Chapter 12.

Callie's chance to be home alone came sooner than she expected, when Robert had taken Sophia to a horse show for the day. As soon as the were gone, she took her phone and dialed Brandon.

"Hey," he answered. "What's up?"

"Can you come over?" she asked in a hushed voice. She wasn't sure why she was whispering. "I'm home alone. Today is the day."

"You mean..." he breathed. "The day?"

"Yeah," she said. "Dad and Sophia went out, and they shouldn't be back for a while. So, can you come?"

"Yes," Brandon replied. "I can be there in ten minutes?"

"Okay," she said. "See you then. Love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

Her hands shook as she ended the call. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she hurried upstairs to her room to get ready.

She cut herself shaving. A thin river of blood ran down her leg, and it hurt, but she didn't cry out. Physical pain was rarely painful enough to make her cry. She'd been hit and kicked so many times that getting hurt barely phased her; she could sort of withdraw within herself, and barely even feel it. It did occur to her that in the five years she she'd been shaving her legs, though, this was the first time she'd ever cut herself. She chalked it up to nerves.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when the doorbell rang. She took a deep breath, then hurried downstairs to answer. When she opened the door, there stood Brandon.

"Callie," he said. He frowned when he saw her pale face. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, blushing. "Yeah. I- I just cut myself shaving. I'm fine. Come on in." She led him into the house and up the stairs to her room, where she shut the door behind them.

Brandon sat down on the edge of her bed, and she sat down next to him. "I was surprised you called so soon," he told her, reaching out to touch her arm. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"I'm ready," she nodded, turning to look at him. "I want this, Brandon. I want to be with you."

"Come here," he said. He took her hands in his and pulled her into his lap. "Are you nervous?" he asked.

"Yeah," she confided. "Are you?"

"Yeah," he admitted.

She eyed him curiously. "What are you nervous about?"

He smiled his sweet, crooked smile. "Just... you know." His expression became more serious. "I don't want what happened between you and Wyatt to happen to us. It came between you two. I'm afraid I'll do whatever he did that scared you, and I love you too much to do that, even by accident. It's kind of a lot of pressure."

Callie nodded knowingly, playing with a button on his shirt. "The way he was doing it, it reminded me of him." She suddenly felt shy, talking about sex with another guy to Brandon. Especially Wyatt. "He- he laid on top of me the whole time, and it felt like he was crushing me. He wasn't gentle, he never looked me in the eye. He was just, like, slobbering all over me." She looked down at the button she held between her fingers. "I know he wasn't trying to hurt me, but it was like he was doing it to me, not with me." She swallowed hard, her hands shaking.

"Oh," he said. He pressed his lips to her cheek. "Honey, we really don't have to do this if you're not ready. I'd understand."

She shook her head defiantly. "No. I told you I'm ready. Please, Brandon?"

He took her chin in his hand, tilting her head up so she had to look at him. "You can trust me. I'll be gentle with you, Callie. You don't have to be afraid of me. And if you want to stop, just tell me, and we will. No questions asked." He wrapped his arms around her even tighter, pulling her into his chest, and softly kissed her forehead.

"I want this," she told him, glancing up. "I've never been more sure of anything."

Nodding, Brandon reached into his book-bag and produced two foil-wrapped condoms and bottle of lubricant. He set them on the nightstand so they would be within reach. Then, he kissed her, gently laying her down on the bed and climbing in beside her. As they kissed, he slid his hand up the back of her dress to the hook of her bra. He stroked the line of the band a few times before unhooking it.

Callie reluctantly pulled away. "Is- is it okay if I undress myself?"

"Yeah," said Brandon. "Go for it."

She stood up, and shyly shed her dress, then her panties and bra, just as she had done when they'd gone skinny-dipping. While she did so, Brandon did the same, until he was only wearing his boxer shorts. She watched him take a breath, and then pull them down. Swallowing hard, she crawled back under her sheet.

