Melody of the Heart (8 page)

 
LILY

       
 
THE PAST

Friday night after the last football game of the season found me in the back seat of Brayden’s car. All four windows were fogged up from the heavy breathing of our exertions. The top to my cheerleading uniform lay crumpled in the floorboard along with Brayden’s shirt. The rough denim of his jeans chafed against my thighs as his hips worked against mine. The friction caused more and more moisture to grow between my legs.

It had been two months since he had serenaded me in the middle of the night. We’d been an exclusive couple ever since. Any free time I had after school and work was spent with him. If I wasn’t with him, I was on the phone with him. Friday nights I usually went solo to cheer at the football games while Brayden went to Atlanta to play with his band. I’d usually join him on Saturday nights. There was nothing I loved more than to listen to him sing. Of course, I loved it the most when we were alone, and he would sing into my ear.

That’s what had originally led to tonight’s make-out session. Something about his voice did things to me, made me squirm with an ache between my legs. After kissing in the front seat for a few minutes, Brayden had climbed over the backseat and beckoned me to join him. While we might have moved fast with our initial attraction and becoming a couple, we hadn’t gone full speed with the sex stuff. I was glad that Brayden was being patient with me and taking things slow. At the same time, the more I felt for him, the more I wanted to eventually give him my virginity.

As his hand drew down one of the straps of my bra, he jerked his lips from mine. His warm brown eyes questioned if I was okay with this next step. I bobbed my head, causing a lazy smile to drag across his lips. One of his hands delved beneath me to find the clasp of my sports bra. Grunting, his fingers worked to unhook it. After a few minutes, he blew out a breath of frustration. “Dammit, I can’t do it.”

I giggled. “Big bad Brayden can’t get a little bra undone,” I teased.

“I think they’re really made to keep guys out.”

“Here. Let me.” Pushing him off me, I sat up. As my arms reached around my back, I caught Brayden’s intense gaze. Even though we were in the dark, I couldn’t help feeling a little shy. I’d never let a guy see my breasts before. I’d never really wanted to until Brayden. He had been so good not to pressure me into anything. Although he was dying to lose his virginity, he wanted me to be ready. While I wanted everything with him, I was still nervous. Once the clasp came free, I hesitated, keeping the loose fabric of the bra pressed against my chest.

Brayden’s hand came to tenderly cup my cheek. “Baby, if this is too fast, we’ll stop.”

With a shake of my head, I slowly slid the bra down to my lap. “God, you’re beautiful,” he said, before the hand that had cupped my cheek came to my bare breast. As he cupped and kneaded it, his lips found mine. Once again he pushed me back down onto the leather seat. He feathered kisses down my chin and neck, which caused me to shiver. 

When his lips closed over my nipple, I gasped. His head jerked up in alarm. I grinned down at him. “It’s okay. It felt good.”

“Let me see if I can make it even better,” he replied.

This time his tongue flicked back and forth across my hardened nipple, teasing it and me. The ache between my legs began to grow. He sucked at it again before pulling away to blow air across the tip. “Mmm, very good,” I murmured.

As he moved to the next breast, I opened my legs wider, letting him ease deeper between them. We both moaned when he began to rub the hardened bulge in his jeans against my center. Sensing I needed more, one of Brayden’s hands slid underneath my cheerleading skirt. When his fingers grazed against the cheerleading bloomers I wore over my panties, my hips bucked against him. “Please, Brayden,” I said, breathlessly.

He released my nipple with a pop. “You okay with under?”

We’d been playing the over the shirt and panties feel up the last few times we had made out. But I knew I was ready for more. I wanted him to make me come with his fingers the same way I had learned to. His hand slid beneath the elastic band of my bloomers. I sucked in a breath at the feel of his hand cupping me. As he stroked me, I arched my hips in time. Although it felt good, it still wasn’t enough.

I tugged at the strands of his dark hair. As if he knew what I wanted, Brayden pushed one finger inside me. “Mmm,” I murmured, closing my eyes to the sensation. After swirling one finger inside to tease and test me, Brayden slipped in another. Once again, my hips rose involuntarily.

“Oh, Lily, you feel so fucking good,” Brayden groaned against my neck. He continued rubbing his erection against my thigh as he pumped his fingers furiously in and out of me. As I started to climb higher and higher, I grabbed his shoulders, my fingers molding into the flesh. Although I was embarrassed, I couldn’t stop the pants and noises I was making—it felt too good. When his thumb pressed against my clit, I cried out, convulsing against his fingers. I clung even tighter to him as the waves rolled through me.

When I could breathe normally again, Brayden had removed his hand from my panties. Hazily, I watched as he slid his fingers into his mouth. “Mmm, baby, you taste good. I can’t wait to put my tongue inside you.”

Shivering at his words, I said, “I can’t wait either. I know it’ll be good. Everything you to do to me is good.”

He gave me a sheepish grin. “I’m not sure I know exactly what I’m doing.”

I shook my head. “I wouldn’t want you any other way.”

“And I want you, Lily. I want all of you.”

“I know. I want you, too. Just not here in the backseat of your car. I want our first time to be special.”

“So do I.” His expression grew serious. “But I don’t just want to fuck you. I want to make love to you.”

My thumb ran across his jawline. “And I want to give you everything I have, mind, body, and soul.”

His brows lined while his jaw clenched and unclenched. I knew he was trying to find the way to say something important to me. Finally, he whispered, “I…I love you.”

