7. Leo

CHAPTER 7

Leo

E very inch of Giana’s body is tempting me to touch it, to kiss it, to worship it. Her body deserves to be celebrated and left feeling utterly satisfied. I make an inaudible promise to ensure I tend to each and every one of her sexual desires tonight. To take my time. But she’s perfection. And this might take more self control than I have the strength for.

I hover above her, appreciating the view beneath me. Lightly freckled skin in such disarray, it fascinates me, making me want to study it and determine a pattern. At last, I lower my mouth to her stomach and press a slow, careful kiss to her belly button, drawing out a giggle from her. It causes my skin to prickle with excitement. I kiss a trail up her stomach, my lips elaborating their exploration. When I glance up and see her tits in perfect peaks, my cock stiffens even more so.

“You okay? You’ll tell me if you want me to stop, yeah?” I ask.

Giana nods. “I’m okay.” Her cheeks are flushed. There’s desire pooling in her brown eyes. And her lips pout adorably, completely captivating me.

I pinch the clasp at the front of her bra, and it releases her breasts. She pushes up on an elbow as I help her out of the straps. As she lowers herself onto the blanket again, I admire her bare tits. So perky and alluring. The urge to dive my face between them is relentless. I’ve seen a couple of sets of breasts, but none compare to the perfection before me.

Dragging a finger down her smooth stomach, she arches her back and exhales another shaky giggle. It only turns me on more. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world to have the honor of seeing her like this. Exposed and consenting to me. It feels like she’s a playground, and I can’t wait to play with everything.

The restraint to not fondle her and suck her tits into my mouth like a sex-deprived lunatic is almost painful. But I want to take my time. I want to savor this moment and make her feel cherished. Because that’s exactly what she deserves.

I lower my head and press a soft kiss to the center of her breastbone. Slowly, I drag my lower lip against one of her breasts until my mouth reaches her nipple. I give it a light kiss before I slide my tongue across it, and she arches her back again. I come out of my fog momentarily to get the reassurance she’s all right.

Lifting my gaze to hers, I find her eyes glossed over. “Is this okay?”

But she doesn’t answer me audibly. Rather, she returns her fingers to my hair possessively and tugs my mouth back down to her breast. My tongue skims across her pretty pink nipple again, and she gasps.

“You’re truly an angel, ya know that?” I cup one of her breasts with my palm and massage it while I continue teasing her nipple with my lips, my tongue, my teeth.

“If you believe that, then you don’t know me very well,” she pants. “Because I don’t think an angel should be thinking about how much she wants you to fuck her.”

My body ignites at her words. An animalistic urge kicks in, and it’s like I get tunnel vision. Suddenly, I’m not me. I’m not a virgin, but rather I’m a man who’s skilled and has done this multiple times.

I kiss her neck and growl into her ear, “Is that so?”

She bucks against me, and I feel her desire for me on my dick. So fucking wet. My head goes dizzy from the sensation. Everything is so new. So intense.

I’ve been near-naked with a woman before. Explored her body. But that’s where things ended. All that, the women prior to Giana feel like a practice run before the marathon.

Hovering above her, I torment her further as I lower my hips and slowly drag my length against her slick pussy. She moans beneath me. But the friction sends a powerful tingling in my cock, and I worry I’ll finish before I get the chance to even be inside her.

Reluctantly, I straighten and take a deep breath.

She props on an elbow, an unsettled look in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothin’…jus’…you’re so perfect, and I want you…that’s the problem.” I glance her way, but don’t make eye contact with her.

“And that’s a problem?” It takes her a moment, then her eyes widen as the realization sets in. “Ohhh. Do you need to stop? Because we don’t have to do this…if you don’t want to.”

“No,” I blurt. “Shit. I want to. Believe me, I want to.” I rest my hand on her hip and give it a squeeze, anchoring her there.

“If you’re sure.”

I soothe her concerns when I glide my hand from her hip and slide my fingers against her pussy. This doesn’t help in my effort to keep from coming undone. But she feels too fucking good to stop. And when she mewls at my touch, I become eager and push a single finger inside of her.

She gasps and sucks her lip between her teeth.

“You okay?” I say with an exhaled groan.

She nods. “More,” she whispers like a command.