She trembled as Brandon touched her goosebump-covered skin, caressing her back, hips, breasts. But it felt good. She even dared to close her eyes for a moment, and just enjoy the feeling.

"Touch me," Brandon whispered, petting her hair.

Tentatively, she reached out, and lay her hand on his chest. It was soft and smooth. She ran her fingers down, all the way down, until she was shyly gripping him.

"Do it like this," he said, guiding her hand. He closed his eyes, biting his lip. When she finally took her hand away, he locked eyes with her, his pupils dilated. "Can I touch you now?"

She felt her chest tighten for a second, and wondered if she was in over her head. But then she looked back up at Brandon and remembered his words. She could trust him. He'd never given her reason not to. "Yes."

Brandon cupped her in his hand for a moment, then carefully spread her apart with his fingers. She opened her legs for him, just a little, and he stroked her with one finger, then two. "You okay?" he whispered.

She nodded. "It- it feels g-good."

"Is it okay if I put my finger inside you?"

"Mm-hm," she breathed.

As he kissed her, he slid one slim finger into her, and she barely felt it. Slowly, he pumped it in and out. She moaned softly, a warmth spreading over her arms and between her legs.

When it was finally time to do the deed, Brandon pulled the sheet back so she could see what he was doing, and situated himself between her thighs. "You might feel some pain at first," he warned, worry in his eyes. "You're really tight."

"I know," she said, writhing against him.

He rolled a condom over his erection, then squeezed some lube in his hand and put it on himself and inside her. Looking her in the eye, he positioned himself, then slowly began to enter her.

"It hurts, it hurts!" she cried, suddenly panicked, as she felt a strange, pinching sensation. "Get out, Brandon. Stop!"

Brandon pulled out quickly, just as shaken as she was. "Callie, are you okay?" He breathed heavily, keeping a safe distance from her, while still holding her hand.

Her vision cleared, and she began to calm down. "Actually, maybe it didn't hurt that bad." She actually missed him now that he was gone.

"Do you want to try again?" he ventured. "I was already all the way in."

Making a quick decision, and filled with so much love for him because of how patient he was being, she agreed. "Yes. I do."

He slid into her again, even slower than the first time, and it ached, but it didn't hurt. He began to move.

They made love in the silence of the big, empty house, quiet, even though they knew there was no one home to hear them. They sighed and squeezed each other's flesh instead of calling out. When it was over, Brandon pulled out of of her, tossed the spent condom in her wastebasket, and took her in his arms, stroking her back.

"You're quiet," he whispered, nibbling her earlobe. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," she said, snuggling deeper into the crook of his arm.

"You can tell me," he told her softly. "Are you okay?"

She looked up at him, smiling faintly. "It wasn't really that great, was it?"

Brandon laughed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I liked it."

"I liked feeling so close to you," she admitted. "But I didn't... you know... I didn't... orgasm." She blushed deeply. Brandon, on the other hand, came too soon. The actual sex part had only lasted about two minutes.

Taking her hand, Brandon kissed each fingertip. "We were both really nervous," he reminded her. "Next time, it won't feel so... clinical. Practice makes perfect, right?"

"I guess so," she said, nuzzling his chest. She looked up at him, suddenly feeling light. "And this means something, Brandon. I couldn't have sex with Wyatt, but I did with you. And I'm fine. I thought I was broken, but I'm not." She smiled slightly. "I think I might even love you more than before."

"Of course you're not broken," he told her, touching his lips to the scar near her hairline. "You're perfect. And I love you more than before, too." He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her, wrapping the sheet around them.

"Oh my god!"

Callie and Brandon jerked around, startled, to see Jill standing in the bedroom doorway, holding a box of her things.

"Callie, get out of that bed." Her step-mother paused, diverting her eyes. "On second thought, don't. Just, please, get dressed."

She opened her mouth to speak. "Jill, I-"

Jill stopped her, looking every bit as uncomfortable as she was. "I don't want to know. But your father is going to hear about this."

To Be Continued