Chapter 9 – The Point of No Return

They held each other close and danced to the song You and I by Michael Buble. Erik bent his head to kiss her and while they kissed, Kimberlee began to undo the buttons on his shirt. He pulled back to look at her.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked her softly

"As sure as I am that I'm in love with you," she said placing her hand on his cheek, "and have been since the day we met."

"I think I've fallen in love with you too, these feelings are all new to me," he quietly admitted to her.

"Well at least you're honest" she replied smiling at him.

Erik looked into her eyes, his eyes a deeper green than she had ever seen, as she reached up to take off his mask. She saw fear in his eyes as she gently removed the porcelain mask that hid his face from her. She did not look upon him with fear and disgust but with love, seeing the man truly behind the mask. She captured his lips in another kiss as she continued to undo the buttons on his shirt, running her hands along the smooth skin of his chest and then removing the shirt.

Erik began to place gentle kisses along Kimberlee's jawline, down the side of her neck and along her collarbone while he slowly undid the zipper of her dress. When he slipped his hand inside the dress and brushed her back gently she let out a moan which suddenly left him feeling lightheaded. He claimed her lips once more and she gently parted them inviting him in. As they kissed he undid the zipper all the way and let the dress fall from her to the floor. Shocked with the feel of the cool air on her skin and the sudden knowledge of her near nakedness she pulled away from him blushing at her sudden embarrassment. Erik looked into her eyes with concern.

"Do you want to stop?"

"No, that's not it," she laughed nervously, "I just was shocked by the cool air."

"We don't have to do this Kimberlee if you don't want to. It's not too late to back out."

"I know that, but I'm not backing out. I want to be with you tonight and always."

Her eyes told him that she was not lying and that she was sure this is what she wanted so he lifted her into his arms bridal style and carried her into the bedroom. He placed her on the bed gently slipping her shoes off her feet and removing his also.

"You are gorgeous, I believe that the black undergarments are just the right touch."

"This isn't fair you know," she said smiling.

"What's not fair my dear?"

"I'm practically naked and you still have your trousers on."

"Would you like me to take them off for you?"

"If you don't mind I'd like to remove them...after all you did get to remove my dress without any help from me."

"Be my guest," he said smirking at her.

Kimberlee kneeled on the edge of the bed and kissed his collarbone. He lifted his arms to hold her but she stopped him placing them back at his sides.

"No touching, for the moment."

"Alright," he said trying to keep control of himself.

She ran her hands down his arms and then up his torso while placing gentle kisses across his broad chest. His muscles were firm and accentuated in all the right places, he reminded her of a Greek god. She could feel him tensing up, trying to keep control and let her continue her exploration. She glanced up at him and smiled, that was it, he couldn't take it, he placed his hands around her waist and kissed her. While he kissed her she undid his trousers and slid them down past his hips, he did the rest. He pressed against her and she lay back on the bed allowing him to lay above her.

They continued their exploration of each other wanting to remember everything from this evening, their first time together. Playing in the background was a song so perfect for this moment that they couldn't have planned it any better if they had tried, I Wanna Be With You by Mandy Moore. Now fully undressed the desire they felt for each other was now part of the room. When they finally came together for the first time the pain that Kimberlee felt as she and Erik were joined was overshadowed by the ecstasy she felt. They rode the wave together slowly wanting to fully experience this night and remember it forever. They climaxed together, Kimberlee digging her nails into Erik's back branding him as hers and he crying out her name claiming her as his own.

A while later they lay together, Kimberlee with her hand laid upon his bare chest and Erik with his arms around her with his hand resting on her back. They were breathless and silent basking in the afterglow of what had just occurred between them. They had shared their first kiss together and now shared the most intimate of acts with each other, it felt right. Erik glanced down toward Kimberlee and thought back to that first night he'd met her. As if reading his mind, she spoke.

"Did you imagine this happening when we met two years ago?" she asked lazily while running her fingers across his chest.

"Honestly...no...I just wanted you out of my house," he chuckled.

"What changed, what made you want to keep seeing me?"

"That night when I bandaged your hand I looked into your eyes and I saw myself in them. I felt drawn to you for some unspoken reason."

"I felt the same way, I couldn't explain it then and I probably couldn't even now. This night was perfect, it was everything I've dreamed of and more, thank you."

"Believe me when I say it was my pleasure. I wouldn't trade this night or how I feel right now for anything in the world."

Kimberlee leaned up and he met her with a kiss. When she broke away from the kiss she proceeded to kiss and gently bite his neck, this sent shockwaves through his body. He lifted her head with his hand and tried to once again take control of the situation. He moved her onto her back and with silent permission from her slowly made love to her a second time that night savouring every moment of it.

A/N: If you are reading this story please review and let me know what you think...good or bad (good preferred of course). Should I continue to post the story (it's 21 chapters in total) or should I just delete it? I won't post any more until I get at least 5 reviews, is that really so much to ask for?...so click that little button at the bottom of the screen and fill me in. Ciao