Maria was going to argue with him to put her down-she was no longer an invalid, but she decided that she enjoyed being in Michael's arms, and if it made him happy, she was willing to go along. She showed her appreciation by kissing the underside of his chin and sucking lightly. Michael sucked in his breath. "Maria..."
"Huh?" She leaned her head against his shoulder and found his earlobe with her tongue, sucking on it before tracing the back of his ear with the tip, and then blowing lightly into it.
"Maria..." Michael gasped, searching for his self control.
"What Michael."
"What are you doing?" He gasped, knowing exactly what she was doing, but trying to buy himself some time to get his body under control. She stopped abruptly and pulled away.
"I don't know." She lowered her eyes, almost shamefully. "I don't know Michael, I just...I need...something." Michael heard the shame enter her voice, and decided right then and there to put an end to that. By this time, he had made it to the bedroom with her in his arms, and he laid her gently on the bed, propping her up against the headboard and kneeling above her. He took her shoulders in his hands, gently easing her down onto the bed. Unable to stop himself, he kissed her soundly on the lips, tracing them with his tongue, tempting her before pulling away.
"What do you need, Maria?" Looking into her eyes, he already knew, but he wanted to hear it from her first. Maria let out a rush of air and tried to look him in the eye.
"You." That's what he thought. But hearing it from her certainly didn't stop his blood pressure from spiking, or his pulse from speeding up exponentially.
"Maria."
"Please Michael."
"I...can't." Maria's face fell, Michael's stomach flipped.
"You don't want me?"
"NO, God, no Maria, I want you so bad, it hurts. But you're hurting now, you don't really want this, you're hurting..." Michael couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. Here was Maria Deluca, the only girl he'd ever dreamed about, in his bed, with her arms around his neck, begging him to take her, and he was being Mr. Self Control. He dropped his eyes from her face to her neck, in an attempt to distract himself. And that's when he saw them, the raised and swollen scratches on her neck and shoulders. A few were deep enough to draw blood. Maria had been silent, studying him, careful not to let the tears she felt in her eyes spill again. "She hurt you." His voice was low and tender, full of concern. All desire momentarily forgotten, Maria squeezed her eyes shut, silently cursing her body for one more weakness.
"No, I'm ok," she protested weakly. If Michael heard her, he didn't show it. He simply jumped off the bed and headed toward the bathroom. Finding another washcloth, he soaked it in cold water and wrung it out before returning to the bed. He kneeled over her again and traced the worst scratch lightly with his fingertip. She winced.
"I'm sorry 'Ria," he said, guiding her head with one hand and wiping her neck and chest gently with the other. She shook her head.
"You didn't do this Michael, she did."
"I know, I know...I'm just sorry." She nodded, unable to thank him for everything he had done for her. Only able to nod, she shut her eyes as the coolness of the cloth continued to soothe her burning scratches. She jumped suddenly, shocked when she felt the coolness of the cloth replaced by warm lips. Michael's lips. They were on her neck, her collarbone; tender, gentle, consuming, they traced each scratch without breaking contact with her skin. Her eyes were wide open now, but all she saw was Michael's head. His spiky hair tickled her chin and she smiled, lost in him. All she felt were his lips on her, soothing her more than any cold water, any washcloth possibly could. The warmth on her skin generated by his lips slowly spread down her arms to her fingertips, and to the top of her head, making her dizzy. Unwilling to lay there passively the way she had for the last 24 hours, she put her hands on his shoulders as he continued sliding kisses between her collarbone and her neck. When he felt her hands on him, he stopped. Her eyes locked with his. "Maria?" The look in his eyes was so uncertain, and almost guilty, that Maria had to smile. She couldn't answer him verbally, she could barely breathe. She only smiled and grasped his surprised face in her hands, dragging him up to meet her lips.
He willingly opened his mouth to her and their tongues met eagerly. He moved his hands up to frame her face, keeping her head stationary. He looked at her once, his eyes searching hers for any kind of hesitation. Seeing only the look of adoration and desire in her face, he took her mouth again. She gasped as she felt his full weight on her body. It felt right.
"Michael, please..." she managed to get out as he broke the kiss long enough to breathe.
"Please what?" Michael countered breathlessly, half teasing her, half reaffirming her willingness as he continued to spread hot, opened mouth kisses along her face, neck, and chest.
"Please, please..." Maria couldn't get a full sentence out. The things his mouth was doing to her felt too amazing for her to have a coherent thought in her head.
