Page 27 of Keeping it Local

My beer was empty now, and I set it on the ground on the other side of the swing. This time, when I sat back down, I sat directly next to him. His warmth radiated through our jeans as our thighs met. The fire roared at this point, but I knew the heat wasn’t just from that. It was coming from both of us.

The arm of his t-shirt had ridden up, and his full sleeve of swirling black ink was on display on his tanned arms. I didn’t break eye contact with him as I grabbed onto his hand and pulled it over my shoulder and around me. Again, he was letting me lead, but I knew he wanted this as much as I did.

Slowly, I leaned in. Not all the way, but enough to let him know that I was in on this and wanted to keep going. I also wanted him to take control at some point and guide me. I desperately wanted to trust him to take me where I wanted to go. I just knew I needed to feel good with him on my own terms.

His eyes went down to my lips, then back to my eyes, then back to my lips again. Time moved in slow motion. I couldn’t take it anymore. Then he smiled, and I returned a goofy grin.

“There she is.” He finally closed the gap, and he kissed me hard.

He kept it sweet at first, but as the kiss deepened, I opened my mouth, letting him in. I groaned, giving in to the feeling.

He chuckled deep in his throat as his tongue swept over mine and explored. I tingled all over and felt my hand land on his chest. I wanted more. I felt his chest hair under his thin shirt, and I rubbed him from his chest to his abs and back again.

He felt amazing.

His hand was on my thigh and glided back and forth over my leg, just the slightest bit.

A moment later, he pulled back to look at me, and I felt my swollen lips cool as he rubbed the back of my neck, going in again, then kissing slowly down my neck with big open-mouth kisses, careful not to leave a mark.

I fisted his shirt, wanting more, needing to be closer before swinging one leg over his and straddling him on the now swaying swing.

“You taste so good,” he whispered in my ear.

It sent a chill up my back, making me arch into him.

“You like that, huh?”

“Mmhmm.” All I could do was hold on, and when had I started rubbing myself up on him?

“Good. I like it too,” he whispered again. And this time, the zing went straight to my core.

He was hard underneath me, and it felt like the most natural thing to push down and grind on him. We both had our jeans on, but there was something incredibly hot about knowing how turned on I got him.

I would kiss his neck, he would kiss mine. We’d take turns running our tongues over the others’ lips, and the fire blazed on behind me. He made my body feel things I couldn’t remember feeling with another man. All I wanted was more. He let me take the lead on things, but I wanted to lose myself in him. I wanted him to show me what was possible.

“Beth?”

“Yeah?” I asked, between kisses.

He pulled back, looking me in the eyes. “Are you good? I don’t want to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”

I shook my head. “No, no. I’m not. I just⁠—”

“Just what?”

“I just don’t know what I’m doing. It’s been a while, and I’ve only ever been with one guy.” I swallowed before asking for what I wanted. “I want you to show me. Take control.” I didn’t know how he’d react.

His eyes darkened even with the fire glowing in them. Slowly, his mouth tipped up at the corner, and he leaned close to my ear. Just the anticipation alone made my toes curl.

“Make sure you know what you’re asking, baby,” he whispered to me, nipping at my earlobe.

I felt my nipples stiffen under my shirt. “I do.”

“Good girl.” He ran his tongue down my neck, tracing my collarbone. “Stand up.”

I followed along, doing as instructed, letting my arms rest on his shoulders. He kissed my wrist.

“You’re beautiful. You know that?”