Just wanna lay in the moonlight
See the light shine in, see you in the outline

CHAPTER 7

~ 11:55 PM ~ Boulevard Suchet, Paris ~

Hanna arrived at the tent first and squatted down in order to untie her shoes. Then, before climbing into the tent, she arranged them neatly by its front opening; she was stalling.

Caleb kicked his boots off and climbed inside after her, hesitating a little due to the lack of room to move until Hanna had decided which side she wanted to have. The tent was only just big enough for the two of them, which made it all the more cozy. He watched Hanna as she knelt down on her camping mat and unrolled two sleeping bags next to each other. She finished by placing thick pillows on top of them. Neither of them said a word as they both attempted to overcome a never before known nervousness, painfully aware of the fact that whatever was about to happen there, would introduce a whole new level of intimacy into their relationship.

Caleb felt as though he was taking on a huge responsibility. Apart from the few times throughout the last week, when they had both mutually decided to end their dates by taking their relationship to second base, she had never known the true pleasures that a man and a woman could feel together. She had never experienced the full extent of the loving intimacy that he hoped to make her feel tonight, and that he had only caught glimpses of himself two years ago. He felt a strong determination to make this the most perfect moment not just for her, but also for himself. He still wanted to discover the feeling of experiencing a new kind of high together, fueled by love and desire, not loneliness and despair which had driven his previous encounters.

It had to be the most memorable night for the both of them. Because this was special. They were special. Together.

When Hanna knelt back down again, waiting for a sign from him as to what she should do next, he turned his head and looked around the confined space inside the tent before nodding approvingly. Then, he bent down in order to pick up a few more battery-operated fake candles, which Sèb had left for them at the opposite end of the tent. He switched them on before shutting off the electric lantern. Instantaneously, the inside of the tent turned darker, the fairy lights hanging from the branches outside dimly lighting their small cave-like shelter from above.

All in all, it looked very romantic, Hanna concluded, lost in thought as she sat in silence. Her mind was racing and a thousand things - which were only partially appropriate to be thinking about right at that moment - were whizzing around in her head. Was she ready for this? Was he expecting her to go all the way? She imagined that he was, judging by the extent of his thoughtfulness. Would her host parents find out that she wasn't fast asleep on her sofa-bed? That she wasn't even anywhere close to their apartment right now? Did Caleb remember to bring a condom? Or two, in case something went awry with that first one? Or a third one in case she liked it and wanted to do it again? What kind of underwear was she wearing tonight? Would it hurt? Why was there a bug crawling over the tarp outside, its fragile silhouette enlarged by the light, making it very visible from where she was sitting?

Hanna closed her eyes for a moment, willing her thoughts - and the bug - away, trying to focus solely on the boy kneeling opposite her, who was now looking at her so differently to the way in which he had been looking at her just a minute ago… His expression had changed from excited to startled within seconds. Had he changed his mind already?

Caleb flinched as he suddenly remembered something. "Wait, I'll be just a second," he murmured before he crawled outside again, incidentally checking to see whether any conspicuous shadows could be seen on the surface of the tarp. Having determined that there was nothing to be worried about, he opened his backpack which was lying in front of the tent and found the item that he was looking for. He shoved it into the pocket of his pants and resumed his position on the sleeping bag, kneeling opposite Hanna.

Now, everything felt perfect; he felt ready.

In the near distance, the bells of a church were chiming twelve times, announcing the beginning of a new day. They both halted for a moment, chuckling awkwardly at each other as the realization sunk in; this day would mark the beginning of something new for them, a new anniversary of sorts.

They both sat down on their heels and met each other's gazes, their faces displaying an array of emotions… shyness, curiosity, excitement.

"Are you cold?" Caleb eventually broke the awkward silence.

"No," Hanna answered tersely. "You told me to bring a warm jacket, and I did. It's a really warm hoodie jacket with a plush lining." Hanna stopped the second she realized how stupid this must have been sounding and bit her lower lip to keep herself from saying any more stupid things.