"What do you want, Maria?" Michael's husky voice brought her back to the present, and she gasped in pleasure again as his lips assaulted the tender skin of her neck.
"Touch me..." she hesitated for a beat. "Make love to me Michael." He stopped his exploration of her neck when he heard her last statement. Her directness threw him for a loop.
"Are you sure?" She looked down at him, her pupils distorted with her desire, but there was an intelligence in her countenance that told Michael that she knew exactly what she was asking. She said nothing, but kissed him hungrily in response.
"Touch me," she said again when she pulled away, but this time, it was a breathless whisper. "I want to feel your hands on me, not hers." Wordlessly, he sat so that he was kneeling above her, straddling her hips with his thighs. He let his hands travel from her shoulders down the outsides of her arms to her elbows. He grasped them gently and pulled her arms outward, sliding his hands down her arms to twine his fingers in hers. He leaned down and slid hot, wet kisses from her shoulder to her elbow, still holding their hands out to the sides. When the tip of his tongue made contact with the sensitive skin on the inside of her joint, Maria moaned, unable to do anything else. "Michael."
"Shhh...'Ria." He swirled his tongue around the underside of her wrist, tracing the veins. When his tongue met her pulse point she pushed hard against his hands, trying to put her arms around him, but he held her arms flat against the bed and continued, kissing her palm and then sliding his lips over her fingers. He took her index finger in his mouth and sucked gently, swirling his tongue around it. Michael marveled at how little it took for Maria to be moaning his name. He had barely touched her! It had been a long time since she was touched with this much tenderness, he reminded himself. And he was going to make sure she got plenty of it. Slowly, he brought her arms in to her sides and raised them above her head. She made no move to stop him. Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow. Releasing her wrists, he left them above her head and she left them there, not fully aware of anything but the sensations in her body. He lowered his upper body down to hers and slid his hands underneath the gym shirt she
wore. His shirt. Wow, she looked sexy in his clothes! At the first contact of his hands against her oversensitive skin, Maria gasped. "Michael." He paused, waiting for her to allow him to continue. Wordlessly, she arched up into his palms. "Please."
"OK, baby," he assured her, his gravely voice so close to her skin, it sent shivers up her spine. He traced her entire torso with his warm hands, purposely avoiding her breasts. She moaned impatiently, but he only continued to massage her upper body, running his hands up, down, up, down; gently but firmly, in long soothing strokes.
The gentle friction was heating her body to a nearly unbearable degree. Up, down, up, down, all the way up to her shoulders and then down to her hips. His hands caused a pleasant burning wherever they touched her, and when they moved, the burning remained, until her entire body from her head to her feet was on fire.
"Michael," his name escaped her lips in breathy involuntary moan. She knew she was losing her grip on reality. She could feel her muscles beginning to loosen, her legs felt weak, detached. Frantically, she grasped at some invisible object with her mind, she couldn't be this far gone yet, what was happening to her? She opened her eyes, unused to the floating out of control sensation. She was too hot, but somehow, she didn't want it to stop. His hands were still all over her. "Michael."
"Maria." She arched her neck back to give him greater access, and he took it, attacking her neck with tender, consuming kisses. Using one hand to support her, he boosted her into a semi-sitting position and grasped the hem of the shirt with the other hand, slowly lifting it over her head. She sat bare to the waist before him for the second time. But this time, there was no embarrassment, no pain, no humiliation, just Michael, and all his love for her coming straight from his light brown eyes. He kept his eyes on her face until he couldn't wait anymore, and glanced down at her breasts, heaving with pent up emotions. With one of his arms supporting her back, she had both hands free, and had to resist the modest urge to cover herself. Almost involuntarily, one of her arms went across her chest, but Michael took her wrist gently in one hand as he kissed her again, harder, more demanding, so that she stopped thinking almost completely. He let her fall back to the bed, his lips never leaving hers. He could feel her begin to relax underneath him as she hungrily returned the kiss, her modesty and nervousness forgotten. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck, crushing his body to hers, as demanding as he was. "You are...so beautiful...Maria. Don't...hide...it...from me," he reassured her between kisses.
Maria could only nod slightly and kiss him back, her modesty now completely forgotten, she concentrated only on Michael and the chaotic sensations running through her entire body. He stopped kissing her mouth, only to continue again on her chin and along her jawbone. Finally unobstructed, his hands found the skin he had just uncovered. His hands molded her and he squeezed gently, earning a moan from Maria.
"Miiiiicheal." She moaned and then gasped again as he swirled his tongue around the inside of her ear.
