After a morning full of emotion, it was finally time for the big event and time for both Stella and Brandon to suck it up and tough it out for the sake of their friends. Despite the initial nerves wracking Stella's entire body at the thought of seeing Brandon after everything that had happened between the two of them and Bloom's pep-talk earlier that morning, the look of sheer surprise and the gentle smile gracing Brandon's face as she rounded the corner to prepare to walk into the ceremony with him helped put her at ease – even if it was only a momentary feeling.
"You look –" he paused, glancing up and down to take her all in, "Absolutely beautiful."
Stella blushed and looked down at the bouquet in her hands, stunned at the words that just left his mouth. He said she was beautiful. Not sexy, not hot, but beautiful; those four words causing her heart to flutter wildly.
"Thank you," she replied, finally looking back up at him and smiling at the genuine expression of care in his eyes before taking a moment to look him over, the boy who held her heart looking dapper in his deep blue Naval dress uniform, "You look pretty good yourself. I take it Bloom relented and agreed to let you wear your uniform?"
"Yeah," he replied, nervously rubbing the back of his neck, "I guess she told Sky that the color wasn't that far off from the guys black tuxes and it is formal enough for her standards so she let me can the penguin suit and wear this one."
"It looks good on you," she smiled, taking note of all of the decorations and medals on his jacket, "Very impressive."
"Thanks," he replied sheepishly, craning his neck around toward the doors leading out back as they heard the music begin before turning back toward her and offering his arm for her to take, "Well, shall we?"
Stella felt her own body buzz with nerves as she watched the first few couples exit through the French doors leading out of the Eraklyon's house and out to the beautifully decorated yard, each of them keeping a leisurely pace as they made their way down the aisle. She glanced up at Brandon and smiled before a movement behind her caught her attention, Stella turning to see Bloom emerge from around the corner in her full wedding dress.
Brandon noticed too, taking a few steps toward Bloom and kissing her on the cheek. "Sky is a lucky man," he murmured before moving on to shake Bloom's parents' hands.
Stella took the opportunity to wish her friend luck as well as she pulled her friend into a supportive hug, "You look absolutely beautiful, Ms. Domino."
Bloom returned the smile as she took Stella's hand in one of hers and squeezed, "Thank you. It's kind of strange, yet oddly exciting that this is the last time I'll be known as Bloom Domino."
"Not gonna lie, I'm probably gonna still call you 'Domino,'" Brandon added, earning an eye roll from the bride.
Stella kissed her friend on the cheek and gave her one last glance, her trembling hand finding the crook in Brandon's arm as the music picked up and signaled their cue to make their way down the aisle, Brandon gently escorting her out of the house. Just the feeling of her arm in his as they made their way toward the alter gave her butterflies, but her own nerves and anxiety from being around Brandon again after everything that happened last night suddenly dissipated when she saw her other best friend standing near the priest.
Sky beamed back at his friends as they drew closer to the gazebo's altar, the boy sporting a handsome black suit as he stood there and waited for his future wife. Stella felt the prick of hot tears in her eyes as finally reached the front, Brandon shaking his friend's hand and giving him a man-hug before Stella gave him a hug as well, kissing his cheek and whispering how proud of him she was. He grinned back at her before she made her way toward her spot near the rest of the bridesmaids while Brandon took his place next to his best friend.
The music changed and everybody's attention snapped toward the French doors, the reverend asking everybody to stand. After a few beats, Bloom emerged from the house with her father, gliding gracefully down the lawn toward the altar. The rest of the guests gasped and gawked at the beautiful bride, snapping pictures as she paced toward the front. But Stella had always been a sucker when it came to weddings and she was convinced that it was the groom who always had the best reactions, her attention shifting quickly toward Sky.
And it was entirely worth it too, the grin on his face priceless as she watched his chin begin to tremble and his eyes mist over as his future wife walked toward him. Sky had always been such a mellow, even-keeled person so this show of emotion was rare, Stella tearing up as she watched him try to use his thumb to swipe the corners of his eyes free of the gathering moisture.