"Ok, good," he smiled at her and reached for her hand, feeling her sweaty palm tremble against his own. It was her right to feel apprehensive, but deep down, Caleb was feeling exactly the same way. Even though he had been in this kind of situation before - albeit a less romantic version - this occasion marked a first for him, too. He truly loved this girl. And, more importantly, she loved him, too. He wondered what sleeping with Hanna would be like; he had been wondering for days now. After hearing her say that she loved him earlier that night, his expectations had risen to a whole new level and he had asked himself numerous times whether he was prepared to give her the kind of physical love that she deserved. After all, he wasn't all that experienced himself.

Putting an end to his ridiculous contemplations, he leaned forward and used his free hand to cup her face as he brought their lips together for a small kiss in order to break the tension between them, it had felt like they had been awaiting further instructions from an innocent bystander.

When their lips had parted again, Hanna's eyes opened wide. She was surprised at the shortness of their contact. Immediately, she disengaged from his grip and brought her hands up to pull his head back down to hers again.

Two sets of eyes fluttered shut, and both Hanna and Caleb blindly managed to find each other's mouths as they shared a few passionate kisses, each one lasting longer and becoming more intense than the one before. After a while, they pulled back to catch their breaths and to give their swollen lips a short break.

Slowly and methodically, he started to unzip her hoodie jacket, inch by inch, stopping after a moment to ask, "Is this okay?"

Hanna tensed, but then she nodded quietly. At that, he continued to pull the zipper down, thereby revealing her bright pink t-shirt with a bunch of convoluted black letters on the front. When the jacket was opened all the way down below the swell of her breasts, he stopped in order to make sense of the message on her shirt. The first words read "Je t'aime", but there was something else, hiding behind the unzipped cotton.

"Je t'aime aussi," Caleb felt encouraged to respond to her silent admission, feeling a little relieved when she replied with a small smile.

But within a split second, her smile turned into a full-on grin as she unzipped the jacket and let it slide off her shoulders, thereby revealing the rest of the letters, which read "Paris".

"Oh!" Caleb muttered upon putting together the whole sentence, his facial features mirroring his absurd disappointment before he gave up his act and grinned back at her.

"Sorry," came her mock apology. Then, in a bold move, Hanna quickly grabbed her t-shirt by its hem and pulled it up over her head. "Better?" She asked with a degree of confidence that she hadn't previously known she'd be able to muster.

Surprised and in mild shock due to her forwardness, Caleb did a double-take. He gulped and let his eyes travel down to her cleavage, then further over her satin-clad bra, before they moved to her flat stomach. So far, she had only ever allowed him to dip his hands beneath her shirts or blouses in order to access her breasts.

Though the intimate parts of her body were still covered, shielded from his heated gaze, Hanna felt the need to look down in shame. It wasn't until recently that she had finally made her peace with the way she looked. She wasn't as skinny as some of her friends, but to some extent, she liked her curves. Caleb, though without pressuring her, had made no secret of his attraction to her the few times they had made out. She had only assumed that he liked what he'd touched unseeingly.

But this was different. She was about to expose herself to him, completely. Another bout of nervous anxiety crept through her mind, distracting her so much that she didn't hear him speak.

"Huh?" Resurfacing from her absentmindedness, Hanna suddenly felt his hands at the small of her back.

"May I?" Caleb repeated his plea as his hands fumbled at the clasp of her bra.

Again, she signaled her approval by nodding her head, this time a little more vivaciously. Just a second later, Caleb had unclasped the dark-blue garment. Never moving his eyes from hers, he slid first one bra strap, then the other off of her shoulders. He pulled back from her in order to slide the bra off of her completely before dropping it onto the pile with the rest of her clothes.

Hanna instantly gasped at her new found exposure. She looked at him expectantly with eyes wide open and the smallest shy smile playing at her lips.