"Do you want me to make love to you, Maria?" He whispered close to her ear and then suckled lightly on her earlobe.
"Yes, Michael... please, please, please," she chanted, almost unaware of the fact that she was rambling.
"Shhhh...baby" As she stretched out below him, Michael used both of his arms to slide farther down her body. The next thing Maria felt sent a bolt of sensations straight to her head as Michael took a nipple in his mouth and began to suckle.
"AAAaaaahh...Michael!" Maria half moaned, half shouted. He sucked hard, pressing her sensitive nipple to the roof of his mouth and swirling his tongue underneath it, adding more pressure.
Maria had never felt anything so wonderful in her entire life. She shrieked and he did it again, then abruptly released it and moved to the other nipple.
"Oh GOD!" She yelled, as his mouth assaulted the other side and he brought his hand up to caress the breast his mouth had left sensitive and wanting. She shuddered under the double onslaught of stimulation, trying to feel both sensations at once, sending her nervous system into overload. The glorious hot and floating feeling was coming back, much stronger than before, along with a steady aching pressure at her center. Opening her mouth, her head thrashed from side to side on the pillow and her eyes closed as she tried breathe and move any part of her body that might help to ease the tension there. She tried to close her legs to create some friction, but she found her thighs held wide by Michael's knees (how did they get there? she wondered) and the only thing she accomplished was to aggravate the tension more as her thighs rubbed the coarse hair on his legs. She gasped to breathe but all that came out was a strangled "Mi...cheal."
"Maria," he whispered, his voice low and full of desire, and then his mouth was on hers again. The pressure momentarily forgotten, she plunged her tongue in his mouth and tasted herself on his lips- salt mixed with lavender and Michael's own male scent that was slowly driving her insane. She opened her eyes when she felt him pull away, and was aware of his hand on either side of her head as she met his searching brown gaze. "You taste so good Maria, but I want to touch you, do you trust me?" Her eyes wide, she whispered without hesitation.
"You know I do." The pure elation she saw in his eyes as a result of her complete trust in him, was a sight Maria would not soon forget. He lowered his lips to her again and kissed her urgently, all of his love and desire evident. Maria realized in that instant that he was trusting her too. He trusted her to tell him what her boundaries were, and she knew she had to be honest because Michael would shoot himself if he thought he had hurt her. And Michael would never hurt her.
She tangled her fingers in his soft, spiky hair and held his lips as close to her as possible when she felt his hands slide down her torso to her hips. She was suddenly very aware of the fact that she was bare below his gym shorts, the ones she had put on after her shower this morning. He felt her tense, and stopped, pulling his lips from hers one more time, but she quickly realized what his own fear was. "No, keep going," she pleaded/demanded, pulling his head down to her again, kissing him savagely, feeling his bare chest against her own, more aware of the heat between her legs than her own minimal fears. Reassured by her willingness and encouraged by her demanding kiss, his fingers found the band of the shorts and slowly eased them down, his mouth leaving hers to kiss a path straight down between her breasts to her stomach, following the movement of his hands. She arched her back and raised her hips to help him, and then the shorts were pooled around her ankles. Impatiently, she kicked and he threw them to the floor. Unexpectedly self conscious, she closed her eyes, not sure if she could survive the fire in his eyes as he perused her, completely exposed for the first time before him.
She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He had dreamed of this moment for years, longer than he could remember, and the reality was better than any imaginary dreamscape his mind could have created. Granted, the circumstances were less than desirable, but it was obvious that she wanted this, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't want it just as badly. He could feel emotions pouring off of her: her desire, her nervousness, her trust, but most of all, her love. He was bowled over by the realization that this tiny girl had such an effect on him, and rendered speechless at the fact that he obviously had the same effect on her. Who knew that someone could love Michael Guerin, trust him as much as Maria Deluca obviously did? Michael Guerin, trailer trash foster kid, alien from another planet had found someone who truly loved him, not because of familial obligations, otherworldy origins, or a check in the mail, but because he was Michael, and she needed him. He glanced up and saw her face, all of her emotions playing out one by one. He could still feel them rolling off of her in waves, but the one he saw at that moment was apprehension. At first he was shocked, and his first reaction was to pull away, but she felt him move slightly and caught both of his forearms in tight fists, shaking her head, but preventing him from moving. He realized then that she didn't want him to move away, and it hit him. He knew instinctually that she had never let another man get this close to her, had never let another person see her this vulnerable, and vulnerable was a feeling she was becoming all to familiar with lately.
