Stars

"Oh my God," the view takes my breath away and those three words are all I can manage. The sky stretches for miles and in it, shining brighter than anything I can see in the States, are millions of stars. I'm sure I'm a funny sight, standing with my mouth wide open, head tilted back, and eyes as wide as they'll go.

"You know, if you move, they don't go away," she smiles at me and I move out of her way so she can step onto the deck.

"I know that, smart ass," I watch her take a seat before leaning against the railing. "There are always so many lights that take the awe out of the stars where I live." Venturing a look at her, I try not to show that I'm a bit nervous, "There are places in the country where you can see them better, but this view," I look up again, "is amazing."

"Thank you," she starts, then stops smiling, pretending to be slightly hurt. "Oh, you didn't mean me."

Walking towards her, I smile, "Aww, come on. You know you're the brightest star out here." I take a seat next to her on the bench and elbow her in the side.

She catches me off guard by shaking her head slowly as she looks at me, "No, I'm not. Trust me."

"Okay," I sigh, "you're not going to point up at the North Star and give me some bullshit about how it's the brightest, are you?"

She smiles slowly, and is very fucking sexy, "No." She brushes hair off my shoulder and her smile falters just a bit, "Is that a scar on your eyebrow?"

As if I've been burned, my hand flies to cover my eyebrow, "Yeah." I can't make eye contact, "It's from the..." my voice trails off.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see her leaning towards me. When her lips touch my face, I clinch my eyes closed and bite my lip. Her face is close to mine when she whispers, "I'm sorry for pointing it out. I didn't know."

Turning to face her, we're now impossibly close, but she turns away before I can even say anything, "I know you didn't know." I reach out and turn her face back towards me, "You didn't hurt me. I promise."

Nodding quickly, she takes my hand and smiles, "Ok." Standing abruptly, she announces, "I'm going to get something to drink. Would you like something?"

"Um, yeah," I mumble, "a soda is fine." As she turns away from me, I can't help reprimanding myself for making her feel uncomfortable.

She returns with a drink for me and as I grab it, she doesn't let go until I look at her. I watch her visibly swallow and she almost whispers when she talks, "You didn't say anything or do anything bad."

Unsure of what to say I just nod, "Okay."

She smiles quickly and looks away, "Those fucking eyes, though, shit."

"Oh," I breathe with a smile. Looking down at the deck, I can't stop the grin, but make a half-hearted offer, "I could close them if you like."

"What, and walk around blind?" She laughs out loud and turns away from me, "No. I'll get accustomed to them. I'll be fine." She takes a long swig of her beer before adding, almost so quietly I don't hear, "Maybe."

I stand and slowly walk over to her. Once I'm a step behind her, she reaches out and grabs the railing, as if she's anticipating a touch before it comes. There's something about this little show of vulnerability that brings out the confidence in me. I guess I just needed to see that I'm not alone with the nerves. That my being here is affecting her the same way being here is affecting me. Not sure what to do, I decide to go slow and I don't touch her, "Do you know any constellations?"

She takes a shallow breath before looking up at the sky and pointing, "That's the Southern Cross right there."

Squinting, and genuinely interested, I lean closer to her, "Where?"

With something to focus on other than my body right behind her, she tries to get me to see what she's pointing at, "Just there. Do you see that big star with the three small ones around it?"

Chuckling softly, I answer, "Yes. Right next to the bigger star with the four other small ones around it?"

"Don't be an ass," she turns to look at me over her shoulder.

"I'm not being an ass! I'm asking a legitimate question!" She turns back around and I mumble, "I hope you give better directions in bed."

Turning her head only slightly back my direction, she answers softly, "Keep acting like an ass and you won't find out."

Oooh, fire! I lean in closer to her ear, "If I keep acting like an ass," I press against her back, "you'll melt into this deck."

I watch with satisfaction as her jaw clenches before she shocks me, "I might melt into the deck, but I bet you'll melt in my hand."

"If you do it right, yeah, I will. Thing is, if you melt into the deck, there won't be a hand for me to melt into."

Half turning towards me, and with a little bite to her words, she retorts, "If you'll let me turn around we can have this conversation face to face and you won't seem so cowardly."

"Oh," I scoff, "so now I'm a cowardly ass?" I lean back just enough to let her turn to face me. I don't look her in the eye immediately; instead, I look down at the deck, "If you melt into the wood, who will give me directions in bed?" I look up at her now, knowing that the light from the deck is shining on my eyes at just the right angle to make them very, very blue.

She can only breathe, "Um.."

I lean in and whisper, "What?" I put a hand on the railing behind her and press against her body just slightly, "Tell me. If you melt into the deck, who will tell me how to make you cum?" The words fall out of my mouth and if you could shut the sound of our breathing out, you could almost hear them hit the wood below our feet.

With a slight height advantage, she finds her guts and leans down to whisper, "You shouldn't have to be told. You should be paying attention."

"Good point." I raise my chin just enough to almost make our lips touch before whispering, "May I kiss you?"

Not letting our stare break for a moment, she answers, "Please."