Sky's reaction must have set Bloom off as well, tears streaming down her cheeks as she finally came to a halt in front of her future husband. Her father helped remove her veil and brushed away her tears as he pulled her close for a father-daughter hug. Sky took a deep breath before taking a few steps forward, shaking the man's hand before taking Bloom's hand and leading her the last few steps up to the altar.
At the end of the ceremony, Brandon tapped Sky on the shoulder and handed his friend a bottle of breath-spray, which Sky utilized before smacking his lips and dipping his wife to kiss her for the first time as a married couple.
The priest introduced the newly-minted Mr. and Mrs. Sky and Bloom Eraklyon before the new husband and wife made their way back down the aisle toward the house. Stella and Brandon were to dismiss next, but as he held out his arm for her to take and gave her that soft smile she was convinced he saved just for her, she felt her heart begin to race once more.
He pulled her in closer to him as they took their first few steps, Stella swallowing the lump of emotion forming in her throat. She felt her stomach flip as she saw her own mother and Melanie Shields smiling back at the two of them, tears springing to her eyes as they continued to pace their way back down the aisle. Her body began to tremble again and she saw Brandon glance over at her, a hint of concern etched in his expression. She tried to force a smile but it came out strained and Brandon simply pulled her closer and closed his other hand around hers. It all felt like too much for her; it was all far too surreal.
Just like in all of her dreams and fantasies since she was in her teens, she was walking back down the aisle with the man she loved; however, as much as she wished for those fantasies to be true, this wasn't her wedding and she wasn't leaving the ceremony with Brandon as her husband.
Even then, maybe that was too much to dream for at this point...
After what seemed like hours of pictures, the entire bridal party was finally able to grab some dinner and drinks, everybody settling in for the evening as the guests mingled with one another and enjoyed a delicious array of foods and cocktails. Throughout most of dinner, Brandon kept an eye on Stella, her easy-going mannerisms and laid-back personality drawing people to her as she seemingly floated around the room chatting with everybody she knew. It didn't hurt that she was absolutely stunning as well, the bridesmaid's dress hugging her curves in all the right places and it's subtle hue bringing out the gold in her eyes, making her look even more radiant and dazzling than ever before... if that were even possible.
She was incredible and Brandon couldn't help but smile as he watched her from afar, yet he couldn't ignore the twist in his stomach at the thought that this may be the last day he would be able spend time with her. He was suddenly startled out of his trance by a large hand clasping him on the shoulder.
"She looks beautiful tonight," Sky stated, taking a sip of his bourbon and coke.
"That she does," Brandon admitted, taking a swig of his own beer as they watched Sky's new wife giggle furiously while Musa and Stella continued to joke with her across the dance floor.
"You talk to her yet?"
"Nope, not yet. But I'm going to."
"Well, you may want to say something soon. Don't let your opportunity slip away again, man."
Brandon swallowed hard and accepted the bourbon Riven silently held out for him, thanking him for the much needed courage in a glass. He took a deep swig of the amber liquid before placing both of his glasses down on the bar and making his way over toward where Stella stood with the girls. Musa noticed his approach first, winking in his direction before gently squeezing Bloom on the elbow, both girls taking the opportunity to bow out of the conversation leaving Stella and Brandon alone near the rose bushes in the Shields' backyard.
"Hey," Stella greeted, taking a sip of her wine before cradling her glass between her hands.
"Hi ya back," he smiled, trying to calm his nerves as he leaned up against a table.
"So I –"
"Listen, I –" they both started at the same time, Stella offering him a soft smile before relenting, "You can go first."
"Thanks," Brandon smiled before taking a deep, cleansing breath, "I uh – I don't quite know where to begin. Probably should have practiced before I interrupted your conversation."
"It's okay," she laughed, "I see them all the time."