"Maria, open your eyes," he demanded tenderly. She felt him press his lips to her forehead in an unexpectedly chaste kiss, and the unanticipated nature of the act itself caused her to open her eyes in surprise. Michael's tender look met her own and she smiled nervously. "You're beautiful." Her eyes watered, touched by his honesty and love for her, and she told herself she would not cry...not again, but her emotions were beyond her control and she felt a single tear slip from the corner of her eye and lose itself in her hairline. Michael saw it and looked at her, his eyes studying her with concern, but she shook her head and pulled him down to her, not willing to let him go.
Not needing anymore encouragement, Michael found her lips again and kissed her hard, his hands resuming the familiar up and down motions that he knew drove her insane. Her skin felt like liquid silk under his fingertips, his desire heightened by the knowledge that she wore nothing underneath him. He covered her face and neck in butterfly kisses until he had kissed every inch of skin above her shoulders. Having his face and neck in such close proximity to hers was driving Maria crazy. Her hands splayed across his back, tracing random patterns across the flexing muscles. He was so gentle with her, and yet such a prime example of male stature and strength, it amazed her and called attention to something primal and distinctly female within her.
She could smell him all around her. Her tongue darted out to taste his skin, salty and sweaty, and Michael. She sucked hard on the underside of his chin as she had first done in the hallway, making him gasp and grab her shoulders, pinning her to the bed. She in turn rested her hands on his broad shoulders and grinned wickedly up at him. He was too busy trying to get his body under control to look at her, his eyes shut tight in concentration. She took advantage of this moment to glance down at where their bodies touched, and her eyes bugged in amazement and appreciation when she noticed the tenting in his boxers, the hardness barely contained by the thin cotton. She could barely look away, unable to comprehend how she could have such an effect on "stonewall" Michael Guerin, but she tore her eyes away to glance at his face. Only a few seconds had passed, but in those few moments, Michael's face had become even more twisted in a combination of desire, concentration, and strained control. He looked none to comfortable, and Maria smiled to herself as she slid one hand between them, grasped him, and gently squeezed. His whole body jerked in surprise.
"HOLY shit! Mariiia!" Michael's eyes flew open in shock and went straight to where she continued to caress him with gentle up and down strokes. She kept her eyes on his as he continued to look at her in bewilderment.
"Relax Michael, you're doing everything for me, let me do something for you." He closed his eyes and tried to breathe, but it was impossible, given what her hand was doing to him.
"Oooh, Maria, babe, that feels sooo good...but if you don't...stop...this won't...aah...last very long." To prove his point, he grabbed a wrist in each hand and moved them up over her head, keeping her stationary below him. The throbbing between his legs increased in protest to the loss of sensation. He leaned his forehead against hers and kissed her soundly, his tongue demanding entrance, but she willingly gave it to him.
"Mic..." she tried to speak but he cut her off with another kiss.
"Do you know what you do to me 'Ria?" With their faces touching, Maria could do nothing but look into Michael's eyes, black with desire, but also so much love and devotion that it made her chest ache. As if to answer his own question, Michael's hips flexed into hers almost involuntarily, grinding his hardness into her very aroused center. She gasped at the new sensation as a new flood of warmth overcame her body, the sharp bolts of pleasure becoming even more intense.
"OH God, Michael, PLEASE." Michael shook his head, smiling down at her as he moved in to kiss her again.
"Not yet." Maria was speechless, which was a good thing, because at that moment, Michael's mouth covered hers and she wouldn't have been able to say anything anyway. She was so caught up in the kiss that she didn't notice his hand sliding over her flat stomach, but she nearly jumped a mile and arched against him as his fingers brushed the top of the curls between her legs ever so gently. His hand moved up to ease her hips back to the bed. "Relax 'Ria...let me love you." Her arms went around his neck again as she smiled and nodded up at him, consciously allowing herself to loosen as she rested her head on his shoulder and kissed him. Michael could feel her heart pounding double time in her chest as it pressed against him, her breathing fast and aroused in his ear. His hand began to move again, this time with more purpose. He stroked his fingers through her curls again and she moaned. But this time, his fingers moved lower. He tentatively caressed the hot folds of skin, slowly separating them with two fingers and she jumped a little, clinging to him, but in no way telling him he should stop. And Michael wasn't sure if he could stop at this point, even if he'd wanted to. His middle finger found the bottom of her slit, and quickly stroked her once, bumping against her already aroused clit as he moved up.
