One Night

by Kamille Rose

  I stared at him with my mouth slightly agape in surprise. Joseph? Nervous? Around me?

  "Really? I'd say you kept it together pretty well."

  "I don't know about that,” he said, rubbing his hands together timidly.

  “If it makes you feel any better, I was freaking out too,” I said.

  “Why?” he asked.

  “Cause I've never kissed anyone before," I admitted.

  Hearing this, his lips sagged into a frown. "Are you serious? I mean, did I cross a line? If I had known, I would’ve —"

  I shook my head dismissively. "I’m glad it was with you, someone I trust. I wouldn't have had it any other way.”

  "Then can I be honest about something?" he asked.

  "Of course."

  His eyes dropped down to my mouth. “Your lips are the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted."

  Words had escaped me completely. I didn’t know what to say, but I knew that along with my heart, my body yearned for Joseph. In the gym where our lips met for the first time, I felt a spark ignite within me.

  As we sat together on my couch, the spark only grew. It grew into a small fire that spread from my chest, down into the pit of my stomach, through my veins and out from my fingertips. He made me come alive.

  With a deep breath, I gathered all my courage and leaned forward to softly kiss Joseph’s lips. His body tensed in surprise, but it wasn’t long before he relaxed and returned my kiss tenfold. He wrapped an arm around my middle and in one swift motion I was on his lap.

  His warm hands braced my back as mine found his hair. The hard ridge in his slacks was impossible to miss in our position. I gasped at the feeling of him pressed so firmly against me. My femininity pulsed with an unknown, tingly burst of energy that made me whimper.

  I wanted- needed to be closer. Closer than we were.

  "Joseph...”

  Our lips parted as his name glided off my tongue. He took the chance to explore, placing open-mouthed kisses on my neck. Shallow, moaned breaths left my mouth when he started sucking on the delicate skin, likely leaving roses blooming wherever his lips touched.

  My voice was a husky whisper when I spoke again. "Upstairs."

  He pulled away, a sincere look on his face. "Are you sure?"

  "I’m sure."

  With that, he lifted me from the couch bridal style. He almost bumped his head against the roof of the staircase and we both laughed, which nearly sent us both tumbling backward. Safely on the landing, I directed him toward my room where he nudged open the door with his foot.

  Once at the edge of my bed, Joseph lowered me onto it and hovered for a few minutes, just staring. I cocked my head to one side in question.

  “Just admiring the view," he said, shifting onto his side next to me.

  "You're so corny.”

  "I'll say it again- you haven't rejected me yet, so part of you must enjoy it."

  "Shush."

  The next time I pressed my lips against his he was hesitant in reciprocating. That's when panic set in.

  "What's wrong?" I asked, meeting his serious eyes.

  "I like you, a lot, and I respect you enough not to take advantage of a moment like this. Y’know? I don’t want you to regret anything we might do."

  "Well... are you sure you don't like me just because of the closeness we have?"

  "Yes. I'm sure, Sienna," he affirmed, brushing a lock of hair from my face. "And I like you more every passing moment we spend together. You’re smart, insanely beautiful, and sweet as hell. You make me laugh, but you also make me want to do some pretty bad things."

  "Bad things?"

  "Yes. Bad things like kissing you."

  "Is that really so bad?"

  "Maybe. I can't control myself with you, and quite frankly I don't want to. It's like the rush an adrenaline junkie gets from skydiving.” He chuckled shortly. "Me? I get a rush from you smiling at me. You're the only girl who’s managed to fluster me like this."

  There was no doubt Joseph flustered me too. He was the first person I've ever had such strong feelings for. The guy looking at me took away all my inhibitions and made me feel so good. Over the course of just a few months I found a home in him. I trusted him wholly and wanted to give him my all.

  "Joey?"

  "What's goin' on in that head of yours?"

  "I want you to stay with me tonight."

  He croaked. "You mean... a-are you sure?”

  "Yes, I'm sure. I want to be with you.”

  "I'm going to ask you again, this time in Spanish. Estás seguro?" (Are you sure?)

  "Estoy seguro," (I'm sure.) I said, giggling at him.

  His pink lips curved shyly as he leaned down, lightly caressing mine once and then twice, before I was lifting my head from the mattress to meet him halfway. He smiled against my mouth.

  "Patience, sweetheart."

  I brushed off his teasing comment and lifted my head once again to claim his lips. He took the opportunity to remove the clasps holding my hair in place. My curls fell free, curtaining my shoulders.

  After absently tossing the clips aside, he began tracing circles on my waist with the pads of his thumbs. "This dress is stunning, but may I please take it off of you?"