I gasped. “What did you say?”

“I said, I love you.”

“Oh Brayden,” I murmured.

“And I didn’t say it just because I want to have sex with you. I said it because I mean it.”

Tears filled my eyes, and I couldn’t help letting them overflow my cheeks. “I love you, too. And I know you would never tell me you love me just to get me in bed. You have too good a heart for that.”

“My heart is all yours.” He then grimaced. “Am I sounding like a dopey sap?”

I giggled. “No, you sound pretty amazing to me. But I promise whatever you say to me will go no further than here.”

“What happens in the Challenger, stays in the Challenger, kinda thing?”

“Yep. That goes for you especially when you’re buddies want to know if we’re hitting it.”

Brayden rolled his eyes. “Trust me, Mitch is on me all the time wanting to know if we’ve lost our V-cards.”

“Ugh, he’s such a jerk.”

Brayden laughed. “I know.” He dropped his head to nuzzle my neck. “So to answer the jerk’s question, when are we going to lose our V-cards?”

I smacked his back playfully. He jerked his head up to grin at me. “I thought it was a good time to ask while we were on the subject.”

“Of course you did.” Brushing the hair out of his eyes, I whispered, “Soon. I promise.”

“You really think you’re ready?”

“Even though I probably should want to wait until I’m a little older, I always knew I wanted to have sex when I was in love. I know I love you, Brayden, so there’s no reason not to.”

He groaned. “God, you’re killing me.”

“Would you rather I said no?”

His eyes bulged as he shook his head furiously back and forth. “Oh no, I’m good. I swear.”

I couldn’t help laughing at him. “So where would we go?”

“Hmm, let me think.” Brayden remained contemplative for a few seconds. “I think I have an idea of a place that is private. I’m not sure how romantic it is.”

“I’m sure it would be better than a hotel room.”

“Maybe.”

“Why do you sound skeptical?”

“Well, it’s just an old tree house behind my grandparents’ house. My Papa built it for us grandkids. The only reason I thought of it is because it’s private.” He glanced sheepishly at me. “I’m not sure if it’s nice enough for you.”

I gave him a lingering kiss for his thoughtfulness. “Anywhere with you will be nice enough.”

He quirked his brows at me. “Except in the backseat of this car?”

I laughed. “Exactly.”

“Then the treehouse?”

“Yes. But when?”

“Next weekend?” At my hesitation, Brayden said, “Two weeks?” When I still didn’t respond, he laughed. “Hmm, I’m thinking it’s going to be never.”

I nudged him playfully. “Next month is your birthday, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Then we’ll do it on your birthday.”

He grinned. “That’s a helluva gift.”

“I hope it will be.”

“Oh, I know it will.” His brows lined. “Do you think it’ll be too cold in November in the tree house?”

“Won’t you keep me warm?” I teased.

A gleam of desire flashed in his eyes, causing me to shiver. “Oh yeah, you don’t have to worry about that one bit. I’ll keep you nice and warm,” he replied, his voice husky. He made me feel so loved and so desired all with one look. And given how hot I felt just from what we’d been doing and talking about, I knew he would indeed keep me warm.

Reaching between us, I felt the hardness in his jeans. “I think it’s only fair I take care of you since you took care of me.”

He sucked in a harsh breath before giving me an erotic smile. “I won’t argue with that at all.”

BRAYDEN

                                                                                  
 
THE PAST

Glancing down at my watch for probably the millionth time in the last hour, I once again surveyed the time. Lily was late. Five minutes to be exact. As I paced around the inside of the tree house, I began to worry she had second thoughts and decided to back out. I sure as hell hoped she hadn’t for many reasons. The first being I was never more ready to have sex in my entire life than I was with Lily. Before I met her, I thought I wanted it, but it wasn’t until I was with her, kissed her, and tasted her, that I knew there was no one else in the entire world I wanted to lose my virginity to.

The second reason was the fact I had gone to a hell of a lot of trouble transforming the old tree house into something romantic. I’d dragged up a queen-sized inflatable mattress and made up the bed. I’d also lit a ton of candles. For the final romantic gesture, I’d gotten a ton of silk rose petals and scattered them across the worn floorboards. I had to admit it looked pretty amazing. It wasn’t some classy hotel room, but it was a hell of a lot better than the backseat of my car.

“Brayden!” I heard Lily call from outside.

I opened up the hatch in the floorboards and peered down at her. “Hey,” I said, lamely.

“I’m sorry I’m late. I didn’t think my parents were ever going to go to sleep.”

I smiled. “It’s okay. Come on up.”

She started up the ladder. When she got to the top, a cloud of her sweet perfume filled my nose. “Hmm, you smell good.”

With a giggle, she replied, “Thanks.” I helped pull her up the last step and into the tree house. As she fell against me, we just stood there, staring at each other. Unable to stop myself, I placed my hand over her heart. I could feel it beating fast.

“Don’t be nervous,” I whispered.

“Aren’t you even a little bit nervous?” she countered.

Ducking my head, I replied, “Yeah, a little.” The truth was as much as I wanted to have sex, I was still petrified. With both of us being virgins, neither one of us knew what we were doing. I sure as hell didn’t want to ruin Lily’s first time by being totally inept.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” she urged. Because of the love and understanding in her eyes, I told her everything that had been running through my head. “Oh Brayden, you could never ruin my first time. The very fact that it’s with you—the man I love—means more to me than anything in the world.”