He smiled back at her lovingly and allowed himself just to take her in. Despite the dim light inside the tent, he could recognize the reddish hue that had crept upon her cheeks. He thought about how she had no reason to be ashamed of herself; she was so beautiful, her pale skin gleaming in the candlelight. But then again, he reasoned, she had every right to feel slightly abashed when he was still clad in full gear. He was one step behind her and feeling just as insecure about getting naked in front of her as she was, despite the fact that she had already seen him exposed head to toe by accident.

"You're beautiful," he spoke, putting into words what he had been thinking the whole time. He had said it so sincerely, without breaking eye contact, that she felt better and more confident about herself immediately, and her shy smile grew wider.

Caleb slowly took off his leather jacket before pulling his sweatshirt and t-shirt over his head, feeling as though she were some cautious, woodland creature that would bolt away at any sudden movements. He leaned forward again and gathered her into his embrace.

She held her breath as she felt the smooth skin of his chest press against her naked breasts for the very first time. Within seconds, her arms were covered by goosebumps, reacting instantly to the never before felt sensation of being skin-to-skin with him.

Caleb started showering little kisses all over her neck while letting his hands wander up and down her back in soothing motions. Hanna closed her eyes and tilted her head back, letting out a low moan.

She allowed herself to simply enjoy the feeling of his mouth touching her upper body before she slowly started to engage in some exploring of his body. Tentatively, she raised her arms and awkwardly began to move her hands in tight circles across the skin on his back, gradually expanding her movements. Eventually, after having fondled the nape of his neck for a moment, she worked up the courage to dip her fingers beneath the waistband of his jeans, stopping shortly at the discovery of another layer of clothing, before dipping her hands further below and finally reaching his butt.

It must have tickled him a little bit, she reasoned as she felt him squirm lightly under her touch; she quickly removed her hand from his pants and let it sweep across his side all the way to his muscular abdomen before continuing her strokes upward and across his chest.

Caleb stopped kissing her in order to appreciate the feeling of her delicate hands roaming across his skin. His breathing quickened as his body experienced the most pleasurable tingle that was building deep down. He shuddered and a low groan fell from his lips. If the simple touch of her hands on his chest was able to trigger these sensations, he wasn't sure he'd be able to survive if she started touching him in other places.

They both opened their eyes at the same time and looked at one another in bewilderment. Without saying a word, their bodies gravitated towards each other, their lips meeting again for a lingering kiss.

He felt a familiar ache deep within his body, causing his heartrate to go through the roof as he experienced a momentary shortness of breath. Again, he broke their kiss in order to inhale deeply before bending down slightly and pressing open-mouthed kisses against her collarbone and then down against the skin covering her sternum, omitting her breasts on purpose in order to save the best for last. The barely-there stubble on his chin accidentally ghosted over her puckered nipple and Hanna viscerally let out a quiet hiss.

He couldn't believe she was here with him at last. He had dreamed of that very moment so many times, ever since the night that he had moved into her basement in order to crash on the couch there.

Smiling at her, he lifted his head to gaze into her eyes. He noticed a first glimpse of arousal in them; they were taking turns at focusing and blearing, prompting him to continue with his slow and gentle seduction. He caressed her back and arms, and kissed her lightly, until he felt her relax completely. He watched her face as his hands cupped her naked breasts for the first time. He could see her cheeks redden as she blushed yet again. Feeling a wave of tenderness wash through him, Caleb bent his head down and kissed her nipple, giving them both a moment to get used to the new sensations that his gentle gesture was stirring up inside both of them.

Hanna gasped loudly, then sat absolutely still after her hands found a temporary shelter in her lap. He alternated caressing her tenderly and kissing her lightly. Finally, he took her nipple into his mouth and suckled it firmly. She moaned in response, and Caleb had to pause for a second in order to deal with the strong surge of desire that he had felt at hearing her erotic wail. His hands found their way to her back, and his splayed fingers slid down her soft skin before finally reaching her butt and resting there for a while.