And I comply. Easing her back onto the blanket, I slide a second finger into her. She’s so fucking tight. I flex and scissor my fingers to stretch her. She squirms at my touch, and again I worry I’m hurting her.

But she grips my shoulder and chants, “I’m okay. I’m okay. It’s good. So good.”

My cock pulses from the sound of her voice purring at my touch. I slide my fingers out of her and rub the pad of my thumb against her clit. “Are ya ready for me, Sugar, or are y’all talk?”

“Please, Leo. I’m ready,” she whines, scratching her fingernails against my head.

I chuckle as a bit of relief wooshes out of me. Finally .

Rolling on top of her, I prop myself up on my forearms and gaze down at her. The flickering from the candlelight sparkles in her dark eyes. She gives me a smile and a nod of confirmation.

It’s a well-known fact that sex for a virgin female can be uncomfortable. Or even painful. I try to keep this in the front of my mind as I take my cock in my hand and press the tip to her entrance. But once I guide it inside and she inhales sharply, my senses overload from pleasure.

Lowering my face to hers, I kiss her gently at first. Her tongue sweeps over her lips before it dips into my mouth. The kissing, along with being inside her, is intense. I press my lips to her neck, her collarbone, her breasts. My mouth is erratic.

We move together, and I keep the tempo slow, despite the eagerness throbbing in my cock to pick up speed. Giana digs her fingertips into my back and moans into my neck. I’m not sure if it’s from pain or pleasure. But she wraps her legs around my thighs and bucks against me.

“Shit. You’re really are a firecracker,” I rasp, scraping my stubbly chin across her cheek.

She exhales a light laugh and it’s sexy.

Too sexy.

I won’t last much longer. The sensations are building, and I’m moments from spilling inside her. But I don’t want to be the only one getting off tonight. All those dirty magazines I’ve kept hidden with tips on pleasuring a woman are finally coming in handy.

Sliding a hand in between us, I drag a finger over her bud, and she whimpers.

I press my forehead against hers and whisper, “Does this feel good, Sugar?”

“Don’t ever stop touching me, Leo,” she demands breathlessly.

Hoisting myself higher above her, I plunge into her harder while my fingertip rubs circles over her clit. Our kissing becomes sloppy the closer we get to finishing.

When my name releases quietly like a strangled cry from her throat, I give into my own pleasure. My cock throbs and surges. And as tough as it is, I pull out of her just in time, spilling myself on the blanket beneath us.

We crash together, our sweaty chests colliding. Our breathing is rapid, and our hearts pound rhythmically. I press my lips to hers and give her a gentle kiss before lifting my head and gazing down at her. Her pupils are dilated, and her eyes are wet. But she gives me a weak smile.

After such a mind-blowing experience, I’m almost afraid to ask. But I do. “You okay, Darlin’?”

She nods but bites her lower lip .

“Did it hurt?”

“A little,” she answers honestly, and my stomach rolls in response. “But it also felt…good. Especially at the end.” Her smile widens and eases my worries some.

“Well, all right.” My lips pull into a smile as my assurance builds. I kiss the tip of her nose, and her eyes flutter shut. “I promise it will be even better next time.”

“Next time? Well, isn’t someone confident?” She grins.

I know she’s teasing, but it doesn’t stop my gut from tightening. “Hopefully, I’m not being presumptuous?”

She cups my cheek in her palm and gazes at me adoringly. “I can’t wait for next time.”

I flash her what I know is a goofy smile. “Yeah? How ’bout right now?”

She shoves me in the chest playfully, exhaling a laugh.

“I’m kiddin’,” I say, squeezing her to me tightly.

“I think I might need at least a day to recover. Then let’s try again.”

“I’ll be counting down the minutes.”

She shoves me away, rolling her eyes playfully.

Cleanup afterward is messy. There’s no running water in the cabin. We both pee in the toilet without flushing. I use my shirt to wipe up the mess on the blanket and discard it in the corner of the bedroom.

Once we’ve dressed in our undergarments and blown out the candles, we lie down on the blanket again and tug another one over us. I wrap my arm around her and pull her into me. When she rests her cheek on my bare chest, it feels as if we’ve done this a million times before. It’s comfortable. Being with Giana makes me feel complete somehow. Like she’s the missing limb I didn’t even know I’d been missing until now.