Brandon felt his stomach twist even more at her statement. She sees Bloom and Musa all the time but their time together was limited so she might as well talk to Brandon while they were still here, right?
"Yeah, right," he breathed heavily, glancing around the yard briefly before meeting her eyes once again, "Look Stella, I owe you an apology. We've been friends forever and I don't know what came over me. Last night – I just – I was an ass. What happened between the two of us at the bar and later was a mistake and I'm sorry about what I said and did." He paused, trying to figure out the best way to say what he needed to say, deciding to play it conservative for the time being since he needed to get back into her good graces before hopefully winning his way into her heart. "You've always been my girl and one of my best friends and the way I treated you last night - I was completely in the wrong. You deserve much more than that and what I said and did was flat out disrespectful, and I am so, so sorry for that."
He stopped there, pausing for a moment and waiting for her reaction. It wasn't the eloquent apology she deserved, but he felt she needed to know how much he truly respected her and how sorry he was for being such a dumbass. He watched as she glanced away and took another swig of her wine, swallowing hard before she lightly chewed on her bottom lip.
"Thank you," she murmured, glancing down at her shoes, "I appreciate that."
She finally glanced back up at him, emotion swimming in her eyes as she smiled back at him, "I um – I owe you an apology too. I knew the whole Nex thing made you uncomfortable and I shouldn't have talked with him for as long as I did. And I shouldn't have pushed you as hard and said some of the things I did. That wasn't fair of me."
"Stella, no, Nex's your friend and I knew that. I don't know why it got to me as much as it did, but how I reacted wasn't fair to you. And I am really, truly sorry for that."
She gave him a soft smile in return, opening her mouth to speak again before the clinking of glasses captured everybody's attention. Brandon internally swore at the DJ for interrupting their moment as he called Sky and Bloom forward to make the toasts and cut the cake. Bloom gave the two of them a sympathetic look before signaling for them to join her and Sky up front.
Stella gently grasped his elbow and nudged him, "I think they want us for the toasts. It's show time, Shields."
Brandon internally swore again at the thought of giving a speech to everybody, wanting to kick himself for not practicing a few more times before now. He was great at entertaining people in small groups but speaking in front of a hundred plus people at his friend's wedding was a bit more daunting. He followed Stella through the rows of tables until they rejoined Bloom and Sky up front, the couple taking a few moments to thank their guests for coming and thanked the three moms for hosting the event before the DJ took over and asked the maid of honor and the best man who would like to deliver their toast first.
Brandon glanced over at Stella, the girl shrugging her shoulders before he ultimately volunteered, figuring he could face his fears and get this over with quickly so he could finish talking to Stella. A waiter carrying a tray of champagne passed by at that moment, Brandon taking the opportunity to snag the tray from him and disburse the champagne to Sky, Bloom and Stella before reserving a glass for himself in the process.
He swallowed hard and took a deep breath, taking a nice, long glance around the space at the rest of the guests before speaking into the microphone the DJ handed him.
"Hey everyone. I'm Brandon Shields and I live here," he laughed, pointing to the home behind all of the tables, causing the rest of the guests to chuckle with him. He licked his dry lips and began reciting his speech, "So, there comes a time in everyone's life when they meet their one true love, their soul-mate, the person that's going to know and care about them for the rest of their life. That moment came for Sky twenty-six years ago when he met me," he joked, the crowd laughing right along with him. "But in all seriousness, as I look around, I see a ton a familiar faces, which is pretty cool because it's given all of us a chance to catch up with one another. But in all honesty, this wedding is far more than that. The fact that everyone is here like this under these circumstances is truly more a testament to the couple standing in front of you than anything else. You see, I'm not sure if any other couple could have commanded such a great group of people to come and celebrate this happy occasion with them."