He licked and sucked her breasts for a long moment until she sat quivering and shaking. "Han," he asked softly, "Please, tell me if I'm moving too fast for you."

"No," she gasped. "God, no! I just feel a little insecure because I don't know what to do now in order to reciprocate."

He kissed her lovingly. "Don't worry about me. This moment, this is for you. Let me do this for you. That's what's important to me right now." He kissed her closed eyelids, her nose, and then her full lips.

She had opened her mouth as if to speak, but then just nodded in between kisses. The air fell silent again. Speaking wasn't necessary for either one of them. Sometimes, actions spoke louder than words ever could.

His kisses roamed from her lips to her breasts, covering the territory in between. Hanna's breaths had started to sound a little labored and were interspersed with a crescendo of moans that appeared whenever she felt his lips suckle on her already stiffened nipples. Tilting her head back in ecstasy, she held onto his head tightly, keeping it in position in order to prolong the exceptionally pleasant titillation that was washing over her seemingly most responsive body parts. She'd never felt anything like this before. This was good. Better than good. Terrific, actually. Another wail slipped from her lips as she felt his teeth graze over her nipple.

But soon enough, his mouth had detached from her skin and he was reaching for her waist in order to gently pull her up. Then, his fingers grabbed the zipper of her jeans and carefully unzipped it before pushing her pants down to her knees. When her kneeling position kept him from manipulating them off of her altogether, Hanna laid down on her sleeping bag, shifting in order to shimmy out of them. She was lying there, clad in nothing more than her dark-blue satin panties that matched her bra, shivering slightly as she anxiously awaited his next move.

Unwilling to leave her there on display all alone, Caleb opened the three buttons on his jeans and slid them down, mimicking her movements as he, too, laid down to get rid of his pants more easily.

Hanna watched him undress with a shy smile. Her eyes immediately darted to the prominent bulge in his tight black boxer shorts. She realized she had been holding her breath for a moment when he had started to wriggle out of his pants, and now fought to inhale deeply.

Caleb moved closer to her, joining Hanna on her unfurled sleeping bag and gently cupped her face with one hand. His gaze was unwavering. "I love you," he whispered, knowing that he'd never grow tired of telling her those three words. Increasing the scope of his caresses, he ran his hands from her shoulders down her back to her butt and back up again.

"You're shivering," he noted quietly before he raised himself in order to grab his sleeping bag and drape it all over them. In reaction, Hanna stretched out languorously and reached over to touch his arm. She let it slide all the way up to his neck and pulled his head down, needing the feel of his lips on hers now.

After a while, she let go of him and lay trembling in anticipation. She felt her body shudder and thought about how odd this was when deep down in her center there was a burning heat which was rapidly spreading.

Caleb propped himself up on one elbow. Suddenly, his hand dipped between her legs, and Hanna moaned as his fingers somehow found their way to her folds despite the fact that she was still wearing her panties.

He started to explore her wetness and instantly knew that she was more than ready to feel his touch there. As his fingers continued to stroke her lovingly, his mouth took firm possession of her breast once again. Slowly, he slipped one, then another finger through her folds, gently applying pressure to her clit, allowing her to get used to the unfamiliar feeling.

The pressure of her hand on his upper arm magnified every time that Caleb worked his fingers into her. Her free hand dug deep into the flesh of his shoulder in search of a tighter grip which would hopefully help her to withstand the sensational spasms that his swirling ministrations were stirring up deep inside of her.

"Oh, Caleb," she moaned. She had never felt… She had never known… "Oh! Oh!"… She felt a wave of excitement crash over her, carrying her away in a surge of ecstasy. She jerked a little, thereby pushing the makeshift blanket off of their bodies. Neither of them moved in order to retrieve it.

Caleb felt her inner walls clench. Her body once again shuddered next to his, and this time he knew it wasn't due to the cold of the night.

