Interlude in A Minor, Part 3

His shirt pulled swiftly and roughly over his head in the care of her fast hands. Piece by piece, their clothes fell away in moments of frenzy, when lips that moved over skin only broke contact for mere seconds to gain more intimate access.  Their breath became more ragged and the small moans they made, more desperate, until finally nothing separated them and they were panting with emotion. Only one move remained, one that had been years in the making, and the magnitude of it struck them both at the same time as they took each other in, naked and solid and needing. And afraid.

"What are you doing here," he asked again, pleading. His voice broke. She sat astride him on his bed, shaking, her knees plowing into the thick feather comforter.  He gripped her shoulders and shook her. "After all this time…" He saw her lip tremble. "Why now?"

 Tears ran to her chin where they fell on her breasts and disappeared against her skin.  She whispered of hope. Of desire. Of needing to know that what they once shared had been real. That so much of her life up to this point had been false, and she was desperate for some truth. That she'd known too much young death and wanted to feel more young life.

Only she didn't say these things. Not out loud. But it's what he heard as she said softly, just once, "Because I love you, Ephram."

With strong arms, he lifted her from where she rested on his thighs and laid her on his bed. And as he crawled over her body to meet her, an image flashed in his mind. One from a fantasy long ago. It was of her leaning over him, of kissing him and teaching him how to touch her so that she would respond to him. He was comfortable with being taught, with following and not leading. It was a good fantasy because it contained some truth in the acknowledgement of his inexperience, and therefore, made the fantasy more attainable.

But that was many years ago, and he no longer needed a guide. Ephram felt his way over Amy's skin with fingers adept at coaxing ivory and ebony, and pulled sounds from within her that hummed and sang against his body, rocking him like waves against a boat, releasing in him a heat he never knew possible.

And the warmth spread throughout the night.