He smiled and glanced down briefly before continuing, "As some of you may know, Sky has been one of my best friends my entire life. Along with Stella here, the three of us were practically inseparable as kids, our moms even calling us the 'three musketeers' or the 'three stooges' depending on the day or the trouble we sometimes got ourselves into," he said, earning a few laughs from the guests, "But all joking aside, Sky is one of the best men I know. He is honorable and kind and an overall good dude and honestly, there have been a lot of times when I wished I was even half the man Sky is. He has always been there for me through thick and thin and I'll never be able to fully explain to you how much that's meant to me over the years."
He turned toward Sky and Bloom, smiling at the two of them before nodding at Sky, "He's always been like a brother to me and he's always looked out for me, so when he first told me about Bloom, I wanted to meet her and find out if she was worthy of my man Sky here. So, when I finally met her, I was genuinely surprised to say the least. I managed to start off our first conversation by insulting her, to which she shot off her own personal string of sassy comebacks and then stole my beer and proceeded to finish the whole bottle in about four seconds... and that's when I knew she was awesome!" he joked, Bloom turning bright red as she covered her eyes in embarrassment, "I've never seen something so impressive in my life! She's smart, funny, graceful and can definitely hold her own while playing Xbox. So I guess what they say is true. Opposites attract," he teased again, pausing for a moment to take a deep breath, "But besides all that, I've never seen Sky as happy in my life as he is when he's around Bloom. She's smart and funny and unbelievably caring and generous. You can tell that the two of them are head over heels for one another simply just watching the two of them together and I wish them nothing but the best in the future."
He took his glass and hoisted it into the air, "To Sky and Bloom," he toasted, everyone following suit as they raised their own glasses to the couple.
Everyone repeated after Brandon, taking a drink of their champagne in the process. Once he lowered his glass, Brandon turned to Stella and offered her the microphone. She reached out toward him and grasped the microphone, the simple brush of her fingers against his sending chills down his spine, rendering him speechless as she gave him a soft smile and thanked him and turned toward the rest of the guests.
She cleared her throat and offered everyone one of her signature smiles before beginning her toast.
"Hi there, I'm Stella Solaria and I live there," she replied cheekily, pointing to her house and grinning at Brandon as she teased him, the guests getting in on the joke and chuckling along. "Like Brandon explained earlier, the three of us all grew up together, literally living right next to one another our entire lives. I um – my sister was quite a bit older than me and was hardly around, so growing up, Sky was like my brother."
Brandon blanched slightly at the comment, a tad hurt that Stella didn't seem to feel the same closeness with him as she did with Sky. It was Sky's wedding day though, so maybe he shouldn't look too far into it. But it still stung a bit none the less.
Stella paused and took a moment to compose herself before continuing, "An ornery, over-protective, and sometimes crude brother, but family none the less. He attempted to teach me how to throw a football, unsuccessfully might I add, he took me to prom our senior year when neither of us had dates, he helped carry me out of a bar on my 21st birthday after having a bit too much to drink, and he even helped my mother interrogate my first boyfriend," she smiled, the rest of the guests laughing along with her as she spoke. Brandon felt another twinge of hurt and jealousy as she spoke, but watching how effortlessly she enraptured the entire crowd had him hanging on every word she said.
"So understandably, when I went to visit Sky one weekend in New York and first heard about Bloom, I felt it was only right that I return the favor and interrogate his girlfriend. I even had a whole spiel thought out and a bunch of questions already prepared," she joked, smiling over at Bloom, "Well, little did I know, that idea would fly out the window the moment I met her. There is simply something special about being in her presence that is almost indescribable. She is spunky and sassy and fun and full of energy and life. By the end of the night, and several dirty martinis later, her disarming nature and easy-going personality had me completely enchanted and I knew right then and there that I found a kindred soul in Bloom. She has become one of my best friends and confidants, my go-to girl for advice or a shoulder to cry on, someone who has seen me at both my best and my worst, and hasn't bat an eyelash yet. She's kind, caring, courageous, genuine, and just an overall beautiful human being and I am so proud to be able to call her my friend. Watching the two of you together, I can honestly say I've never met two people more deserving of one another and simply being around the two of you has made me believe in true love again."
