Until the Stars Fall From the Sky (25 page)

“PC,” I acknowledge
with a shaky breath, “I think everything is done. I still don’t fully understand how — but I think it is. I couldn’t have done this without you. Thank you so much. Where is everyone so I can thank them too?”

“I think they all went to pizza. They’ll be back tomorrow for one last deep clean and let’s face it, they all want to see Mindy’s reaction when she comes home,” Jeff replies.

“I’m ready to go to bed. It’s been a really long day. Are you coming to bed or are you going to study?” I ask.

A slow smile spreads across Jeff’s face and he gives me a look that is positively predatory. He moves my hair off of my shoulder and kisses my collarbone, sending a wave of desire to my core as he murmurs in my ear, “I think you can anticipate my answer to that, my love.”

I have to catch my breath and pinch myself. A few short weeks ago, I was admiring him on the beach, tonight we’ll be going to bed together and tomorrow we’ll be forming a family of sorts. It’s all so surreal. Part of me is so petrified I can barely breathe, but a larger part is more settled and at peace than I’ve ever been. For the first time since I can remember, all the parts of me that never seemed to fit or make sense in the world now suddenly do.

Jeff studies my expression with concern, “Pip?” he inquires with a frown, “did I scare you?”

“No!” I hasten to reassure him, “I was just thinking about how much our lives have changed since I first saw you and how much I love you.” I pull on the tail of his t-shirt until he bends down so that I can kiss him. I start with light kisses along his jawline and then I suck on his bottom lip scraping it lightly with my teeth.

“Oh God, Pip!” he moans against my mouth, “I hope you’re not really all that tired.”

In one swift motion, he lifts me to his chest. I can feel his abdominal muscles and biceps flex as he carries me down the hall as if I weigh as much as a feather instead of two third graders. “How can you still smell so good after working all day?” I ask as I rest my head on his shoulder.

“I was able to grab a quick shower downstairs before we saw the girls,” Jeff admits with a self-deprecating shrug.

“Well, you smell yummy,” I reply.
Geez Kier, way to sound super sexy. Ready to sign up for that subscription to Tiger Beat yet?

I feel Jeff’s chest rumble with laughter as he responds, “Well Pip, considering I have dreams about the way you taste, I’d say the feeling is pretty mutual.”

Jeff pulls back my covers and lays me down on the bed. Just so there is no confusion about the direction I would like things to go, I sit up slightly and pull my tank top over my head. By the look of shock on Jeff’s face, I don’t think he expected it would have a built in bra and that I was naked underneath.

His nostrils flare and he draws in a deep breath as he mutters, “Baby
, don’t tell me you’ve been wearing those skin tight 501’s with no panties for four hours and I’ve just now seen fit to notice.” He shakes his head in disbelief as he studies every detail of my body. My nipples pucker under his scrutiny.

I blush as I admit, “I was in a really big hurry. I must have dropped some of my clothes on the way to the shower. I don’t usua
— “

Jeff places his finger over my lips. “Sh! Pip, I didn’t say it was a bad thing,” he chides. He shimmies my jeans down over my hips stopping to kiss the cascade of silver stars from my belly button ring and my hipbone. He pulls them over my feet and removes them completely. Jeff smiles when he sees my patch of pubic hair, “I knew there was nothing artificial about you,” he remarks.

I flush with embarrassment as I reply in a distraught whisper, “Jeff — ”

“Pip, did you think I was kidding when I said I find every inch of you to be the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen?” he murmurs.

“Yes, umm, no,” I stammer. “Well, I didn’t think you meant
everything
, everything.”

Jeff grins at me with a twinkle in his eyes as he says “Kiera Ashley, I love you
— all the parts of you: the good, the bad and even parts you think are ugly. It’s all perfect to me.”

I’m once again completely caught off guard by how easily he has burrowed through all of my defenses and seen past the funny, spunky positive woman that I portray to most people to find the awkward, embarrassed, almost socially backward person that I really am. Yet, this is what I spent half of my life dreaming of and praying for
— a man that could see me for me and still love me. Everything I’ve always wanted is a heartbeat away. Am I brave enough to see myself the way he sees me? What seemed so easy to do all those years ago in my teenage fantasies is much harder as I lie here naked and exposed. What if he decides that he really wants normal after all? I can never be that woman for him.