  "Yes."

  I sat up to remove the delicate straps from my shoulders, letting the silky fabric fall and bunch at my hips. The cold air hitting my bare chest made me shiver. Joseph pulled the remaining length of my dress down my legs with shaking hands, letting it pile on the floor. He took a moment to admire my figure, which was clad in just blue lace.

  "Have I told you you're beautiful?" Joseph’s voice was as unsteady as his hands. It amazed me to see that I affected him as much as he affected me.

  "Maybe once or twice tonight.”

  Leaning forward, I helped slip off his vest and undo the buttons of his dress shirt. His lightly muscled torso was on display. I touched him, gently raking my nails from his chest down. He hissed and flexed beneath me.

  “Mariposa...”

  The scent of him became heady as he was once again close enough for us to share a breath. His fingertips ran up my calf, setting flames to every inch of skin he grazed on the way. But it was nothing compared to the heat that engulfed me when he touched me where I never touched myself. It was as if there, my senses were heightened by a million. Each gentle caress made me gasp and surge in delight.

  I gripped the back of his neck and he leaned in, brushing his lips against my jawline as he thumbed my sensitive trigger. My head crashed onto the pillow, moans spilling from my mouth as pleasure began to overtake me.

  Underneath Joseph I lay in a boneless puddle, covered in a light sheen of sweat. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me close, his hazel eyes dark and wild with affection.

  “How do you feel? You okay?”

  “I feel great...” Like it had a mind of its own, my hand traveled a short path down to the front of his pants and tugged at the belt. “But I want more. I want all of you.”

  His larger hand covered mine, giving it a light squeeze before bringing it to his mouth. He kissed the tips of each of my fingers. My heart was full to bursting.

  “And I want to give my all to you, Sienna.”

  Never seeming to get enough of each other, our lips collided with passion and the world fell away. Somehow, we managed to rid the rest of Joseph's clothes without ever separating, but when we did, we were panting.

  He hovered over me with his knees on either side of my body. I could feel the granite-like hardness of him teasing back and forth at my core.

  "Wait, protection!" I quickly reached over to my nightstand.

  “Did you plan on seducing me tonight?” Joseph asked.

  It was hard to suppress my laughter.

  “I think it’s safe to say we’ve seduced each other, but no. This was Alex’s doing, even though I refused them a million times," I said, shaking the box of condoms in my hand.

  I watched as he sheathed himself.

  "If you don't
like the way it feels, or if there's something you want me to do differently, tell me.”

  "Go slow?"

  He nodded and pushed himself inside of me with a deep moan. It was a stinging stretch that had me fisting the sheets. A single tear welled up in my eye as my mouth fell agape in a silent moan, but Joseph swept it away before it had the chance to fall.

  With a tender kiss on my forehead, he continued pushing until we were completely one, a lovely mess of limbs, mingled breaths, and tantalizingly slow rocks. I sank my teeth into his shoulder as the momentary pain turned into pure, unbridled pleasure.

  "You’re so warm, so pretty writhing beneath me."

  Joseph’s tone dropped to gravel, making my body prickle with goosebumps. His fingers dug into the soft flesh of my waist —nails likely leaving crescent moons glowing there— as we repeatedly connected. He swallowed my every moan with fervent kisses.

  The starlit galaxies in his eyes swirled as his face contorted in ecstasy. I clung to him, fingers tangled in his hair and legs holding him near as he brought me to the peak.

  “Mmm and so mine.”

  "J- oh! Joseph!” I cried out softly.

  My body quivered and tightened around him as the coil winding itself in my stomach finally snapped. He quickly followed me off the edge, biting my neck. For a few moments we admired one another.

  Joseph was a sexy, blissed out mess. Hair damp with sweat, sticking to his forehead, and he had the biggest smile on his face. I was equally disheveled, but he looked at me like I’d never been more attractive.

  After pecking my lips, he climbed off me to dispose of the condom in the trash bin across my room before disappearing into the bathroom. I felt strangely empty, but happy nonetheless as I slid under my warm blanket.

  When Joseph returned to the bed, he lifted the blanket exposing my bare bottom and positioned himself in between my legs again.

  “Oh, no, I don’t think I can do that again right now.” I protectively cupped my center, an airy chuckle leaving me.

  "Relax, Mariposa. Just... let me take care of you."

  Instead of the cheeky smirk I expected to follow, he smiled at me bearing all his teeth. It was like watching a flower bloom. Slow, but so wonderful. It was as if the sun had somehow toppled down from the sky and made a home right there within him. It was a smile that completely undid me.