"Michael!" She shrieked in something between desire and surprise. Michael was in shock. She was so wet. For him. Wow. But it wasn't enough for him. He doubted it was enough for her either. A glance at her face showed her eyes to be closed, her breathing erratic and heavy. She clung to him as she tried to speak. "Michael... don't...stop touching me."
"Not if I tried," he breathed in her ear, his voice full of lust. His middle finger retraced its path downward and moved up again, separating the folds, going deeper. Maria's hips arched toward his hand involuntarily. She had thought his mouth on her breasts was the most wonderful thing she had ever felt. She was wrong. His fingers stroking her, gently, firmly, teasingly, was causing her muscles to tingle, her toes to point straight out. She knew she had lost control of her body at this point, but she was beyond caring. When his finger brushed against her swollen clit for the second time, he didn't go back down, instead began stroking the sensitive bundle of nerves, up, down, up down, in short, fast motions, and alternatively circling it. She could feel herself tightening, her muscles clenching, trying to capture his fingers. Michael could feel her trying to clench around him, dripping onto his hand, and he couldn't resist, he had to taste her. He pulled his fingers away, sucking two into his mouth, tasting the sweet and sour essence of her.
"Pleeease, Michael...Gooood," Maria moaned at the loss of his touch but she didn't know what she was begging for.
"You taste so good baby, know what you taste like?" Maria blindly shook her head, not really aware of the question he asked, but she suddenly tasted herself again, mixed with Michael, as he kissed her- it was intoxicating. She moaned into his mouth as he continued kissing her, and his hand crept down her body once more to continue what he had started. She bucked again when she became aware on some level that his hand was nearing her center again. He grinned against her open mouth as his fingers found her clit again and pressed against it, continuing the fast up and down stroking motion.
"AAAH...uh...Michael..." Maria felt like her vocal chords had suddenly constricted. A sharp bolt of pleasure coursed through her, straight to her toes, leaving her tingling again. Her muscles clenched violently as her hips thrust upwards again.
"Ria," he was still kissing her face, sucking on her neck, he knew she'd have one hell of a hickie in the morning, but that was more than fine with him.
"Oh God... Michael…I don't...I can't..."
"It's ok baby...I'm here...just let it happen." His fingers repeatedly stroked her as he licked a gentle path around the outside of her ear.
"Michael."
"I'm right here...right here...I've got you…just let it go," he breathed and flicked once more against her swollen nub. Maria felt her entire body contract. Her lower lips flexing in and out around his hand as her hips bucked a final time, sending an electric shock through her body straight to her brain.
"Ahh...Ah..." Her whole body stilled for a split second before the pinnacle hit "MICHAEL!!" She couldn't shout, it was more like a loud breathy squeak.
"Yeah, baby, right here," he whispered as her muscles stiffened and trembled. Her hips bucked against him several times as her body continued to shake. His arms came around her, anchoring her protectively as she arched against him, her arms gripped his strong shoulders as if she was drowning and he was the only one who could save her. Her thighs gripped his hips, as she rode out the impact of her climax for what seemed like an eternity until finally, she collapsed under him, completely spent.
"Michael, Michael, Michael..." she moaned, unable to think anything else.
"Shhhh...baby...I've got you..."
Michael had never seen anything more beautiful than the sight of his Maria coming apart in his arms, moaning his name. Her faith and trust in him was enough to humble him beyond belief. He followed her down to the sheets, cradling her head as he watched her breathing return to normal. He covered her entire face with kisses and used the other hand to wipe sweaty strands of hair from her forehead.
"I love you, Maria, so much." Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled lazily at him, pulling him down to her mouth to finally kiss him so he was as breathless as she felt. She hadn't regained control of her muscles or her voice. The only thing she could do was tighten his hold on him, in an attempt to show him exactly how she felt. After a few minutes, Michael attempted to roll to the side, thinking he must be crushing her under his weight. But she shook her head and held him closer.
"Michael." He relented, smiling down at her, he rolled to the side but kept her with him, tucked into his chest. He kissed the top of her head and ran his hands up and down her arms as she traced patterns on his chest with one finger. "Thank you," she whispered. He felt her begin to relax against him and he too was having problems keeping his eyes open.
"Any time baby."
"I love you Michael." And he almost stopped breathing at her admission, but managed to tighten his arms around her anyway. He opened his mouth to say he loved her too, but realized her eyes were already shut, her breathing deep and even.
"The feeling's mutual, Blondie," he whispered to no one in particular.