Brandon swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, unable to take his gaze off of Stella as she spoke, her golden eyes glittering with unshed tears as she offered the couple a smile and cleared her throat once more.
"I was beyond honored when you both asked me to participate in your wedding and I'm even more honored to be standing up here and toasting the two of you and your new life together. You have no idea how much you both mean to me and I can't wait to see where your love and your life together takes you," she said, her voice trembling with emotion as she held the microphone and raised her champagne glass, "So, I'd like to ask you all to raise your glasses to the happy couple. May love and laughter light your days and warm your heart and home. May good and faithful friends be yours wherever you may roam. May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures. May all life's passing seasons bring the best to you and yours," she paused, raising an eyebrow and shooting a sly grin at the couple before finishing, "And may all your ups and downs, twists and turns, and ins and outs happen solely between the sheets!"
The guests howled with laughter while Bloom turned a deep shade of red, everyone taking a drink in toast to the new husband and wife before the DJ took over and announced the cutting of the cake and the bride and groom's first dance.
After all of the wedding traditions had taken place and Musa suckered him into taking a shot or two with her at the bar before shimmying away to get her dance on, Brandon finally found some time to search for Stella again, the girl practically disappearing after watching Bloom and Sky take their first spin around the dance floor as husband and wife. He spotted her chatting with her mother near one of the large oak trees across the backyard, the two blondes smiling and giggling with one another as the mother wrapped her arm around her daughter.
Brandon swallowed the last swig of his cocktail before summoning the courage to make his way toward the tree, winding between each of the tables until he reached the Solarias.
"Luna. Stella," he nodded, smiling at both of the women, "You both look absolutely stunning." The elder Solaria gave him a warm smile and thanked him for the compliment before he turned toward Stella and held out his hand, "Would you like to dance?"
He thought he saw a flash of emotion behind her eyes before she blinked quickly and looked away, setting her wine glass down and taking his hand. "I'd love to," she smiled, letting him lead her out onto the dance floor.
Electricity shot through his body as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, the feel of the bare skin of her back and the subtle floral scent of her perfume causing his heart to race as the two of them fell into an easy rhythm to the Michael Bublè song playing through the speakers.
"You're actually a pretty good dancer," she commented after a few moments of silent swaying.
"My Ma made me take lessons," he smiled in return, "But don't tell anybody. It'll ruin my rep."
She smiled before sighing, opening her mouth to say something before closing it again as she looked away.
"What?" he smiled back down at her, "You were about to say something. I'm curious now."
"It's just – Okay, you promise not to laugh?" she asked, waiting for him to nod before continuing. "This is the first time we've ever danced together," she shrugged, her smile soft as she spoke, "I remember hoping and wishing all through high school that you would ask me to dance sometime. It didn't matter if it was at homecoming or prom, but I dreamed of slow dancing with you. I was actually pretty jealous that Amentia was the one who got to be held like this while she danced with you at our senior prom."
Brandon swallowed hard and pulled her in closer, guilt and regret gnawing away at him at her admission. If she only knew how badly he had wanted to take her to prom and dance with her like this... but Sky beat him to the punch when none of them ended up having dates. At least that's what he liked to tell himself. In reality, he was really just a chicken shit and couldn't muster the courage to ask her.
"Don't get me wrong, Sky and I had fun," she shrugged again, "But that boy stepped on my feet so many times, my poor toes ached for days afterwards. It's kind of ironic how a guy with two left feet ended up with such a graceful dancer like Bloom."
Brandon offered her a tight smile before pulling her in closer and softly kissing her forehead, a rare display of affection between the two of them. But Stella didn't seem to care as she pulled herself in closer and snuggled into his chest. He should say something more, but he couldn't quite find the words at the moment, his mind going blank except for the feel of her pressed against him and her fingers intertwined with his.
