Listen

by Kris Bryant

  “Please, Lily.”

  That’s all it took. I carefully slid inside her, completely in awe of how tight and smooth she felt. She moaned against my mouth when I found a nice rhythm. Hope was not shy. She spread her legs and thrust against my hand. I pulled back for a moment to slip a second finger in, but I was nervous and didn’t want to hurt her. I fumbled around until she reached for my hand, brought it up to her mouth, and sucked on two fingers. Her warm mouth and swirling tongue wet them. I was never going to survive tonight.

  “Now try.”

  I pushed inside her folds, into her warmth, and watched as her eyes fluttered shut. Her mouth dropped open. Her breath was hot against my cheek, and the moans and quick gasps that filled my ears were the best sounds I’d ever heard. I’d never created anything that sounded that beautiful until this very moment. I closed my eyes.

  “I hear your sweet and sexy noises deep in the back of your throat,” I said.

  Her hand slid up my arm to touch my cheek. She ran her fingertips over my face and rested against my lips. I placed a soft kiss against her fingers.

  “What else do you hear?” Her voice was hoarse and deep.

  I shivered as her fingers ran down my throat and across my collarbone. “I hear my heartbeat pounding. It’s so fast.” I lowered my voice out of embarrassment because I’d never said anything like my next words. “I can hear how wet you are for me.”

  She moaned at that and spread her legs even wider. In my mind, in my fantasies, my first time was supposed to be flowers and candles. Instead, we had the lights on, were on top of the covers, and we both had clothes on. It was so different, and yet just as perfect.

  “Can I touch you?” she asked.

  I looked at her and almost cried at her sincerity. I slowly pulled out of her, leaned up, and stripped off my dress. The light blue lacy bra and matching panties weren’t top-of-the-line sexy, but they made me feel feminine and beautiful. I wanted Hope to see me and want me as much as I wanted her.

  “I’m all yours.”

  She leaned up on her elbows to look at me.

  I was completely self-conscious, and it took great effort to not turn off the light or cross my arms over my chest.

  She ran her hand down my side and across my stomach. “You’re softer than I imagined. So very pretty and pure.”

  I watched her fingertips glide across my quivering abdomen and up to the bare skin above my small breasts.

  “So perfect,” she said as she openly stared at me. Just when I thought she was moving closer, she climbed off the bed, turned off the overhead light, and turned on a light on the nightstand.

  Before I even had a chance to relax with the darkened room, Hope slipped off her nightshirt and walked over to me, gloriously naked. I didn’t even try masking my appreciation. She pulled back the covers but stopped me from climbing into their safety.

  “Can I stare at you, just for a moment? If you don’t mind? I want to remember this night. You are so beautiful, Lily. I wish you could see yourself. The way your hair is pulled over your shoulder, and you have the most adorable tendrils framing your face.” She looked at my breasts and down to my matching panties. “And light blue is definitely my favorite color. As of today.”

  The Chicago summer night didn’t care what was happening on the third floor of the 203 Scott building. Nobody but the two of us knew how special this moment was. Hope never pushed me or tried to speed things up. My respect for her grew by leaps and bounds every time she slowed life down for me.

  “Your cheeks get rosy when we kiss. And this body?” She looked me over several times before continuing. “Stunning really.”

  I reached for her. I needed her body against mine. I needed to feel her close and to cover up my discomfort. Hope was the first person to see me this way. The starkness of my near nakedness was overwhelming. She came to me, wrapped me in her arms, and waited for me to adjust to the newness of us. When she kissed me, she did it softly, yet fiercely. I felt safe in her arms. My stomach still quivered, but a calm washed over me when I looked into her eyes. I trusted her. She was the first person I completely trusted as an adult. I put space between us only so I could unclasp my bra. I was ready for her hands all over me.

  “Touch me.”

  It was more of a croaked whisper than the sexy voice I wanted to project. I cleared my throat to repeat myself, but she silenced me with another one of her mind-numbing kisses. Her tongue touched mine softly at first, then plunged deeply inside my mouth. It was erotic, demanding, and made me weak. I felt her fingertips slip underneath the bra straps and slide them off my shoulders. Her hard nipples pressed into mine and I moaned at the intimacy of our skin touching. She stopped.