Caught between pure lust and the anticipation of the first kiss, I don't know if I should take her fast or take my time. My brain, in a moment of clarity before being clouded with desire again, makes the decision for me and brings my hand up to stroke her cheek. This movement makes her eyes close. I wonder, in this moment, if she knows how beautiful she is. I reach out with my other hand and grab the railing behind her. Milliseconds before our lips meet, I'm vaguely aware of her hand in my hair. But once flesh meets flesh, I am aware of only one thing...I see stars...but my eyes are very much closed.

~~~

In frantic flashes, I try to remember everything about these moments. The feel, taste, smell, sound, and sight...little pieces of a night so perfect that you want to rush home and tell your best friends about it. The best part, though, is that she is one of those people I'd tell...in detail. With my mind turned off (except for the storage part), I focus on us. Not the sky. Not the deck. Nothing but us and this...time.

A shoulder blade in the moonlight... A palm flattened against the small of a back... Legs intertwined and shifting...

Her mouth is open against my throat and her tongue slips out to flick against the skin there as she closes her eyes and sighs, "God, yes." Her arms quiver just a bit as she grinds her hips against me. Her skin is warm against mine and her lips are so soft I don't feel them until she moves to kiss another spot.

I reach up and pull the band out of her hair, causing the waves to fall around her shoulders and our faces. With a smile, I brush it from her face and whisper, "You are so beautiful." Even with the slight amount of light provided by the moon, I can see the blush on her cheeks. When she pushes the top half of her body off me, I shift and kiss her neck. It's kind of salty and I find that I like it. She takes one of my hands and raises it above my head to press it against the wood under us. I look into her face and realize she's studying me.

Fingers of one hand laced together... Hearts pounding so loud they're surely waking up the universe... Sighs so soft they almost don't make a sound... Eyes searching, finding, imploring, drinking in the view...

Wrong. I was so wrong. I thought she'd be shy. When I dreamed of these moments, I was in charge most of the time. That's how it's always been...I've been the one to do, feel, put in more than the other party. So, finding that she's comfortable taking control is making me feel a way I've never felt...wanted. Desired. Maybe even needed.

Her voice breaks through my thoughts, "I remember you telling me that I'd know what to do when I was in this position." She smiles wickedly at me, "And you know what?" Without waiting for my response, she finishes in a whisper, "You were right." She lowers her head to mine and kisses me passionately, leaving me only when we're out of breath and things are very, very hot.

"You're quite good at that," I whisper to her, smiling.

"Mmmm," she breathes against my shoulder, "and you are, too. You are very good." She shifts slightly atop me and groans, "Shit." She shivers and I smile.

"Like that, hm?" I take a moment to lightly lick her neck and then slightly bite the same spot, making her shudder.

When I suck there, she actually loses her breath, but not before muttering, "Fuck."

I pull her harder against me and growl, "Yes, please." She settles herself against my leg and then plants her thigh between mine. I grab her hip with my free hand and guide her to the right spot before whispering, "Right there."

Hips rising and lowering in a rhythm created by delicious friction... Moans so deep they seem to originate in the Earth... Ecstasy so exquisite it can only come from the holiest of places...

The sound of her grunting is the only thing I hear between my own breathing and both of our gasps. All her weight seems to be on my thigh and I'm using hers to keep me from floating off somewhere with this feeling she's creating. When she rolls her hips away from me, I want to pull her back down. And when she rolls them towards me, I rise to meet her.

Her head tips back and she's so fucking stunning in this moment I almost don't want her to climax. I just want to stay here. Right here in the few moments before the end where every sense is shut off except the ones that are bringing you pleasure. I want to stay suspended in the feeling of being the object of her desire, the one that gives her the most amazing sensation humans are allowed to feel with their bodies.

Eyelashes against cheeks against lips... Kisses so sweet they almost rain down like little crystals of sugar against heated flesh... Names whispered like prayers and growled like demands...

"God," she moans, breaking into my thoughts. "Oh my God."

I pull her head down to kiss her deeply and without reservation. I want her to feel how much I want her. I want her to know what she does to me...all over. I manage to whisper, "I want you so damn bad."

Her eyes meet mine and she says, quite convincingly, "I want you more."

Never one to let her get away with a statement like that, I quip, "Impossible. That is absolutely not possible."

Without stopping or slowing down, she smirks, "Trust me, if you touched me right now, you'd know I want you more. You'd feel it...everywhere."

I'm sure there's as much of a challenge in my eyes as there is in my words when I retort, "Wanna bet?"

She snarls, "We have plenty of time for that. Right now, though, I'm going to finish what you started." She grinds harder and faster now and it's driving me to distraction.

I gasp, "Please." Somehow I know this is going to be my last conscience thought.

Dropping her head forward and resting it on my shoulder, she whispers, "yes", over and over. I pull at her, not caring if it hurts, in an effort to get her impossibly closer. Just before the white light hits us both, she picks her head up to kiss me.

Lips seeking to taste every inch... Tongues dancing a tango only the moon and stars are meant to witness... Fingertips of the unoccupied hand tracing, caressing, memorizing every curve...

This kiss, number whatever of millions, is slow and adoring as opposed to being fast and frantic. Our tongues tease each other by playing chase in and out of our mouths. And when she begins her "end", she gasps, allowing me to bite her bottom lip gently as I meet her there.

Trembling bodies arching, bowing, then relaxing... Realizing the air is cool against skin that seems to have been set on fire... Breathing erratic, stopping, and restarting...

As she lies on top of me in the aftermath, both of us breathing heavily and spent for the moment, an evil grin spreads over my face. I wrap my arms around her waist, "So, I started this?"

After a moment, I feel her laughing before I hear the sound. She doesn't pick her head up, or move any other muscle that I'm aware of, "Mhm."