Page 18 of Absinthe and Heart

“Is this memory lane? No, nightmare lane?” She laughs.

“Now, if you remember correctly, it wasn’t all a nightmare.”

“I don’t know; that first time was horrifically embarrassing.”

I scoff in mock horror as she did earlier. “Take that back! Do you not remember what I told you? I meant it. That didn’t bother me, and it shouldn’t bother you. It’s natural for some virgins to bleed, and we both knew it would happen. I lasted all of five seconds, so really, I should be the embarrassed person in this scenario.”

Her face turns earnest. “You’re right. I take it back. It was a night I will never forget, and it wasn’t all bad. I do remember my first orgasm.”

“You better. I had licked so much fruit leading up to that trip, trying to make sure I would make you come.” I feel the sly smile slide across my face at the memory. “My God, you were stunning.”

Grace blushes. A sight not seen too often. Her smile is sweet and relaxed. She’s totally at home in my apartment with me, in only my thin tee shirt. I lick my lips as my eyes sweep her body. My eyes are glued to her silhouette as she moves around, preparing the absinthe.

“I can’t even remember how this tastes anymore, but I do remember hating it.”

“It wasn’t the taste you hated; you were pissed you didn’t see tinker bell.”

“Oh yeah. The creepy guy in the alley said we would see a little green fairy if we drank it.”

She sets the sugar cube on top of the metal and lights it on fire. The small flame burns fast, but we both rear back in surprise. Laughing, she pushes my drink over to me. Before she sits back, I notice the shirt ride up her thigh and will myself not to reach out and find out if she put her thong back on or not. The thought has my dick hardening again.

“Those damn kids would believe anything,” I joke.

“I think those two virgins just wanted an excuse to bang finally.”

“You’re not wrong, but that’s not as romantic.”

“It wasn’t romantic.”

“Wait,” I say in mock surprise, touching my chest. “Are you telling me now that our first time together wasn’t the fairy tale first time you always thought it would be? It was in a castle, Grace.”

She laughs and rolls her eyes.

“A hostel is not a castle. Now I’m not saying our first time wasn’t magical.” She looks off towards the kitchen in thought. “We were high in a tall tower.”

“With only each other to keep us warm.”

“Amsterdam is cold.”

I nod, encouraging her. “But it was magical….”

“Yes. Because that night, I gave myself to you, knowing and feeling you were giving all of you to me. It’s not something I can put a word to, but magical comes close.”

At this moment, if possible, I fall more in love with Grace Maddon.

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