She kept telling me things about myself as she kissed every piece of me. For every scar, she gave five more compliments, which she called my truths. For every pained memory, she promised me a better one for the future. She kissed my scars and called them beautiful.

“Landon?” she said softly, pressing her body against mine.

“Yes?”

“Can I have you tonight?”

Yes…yes…a thousand times yes.

“Yes, but the real question is: can I have you?”

“All of me,” she promised. “All of me is yours.” She nodded, so sure, and her sureness made my eyes want to water over with emotion all over again. I didn’t allow them to, though, because now my mind was on the best birthday gift I was ever going to receive: her.

I turned off the light, still uncomfortable with her seeing my scars. The only light that shone was a flood of moonlight coming through the windows.

First, I finished undressing her, and she hurried to take off my jeans. The freedom my cock felt when they were off was unbelievable. She studied my hard-on, in amazement, almost, as if still unsure what to do with it. Her finger trailed along the fabric of my boxers, and I shivered at her touch, shutting my eyes.

“For you,” I muttered. “Only ever you.”

She went to take off my boxers and began to lower herself to her knees, but I stopped her. “No,” I ordered, turning her around and laying her down on my bed. “You first.”

I got down on my knees, spread her legs, and returned to my newest favorite pastime—making Shay’s knees quiver in pleasure.

She twisted her hands in the sheets as I tongued her, moaning as I sucked her, crying out in desire as I pleased her. Each time she thrust her hips up toward my face, I worked harder at her clit. Each time she tried to pull away, I pinned her down a little more. I wasn’t going to stop until she exploded against my tongue in a way she didn’t know bodies could release. I wanted to taste all of her against my mouth. I wanted to drown in her and not come up for air.

“Landon!” she screamed my name into my pillow as her body released what I’d been craving, and I greedily licked her clean as my cock sat hard throbbing between my legs. “Oh my gosh, Landon, that was…that was…” Her words faded and I smirked.

“Good?” I asked.

“So. Freaking. Good.” Her breaths were heavy and she pulled me up to her mouth. I hovered over her body, my eyes dancing across her frame, and I loved every inch I was able to see.

She pressed her forehead against mine. “Now, I want you, all of you, inside of me.”

I hesitated for a moment, knowing what a big deal this was for her. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, but…” She paused her slight movements in the bedsheets and looked up at me with an intense, emotional stare. There was a gentle fear that sat uncomfortably in her brown eyes. Her vulnerabilities were loud and clear as she lay naked in my bed. I knew that had to be scary for her—allowing me to see her in such a state. I had a feeling not many people saw that side of her personality.

“Can you do something for me?” she whispered as she placed her hands against my bare chest.

“Yes. Anything.”

She lowered my lips to hers and slipped her soft syllables straight into my mind. “Go slow.”

I didn’t know if she meant go slow with her body or with her heart.

So I took my time with both.

We became one in that moment, our hearts beating in the same way. When I entered her, she cried out, and I tried my best to take it easy, to take my time, to give her all of me at a pace that worked for all of her.

I loved it. I loved how she felt. I loved how she moaned.

I…loved…her.

I couldn’t say it then. If I knew anything, it was that you couldn’t tell a girl you loved her during the first time you had sex. Rule 101 of not being a douchebag.

But I loved her. I knew I did. How could I not?

Maybe I always had, even when I hated her. Loving Shay came as easy as the wind. It pushed through my system and left me completely breathless.