Page 55 of Further To Fall

“I’m glad.” Austin set his plate aside and patted the ground between his spread legs. I scooted over, and he leaned me back into his chest. His heart beat against my shoulder blades, as my own started to speed up.

We were silent as we watched the sun sink lower in the sky. When the horizon burned red, I tilted my face up towards Austin’s. His cheekbones flared a deep pink with the reflecting sun. Austin angled his chin down and gazed into my eyes. My heart rattled in its cage, but I didn’t look away.

He brought his mouth closer, millimeter by millimeter, and then it was on mine. His lips were warm and softer than I remembered. He tasted of the vanilla cupcake we had split moments ago and something uniquely him. I couldn’t imagine a better flavor. He nibbled on my bottom lip before slipping his tongue into my mouth. I wanted, no Ineededmore. I needed him to touch me everywhere. Austin pulled back on a gasp. “Jesus, you’re going to be the death of me.” He brought his forehead down to mine as we both fought to catch our breath.

My whole body was tingling, and all my nerve endings seemed to be firing at once. If just kissing Austin could turn me into a quivering pile of need, I couldn’t imagine what doing other things would cause. It might kill me. The reminder of the possibility of doing other stuff with Austin was like a bucket of cold ice water on my heated flesh.

I pulled my forehead away from his and turned back to the sunset. I desperately wanted to do those things with Austin, but I was terrified at the same time. Scared I wouldn’t be any good at it, especially in comparison to the women he was used to. Petrified that I would give him my body, my heart, my soul, and this would all come crashing down around me. The cupcake I’d eaten soured in my stomach.

Austin’s voice jarred me from my downward spiral of doomed thoughts. “What are you thinking so hard about over there, Firecracker?” I bit down on my bottom lip, unsure of what to say. He reached around and gently pulled my lip from between my teeth. “What’s wrong?”

I glanced around to make sure that no one was within earshot. “I’m worried I won’t be any good at that stuff.” I couldn’t look at Austin as I continued, better just to get it all out. “I’m still a virgin, and I don’t have much experience with the other stuff.” I could feel my cheeks getting hotter by the second. “I just want it to be good for you when, I mean,ifwe do that stuff. You have a lot of experience, and I’m worried I’ll be a disappointment, and then you won’t want to be with me and then I’ll have to kick you in the balls for breaking my heart because I’m not good at sex.” I sucked in air, out of breath from my tangent.

Austin grasped my chin, turning my head so I was forced to look him in the eyes. “First of all, we are in no rush. We are going to take this as slow as we need to. Second, based on that kiss that has me painfully hard, I don’t think we’ll have any issues in the bedroom.” I could feel that hardness up against my backside, I instinctively wiggled. He closed his eyes and groaned. “Dear God, please don’t do that, you’re making it worse.” I instantly stopped.

“Carter, here’s the thing, I’ve had a lot of empty sex in my life. I wish that wasn’t true now, but I have. That kind of sex is never as good as when you have a real connection with someone. When you have time to get to know someone and know what they like and don’t, how their body responds to yours. I think it takes true intimacy to have the best sex, and I’ve never had that, so we’re in the same boat.”

I looked into his eyes, desperately hoping that what he said was true. “Carter, we’ll take our time, and we’lltalk. I’ll teach you what I like. You’ll help me figure out what turns you on. We just have to be honest with each other. Can you do that for me?” I nodded. “I need your words, Firecracker.”

I licked my lips. “I can be honest.”

He closed the distance and hovered just shy of touching my lips. “Good.” His lips brushed mine with the barest touch, the sweetest embrace. “Now, let’s get out of here before I embarrass myself.” He jumped to his feet and lifted me to mine, enfolding me in his arms. “You’re perfect just as you are.” And then he kissed the tip of my nose.

I helped Austin put everything back into the picnic basket, and we wove through the remaining people scattered across the lawn. Once we were back in the Range Rover, Austin turned to me with that mischievous grin on his face that I loved so much. “Your last present is back at my house.”

I had forgotten all about the present I was supposed to get after our date. Apparently, Austin’s kisses had melted my brain. “I finally get to see your new place?” He had bought a house a couple of months ago that Liam had told me was killer.

“Yup. I think you’ll like it.” Before long, we were headed out of Los Feliz and into the Hollywood Hills, my body tilting back and forth as we sped through the canyon roads. Austin pulled to a stop in front of an imposing gate and clicked a remote on his visor. The gates slowly swung open, and we inched up a curving driveway.

I sucked in a breath when I first caught sight of the house. It looked like a magical Spanish villa. The driveway ended in a large circle with a fountain in the middle. The house itself had a tiled roof that met textured, white adobe walls. Balconies peeked out in regular intervals and were covered in deep magenta blooms. It was perfection.

“Austin, this place is breathtaking.” I had slipped from the car before he had a chance to open my door.

Coming up behind me, he slipped an arm around the top of my chest and nuzzled my neck. “Glad you like it. You want the full tour?” I nodded. “Come on, then.” He grabbed my hand and led me through an arched entryway into the house. Austin took me through room after room, all tiled floors or wide-planked dark wood filled with warm colors that made you want to curl up and stay a while. He paused at one door. “This is my room. I would go in there with you, but I’m not sure I could keep my hands off you, so you’re on your own to check that one out.”

I giggled and pushed open the door. There was a massive bed with a dark wood frame opposite an equally enormous fireplace. I ran my fingertips across the crisp, white comforter, imagining what it would feel like to slip beneath the sheets.

I rounded the bed and meandered towards what looked like the master bathroom. I gasped, I couldn’t help it. I wanted to move into this bathroom and never leave. There was a giant bathtub set in front of a huge window that overlooked a breathtaking garden alive with vibrant greens and brightly colored flowers. Turning around, I took in the largest shower I’d ever seen with more jets than I could count on first glance, the wall covered in intricate, hand-painted blue tiles.

It was all too much to take in. I had to get out of there, or I’d never leave. I walked back through the bedroom, not even daring to look at what I was sure would be a closet to die for. Austin was leaning against the door frame. “You like?”

“I think your bathroom gave me an orgasm.”

“Lucky bathroom.” He grinned wickedly and gave me a quick kiss, stoking the fire burning low in my abdomen. “On to the kitchen.”

As we walked into the bright and airy kitchen, I heard a high-pitched whining sound. “What is that?” I asked, spinning around to face Austin.

“That would be your final present. Stay here for just a minute.” He opened the door to what looked like a garage and disappeared.

I bounced on the balls of my feet but froze when Austin reappeared with a wriggling puppy in his arms. The sight hit me right in the ovaries. My hands lifted to cover my mouth, holding in my gasp. When the puppy caught sight of me, he wriggled even harder.

Austin bent over just as the puppy launched himself from Austin’s arms and galloped towards me. I let myself crumple to the floor to catch the gorgeous puppy in my lap. He was this magical gray color that almost looked blue with just a dash of white on his chest and a set of four white socks. Tears gathered in my eyes, and my voice trembled. “He’s for me?”

“All yours.” I laughed as the puppy bathed my face in kisses. “He’s a blue nose pit. I adopted him at the shelter this morning. Pitbulls are super sweet but protective, and most people are intimidated by them. They think he’s about five months old, but when he gets a little older, we can get him trained to be a guard dog.”

I blinked up at Austin, his intention behind the gift now clear. I looked back down at the puppy’s sweet face. He licked my nose. “Or we could just love him and cuddle him and not give him a job.” The puppy yipped as if agreeing with me.

Austin groaned. “We have to get him some sort of training.”

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