Grinning like a proud boy scout having earned his first of many badges, he raised his head from her breast, and kissed her firmly on the mouth, feeling her tongue fiercely seeking an entrance to his. He willingly complied and let himself get carried away in a wave of passion before he carefully extracted his fingers and stroked over her stomach, easing the muscle spasms she was experiencing. Eventually, they tore apart, and Caleb let himself fall down onto his back. Hanna lay still again, looking at him sideways with eyes wide open.

Feeling utterly relaxed now, she picked up her caresses again, moving from his chest, to his back and then up and down his arms, lingering on his defined muscles. And then, suddenly, in an act of confidence that she hadn't known she possessed, her fingers stroked his erection through the fabric of his underwear, tracing his whole length. She watched Caleb's eyes roll to the back of his head as he twitched in reaction to her touch. Concluding that she must have done something right, she used both of her hands to gently pull down his boxers.

Taken by surprise, it was his turn to moan audibly as his erection was finally freed from its confinement. There was no surprised expression on her face now and no shame on his part; they'd been through this defining moment before that time she had accidentally seen him naked in her shower.

Hanna moved closer to Caleb again and propped herself up. Looking at him, she smiled and gently brushed his long hair back from his face. Her very first orgasm seemed to have given her a shot of courage and self-confidence; she let her hands travel down to his scrotum and fondled it gently. Once again, Caleb felt an exquisite shudder overcome his entire body.

However hard he tried to hold himself back and let her take control of the speed at which she wanted to proceed, Caleb was growing restless, feeling the urge to be buried inside of her. He grabbed ahold of her panties. "Let's get rid of these, too." He made quick work of removing them from her, and she silently helped by lifting her hips. "Now, we're even," he grinned at her. "But you still owe me a chance at watching you take a shower."

She grinned back and giggled, relieved that they had managed to find a little humor amidst the awkwardness of being nude in each other's arms for the very first time. The thick tension between them quickly seemed to evaporate into nothingness, leaving nothing behind but sexual apprehension and desire.

With heat still coiling in her center, she took a moment to survey his naked form more properly. Caleb felt like squirming under the weight of her gaze. Hanna kissed him once again before her lips moved from his mouth to the tender flesh of his neck. She nuzzled, licked and kissed him there, biting gently on his ear lobes as he held himself in check, almost afraid to move a muscle. His control slipped a bit when she moved to his chest and his sensitive nipples.

In the very short space of time, she had learned some new things about her body. And now, she felt the urge to try and see if his body was just as responsive as hers had been. As she flicked his hard nubs with her tongue, her hands caressed his chest and abdomen. It was his turn to gasp and moan as she explored new territory. His eyes fluttered shut and he arched his back, letting his head fall to the side in total abandonment.

Hanna was heartened by his reaction. She studied him closely; his chest was magnificent, his muscles defined. Her gaze traveled down to the line of dark hairs beneath his navel and further down to his proud erection that lay on his lower abdomen. For a moment, looking at the size of him, she felt a surge of fear rush through her body. But only for a second; his restraint and self-control had reassured her. More than anything, she wanted to touch him down there and reciprocate the pleasures that he had given to her just minutes ago. Her hand darted down, and wrapped itself around his shaft.

His eyes flew open. "Hanna!" He gasped as he brought his face close to hers again. His eyes sparkled in the soft, golden glow of the candles. Instinctively, he put his hand on hers, guiding it away from the tip of his penis and the first droplet of fluid that had gathered there.

She kissed him tenderly on the mouth. Then, she lay her head on his shoulder and watched as her hand stroked him firmly from the glans to the base and back again. She increased the pressure of her hands and felt him begin to jerk even more.

Amazed by his reaction to her touch, she felt the damp flesh between her legs twitch, simply as a result of her pleasuring him and hearing his heated utterances. She suddenly realized that she wanted to feel him inside of her. She craved the excitement that he had stirred up inside of her with the mere use of his fingers.

Hanna had no fear - she knew that Caleb would never hurt her. He would never take without giving, and he would never take without her permission.

"Caleb?" She managed to breathe, driven by arousal, indicating her readiness.

