p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongUpdated version./strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"span style="text-decoration: line-through;"em /em/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emHands in her hair, finally alone, been thinking of this all day.../em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emBreaking the kiss, short of breath, his lips on the her jaw, her neck, wanting more.../em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emHis hands on her hips, on her bare skin, moving slowly upwards under her shirt.../em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emHer fingertips across his bare chest, his teeth grazing her collarbone, her shiver as he pulls her shirt off.../em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emShe moans softly. "You sound like you have never done this before," he jokes, warm breath against her shoulder. His presses his lips against her again./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"It's because I haven't," she laughs nervously./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He stops. Freezes at her words. Lifting his head, he breaks the spell. Fear curses thorugh Arra. She's said the wrong thing. She's ruined it before they even truly began. "Just- just pretend I never said anything."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I- um..." Larten clears his throat, putting more space between their bodies. There's something odd in his expression./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What's wrong?" She looks so innocent then, he thinks. The furrowed brow and sincere eyes. He can't take it./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""There is something I need to go do," he mutters, sitting up and reaching for his shirt./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""But you said you were free tonight," Arra's voice is barely above a whisper./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I forgot. I am sorry." He's fastening his last button and getting up to move towards the door./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Tomorrow?" she asks hopefully, forcing a small smile onto her face./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""M- maybe, but I think I am busy then too," he doesn't quite meet her gaze. And then he's gone, the smile fades, and Arra feels almost like crying./p
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p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You never came to bed last night," Arra breaches the topic awkwardly in the hall of Osca Velm./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I was in the Hall of Princes," he says, keeping his answer short./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Oh. Okay." She sighs. Soon after she gets up to leave. For a second, she glances back as if hoping he'll stop her, but he looks away. So she walks faster./p
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p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"When he comes in, she's curled up in the coffin with her back facing him. She doesn't say a word. Doesn't roll over and grin at him like she would've done two nights ago. For a moment he thinks she's asleep, but then she lets out a small huff and he knows she's just ignoring him. A pang of guilt makes his chest tighten./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Arra," he whispers, sitting down next to her. "Will you talk to me?" He hears a sniffle. Her shoulders are shaking ever so slightly. He's never known her to cry. She simply doesn't do that. "Arra," he tries again, a hand on her shoulder./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Leave me alone please," she says, curling up even tighter./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""No, I need to tell you something."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I get it. I understand. You don't want to. You don't have to." And then she can't stop the words. "I'm not good enough."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What are you talking about? You-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Don't measure up. You like experienced women, don't you? I would just mess it all up."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He rolls her over onto her back, reaching out to thumb the tears away from her cheeks. "That is not true," he whispers./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Then why are you avoiding me?" The look in her eyes is killing him. "Do you regret getting back together?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""No," he says it forcefully enough to make her jump. "No, I do not. I love you."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You just don't want to, then." She seems a little more releived about that possibility, but not much./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I want to so badly," he hisses, desire written all over his face. "I want to give you pleasure beyond your wildest dreams. I just... don't deserve to. You deserve someone better to be your first." He looks away, ashamed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""But Larten," there's a soft look on her face now, "There's no one else I want. You're the only one."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Shouldn't my past bother you?" He closes his eyes and exhales through his nose./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""But you said you loved me just now. I believe you. I trust you. That's all that matters."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I don't deserve your trust."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Stop saying that. If I didn't think you deserved my trust, we wouldn't be here right now."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I'm afraid you won't think it means anything," Larten croaked, eyes welling up./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""It would mean the absolute world to me. I love you." She cups his face in her hands, pressing a sweet little kiss to his lips. "If you want to, then go ahead. I'd like you to be the one I share my first time with and every time after that."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You're sure?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I'm sure."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You really want this?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I do," she assures him for what seems like the millionth time. "And I promise I'll try not to mess it up."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You couldn't mess it up if you tried," he murmurs against her neck, propping himself up over her. "If you ever want me to stop just say, okay?