"No." I wrap around her back and grab her wrist, a command lacing my voice as I bring it to rest on her chest. "Give me your other one." Mesmerized, I watch as our joined hands move up and down with the rhythm of her breathing. Lips just grazing her ear, I rumble, "You don't open doors. That's what I'm for. You also don't close doors. Not when I'm with you. And I'm always going to be with you." A stinging nip punctuates my order. "Now, up you go."
Our ride home doesn't do anything to calm me down because she's pressed against me. No bucket seats in this truck. And when she reaches for my hand and puts it on her knee to play with my fingers? I press the gas pedal just a bit harder.
Gravel crunches under the tires as the headlights illuminate our long driveway with their shine. Mercy's breathing picks up the closer we get to the house, and when I kill the engine, her shallow inhales are all I hear as we sit there in the dark. She flinches when my hand reaches for her seat belt and I can't help my low chuckle. "I'm not going to jump you, baby. I'm not an animal."
Not tonight. Tomorrow's another story.
Helping her down, I lead us inside and shut the door, trapping her against it and nuzzling her neck. "Will you dance with me, my lady in red?" Backing away to extend a hand, my heart skips time when her trembling fingers meet mine.
This is it.
No turning back now. Not that she ever had an option, but now her hand is in mine and she's giving herself to me. Satisfaction coursing through me, I pull up a playlist on my phone and cue soft music to play over the home theater system as I draw her to me. Even in heels, the top of her head still only comes to right above my armpit.
Staring into her beautiful green eyes, I wrap her arms around my neck and boldly span my massive hands across her ass, pulling our bodies so close I inhale her gasp of surprise. I can't help but to croon the first lines of the chorus in my deep baritone.
I bury my nose in her hair and breathe her in. "That was a hit song in 1980. 'Into the Night' by Benny Mardones. No matter the decade or the century, there's always been something about a woman that drives a man crazy, makes him long to possess her. Even if he has to bend the rules a little."
A shiver streaks through her as I nip her ear. "It's a tale as old as time. I want to possess you, Mercy. Make you mine in the way a man claims a woman."
She doesn't answer, but it doesn't matter. The sudden wobble in herkneesanswers for her. I hug her even tighter as we sway back and forth.
For mindless minutes, song after song, I bask in the sensation of feeling her softness contrasting with my hardness. The warmth of her breath as it hits my chest. The tingle in my nipple as Mercy nestles her face against my shirt, brushing against it.
But it's time for more.
Drawing back, I tilt Mercy's chin up so I can look at her. Our eyes silently hold each other, full of unspoken promises. "Come on, my virgin child. Tonight's the night."
"I'm not a child, Amos," she breathes out.
"No, but you are my virgin." Sweeping her up in my arms, I carry her out of the kitchen, the music growing fainter the further down the hall we go. I place her on her feet in our room and kick the door shut behind me, thesnickof the latch cutting through the thick atmosphere. Mercy turns to face me, nervous as can be.
I prowl towardsher,each click of my dress shoes on the hard floor signaling my impending approach. Her eyes meet mine fleetingly, then drop. "Stay in the moment with me."
She audibly swallows and closes her eyes. "Amos," she croaks. "I'm scared."
Going behind her, I hug her and cross my arms around her front to hold her hips. I run my nose from her shoulders to her nape, just breathing her in. "Don't be. It's just you and me. And once we get to the other side of your first time, you'regonnawonder why in the world you ever fought me.I love you, Mercy. Your quirks, your body, your mind...everything that makes youyou. And I'm going to makeyoumy wife."
The soft fabric around her hips bunches as my hands flex in anticipation. Slowly, I reach along her back to the zipper and pull it down, exposing her tense shoulders.The urge to see her bare almost makes me explode with need. I place my hands on her delicate curves and pull down. Mercy unfreezes, squeezing my wrist with her dainty hand.
"Wait!" she blurts out, still facing away from me. "Can I take a bath first? All I smell and taste is what we ate."
The remnants of dinner faded long ago for me, but I want her to be comfortable. "A bath is just what we need."
"We?" She spins around with wide eyes. "I didn't mean you, too."
"Come on." Sweaty palm in mine, I lead her to the inset garden tub where she stands awkwardly to the side while I run water and add scented oils. Something's on her mind. I can tell by her fidgeting with her unzipped dress. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking I sound like a broken record, but you promise you’ll be gentle, right? Because I don’t think I can handle anything other than that. And just because I’m thirty-three doesn’t mean I’m any less worried about my first time. I'm not a confident woman, Amos. Even if I werefifty-three,I’d still be nervous because no matter what I’ve read or seen, I’ve never experienced it for myself and you...you're so big that I don’t know if it’ll fit without hurting me and—"
If she weren’t so worried it’d make me laugh. She needs to get out of her head. Stealing her words as I claim her lips, I dominate her mouth, tracing her tongue with mine and forcefully sucking one lip at a time before pulling away.
"Baby," I soothe as I cradle her face and smooth away her worry with my thumbs, "I promise I’ll be gentle. I told you I would for your first time. I can’t say there won’t be any pain because that depends on how tense you are when I’m sliding inside you. Don't overthink things. Just feel and let me show you how I'mgonnalove you."
"Okay," she whispers.
With a strategically placed nudge, Mercy’s dress falls in a slinky pile at her feet, leaving her in just her bra and panties as she hugs her arms around herself. A breath leaves her as I grab her hair and work it into a messy bun that's not as cute as when she does it but functions just as well.
Shakily pulling off the rest of her clothes, she climbs into the massive tub. Her vulnerability almost triggers my instinct to claim her without regard for her timidity, but I shove it down for later as I undress. Now is the time for easing her nerves and calming her.
