Page 52 of Time After Time
A hush settled over us.
Once again, time stood still as we held each other’s gaze. It seemed as though we had both ceased to breathe, our gazes locked in an exchange that conveyed everything that needed to be said. I shifted, reaching for the box of condoms on the side table, the one I had grabbed at the drug store earlier. In my eagerness, I nearly slipped off the bed, causing Gen to laugh as she caught my arm, pulling me back onto the mattress.
My free hand shook as I tried to tear open the package, nerves getting the best of me. Gen took it from my unsteady grasp even if her hands trembled just as much, but, unlike me, she was able to open the box, ripping it as the sound invaded the entire room.
Before I could reach for one of the square packets and get comfortable on the bed, she leaned in. “I want to put it on you,” she said, her voice barely audible. Her hands still shaking as she unwrapped the condom, but when I brushed my fingers against her cheek, I could see her relax. With that brief touch, her confidence grew, and she focused on what she was doing.
Her fingers moved with newfound confidence, rolling the condom on, but I hardly noticed. All I could see was her.
I stole a glance at her before pressing my forehead against hers once more, closing my eyes in an attempt to calm the quivering in my chest with a deep breath. “I’m going to ask once again.” When I opened my eyes, our eyelashes brushed as she met my gaze, her eyes slightly crossed in concentration. “Are you sure about this? I’m okay with whatever you choose, whatever your decision may be.” Pulling back slightly, I kissedher. “Even in the moment, if you change your mind, I will stop immediately.”
“I won’t.” Her chin jerked, lips pressing together before parting again, like she was searching for the right words. Was she sure, or was she saying what I wanted to hear? Had I pushed too hard? Was my declaration from the bathroom, my kiss on the beach, or even bringing her here all missteps?
When she said, “I’m scared,” guilt tightened in my chest, like I’d pushed her into something she wasn’t ready for. “I’m scared because this is new. But I’m tired of having to plan everything and not knowing what I want. But…” Her eyes shimmered with tears, and I had to blink back my own. “Yet, I know I want this. Badly.” Her fingers traced my cheeks, guiding me to meet her eyes while I fought the urge to let my tears fall. “I want this with you, Sebastian. Now, more than ever. I promise.”
I pushed aside her words, determined not to let them pull me into doubt,more than ever… that was just a way of speaking, yeah. Shaking my head firmly, as if to banish any lingering uncertainty, I mustered the brightest smile I could, my thumb brushing away the single tear that was trailing down her cheek.
Closing the distance between us, I leaned in to kiss her again, savouring every fleeting moment. I relished the feel of her bottom lip beneath mine, teasing it with nibbles and bites. A gasp escaped her, parting her lips just enough for me to deepen the kiss, my tongue meeting hers in a heated exchange.
My left hand cradled the side of her jaw, guiding her face upward to maintain the perfect angle for our kiss.
I traced the curve of her neck, my fingers drifting down to where her chest met her ribs. Each movement was careful, like I was learning the map of her skin. Her left hand pressed against my chest while her right hand gripped my waist, pulling me closer. Our bodies shifted together, a slow but growing pressure that seemed to match the beat of our hearts.
As she guided me against her twice, I paused, sensing her need for my hand to help prepare her. I wanted to make this experience as comfortable and pleasurable as possible for her.
Kissing the tip of her nose, I eased my middle finger inside her, moving carefully to ensure she felt good.
She was already moist, her lips glistening with her own arousal, making it effortless for my finger to slip inside her. “You are so wet,” I murmured, eliciting a soft moan from her as she pressed her lips against my neck.
Lost in the sensation of her kisses, I momentarily forgot my task, allowing her to nibble and fiercely kiss my skin.
As my awareness sharpened, I concentrated on what I needed to do. I slipped my ring finger in alongside my middle one, feeling her readiness as I moved gently, the tension around my digits easing with her heightened excitement.
She gasped, her lips abandoning my neck, leaving the area she had ignited with her tongue feeling strangely chilly as the room’s temperature dried it off. “Does it hurt?” I inquired, concerned. She jerked her head, reassurance evident in her eyes as I began to rotate the motion of my fingers a bit, feeling her walls tighten around my fingertips.
“Tell me, Gen,” I whispered her name. “Is this how you do it when you’re alone?” I had to know if this moment would linger in my mind, keeping me awake for eternity. She nodded but then shook her head, leaving me confused and searching for answers. “Words, Gen,” I urged, needing to know.
“Sometimes,” her words escaped in breathy whispers, each syllable laden with desire, her hips arching higher in response to my touch. With every slow, torturous movement of my fingers, she grew wetter.
“I...” A soft whimper escaped her lips. “I can’t climax without my clit being touched.”
Her confession lingered in the air, sending shivers down my spine. I tucked that revelation away in a special corner of my mind reserved for thoughts of Gen, a secret sanctuary where she existed only in my fantasies.
“I won’t indulge you just yet.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t wait to feel you around me.”
Her hands moved down my chest, leaving a trail of tingling sensations wherever they touched. I noticed her nails, a baby shade of blue that caught my eye more than usual. They were almond-shaped, and she’d added tiny pearls this time.
I gasped sharply as her hands ventured to what was, in that moment, the second most sensitive part of me. Her left hand hovered at the base of my abdomen, hesitant but teasing, while her right slid lower, wrapping around my shaft, pulling a moan from somewhere deep inside me.
I couldn’t help but glance down between us, caught by the sight of my fingers sinking into her heat while her hand moved with perfect rhythm. Her nails stood out even more now—somehow making everything about her feel even more magnetic.
“Stop, Gen,” I managed to choke out, the words strained.
Reluctantly, I pulled her hand away from me, already missing the feeling, even as I did it. The thought of her continuing those movements while I watched her face was almost too much to handle. Just seeing her like that, so close, was enough to push me to the brink.