  “Is this okay?”

  “Definitely,” I said.

  Chills raced across my body under her fingertips. Her touch was soft and arousing. She made sure I was looking at her when her fingers cupped my breast for the first time. The feeling of her warm hand against my vulnerable skin made me shiver. Different emotions swirled inside me, but not once did I feel overwhelmed by them. Loved, treasured, exhilarated, frightened of the unknown, thrilled at the moment, but not overwhelmed. Her hands were so warm and my nipples were already painfully erect, but her fingers massaged away the discomfort and replaced it with need. I needed her to touch me. My blood was racing, warming with every beat. Her hand slid down to my panties, already slick with want, and slipped inside them. We both moaned as she rubbed my swollen center, back and forth, the pressure of her palm right on my clit. I leaned forward with weakness.

  “Let’s lie down,” she said.

  I happily obliged. She pulled the thin floral sheet over us to give me some warmth. I was shaking for an entirely different reason, not because I was cold. Hope slid one of her legs between mine and rolled on top of me. She kissed my neck, my cheek, my collarbone and worked her way down to my breasts. I resisted wrapping my hands in her hair, so I rested them on her shoulders instead. She was sweet and gentle, and when she sucked my nipple in her mouth, I arched into her. The shock of how good it felt was amazing. My hands found the back of her head and held her in place. I wanted to keep feeling this good. My body responded the same way when she reached my other nipple. I hissed and moaned and writhed beneath her. My hands ran down her body, and before I realized what I was doing, I was cupping her ass and pulling her against me. I should have been embarrassed, but I didn’t care. My body was on fire, and I needed to ease this ache.

  Hope reached down and, after a quick nod from me, pulled my panties off. We were both naked. Everything after that was a blur. Her hands were all over me and I loved every touch. She looked into my eyes, kissed me softly, and slid inside me. I opened my mouth and exhaled in surprise. When I did it to myself, it didn’t feel like this. It didn’t take my breath away or feel so intimate.

  She moved slowly, but I wanted more of her. I moved my hips against her hand. The deeper she went, the higher my hips greeted her. Her mouth abandoned mine and moved down my body. I almost jumped up when her warm tongue touched my clit. It was so raw and perfect. Emotionally, I was higher than I’d ever been, and physically I was getting ready to crash. Hope knew exactly what I liked. She massaged my slit with her wet mouth while her finger slid in and out.

  My head rolled from side to side and I begged her to make me come. Words I’d never said flew out of my mouth, demanding this or that. The more assertive she was with me, the louder I got. When I finally came, I tensed up and released in a single shout. I curled in a ball as the aftershocks rocked my body with tiny pleasurable explosions. Hope held me and pulled the covers over us. Her heartbeat was thunderous in her chest, or maybe that was mine. I honestly had no idea.

  “Thank you,” she whispered against my forehead. She hugged me closer to her.

  I knew what she was thanking me for, but she didn’t need to. I hated that I started crying. Tonight was another breakthrough for me. Having so many back to back was exhausting.

  “Hey, hey. It’s o
kay. It’s okay.”

  That only made me cry harder. “No, I’m sorry. Tonight has been wonderful. Really. I just never knew it could be like this.”

  There was a low rumble in her chest as she cleared her throat. “So, all of this was good? I didn’t do anything that you didn’t like?”

  I leaned up to look at her. She brushed away a tear with the pad of her thumb. She smelled like me. I kissed her fingers.

  “It was perfect and I loved everything. Thank you for being gentle with me. Always, actually. You have helped me so much these past few months, more than you will ever know.” I teared up again, but didn’t look away. “Wait. Are you crying now?”

  Hope laughed as a few tears fell out of the corners of her eyes. “Yes. I am. This was so special for me, too.” She reached up and kissed me hard. I tasted myself on her lips and realized this night was far from over.

