Out of the Ordinary

Chapter 21

He chuckled then, "I'm going to take that response as a positive one."

I giggled, sobering a little when I realized how close he'd just been to crossing the line into uncharted territory.

And how close I'd been to letting him.

So I reached for him, trying to ignore the quiver of fear in my chest, and he crawled over to me, propping himself up on his side, and looked down at me. There was something I needed to say, something that I hadn't told him outright, but was sure he'd gathered for himself, "This is, um," I held onto his necklace again, just for something to stabilize me, "I've never -"

He cut me off with his lips, giving me a tender kiss that told me all I really needed to know. But he said the words anyway, "We're going to take it slow, okay?"

I nodded, smiling up at him, and tried not to feel nervous as I ran my fingers over his chest.

"And if at any point you want me to stop," he touched the hair at my temple and pushed it back with a finger, "just say the word, and we'll stop. Okay?"

I released a quick breath and bit my lip, "Okay."

Harry's eyes moved right down to my mouth before his lips met mine again, and his teeth grazed the spot I'd just bitten. I moaned into his mouth, and he chuckled into mine, continuing to kiss me as his hands slipped around me, tilting me against him so that he could reach the clasp on my bra.

He pulled back as he unsnapped it, smiling as he tugged it down my arms, "We'll start with what we know."

I giggled again, feeling a little bit of the nerves that came with exposure, despite the fact that we'd already gotten this far a couple of times. But when Harry's warm mouth took my nipple into it, the sensation still shocked me, still left me gasping, and arching my back towards him like a flower toward the sun.

It was probably a good thing I couldn't think straight as he kissed his way to the other one, because I would've been second guessing my decision. I would've let the nerves and fear grow bigger and bigger in my mind, until I couldn't see past them, until I couldn't feel past them. And I would've stopped him, would've told him that I was sorry, but I just wasn't ready.

But I was too wrapped up in him, the heat of his mouth on my skin, the strength in his fingers as he held me steady, the look in his eyes when he lifted his head after kissing his way down my stomach, to where he'd left off minutes before.

His fingers made their way to the button of my shorts, and I froze, a stab of fear overshadowed by the heat just below his hands, begging for me to press myself into him.

"Okay?" he asked, his eyes on mine, hands still on the button.

I nodded, trying to steady my breathing as he popped the shorts open, unzipped them, and I lifted myself enough so that he could tug them down my legs.

Trying not to sound as nervous as I felt, I smirked at him, "You know the deal."

Harry's eyes moved from my hips and legs to my face, the green noticeably less in them, and he smirked back as he stood beside the bed, "I think I'll need some help."

I giggled, and sat up, feeling my hair tickle my breasts as I scooted toward the edge of the bed, "I'm not surprised," I reached out and unbuttoned his pants, hoping he didn't notice my shaking fingers, "you really should have a team of, at least three people whose only focus is how to peel you out of your jeans."

The bulge in his boxers was almost at eye level as I pulled his pants down, and I tried not to react too obviously, though I felt the shock register on my face anyway. I didn't meet Harry's eye as I continued, and I'd only reached the bottom of his thighs before I couldn't tug anymore, and he reached down to take over, wiggling his hips as he inched the black fabric further down.