I run my hand through his hair and he pauses as I’ve interrupted the trail of kisses he was leaving down my thigh. He gazes at me, his eyes hot with desire. “You really mean it, don’t you?” I ask, trying not to squirm under his scorching gaze.

Jeff reaches up and tucks my hair behind my ear as he looks directly in my eyes and states emphatically, “Every single word.” He kisses me tenderly and adds, “and I mean them today, tomorrow and until.”

I blink back tears and take a deep breath. Jeff’s expression tightens with alarm as he watches me. I place my hands along his temples and draw him closer for a kiss as I whisper, “I’m so glad to hear that, PC, because I want to hear those words forever.”

I can hear Jeff exhale roughly in relief and he pulls away as he rips his t-shirt over his head and tosses it in the corner. Before I can blink, he removes his jeans. He pulls me up against him in a full body hug as he asks, “Got anything to take care of before we go to bed? Because I don’t plan to let you out for a while.”

Reluctantly, I nod and he places me in my chair. After I finish taking care of business, washing my hands and brushing my teeth, I open my drawer so that I can put on my lip-gloss and brush my hair. I notice that there is a greeting card inside with my dad’s handwriting. As I open it up, a strip of seven extra large condoms falls out. I let out a surprised yelp of laughter, which brings Jeff running.

Jeff rushes in, clearly shocked to see me in stiches over an innocuous looking greeting card with two little kids in vintage clothes holding hands on the front in tasteful sepia relief. Wordlessly, I hold up the condoms in one hand and the card in the other. I’m now laughing so hard that I can’t breathe and I think there might be a little snot leaking from my nose.

Puzzled, Jeff takes the card and the condoms from me. He examines the expiration date and size, smiles and nods his approval. Next, he reads the card. At first, he blanches and then he appears to be embarrassed as he reads the card written in my dad’s distinct handwriting.

Pipsqueak, I’m so proud of you. You picked just the kind of man I would have chosen for you. I like having grandkids, but two is a nice number. No need to work on making more right now.
Have fun, but not too much fun
. Never mind, you’re a big girl now; have as much fun as you like (but, remember the talk we had when you were 13).

Love,

The First Man in Your Life,

Dad

Jeff chuckles softly to himself as he remarks, “Umm, apparently my mom isn’t the only one with an interest in our sex lives.”

I give a snort of laughter as I comment, “Lord help us if those two ever join forces.”

Jeff gives me a speculative look as he replies, “Maybe it was just me, but I think your dad is a bit taken with my mom.”

My eyes widen with surprise as I exclaim, “Oh good, you saw it too. I wondered if I was seeing things because my dad has been alone for so long. I think it’s adorable. Your mom needs a gentleman in her life.”

Jeff smirks at me, “Oh sure, you think it’s cute now, but we’d be step siblings.”

“Eww!” I shriek at him, laughing, “I can’t un-see that image in my head. It’s like a perverted Brady Bunch or something.”

“Relax, Pip,” Jeff responds, laughing at my horrified expression, “I’m sure it’s just a bit of harmless flirting to make my mom feel better in a bad situation.” He holds up the strip of condoms and winks at me as he murmurs, “Speaking of which, I’d like to get back to flirting with you.”

I run the hairbrush through my hair one last time and took a deep breath to steady my nerves. I know that women do this every day of the week with probably a lot less thought and anxiety and I feel really stupid for being nervous. It’s not even as if I’m a teenager and don’t know what I’m getting into. I’m the daughter of a trucker for Pete’s sake; I’ve heard sex described more ways than you can imagine. My dad would have an apoplexy if he knew how many of his “buddies” of all ages and persuasions have instructed me on the proper
ways to keep a guy happy. Of course being a bored, curious teenager I paid very,
very
close attention. Yet, putting all of my theoretical knowledge into practice is a daunting prospect. What if Jeff is disappointed in me?

I bravely smile up at him as I reply, “Sounds like a great idea to me.”