The cabin is quiet, and a chill seeps in through the wood floor beneath us. The full moon shines a stream of light through the window. I’m almost afraid to move, to talk, to breathe. Worried something will ruin this perfect moment. This perfect night.

But when she curls her body into me, bringing herself even closer, I squeeze her against me tighter.

“Leo?” she whispers while she traces a finger over my abs and elicits a shiver from me. “Can you promise me something?”

At this moment, I would promise her anything. I press a kiss on her forehead. “Anything, Sugar.”

She shifts and props her chin on my chest. There’s a seriousness conveyed in her eyes as she peers at me, and it causes me to hold my breath. “Let’s not ruin the summer by talking about the end of it. Let’s only focus on the here and now.”

I furrow my brows, concern filling me. I rub my thumb against her bare arm. Why is she saying this now? When we’ve just had sex. When the summer is only just beginning.

“But—”

“No.” She quickly pushes her finger to my lips, halting my words. “No buts. I mean it. Promise me.” Her voice comes out harsh.

It sends a pang of worry in my chest. I take her words seriously and do the only thing I can do. I nod and agree. “Promise.”

Eventually, she relents and resituates with her head resting on my chest once again. She feels incredible in my arms with her breasts mashed against me. It’s a moment I hope to experience on repeat this summer.

But I can’t quiet the desire building in me to want more.

More of this . More of her . More of us .

I promised her I wouldn’t talk about the future. Except that’s the only thing spinning through my mind as her breathing slows and she drifts to sleep in my embrace. Our time together already feels limited. Like falling sand in an hourglass.

W hile we wait for the closing date on the cabin, we shop for home improvement products at Uncle Jim’s hardware store. We buy paint for some of the interior walls, new plumbing fixtures for the bathroom and kitchen, and lots of sandpaper for the kitchen cabinets. Giana picks out a pale-pink paint for the primary bedroom walls. I wouldn’t care if she picked out mustard yellow as long as she’s happy.

I’m hoping for a sex do-over—a chance to give Giana more pleasure rather than pain—but we’ve been instructed by the bank that it’s best to keep our distance from the cabin until we officially close and get the keys. With still living at home, Giana’s house is never empty of eavesdroppers, never mind an audience. And until we get keys to the cabin, I’m stuck at Pete’s place. Giana and I have barely had a moment alone since that night at the cabin.

Before we know it, Pete and Nettie are already returning home from their honeymoon. I borrow Uncle Jim’s car again and pick Giana up on our way to meet the newlyweds at the hardware store. Uncle Jim and Pete’s grandfather have been gussying up the living space above the store and turning it into a nice apartment for Pete and Nettie. Giana and I are anxious to see their reactions when they find the surprise.

It's dark, and the hardware store is closed when I park along the curb out front. I hop out and round the front of the car before opening the passenger door. Giana steps out and reaches for my hand.

“I don’t know if I’m more excited to see Nettie’s expression to their very own apartment, or if I’m just plain excited to see her.” Giana tugs me toward the double glass doors to the store. “We’ve never been apart this long.”

“I guarantee you Pete is gonna be head over heels for a place of their own. You don’t know how many times he went off about the bummer of the two of them having to live with his family after they got married.” I rest my hand on Giana’s back and usher her inside.

“Imagine having sex with your younger siblings in the next room,” she whispers over her shoulder. “Or worse—your parents .” Her painted-red lips twist in disgust.

“Ewww,” I say, tickling her with a squeeze to her waist.

She squeals and pokes a playful elbow into my gut, and I chuckle. I follow behind her as we head to the back of the dimly lit store, not minding the view of her ass in the fitted blue jeans she’s wearing. My dick groans in my pants.

As we shuffle up the stairs, I lower my voice and say from behind her, “Ya know what I’m excited ’bout?”

“Mm-hmm?” Her voice purrs, doing nothing to ease my hard-on.

“Getting our keys in three more days.”

She spins on the step before we reach the top of the staircase and cups her hands to my shoulders. A flirtatious smile takes residence on her face, and I’m once again struck by her beauty. She bends a little and draws her lips closer to mine, and I meet her halfway, giving her a gentle kiss but craving more.

After she pulls back, she says, “I’m counting down the days too.”