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Okay. But what do I do?" she asks, worried./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Just relax. I promised you pleasure beyond your wildest dreams and I will deliver." His hands clasp her waist like before./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I love you," she whispers again, the feeling overwhelming any fear she may have had./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I love you too," his voice is muffled as he whispers the words into her neck./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emShe shivers as he pulls her shirt off, and moans softly when his lips travel even lower./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"You sound like you have never done this before," he jokes, a playful glint in his eyes. She laughs and kisses him./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"span style="text-decoration: line-through;"em /em/span/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emHands in her hair, finally alone, been thinking of this all day.../em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emBreaking the kiss, short of breath, his lips on the her jaw, her neck, wanting more.../em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emHis hands on her hips, on her bare skin, moving slowly upwards under her shirt.../em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emHer fingertips across his bare chest, his teeth grazing her collarbone, her shiver as he pulls her shirt off.../em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emShe moans softly. "You sound like you have never done this before," he jokes, warm breath against her shoulder. His presses his lips against her again./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"It's because I haven't," she laughs nervously./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He stops. Freezes at her words. Lifting his head, he breaks the spell. Fear curses thorugh Arra. She's said the wrong thing. She's ruined it before they even truly began. "Just- just pretend I never said anything."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I- um..." Larten clears his throat, putting more space between their bodies. There's something odd in his expression./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What's wrong?" She looks so innocent then, he thinks. The furrowed brow and sincere eyes. He can't take it./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""There is something I need to go do," he mutters, sitting up and reaching for his shirt./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""But you said you were free tonight," Arra's voice is barely above a whisper./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I forgot. I am sorry." He's fastening his last button and getting up to move towards the door./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Tomorrow?" she asks hopefully, forcing a small smile onto her face./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""M- maybe, but I think I am busy then too," he doesn't quite meet her gaze. And then he's gone, the smile fades, and Arra feels almost like crying./p
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p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You never came to bed last night," Arra breaches the topic awkwardly in the hall of Osca Velm./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I was in the Hall of Princes," he says, keeping his answer short./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Oh. Okay." She sighs. Soon after she gets up to leave. For a second, she glances back as if hoping he'll stop her, but he looks away. So she walks faster./p
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p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"When he comes in, she's curled up in the coffin with her back facing him. She doesn't say a word. Doesn't roll over and grin at him like she would've done two nights ago. For a moment he thinks she's asleep, but then she lets out a small huff and he knows she's just ignoring him. A pang of guilt makes his chest tighten./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Arra," he whispers, sitting down next to her. "Will you talk to me?" He hears a sniffle. Her shoulders are shaking ever so slightly. He's never known her to cry. She simply doesn't do that. "Arra," he tries again, a hand on her shoulder./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Leave me alone please," she says, curling up even tighter./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""No, I need to tell you something."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I get it. I understand. You don't want to. You don't have to." And then she can't stop the words. "I'm not good enough."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What are you talking about? You-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Don't measure up. You like experienced women, don't you? I would just mess it all up."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He rolls her over onto her back, reaching out to thumb the tears away from her cheeks. "That is not true," he whispers./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Then why are you avoiding me?" The look in her eyes is killing him. "Do you regret getting back together?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""No," he says it forcefully enough to make her jump. "No, I do not. I love you."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You just don't want to, then." She seems a little more releived about that possibility, but not much./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I want to so badly," he hisses, desire written all over his face. "I want to give you pleasure beyond your wildest dreams. I just... don't deserve to. You deserve someone better to be your first." He looks away, ashamed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""But Larten," there's a soft look on her face now, "There's no one else I want. You're the only one."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Shouldn't my past bother you?" He closes his eyes and exhales through his nose./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""But you said you loved me just now. I believe you. I trust you. That's all that matters."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I don't deserve your trust."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Stop saying that. If I didn't think you deserved my trust, we wouldn't be here right now."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I'm afraid you won't think it means anything," Larten croaked, eyes welling up./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""It would mean the absolute world to me. I love you." She cups his face in her hands, pressing a sweet little kiss to his lips. "If you want to, then go ahead. I'd like you to be the one I share my first time with and every time after that."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You're sure?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I'm sure."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You really want this?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I do," she assures him for what seems like the millionth time. "And I promise I'll try not to mess it up."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You couldn't mess it up if you tried," he murmurs against her neck, propping himself up over her. "If you ever want me to stop just say, okay?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Okay. But what do I do?" she asks, worried./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Just relax. I promised you pleasure beyond your wildest dreams and I will deliver." His hands clasp her waist like before./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I love you," she whispers again, the feeling overwhelming any fear she may have had./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I love you too," his voice is muffled as he whispers the words into her neck./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emShe shivers as he pulls her shirt off, and moans softly when his lips travel even lower./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"You sound like you have never done this before," he jokes, a playful glint in his eyes. She laughs and kisses him./em/p