Paying Debts
Chapter Ten: The Flame
Piper's never kissed anyone before. Maybe it was a shame it took her this long, but honestly she didn't mind.
A giant wave of relief rose inside when Aerrow touched her cheek; not as a friend, but as a lover. It felt so strange and exciting, was it possible to be angry, excited, and hopeful all at once? All directed at one person? The possibility of being let down again was very real, and Piper didn't think she could take one more disappointment tonight.
She should stop and leave him be. Stop the song before the first dance steps began – but she couldn't. As much as Aerrow hurt her these past few hours, she still wanted him. And when he was holding her like this, and his green eyes were focused upon her face, and he asked her to stay - she just couldn't leave. She may be a fool, but for these few isolated minutes, she was a happy fool.
Aerrow pressed their foreheads together and sighed. He had been around other girls, but nothing prepared him for the elation he felt when he was near Piper. Just the simplest touch made his heartbeat spike unexpectedly. It made him incapable of words. There was so much he didn't know, and in some ways it felt as if he was learning to read her for the first time. He had to know.
Leaning closer, he pressed his lips to hers and prepared himself if she should push him away. She didn't. He didn't know if this was her first kiss, or if she would regret kissing him in several hours, but the Sky Knight realized this was the first step towards peace of mind. It was soft, tentative, exactly what he imagined a first kiss might be, and encircled her waist with one arm. He closed his eyes.
Piper dispelled the distance by stepping closer; their feet side by side, and hugged his waist in turn. Between the pleasure of his lips and his arms, she yearned for his warmth. Slowly, she rose on her tiptoes so she could add a little more pressure against his mouth; Aerrow tilted his head to the side and held her a little tighter. The headiness set in, the strange euphoria one gets with too much bliss and not enough air in their lungs. He parted his lips, half aware that he was smiling and murmured her name. Unexpectedly, she giggled. He liked the sound of that.
And the kiss grew deeper, richer, and full. They felt the tension of the day melt away like smoke, and the heat of their bodies curl around their arms and each other. She felt her pulse race and she was sure there were fireworks in her head.
So what if she had to go to bed? That they weren't alone on the Condor? Aerrow cradled her face in his hands and wished with all his heart that this kiss would never, ever stop.