“Shouldn’t I already be ready?”

“You can never have enough foreplay.” He kisses me and trails his fingers down my stomach. He teases me with a gentle touch that lights me up and keeps me on edge, but never tips me over. Eventually he fits himself between my thighs and we make out, grinding against each other until I’m begging him for more.

Chase grabs the condom from the nightstand and I watch as he tears it open and pinches the tip, taking mental notes as he rolls it down his generous length. He stretches out over me and his erection rubs against me. Chase cups my cheek in his warm palm and his hot gaze locks on mine.

“Tell me what you want, Cammie.” His thumb brushes along the edge of my jaw.

“I want this first with you.”

His eyes fall closed and his forehead rests against mine.

For a very long few seconds, I’m terrified that he’s going to back out.

But he lifts his head, determination and something else I can’t quite identify crossing his face. “I’ll go slow.”

“Okay.”

He reaches between us and lines himself up, the blunt tipnudging my entrance this time. Chase’s gaze stays locked on my face as he pushes in just a bit.

“You okay, baby?”

“I’m okay.” I grip his shoulders and try to relax my breathing, but I’m so nervous. What if I can’t handle it? What if I’m terrible at sex? What if I’m too loud? Or not loud enough?

He pushes in a bit more and I tense.

“Just relax.” He covers my mouth with his.

I try.

He pushes in another inch. This time it’s accompanied with a burning sensation. I clamp my legs against his hips.

“I should stop. We should stop.”

But I don’t want to stop. I want this. People wouldn’t have sex all the time if it didn’t feel good. My peers wouldn’t be looking for endless hookups if it felt awful. I overheard Essie and Rix talking about their firsts and how it wasn’t great at first…but then.Then.

“Please don’t stop.”

“Okay.” He kisses me. “Okay.” His jaw clenches.

He sinks in another inch.

That awful burning intensifies. I try not to let it show on my face, but the little whimper that escapes me is pretty fucking damning.

“We’re stopping,” Chase states. With authority. With conviction. With uneasy determination.

“We’re not.” I lock my legs around his waist and tilt my hips up and push down on his ass. And he sinks. Into me. Filling me in one stroke. Bottoming out. Thewildburn rushes through me and steals my breath. It’s a sensation I don’t know what to do with. I succumb. But also.Also…the fullness, and then…then…the pleasurable ache that makes everything tighten.

“Shit. Shit. Fuck.” His hands tremble against my cheeks. “Cammie, Cammie,Cammie.” A full body shudder runs through him, followed by a deep primal groan.

I do this to him. Being inside me like this makes him feel this way.

His jaw tics and his gaze darkens in the most delicious way. Especially since it contrasts with the gentle way he touches me. Fingers brushing along my cheek. “Tell me you’re okay.” It’s as much a plea as a demand.

“I’m okay.” It’s a raspy croak. “Can we just…stay like this for a minute?”

“Yeah, of course.” He kisses me, soft and sweet.

The burn fades and the fullness remains. I swivel my hips, testing out the way it feels. That strange discomfort flares momentarily and fades, something hot and needy taking its place.