  I had a naked beautiful woman in my arms, and even though it was well after midnight, neither one of us was ready to sleep. I touched her breast and marveled at how responsive her body was. She placed her hand over mine and squeezed until she moaned with pleasure. Hope was great at sharing what she liked and what she wanted.

  “Oh, God.” She was so wet when I slid inside her again that I couldn’t keep quiet. I was amazed at her body and how well it reacted to my touch. She was grabbing me from the inside, hungrily, wanting more and more.

  “Faster, Lily,” she said.

  Her gasps and moans were intoxicating. She licked the tip of her finger and slid her hand between our bodies. When I realized she was massaging her clit at the same time I was slamming into her, I kissed her. I put every emotion into that kiss to let her know how I felt about her and about tonight. She cried out against my lips when her orgasm overtook her. I was in awe at the way her center quivered and pulsated around my fingers. I’d never even felt my own body during an orgasm. It was life changing.

  “I want to stay inside you forever.” I buried my face in the soft spot on the side of her neck.

  She lifted my chin so that I would look at her. “I’m okay with that.” The honesty I saw in her expression made my eyes well up.

  “Don’t cry. Don’t cry.”

  I willed myself to think about anything other than this moment. I wanted to be strong our first time, and so far I’d been a quivering mess.

  “You have incredibly strong hands.” She brought my fingers to her mouth to place tiny kisses on each fingertip. She didn’t know that it was because I had played piano and other instruments every single day for half of my life.

  “I type a lot.” Lame, but this moment was serious and I didn’t want to think about my past. I wanted to stay in this bliss for as long as possible. I rested my head on her shoulder as she played with my hair and told me why tonight was her favorite night.

  “We should probably try to get some sleep,” she said. I looked at the clock. It was almost four. “If you fall asleep now, you still have time to dream.”

  I lazily stroked the curvy underside of her breast and played with a tiny mole near her rib cage. “Why? My dream is right here with you.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Hey, sleepyhead. It’s almost noon. Clio called. He wants us to bring over cheese. And dessert since it’s so late.”

  Hope kissed me on the cheek. I cracked open an eye and found a smiling Hope sitting beside me on the bed. She set a steaming cup of coffee on the nightstand for me. I crawled back under the covers. She followed me and kissed every part of my body until I was completely awake and laughing with her.

  “Hi.” I felt shy and a complete mess. I tried patting down my hair, but it was a curly mop and out of control. I shrugged.

  “Hi. Are you ready for this day?” She leaned forward and kissed me. “I was hungry and I wanted to make you breakfast in bed, but then morning turned to the afternoon and I realized I didn’t have any food here. Rather than leave, I thought I’d check to see if you wanted to grab lunch somewhere. Or I could go pick something up if you wanted to shower and stay relaxed and beautiful in my bed.”

  I felt the rush of blood hit all of my sensitive spots just remembering the last twelve hours of my life. That I was even able to look Hope in the eye was remarkable. “A shower sounds fantastic.”

  “Okay, why don’t I run across the street and pick us up some lunch while you shower. There are fresh towels in the bathroom and you should find anything you need in there as well. Including a brush.” She winked at me as my hands automatically went up to my unruly hair. Placing a quick kiss on my lips, she left me alone.

  I didn’t get out of bed until I heard the front door close and lock. I jumped up and raced to the bathroom. I didn’t look any different. My hair was out of control, but that was expected. My skin was warm and my cheeks were flushed with the excitement and the newness of being in love. There were a few marks on my body that weren’t there before last night that made me smile at myself in the mirror. I felt like a new person. I felt like a woman.

  I turned on the shower and jumped in. Hope had left a new toothbrush, a hairbrush, and a folded pile of her clothes on the vanity that I assumed were for me. Her soap, her shampoo, even the apricot baby oil made me smile and think of her. I rushed because I knew she wasn’t going to be gone long. When I walked into the living room after my shower, I found Hope arranging lunch.

  In the light of day, after sleep and being apart for thirty minutes, I was shy all over again. “Thanks. And thanks for putting out clothes for me.” I looked down at the cute oversized T-shirt and shorts. She was definitely curvier, but I appreciated the gesture and the fresh clothes.

