dylan stared into her eyes. He smiled and Elizabeth returned it with her whole heart.
The kiss he gave her was accompanied by the sensation that he was hugging her with his entire body. Then his hips rocked forward quickly, burying him halfway inside her, and she hissed as her innocence evaporated.
Dylan was shaking but he held her, whispered to her. “That was the worst part…I’m sorry. I’ll try to make it worth the pain, Lizzy.”
Silly boy, the first hug did that.
Holding him tight, he started to move and after two minutes, Elizabeth knew there could not be anything in the world to compare to a connection such as this.
Her heart, mind, body, and soul were tuned so totally into the experience with this man that it was unlikely a fire would have convinced her to bring it to an end.
In the silence, there was the sound of their breathing, the light squeak of her mattress, and a low moan that started in her throat that she couldn’t seem to stop.
“You feel so good, Lizzy.”
The words were murmured at her ear and she blushed hot to hear them even as her heart stumbled. Unsure if she was supposed to respond, she squeezed her arms tightly around him and turned her face to kiss his neck.
Her gesture seemed to startle Dylan for a moment and he lifted his face to look at her. His eyes were wide and she moved one hand to cup his face, stroking the pad of her thumb across his lower lip.
The rhythm of his body pressing into hers was everything…nothing existed beyond it. She wondered if anything ever would again.
As if brought out of a trance, he blinked and told her, “I’m going to come; you’re so tight. I need to make you come again, Lizzy. To know you felt just as much.”
She felt one arm move and his hand slid between their bodies. Until his fingers circled over her folds, concentrated on the little nubbin there, she didn’t know what he was doing.
The combination of sensations exploded through her and she gasped as an orgasm that hadn’t been nearly so close slapped her sharply.
Inhaling deeply, she knew she would have screamed if his mouth hadn’t taken hers and absorbed the sound. There was no such thing as control.
Her body spasmed almost painfully and he groaned into her mouth. She felt a few faster, harder thrusts and then his body went tight and still above her. That she could feel the throbbing of his release inside her as he came blew her mind.
His arms crushed her in a hug as he panted into the bend of her shoulder. Every few seconds, he would softly say her name.
Elizabeth knew this was the happiest moment in her life to date and maybe into her future. She wanted to remember every single detail.
A long time later, he lifted his head and stared down at her face. “You’re so wonderful, Lizzy.”
To hear him say something so kind to her had her heart stretching for him. The man she loved thought she was wonderful. Her fingers trembled as she traced his brow and stroked back through his shaggy hair.
“So are you, Dylan.” There was a huskiness to her voice she’d never heard before.
“No.” He closed his eyes and shook his head sharply. “Never think I’m wonderful, Lizzy. See who I am, who I really am. You have to protect yourself.”
Elizabeth heard his actual words – and also what he wasn’t saying – but it didn’t matter. She gave him a soft smile and leaned up to kiss his lips. Her hand lightly cupped the back of his neck. As she broke the kiss, she swallowed against the lump in her throat.
“It’s far too late for that, Dylan.”
Gently nudging his shoulder, he rolled away and she sat up. She was sore and sticky. Leaning over, she picked up her robe from the end of the bed and wrapped it around her before she stood. Walking to her dresser, she found clothes that would fit him. He would never know that she’d purchased them for him in case he ever needed her help again.
Placing them in a small laundry basket, she added a clean towel from her closet. The activity helped to calm her heart, to strengthen her outwardly for what she already knew was coming.
“Get cleaned up and I’ll make you food. You’ll feel better and it will help you rest.” Setting the basket on her side of the bed, she
drew the persona of calm and happy around her. The same persona she’d worn every single day of high school. “Come downstairs whenever you’re ready.”
Quickly grabbing clothes for herself, Elizabeth left the room and went to use the half-bathroom on the first floor.
There was one moment where she almost broke.
Catching a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror over the sink, reality crashed into her like a train. Her green eyes were wide as she took in the appearance of her naked body. Clapping her hand over her mouth, she fought the tears that wanted to spill.
Elizabeth would never be enough for someone like Dylan.
She calmed her heart with focused meditation and remembered who she was and what her place was in the world. She went over every detail of her experience tonight and understood that the moments – each one individually – were what mattered.
Those moments had been absolutely beautiful in a way that she was not.
She cleaned herself up, got dressed, and walked into her kitchen to heat Dylan a plate of leftover lasagna.
In a small bag, she quickly packed him a few supplies, some canned goods, and fresh fruit.
By the time he came downstairs, her smile was real. The core of who she was sometimes meant pretending to be happy when her heart hurt. The amazing thing was that if she pretended enough, she often convinced herself.
Placing food down in front of him, she stroked her hand over his damp hair. “Eat, Dylan. I’ll get you something to drink.”
Turning, he grabbed her hand. His eyes were tortured and she knew he saw remnants of her sadness. “Thank you, Lizzy.”
Dylan had not intended to cause her sadness and she refused to fault him for feelings that belonged to her alone. With a small nod, she smiled.
“You’re welcome. Eat, Dylan. You’re exhausted.”
After he ate two plates of food, he laid down on her living room couch. His eyes never left her face as she placed a blanket over his body.
Bending, she kissed his lips. “Sleep for a little while. Let your body rest.”
She sat in the chair with her legs curled beneath her. His lids got heavier and heavier until she knew he’d fallen asleep. Leaning her head back, she watched him breath.
Completely Wrecked: A Dramatic Romance Page 4
