Thank you so much for the reviews. One person asked if they had slept together. The answer is no, they hadn't...yet!

Chapter ten

The following evening at midnight Grace puts on her dressing gown and slippers and walks downstairs to the kitchen. When she is about to open the door to the garage, she hears the light switch being turned on.

"Gracie, honey, where are you going?" asks Lilly.

"Um..." Grace knows she can't come up with a lie in such short notice, so she guiltily replies, "Eli's room."

"But it's the middle of the night. He's probably asleep, sweetie." Lilly strokes her arm.

"He's usually awake now and when I can't sleep I sometimes visit him to talk."

"Well, I'm awake. You can talk to me." Lilly sits down at the table and pats the seat next to her.

"Mum, it's fine, really. Eli and I have a routine going, now."

"I wish you would talk to me. You and I have drifted apart and it hurts."

"We haven't drifted apart, I've just grown up and I don't need you as much. You should be relieved because Zoe is a handful already."

"Oh honey, I always have time for you," sighs Lilly.

Grace holds back her tears and starts to open the door again, "good night, Mum."

"Good night, honey," replies Lilly as she holds back her own tears.

- - -

Grace quietly opens the door to Eli's bedroom and walks over to the bed. She can hear his slow breathing and instead of waking him up so they can talk, she takes off her dressing gown and slippers and gets into the bed. She curls up into a ball and faces him. She can't help but be mesmerized by his face. She leans in closely and starts to cover his face with little butterfly kisses. Eli shifts in his sleep but remains asleep.

B/W Grace: How do you know when you're ready for the next step? If it's based on a feeling, well, then I'm ready.

She raises Eli's arm, wraps it around her and moves in closer. She continues to kiss him softly and his eyelids start to flutter and he slowly opens his eyes.

"Grace..."

"Shh," she whispers and places her finger on his mouth. Eli takes in her eyes and her lips and surrenders to her spell.

Grace starts to stroke his neck and moves further down to his bare back. She lightly kisses his eyelids, his forehead and cheeks. He moans softly and squeezes her tightly. Grace starts to move her hand inside his boxers.

"Grace, we don't have to, not yet..." Eli starts to protest but once again Grace covers his mouth.

"I want to, I'm ready," she whispers and pulls him in towards her. She kisses him softly on the mouth, "do you have...?"

Eli turns to his bedside tables and pulls out a condom.

Grace becomes a little nervous and Eli takes over. He strokes her face and covers her face with butterfly kisses. "We can take this slowly," he whispers and Grace buries her head into Eli's neck. Eli slowly pulls off her nightie and starts to caress her breasts. Grace moans softly and shudders.

- - -

Grace is lying next to Eli with her head on his chest and her arm around his waist. Eli had his arm around her back and his other arm is stroking her stomach.

"That was amazing. I wish I hadn't given up smoking," laughs Eli.

Grace slightly smiles and kisses his chest.

"Was that your first time?" he asks and Grace slightly nods.

"I hope I was worthy of taking your virginity," smirks Eli and he tickles her stomach.

"That was so...so perfect, Eli. You'll never know how perfect it was."

"It means a lot to me, that you chose me for...your first time."

"I wanted it to be you from the first time I saw you," blushes Grace and she buries her hear into his chest. Eli laughs softly and starts to play with her hair.

"It can only get better from here, Grace. I love you," he whispers and takes her into his arms.

"I love you, too," Grace replies and she can feel herself smiling.

B/W Eli and Grace together: I really do (both smiling softly)