  “Come here,” she said. I cleared my throat and forced myself to make eye contact with her as I crossed the room. She reached out and pulled me close. “I like the way you look in my clothes. Just like how I like the way you look in my bed.”

  I felt myself blush. She kissed me softly, and it escalated quickly. It was as if our lips were never apart. Our chemistry was remarkable. Or maybe it was just the newness of our changed relationship.

  “What’s for lunch?” I was too embarrassed to talk about our early morning and she was respectful enough not to push.

  “I picked up a few salads and a meatball sub. I know I’m hungry this morning, but I also know how much you like salads.”

  I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. Nobody liked salads, but they were a necessary evil to stay trim. The meatball sub had my interest. I sat down, as directed by Hope, and took a long drink of the ice water she had put out for us.

  “Thank you for getting this for us. I’m sorry I slept in. Usually I’m on a better schedule.” I looked down at my plate and played with my silverware. Was the morning after always this awkward for people?

  “It’s the weekend. There are no schedules on the weekends. I don’t want to assume you are free this afternoon, but if you are, I’d love to spend it with you.”

  How did I manage to find the perfect girlfriend? She always knew what to say, when to back off, when to push me, when to encourage me, and when to protect me. I was still rattled by the guy who had approached me at the museum. Hope was my champion and had completely shut him down in seconds, but did so in such a polite manner.

  “I’m all yours.” Then I blushed, realizing what I said. She winked at me. I blushed harder, but smiled this time. I was good with an afternoon in bed.

  “Let’s go back to your place. That way we can bring Clio a meatball and he’ll quit calling me.”

  “You’re sweet to think of my boy.” I felt bad because I knew Clio was going to be mad at me for only having kibble to eat, but he wasn’t going to starve. I could have stayed here all day. Maybe even convinced Hope to play different instruments for me. But I didn’t want to be demanding. I just wanted time with her.

  We cleaned up the dining room together, the activity stretching longer than it should have because we were in close proximity and had a hard time keeping our hands to ourselves. She would softly squeeze my hip as she br
ushed by me or kiss my shoulder when I scooted in front of her. Having a small kitchen was beneficial for makeout sessions.

  “Ready?” Hope gave me a bag to stash my dress in.

  The sandals she gave me were a bit snug, but wearing tall heels with a T-shirt and shorts was not a good fashion statement. She reached for my hand and we headed down to the train station. There was no walk of shame. I felt invigorated and wondered if the world noticed anything different about me today. Correction. I wondered if the world even noticed me today. I noticed it for the first time in a long time.

  ***

  “Don’t hate me, boy.” Clio grumbled as he sauntered away from me when we walked into my condo. He stopped when Hope rattled the paper bag that held the meatball and turned back when she opened it up and he got a whiff of it. Ignoring me, he walked straight up to Hope and rubbed all over her legs. “Oh, suddenly now you’re going to be sweet? Now that Hope brings you food?” His meow was innocent enough. I handed Hope his dish. “Just drop it in. He likes to tear into it.”

  “How long has he been with you again?” She bravely petted his head while he attacked the meatball.

  “A little over two years.” My heart softened when I thought about his first day with me. He was a mess, but he let me clean him up and we got over one another’s hesitancy. I thought we were close until I saw how gentle he was with Hope. He loved her more than he loved me. Jerk. “I’m going to slip into my own clothes, if you don’t mind.” How I survived the trip wearing sandals that were too small for me was a mystery. I kicked them off the second we walked into my place. I retreated to my bedroom, grabbed a skirt, a top, and fresh underwear and headed to the en suite bathroom. I quickly dressed and pulled my hair up into a bun. The humidity was frizzing it beyond help. Product wouldn’t help, and I honestly didn’t want to be away from Hope too long. I missed her.

  I walked back into my bedroom and found Hope curled up on my bed, a small pillow clutched in her arm. My heart nearly catapulted out of my chest. No woman had been in my bedroom before. I fumbled at words until something coherent fell out.