I let out a shriek of surprise as Jeff suddenly grabs the push handles of my chair and pops me into a wheelie and begins sprinting down the hall toward the bedroom. As we reach the bed, he slides my body up his in a full body embrace. I can feel his body grow even more rigid as our bodies meld. He kisses me deeply using his tongue to stoke mine and tease a sensitive spot on the roof of my mouth. As he breaks away, we are both breathing erratically. “Are you nervous Pip?” Jeff inquires, observing me carefully.

I blush and since I’m naked as the day I was born, it’s painfully obvious. “Well, I wasn’t quite as nervous as I was at first
— until you brought it up. Now, I’m terrified,” I admit, hiding my face in my hands.

“Kiera,” he admits gently, “I’m glad you’re nervous. I am too. I think it’s because it means something to both of us and we know it’s a big step. Still, I’m not worried about taking it. I’m not worried about whether I should be choosing you. I’m nervous about making things great for you.”

I breathe a sigh of relief at his words. I’m so glad that I’m not the only one who feels the pressure. “I guess this will be a learning experience for both of us. I don’t want to be all dramatic or anything, but you know when you were kissing my thigh earlier? I can’t feel any of that,” I reveal as I shrug in frustration.

Jeff places me in the middle of the mattress, pauses to set the strip of condoms on the nightstand, and sheds his boxers. He looks like a Greek statue with his chiseled jaw line, sculpted muscles and proud, erect member jutting out. It’s a tad overwhelming to know that I inspire that response from a guy like him.

Jeff walks over and locks the door. At my questioning look, he responds, “Too many years of having a bossy big sister and roommates to take chances. Besides, we’re going to have little ones running around; it’s never too early to get into the habit of protecting our private time.” He returns to the bed and boldly kisses the inside of my thigh as he whispers, “I’m sorry you can’t feel this because your skin is so soft it feels like rose petals as I brush my lips across it. I know I shouldn’t be selfish, but I want to kiss you everywhere even if you can’t feel it all because I can feel, smell and taste you. You are sexy and magnificent everywhere.”

Something about Jeff’s words are deeply sensual. It feels like he is touching me with his words. I can easily imagine him placing a hot open mouth kiss on my clitoris and sucking gently. As the erotic image races
through my brain. My breath catches and my hips roll.

Jeff groans as he moves up my body to kiss a random group of freckles smattered across my rib cage, “My sexy Pip, your body might not know I’m touching you, but some circuits
somewhere must be talking to your brain and working just fine because you are wonderfully hot and bothered in all the right places.”

I blush and Jeff chuckles as he sees the flush spread across my pale skin. He kisses my earlobe as he whispers, “You have no idea how sexy I find that blush, Pip.” He moves to my collarbone, where he sucks lightly, “I was half in love with you before I had ever spoken to you just because of your smile and your blush.”

I look at him in utter astonishment, as I exclaim in a bewildered voice, “No way!” Still, I’ve never forgotten that bizarre interaction on the boat. I’ve never experienced anything that intense in my life.

Jeff smiles at me, his eyes full of emotion as he replies, “Yes way, Kiera. In so many ways, yes.”

Wow, this is too overwhelming to think about right now. I’m on sensory and emotional overload. Every dream and fantasy I’ve ever had is coming true and it’s better than I could have ever imagined. The part of me that is so used to having those dreams crushed, wonders when the other shoe is going to fall. Still, a larger part of me wants to believe. Why not me?

Jeff is tracing my furrowed brow with his fingertips as he gently probes, “Did I lose you, Pip?”

“No,” I answer with an easy smile, “I just got lost in my head again. Don’t mind me. I analyze everything to death. Besides, we didn’t finish our exploration the other day and it’s still my turn.” I push Jeff onto his back.

Jeff moans and exhales as he mutters, “Holy flaming soufflé balls, Pip, you must be trying to kill me.”

I giggle at his creative language as I respond, “Well, umm, no. Actually, if I do it right, I intend to make you feel really good. Although, I have heard it can make a man feel as if he has died and gone to heaven.” I watch in amusement as the blankets that are already tented over his midsection rise even further. I wink at him as I quip, “I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.”