  "Where'd you go just now?" he asked, snapping me from my haze.

  "To heaven. I had to thank God for you personally.”

  His smile grew even wider if possible, and a rosy glow further flushed his soft honey cheeks. He tapped my knee, and I parted my legs. I watched as he brought a warm damp cloth to my center, cleaning me with the softest of touches. There and there. He moved carefully, trying to avoid rubbing up against my hypersensitive bundle of nerves.

  Watching Joseph move with such affection made my eyes brim with tears. Tonight, there was a different type of warmth I felt blossoming in my chest. It was only he who could make me feel so beautiful and loved and important... so powerful yet so delicate all at once.

  Chapter Twelve

  'Twas the morning after the single most amazing moment of my eighteen years on earth. I lay snugly held in Joseph's arms. Careful not to wake him, I readjusted myself in his hold to get a better look at him. I studied his sleeping figure for a while, admiring his features.

  From his thick eyebrows of which a beauty mark adorned the right one, to his long eyelashes that naturally folded toward the skies. All the way down to his nose and how it twitched ever so slightly as he slept. With my fingertips, I carefully moved a few loosely fallen curls from his forehead and awed.

  "You are so beautiful..." I whispered.

  "And you are adorable."

  "Joseph!" I shrieked, nearly falling off the bed. "You were awake this whole time?!"

  When he sat up, the blanket fell and revealed his bare chest.

  "I didn't mean to scare you. You were being all romantic and I just wanted to listen."

  He extended his arms for a hug, but I declined, scooting away from him.

  "Uh-uh.”

  "Please?" he whined, tugging on my arm.

  When I didn't budge, he came to me himself and peppered both of my cheeks with a million kisses.

  "Ah! Let me go, crazy!”

  "Never. Your skin is so soft, I could kiss you for hours," he mumbled against my shoulder.

  "Haven't you had enough? I barely slept a wink last night because of your never-ending kisses."

  It was hard for me to act disinterested when I was more than enjoying his affection.

  "Oh, Lady, not nearly enough."

  The deep rasp of his morning voice sent a wire of electricity down my spine. His lips glided across my neck and I sighed at the attention given to the most sensitive part below my jaw.

  "Wait." He pulled away, fixing me in his arms so that I was facing him. Concern was etched on every line of his face.

  "Last night, I didn't hurt you, did I?"

  "No, last night was perfect." I grabbed his hand in a reassuring squeeze, but he didn't seem convinced.

  "But I remember your legs shaking. Like crazy."

  If I wasn’t embarrassed then, I was mortified now. "Ugh. Be quiet, Joey."

  "Why? You feelin’ shy?" he asked, scrunching up his face as a teasing smile grew on his lips.

  "Of course I am.”

  "I just want to make sure you're okay, that's all."

  It was then that I allowed myself to lean into his embrace. "I am. I promise."

  "Okay," he said, finally convinced.

  "You can take a sh- shower if you'd like," I told him, in between a yawn.

  "Go ahead before me, I can wait."

  "Okay. I won't be long." I said, grabbing a towel and heading off to the bathroom.

  About twenty minutes later, we were both cleaned up and minty fresh. I was hunting for something Joseph could wear. It felt like only yesterday he was doing the same for me. Thankfully, my dad had recently done laundry. I snagged a couple of things from the bin in the hall. Hopefully, what I picked would pair well with black dress shoes...

  "You really didn't have to go through the trouble. I could have worn what I came in."

  "Nonsense. These should fit you perfectly. Besides, you'll have your dignity intact when you're doing the walk of shame, is it called?" I teased, handing him a pair of sweatpants and a red t-shirt.

  "Walk of shame?” He shook his head. “Nah, it'd be the walk of pure delight, cause there was nothing that happened in the last twelve hours I could ever be ashamed of."

  My entire body flushed as I remembered our night together.

  ⋅. ✯ .⋅

  "Mariposa?"

  The two of us made our way downstairs for breakfast. Joseph stood by the kitchen aisle while I cooked on the stovetop.

  "What is it, do you not like rice and eggs? Tell me you do," I said, preparing a warm bowlful.

  "No, it's not that. I just wanted to ask you something," he said.

  "Alright. What's on your mind?"

  "Well —"

  The sound of car doors opening and closing caught my attention. My parents. I was quite lucky they hadn't decided to come home early last night. At the same time, I was surprised they stayed out so late. It was 9 in the morning.

  "Hold that thought," I told Joseph as I turned off the stove. "My parents just pulled in."

  "Should I hide?"

  "No. Stay where you are. I can handle it."

  Fifteen seconds later, my parents entered the kitchen.