"I'm glad I finally got to dance with you," he whispered into her hair as the two of them continued to sway to the music, holding each other close as the night wound down.
A few songs later, the DJ announced that that he was playing the final one of the evening, Brandon holding Stella extra tight as he savored what may be the last few moments of having her in his arms.
After waving goodbye to the happy couple as they set off for their honeymoon, Stella made her way back around to the reception area, her heart clenching as she watched the rest of the guests begin to disburse, all of the other couples sharing tender moments as they left hand in hand. She felt the all-too-familiar prick of hot tears gathering in the corners of her eyes as she began to gather the rest of her personal items from her table, the catering company making quick work of the clean-up and tear-down of all of the tables and chairs.
She collected her purse and stashed her phone in the clutch before turning back toward her house, almost bumping into her fairly intoxicated mother and her equally intoxicated friend Melanie Shields, the two ladies giggling as they clutched onto one another and stumbled toward the Shields residence.
"Sweetie, Melanie and I are gonna go have a night-cap," her mom squealed, pausing to giggle more at whatever Melanie had whispered into her ear before offering her a flippant wave as they fumbled with the back door, "Don't wait up!"
"Give them ten minutes and they'll be down for the count," Brandon murmured, catching Stella's attention, "They already did a number on the wine at the bar and I highly doubt they'll even be able to work the corkscrew in the shape they're in. As soon as they sit down, they'll be out."
She glanced back up at him and watched as he gave her a sheepish half smile before he shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking back down at his shoes. He looked just like the little boy she used to know, shy and unsure of himself as he kicked at a clump of grass, and she couldn't help but smile at the memory.
She took a deep breath and steeled her nerves, licking her lips as she studied him for a few moments, Brandon finally looking back up at her with that soft expression, Stella's heart melting at the sight.
She knew she shouldn't do it, especially now that they were back on good terms, or as Brandon reminded her earlier, much to her chagrin and disappointment, they were back to being best friends. Just friends, yet again.
But she couldn't help it.
She was selfish and wanted one more night.
Just one more night with him to savor him as a lover and relish in the feel of his body wrapped around hers before going their separate ways in the morning... once again, walking away as just friends.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she felt the ache twist in her chest at the thought. Despite what Bloom had told her that morning, Brandon made it abundantly clear, yet again, that they were just friends, and she knew better than trying to fight against that again. She didn't want to start anything akin to the night before. She just wanted to enjoy it while it lasted.
So, with a slowly breaking heart and a heavy feeling of finality weighing on her chest, she forced a smile and closing the distance between the two of them before holding out her hand, biting her bottom lip as her gaze finally met his.
"Come with me?"
Brandon angled his head to the side, his expression soft and his eyes questioning as he looked her over. She nodded gently, silently giving her permission. He gave her a half-smile before taking her hand, walking next to her as they made their way into the Solaria household, wordlessly following her up the steps into her room.
She heard the door shut behind her as she built up the nerve she needed, turning around and licking her lips before leaning up to kiss him, slowly beginning to undo his bowtie in the process.
The intricate knot proved to be a bit more difficult than she anticipated, Stella pulling back slightly as she focused on trying to steady her trembling fingers as she fumbled with the tie, letting it fall to the ground once she succeeded before helping him ease out of his jacket.
"This feels so familiar," he whispered sadly as he looked back down at her.
Stella felt her eyes begin to water a touch as she gave him a soft smile.
"Kinda full circle, huh?" she murmured, biting her lip as she turned around and glanced at him over her shoulder, "Help me with my zipper?"
Brandon began to slowly unzip her dress, shivers running down her spine as his fingers traced each vertebrae as he slid the zipper lower and lower, gasping when his finger tips traced past the stretch of skin where her bra should have been had she actually worn one under her dress.
