Unlikely Places

Chapter 26 Vulnerable

"As in a reward?"

Pierce chuckled and gave me an incredulous look.

"No! As in I have been dying to do so since the moment, I laid eyes on you!" he answered with an astounded laugh and a more than incredulous look.

"Oh!" I answered, feeling foolish.

I looked down at my feet, hiding my fiery cheeks. I didn't think I had ever blushed so much in my life. I felt ridiculous for my gaffe.

I felt Pierce lean down closer to me and the fine hairs on my neck stirred as he whispered next to my ear.

"Is that a no?"

I felt the gentle puff of his warm breath on the sensitive skin at the shell of my ear. A small shiver worked along my spine. Nervously I glanced up and as I did so, my cheek brushed alongside his nose, his mouth. I felt the faintest of pressure from his lips, lingering before he turned just a bit.

Timidly, on instinct, I turned my face a small space towards him so that we faced each other. As he was already leaning down towards me, I didn't have far to stretch up. I tilted my head the tiniest bit as my lips softly made contact with his before I pulled back.

Pierce didn't move. I watched his eyes move down to my lips and stare before coming back up to meet mine. Color still tinged my cheeks but I didn't move away. I waited a heartbeat or two to see what Pierce would do in return.

I had taken a huge leap outside my comfort zone. My tongue snaked out to lick my lips as I thought of how it had felt to touch Pierce's. It was nothing like I had expected. It was so much better.

The velvety softness, the warmth, his taste, it all called to me. I wanted to lean back in and repeat my actions. I wanted to linger at his lips a little longer. I wanted to taste a little deeper. But I wasn't brave enough to initiate the kind of kiss I thought I wanted.

Shyness kept me still. But so, did curiosity. My pulse was racing with a mixture of both. My eyes searched Pierce's with a vulnerability I didn't try to conceal.

Kissing for many people in this world seemed to be no big deal. For me it was huge. It meant an intimate contact beyond anything I had ever exchanged. It was something I had never been interested in before. Until now.

Pierce made me very interested in kissing.

I wanted him to know that. At the same time, I didn't want him to have any expectations of me. I wanted to dive in but hoped he understood why I couldn't. I wanted to kiss Pierce with a want that surpassed anything I felt before but my clumsy inexperience held me back. I hoped he understood that, too.

"Pierce," I suddenly found my voice to whisper.

I had no idea what I would have said after that. Thankfully I didn't have to. Pierce seemed to understand completely; the longing and the fear and the request and the consent I was communicating in just saying his name.

His hands came up slowly and gently cupped my face. His palms felt soft and warm and dry as he touched my skin. His eyes searched mine for a fraught second and I searched back, seeing the need he spoke of. It was somewhat intoxicating to think that someone as average as me could elicit such a strong want in someone like him and that want enflamed my own.

As shy as I had been a few moments before, his unhidden desire for me embolden me and I was ready as I watched his face blur as it drew in closer to mine and my eyelids drifted downwards as the petal light softness of his lips claimed mine this time.