He opened his warm hazel eyes and saw her pleading gaze. Aware of the implications of any further activity on his part, he searched her face for assurance. "Are you sure?"

Was she sure? God, she had never been so completely sure of anything in her entire life. She gave his answer by pulling him to her for a kiss that left them both dazed. He understood her message.

Knowing that there would be no turning back again, they kissed again, with even more fierceness. Their tongues darted in and out of each other's mouths in search of new depths, teasing each other until Hanna pulled back, panting heavily. "Do you have… I mean… did you bring a-?"

Caleb instantly knew what she was trying to get at and, feeling her awkwardness, cut in. "Yeah." He turned around, looking over to where his pants had ended up after he'd blindly tossed them away. Once he had found them, his hands roamed through the pockets, finally retrieving a pack of condoms, which were still neatly wrapped in colorful plastic. He randomly picked one and threw the rest of them over to the other end of the tent, where the fake candles were still shedding their light. His hands had started to tremble slightly at the prospect of finally being able to do this with her, and he fumbled to tear the foil open.

Upon realizing that he was just as nervous about this as she was, Hanna gently removed the square piece of rustling plastic from his hands and unwrapped the condom. "Can I help?" She asked with invigorated confidence, wanting to prove to herself that health class in middle school had been good for something. She looked at him expectantly, and all he could do was nod at her as she shakily pinched the end and held the condom at the tip of his penis before gradually unrolling it with tender care.

Once she had finished - it had only taken her two seconds, but they had felt like endlessly slow torture to him - she lay down on her back. Caleb moved on top of her as she spread her legs. They hadn't even started yet, but Caleb felt like he was already on the edge. "Hanna?" His voice was strained. "You'll tell me if I'm hurting you or if it gets uncomfortable, right?"

"Uh-huh," was all she managed to utter as she felt his tip at her entrance. She was wet and ready… for something… anything… pleasure and pain; she didn't know which would come first.

Gritting his teeth in order to try and hold back, he slowly entered her until he felt her barrier. She wriggled under him, breathing in short gasps, taking turns between moaning and wailing. Encouraged by her voiced arousal, Caleb firmly slid deeper inside, breaching her barrier quickly.

Hanna had gotten a glimpse of what it could be like when she had felt his fingers move inside of her. But she wasn't prepared for… this! She couldn't quite prevent the small cry that escaped her lips, a cry that was quickly swallowed by his kiss.

She gasped in pain, but it was over so fast, replaced by the most wonderful, exciting, delicious feeling. Placing her hands on his chest as he moved on top of her, she motioned for him to hold still for a moment. She closed her eyes, burying her face against his neck as she allowed the pain to fade, appreciating his lack of movement as her body adjusted to his presence.

"You alright?" Caleb huffed. Even with all of the excitement that he was feeling, his voice reflected his concern for her.

After a moment, Hanna opened her eyes to look into his as she brought her hands up to frame his face, thereby keeping his long hair from falling into his field of vision. He was met by her glazed expression. "I love you, Caleb." Instead of repeating the words, his lips came crashing down on hers with new-found passion and impetuousness.

Instead of repeating the words, his lips came crashing down on hers with new-found passion and impetuousness.

He picked up his tentative movements and continued to push into her with short thrusting motions, giving her more time to adjust to his size. Caleb brought his mouth back down to her right breast and let his tongue swirl around her puckered nipple.

Her breathing accelerated; he could feel her heart hammering in her chest as he feathered kisses across her left breast. Reacting to her moans, which were coming louder and more frequently now, he let go of her breast and sped up his thrusts, attending to his own increasing need for release.

Hanna spread her legs wider, allowing him to thrust even deeper into her. She had never felt anything like it – particularly the friction as he rubbed against her sensitive nub at various angles. Suddenly, she gasped loudly and seemingly unable to control herself. "Aaahh… aaahh… Oh, God!"