I adjust my pants before we reach the top of the stairs and enter the apartment.

No surprise, Nettie spots us first. She lets out a high-pitched shriek, and both girls sprint toward each other. They tackle one another in the biggest of bear hugs, complete with continued squealing and laughing and talking a mile a minute. I approach Pete with a firm handshake and a smile. The two of us are used to going long stretches of time without seeing each other. So this was nothing.

I skip over asking for details of the honeymoon and go right into talking about the apartment. “What do you think of the place?” I shuffle around and check out Uncle Jim’s handiwork.

“It’s amazing,” Pete says, looking pleased but maybe still a bit in shock.

“Oh my goodness, we’re just tickled pink. What a blessing,” Nettie begins, her arm linked through Giana’s.

They look pretty adorable, the two of them, best friends, reunited once again. I can’t help but notice the way Giana’s skin is glowing. It’s almost as if Nettie’s absence somehow blocked some of Giana’s sun. Now that she’s back, Giana looks more settled. More like herself. Her freckles showing off too.

“I knew you’d love it,” Giana says.

“Are you kidding? What’s not to love? It’s a place to call our own.” Nettie unravels her arm from Giana and rushes to Uncle Jim, her now father-in-law, and gives him a hug.

It seems like a simple response. A place to call our own . But it’s packed with meaning.

“Well, you’ll have to get your own things to fill it with.” Uncle Jim rubs at the back of his neck, looking sheepish.

“I think all they’ll need is a bed,” Giana says, snickering under her breath, and it heats my skin. And gets my mind working on all the things Giana and I could be doing if we had a bed.

Pete gives her a knowing look as he waggles his brows, and I have to swallow back my bark of laughter.

Uncle Jim either doesn’t hear or pretends he doesn’t. Probably just as well. He takes a couple of long strides toward the stairs. “C’mon, Pops, let’s let the two lovebirds have a chat with their friends. ”

Pete’s grandfather follows Uncle Jim down the stairs. They holler their goodbyes over their shoulders while Pete and Nettie ring out a chorus of thank yous . By the time I turn my attention back on Giana, she’s rushing at Nettie once again.

I figure they have a lot to catch up on, so I nod my chin at Pete. “Wanna walk down to the Freeze Hut and get a soda or beer or somethin’?” I suppose we have things to catch up on too.

“Yes, please.”

We slip out, and the girls hardly notice. Out on the sidewalk, the streetlamps have turned on. I stuff my hands into the pockets of my blue jeans and study my cowboy boots as they shuffle over the cracked cement.

“So? How was the honeymoon? Y’all have a good time?”

“Yeah, it was fun. But Niagara Falls wasn’t really for me. I missed this place.”

“Shit. Maple Ridge has a way of doing that, huh?”

“Sure does. But I was also ready to get back and start our lives. As a married couple.”

“Yeah,” I mutter, still studying my feet.

It’s quiet for a beat until Pete pipes up. “How were things here?”

“Fine,” I drawl out. “Good.”

“Good? How good?”

He’s insinuating something. And I’m fairly certain I know what that something is. We may be cousins, but we’ve only been together a handful of times. So this topic of conversation is new territory for us.

When I don’t answer, Pete stops walking, so I stop walking too and glance up at him. He pins me with a knowing look. I rake my fingers through my hair, and my eyes flit away.

Pete lets out an amused whistle and lightly shoves a fist into my arm. “I knew it! Did I call it, or did I call it? I knew you two would hit it off.”

I exhale a chuckle. “I’d say we more than hit it off. Pete, I’m completely smitten. I think she might be it for me.”

“No shit. For real?”

We reach the Freeze Hut, and I yank open the door, giving way for Pete to enter first. “For real. It’s not only Maple Ridge that has charmed me into wanting to stay. I love Giana Russo more than cornbread on a Sunday.”

Pete looks at me funny. Like I’ve got two heads. Or like I’ve just said the most ridiculous thing.

“I don’t know what that means exactly, but I’ll assume you love her enough you might plan on staying in Maple Ridge longer. And that’s sufficient for me.”

It’s sufficient reason for me too. Because the summer doesn’t feel long enough.

Wherever Giana is, I want to be. Forever. And if that’s Maple Ridge, then so be it.