She felt his warm breath on his neck as his fingers continued to drift lower, Stella lolling her head back as she felt his lips gently ghost across the naked expanse in between her shoulder blades, her skin feeling like it was on fire with each brush of his lips. He continued to kiss down her shoulders as he pushed the material out of the way, gently removing the dress as he went. It slid down her body before pooling at her feet, his hands skimming every curve on the way down before halting at her panty line.
Her heart pounded as he gripped her hips and turned her around slowly, gently brushing a lock of hair behind her ear as he looked her up and down. She held her head high as he met her gaze, her fingers finding their way to the buttons of his shirt as she unfastened each one, helping to push his shirt off over his shoulders before running her hands down his pec muscles and abdomen, leaning forward and placing a soft kiss in the center of his chest.
Her entire body buzzed with anticipation but she forced herself to continue at her slow pace, wanting to savor every moment with him. Her fingers continued their leisurely journey down each muscular ripple of his stomach, halting momentarily at his belt buckle. She leaned up and kissed his lips as she unfastened his belt, slowly unbuttoning and unzipping his fly before letting his pants fall to the ground, collecting around his feet.
Once her work was done, she backed away and sat down on her bed, sliding backwards on the crisp sheets and propping herself up on her elbows, trying to give him her best sultry and seductive look, when in reality, she was nervous as hell.
It felt too much like the first time the two of them were in this situation eight years ago, but this time, she knew he wouldn't turn her down.
She heard the whooshing of blood in her ears as he simply stood here and looked her over, gazing down at her with such a tender expression on his face before quickly kicking off his socks and shoes. He finally knelt down on the bed and crawled up over her, taking his place above her. It felt all too comfortable and all too natural having him there and Stella only wished she could drag this out forever.
"You are so beautiful," he whispered, stroking a lock of her hair.
"Thank you," she smiled, cupping his cheek in her palm as she ran her thumb up and down the slight stubble on his jaw.
He leaned down and kissed her lips softly, taking the opportunity to tangle his hand in her hair before slowly kissing his way down her neck, tasting each and every inch of her skin.
He kissed down her arms and placed a tender kiss against each palm before making his way back up to her shoulders and descending down her chest and breasts, nipping and caressing each one of her nipples before moving down her stomach, dipping his tongue into her navel and causing goose bumps to erupt across her entire body.
She was a quivering mess the closer he got to her center. But he didn't stop there, skipping over her mound to tease his way down the insides of her thighs and calves, taking the time to place a gentle kiss on each instep, the feeling foreign and erotic as he turned back around and began his ascent.
Before Brandon, she had never experienced the slow caresses or the gentle touches or the feeling of a man taking his time to make her feel as well loved and cherished as she felt at that moment.
Brandon teased his way higher, Stella gasping as his lips ghosted over her center. He grinned as he teased her with his tongue, her body writhing underneath him. But just as soon as he had started, the sensation disappeared as she felt his lips trailing back up her body.
He completed his full-body exploration by finishing where he started, kissing her sweetly once more before she felt him gently ease himself inside of her, the welcome intrusion causing her breath to hitch as they rocked together making slow, sweet love.
They moved in sync with one another, her body reacting to every move and shift he made. Brandon kept murmuring in her ear, telling her how beautiful she was and how good she felt and it was all so perfect. Just like how she had dreamed her first time would be. Being with him, in this very room, in this very way. It was simply perfect.
Feeling him like this, holding him as his body melded with her was almost too much. She swallowed down as much emotion as she could but she was on the verge of tears, feeling so close to him as they let their bodies do all the talking for them. She felt everything for him and being intimate like this with him, every inch of her skin touching his, was simply indescribable. She savored his masculine scent, the gentle caress of his fingertips, the taste of his lips, the warmth she felt in his arms and how safe and protected she felt when she was with him.
The emotions she felt coupled with his gentle strokes, delicate kisses and his fingers intertwined with hers were simply overwhelming, and the way she felt for him was far more powerful and unlike anything she had ever experienced before.