To his disbelief, he felt her muscles clamp around him as she climaxed once again. Her fingernails dug into the flesh of his butt cheeks as she rode out the waves of ecstasy, holding him in place in order to make the sensational feeling last for as long as she… or he… could.

It took Caleb no more than a few quick thrusts until his own orgasm washed over him, her responsiveness having pushed him over the edge. A series of muffled groans filled the air inside the tent before he collapsed onto his elbows on top of Hanna, being careful not to crush her. Looking down at her, he saw her flushed face and an expression of utter astonishment radiating in her dilated eyes. Their swollen lips shared one final kiss before his head came to rest in the crook of her neck, and they both closed their eyes in order to process their new-found reality.

After a long moment of attempting to catch his breath, he rolled carefully onto his back - still connected to her - thereby taking her with him. They lay in silence for a long moment, content, until Caleb felt Hanna's body shiver. He gently eased her off of him and sat up. He removed the slick condom and wrapped it in thick layers of paper tissues which he had previously spotted in a box in one corner of the tent. Sèb had really thought of everything, he thought and chuckled inwardly. Then he quickly crawled outside and deposited his trash just outside the opening of the tent, not wanting to leave behind any clues as to what they had been doing.

Hanna ceased the opportunity to put her underwear on, while Caleb was busy cleaning up himself and getting dressed in his boxers again. As he was kneeling with his back turned to her, her gaze fell on his butt cheek and she saw his tattoo again for the first time since getting an involuntary glimpse of his nude front and back in the shower at home. The image of a naughty gesture was displayed on his behind, prompting her to think about his reasons to choose that particular subject. She felt slightly appalled and made a mental note to ask him about it later.

When Caleb was done, he returned to Hanna's side and draped the spare sleeping bag over them like a blanket, before gathering her tightly in his arms to not only warm her up but also to feel close to her again. He knew that, pretty soon, he would have to take her home and say goodbye before spending the rest of the night alone in his bed, condemned solely to thinking about her.

Lying there in the dim glow of the candles, stroking the soft skin of her arm which lay sprawled across his stomach, he finally realized why some people called it making love… tonight, it had been exactly that… and so much more. The girl he loved with all his heart had told him that she loved him, too. It had been the first time somebody had ever told him those words… and the first time that somebody had also shown him what those words really meant.

He had been meaning to tell her so much more tonight… about how, in her arms, he felt at home, and how he was finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. After everything that had happened to him, he had given up hope when it came to finding a little bit of happiness in his life. But after tonight, he finally had proof that he had found it… in Hanna. Despite wanting to tell her all of this, he allowed the still of the night to engulf them in its peacefulness. There would be time to tell her everything, he thought. This was only the beginning.

She was lying still with a sated smile playing at her lips, deeply lost in thought, mulling over what had just happened. Caleb had spread an arm out for her to rest her head on, and she had quietly complied, enjoying the moment while being held and caressed by him in the aftermath of their first time together. Had any of her friends asked her right now, what she felt like in that moment, Hanna wouldn't have been able to put it into words.

Was there even one fitting word that would do ample justice to the feeling? Her brain had gone blank when it came to English, let alone French.

Hanna lifted her head and surveyed him. Was he feeling the same way that she was? He looked quite satisfied, she concluded. She waited a few more minutes before she dared to speak.

"Soooo," she dragged out the letters in order to buy some time before asking him what had been on her mind for a while. "Was it what you imagined it would be? I mean… when you planned this whole thing? Was it good… I mean… was I…?" She paused, already feeling ashamed of herself for wanting to know.

Caleb jerked his head around in order to look at her, pressing a single finger to her mouth to keep her from finishing the needless question. "Shh." He brushed his lips against her forehead and removed his finger. "No," he said calmly and upon seeing her shy smile dwindle, he added. "It was so much better."

to be continued...

Phew, Haleb's first time. I hope I did it justice! :-) Let me know what you think of this chapter, reviews are the air that I breathe as a writer... Zip

Kudos to Jenna for proofing this moniker of a chapter... You rock!