“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. “I never dreamed of having a woman like you, that you would want me. I’m overcome, Eden. I don’t even know what to say. Can’t possibly tell you in words what I feel right now.”

“Then show me,” she whispered back. “Love me, Swanny. Show me how beautiful it will be between us.”

He began at her feet, kissing and tonguing every inch of flesh on his way up her body. He lavished attention over every part until she was mindless with desire. He gently parted her thighs, baring her vagina to his sight and touch.

He ran his fingers lightly through the wispy tuft of hair over her mound and then went lower, carefully parting her labia. He touched her clit, just a soft caress, but it was like a surge of lightning that electrified her entire body. She gasped and arched upward, seeking more, wanting more.

He pressed his thumb over her clit and stroked lightly until she was breathless and on edge. His fingers circled her opening, tenderly exploring the small piece of skin that signaled her virginity.

Then he lowered his head and nuzzled into her folds, replacing his fingers with his mouth and tongue. He licked and sucked lightly at her clit, seemingly knowing just the right amount of pressure to exert, expertly navigating the line between pleasure and pain.

He placed his open mouth over her opening and gently slid his tongue inside her, tasting her from the inside out.

“So sweet,” he murmured. “So very sweet. Like honey dipped in sunshine.”

His words and tongue were playing equal havoc with her emotions. She was so on edge that she knew she wouldn’t last long and she didn’t want to come without him inside her. She wanted this first time to be with him, inside her, together. Them coming together and experiencing it together.

She saw him reach for the box on the nightstand and for a moment didn’t realize what it was until he tore it open and a condom fell out. She put a hand to his arm to stop him and he looked up, his gaze responding to her unspoken question.

“Do we have to use one?” she asked. “I mean, is it safe not to? Obviously I’ve never been with anyone, but I don’t want my first time to be with a condom. I want to feel you. Not latex. Are you safe, and do you mind not using one?”

Swanny groaned. “God no, I don’t want one. I was protecting you, Eden. I’ll always protect you. But to answer your question, yes, I’m safe. It’s been a while for me and I’ve never not used a condom. And we have regular physicals and checkups on the job, so I know I’m clean. But what about pregnancy, honey? I’d never do anything to compromise your career.”

Her cheeks heated. “I’m on birth control. I get a shot every three months. Which sounds silly given that I’ve never even had sex, but they regulate my periods and make them more bearable. After one shoot when I was on my period and was just miserable the whole time, my agent urged me to go to the doctor to see if there was something they could do so that my periods wouldn’t interfere with my job. They suggested birth control and they gave me pain medicine for when it gets really bad. But the birth control has really helped on its own.”

“If you’re sure, then,” Swanny said huskily. “There’s nothing more I want than to have you skin to skin, to feel you surrounding me all soft and silky.”

She smiled. “That’s settled, then. Put them away and let’s get back to the good part.”

He laughed and tossed the box to the side and then lowered his head once more to her most intimate flesh and began working her up again, sucking, licking, kissing until she was writhing beneath him.

He slid up her body, fitting his to hers, but he made no effort to enter her yet. He caressed and sucked at her nipples, alternating between them until they were rigid peaks, straining upward. Then he kissed a path to her neck and nibbled just beneath her ear at the soft column of her neck.

When he reached her mouth he kissed her long and breathless, and then she felt him reach between them, positioning himself at the mouth of her opening. Her eyes widened at the feel of just the head stretching her opening.

“Relax, honey,” Swanny said gently. “I’m going to take it nice and easy. If you need me to stop at any time, just tell me. I can’t promise not to hurt you. I’m a big guy and this is your first time, but I’m damn sure going to try to make it as easy on you as possible.”

Her heart softened and her body relaxed, going pliant beneath his. “I know you will, Swanny. I trust you. I want this to be perfect for both of us. Not just me.”

“There is no way my being with you can be anything but perfect,” Swanny said in a fervent tone.

He slid his fingers over her clit, caressing and touching until she went wetter, and then he gently began to push forward, stretching her opening to his entry. He removed his hand and braced himself on his forearms on either side of her shoulders, staring down at her as he continued his slow entry.

She winced when she felt a slight tearing sensation and despite her best effort to hold them back, tears burned her eyelids. Swanny’s eyes glowed with tenderness and he reached up to thumb away the tear that had escaped and slid down her cheek.

“I’m so sorry, honey,” he said, regret reflected in his features. “Do you need me to stop?”

“No, it’s okay,” she said hastily, worried he’d call it all off. “I’ll be okay. It’s just a little uncomfortable. Please don’t stop.”

“I won’t. I’m just going to go slow and give you time to adjust to having me inside you. The pain won’t last long and then I’ll make you feel nothing but pleasure. I swear it.”

He moved forward just a bit and she flinched but held tightly to his shoulders. He stopped immediately and leaned down to kiss her.

“I’m going to stay right where I am for a bit. Let you adjust. You tell me when you’re ready for me to go further, okay?”

She nodded and then focused on relaxing around him, savoring the sensation of having him inside her, albeit not deeply. Not yet. And she wanted that. Wanted him as deep as he could possibly be so they were one person. Connected in the most intimate way two people could be connected.

She shifted experimentally, testing the feel of him barely inside her. Some of the stinging pain had abated, leaving her with a restless, unfulfilled feeling.

Swanny groaned. “You’re killing me, Eden. There’s only so much restraint I can muster.”

She smiled and slid her hands over his broad shoulders. “It’s okay now. It doesn’t hurt as much.”

He propped himself up farther so he could see her face, gauging her reaction, and then he pressed forward, slowly and so very gently. She tensed, expecting more pain but other than the discomfort of stretching to accommodate him, the pain had diminished to a dull ache.

“Okay?” Swanny whispered.

God, but she loved how tender and caring he was being. She’d imagined her first time a lot over the years, but this far surpassed her wildest fantasies. It was beautiful. There was a poignancy that made her ache. Emotion swelled and knotted in her chest and throat. All she could muster was a reassuring smile and a nod to let him know she was fine.

He withdrew just a little and then pushed forward, a little more forcefully than he had before. She gasped, not in pain, but in wonder as pain and discomfort turned to intense pleasure.

“Just a little farther, honey. One more time and I’ll be there. Tell me if this hurts you.”

It shocked her that he wasn’t already all the way in. It certainly felt like she had a lot of him inside her. But then she’d seen his size, had been nervous that he’d even fit especially since it was her first time, but her vagina was slick with her desire and gripped him tightly, inviting him deeper.

Again he withdrew, not all the way. He was still inside her and then he pushed harder and she felt his groin meet hers. Her eyes widened in wonder at the sensations bombarding her. She felt completely full, stretched tightly around him like a closed fist.