She knew it may end badly between them and she may end up hating herself in the morning, but being with him right here and now, she decided to finally open her heart up to him completely and love him with all she had.
Maybe she would never get to actually say the words to him, but she would let herself love him, even if only for the night.
They continued to move slowly with one another, drawing out each kiss and caress until they both hit their peak, neither one of them moving for the longest time as they continued to hold one another.
Once they had finally pulled apart, they laid there simply content just being there with each other. Brandon flung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close, Stella tucking herself tightly into his side, their legs intertwined under the tangle of sheets as she snuggling up to him, savoring the feeling of holding him like his and trying to commit everything about him in this moment to memory.
After a lengthy comfortable silence, she felt his pulse quicken against her cheek as he took a deep breath, gently clearing his throat.
"Stella, um – about us," he paused briefly, her heart twisting and a bitter taste filling her mouth at the words, "After tonight –"
She wasn't one-hundred percent sure what he was going to say, but if he was starting off like that, it couldn't be good and she didn't want to hear it.
She couldn't hear it.
She knew what he was going to say, but her heart simply couldn't handle hearing the rejection actually coming out of his own mouth after what they had just shared. She knew she had been taking a risk by bringing him up here with her tonight and she knew she opened herself up to this from the beginning, but she was terrified he would give her another "it was fun while it lasted." She refused to let him ruin this moment for her.
And if there was one thing she had learned after picking up the pieces of her fragile heart over and over again, it was that a good offense is the best form of defense, especially when trying to protect yourself and your dignity.
She blinked away the gathering tears in her eyes and bit her lip, steeling her emotions before finally having the courage to look up into his eyes. She forced a smile before tracing his slightly kiss-swollen lips with her fingertips, effectively silencing him.
"Shhh, let's not waste our time talking," she whispered, kissing him once more before hitching her leg up over his hips and straddling him, pulling them both under again.
Brandon held her tightly, fighting the urge to fall asleep as he listened to Stella's breathing even out, taking in all the little things about her. Her soft skin, her supple lips, the gentle slope of her nose, everything he can while they're still together like this.
Everything in that moment felt so peaceful and perfect. He knew their time together was drawing to an end but he didn't want to miss a single second of being with her, especially if it may be the last.
He swallowed hard and continued to gently stroke her hair, memories of holding her like this flooding his mind. The first time she genuinely hugged him for sticking up for her in the seventh grade after he punched the bully that had been ruthlessly teasing her all year. The first time he wrapped his arms around her after catching her father, the broken girl sobbing into her pillow the entire night. Each and every time he held her through the night during their other sleepovers. Every moment she spent in his arms this past week. Dancing with her and making love to her. She always fit so perfectly in his arms. It was like she was meant to be there. He'd give anything to be able to hold her like this forever... but as for what tomorrow held, he didn't know.
And simply the thought of letting her go killed him inside. But he would do what was right and let her go. He would do anything for her and since that seemed to be what she wanted, he would let her go.
He missed his chance to really talk to her at the reception, and with everything going on and how busy they had been all night, he really wanted to kick himself for not making a move sooner. He wasn't even sure if she was going to want to stay with him that night, but as soon as she held out her hand and whispered those three words to him, his heart skipped a beat at the thought she may be giving him another chance.
And after that, after they made love, everything felt so perfect. He finally thought he had his chance to tell her how he felt and explain how he wanted her for longer than just the week they had agreed upon. Explain how he wanted more...
...But now that may never happen. She didn't even give him more than five words before she silenced him. Something in her eye told him she knew exactly what was coming and she shut him down.
The next round after that was a blur. Stella had been moving over him and he wanted to savor that, to remember everything about it, but the dull ache in his chest where his heart had been was far too overwhelming and constricting to enjoy any of it. And now, his entire body felt empty as he lay there holding her, soaking in all of the last vestiges of their time together as he could.
Because as soon as the sun came up, this would all be over. They would be over.