Page 30 of Icy Heart, Empty Chest

I smiled. “Backbones can be grown.”

“It was kinda hot, actually. You didn’t yell or anything. You were calm but anyone there could see you were dead serious,” he remarked.

“If he had said another word to her, I probably would have thrown the coffee on him.” In the last few years, my patience for anyone disrespecting the underdog had disappeared.

“I was impressed, truly.”

“You thought that was hot?” I cocked my head to the side.

“Of course. Your turn, little nymph. Truth or dare?” His eyes betrayed a wickedness that I wasn’t used to.

“Truth,” I answered. I was starting to grow warmer.

“Did you ever think about calling or texting me after all that?” he asked hesitantly.

“So many times I lost count,” I expressed miserably. How stupid I’d been. “Like you said, pride got in the way, Dae. Truth or dare?”

“Truth,” he said.

“Did you ever, even in its slightest moment think of us more than just friends?” I asked tentatively.

Dae paled a bit. “So many times I lost count,” he said slowly, echoing my answer.

“I wanted to.” He scratched behind his head and lay his jittery hands in his lap.

“But with my dad and your dad…it never seemed the right time. Then we stopped talking.” He looked up into my eyes and I felt a pang. “Truth or dare?”

“Truth.” We seemed to have to have a theme going.

“Did you ever find me attractive, little nymph?” He looked unusually shy.

“Are you kidding me?” I was incredulous at his obliviousness. “You’re insanely beautiful. Like I said, it’s almost unfair to the rest of us.” Not sure that he realized that when he’s in the room, people flock to him, orbit him, like a planet.

He shook his head, smiling. “That’s what my answer would have been.”

I stopped, heart fluttering wildly. “You think I’m pretty?”

“No, the exact words were insanely beautiful. Your own, I believe.” He reached out to pick up a lock of my hair, twirling it around a finger. “You grew up, my nymph. The first time I saw you in the cafe nearly bowled me over. Not to put too fine a point on it but your body is spectacular.”

I blushed so deep I may have turned purple.

We’d had some flirty moments in the last week or so but that was pre heart.

Post heart, he was honest, open. No secrets.

He thought I was beautiful. I wasn’t sure if my face betrayed the happy dance my organs were doing.

I took off my sweatshirt to reveal my thin T-shirt, still not wearing a bra.

I was aching to touch him at that point.

“Truth or dare, Damien.”

“Dare.” He moved closer. My heart jumped higher into my throat. If he was being bold then so was I.

“Kiss me. Kiss me now.”

He didn’t hesitate and inclined his head toward mine lightly. It was soft and sweet, a tentative meeting of lips, slow, achingly, until I tugged his head forward for more. I needed more, and harder. After that, it’s an avalanche down a mountain, utterly unstoppable.

“Tell me,” he demanded, in between kisses. “Tell me you want this, you want me.”

“Dae,” I groaned as he moved to kiss down my neck. I threw my arms around his neck. “I never stopped.”

“What do you mean?” He stopped and cradled my head. I blushed and looked down. “I’ve always had a crush on you. Even since we were little. I thought you just wanted to be my friend.”

He looked into my eyes deeply. “My sweet nymph…it was always just you.”

I felt a riptide of emotion swelling up.

“Yes, Dae. I want this, us, more than anything.”

“Thank fuck.” He groaned as he kissed me further and pushed me back into the couch, running a hand through his shaggy hair. My excitement had given way to growing anticipation.

I didn’t want to stop touching him. My hands disappeared under his shirt to touch his pecs, running down his abs and to his broad back.

In response, he ripped off his shirt, tossing it aside. He towered over me, putting his forehead on mine, both of us breathing heavily.

“I’ve dreamed of us like this.”

“Dae, I’m here.” The emotion choked me briefly. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get over that surge.

I wrapped my arms lazily around his head and kissed him again. He cradled my head again, running his fingers through my long hair.

I gave a little laugh. He was still so tentative. “You can touch me, Dae. I’m not going to disappear. Come on.”

I detached from him and hopped up from the couch, starting to move slowly backwards toward my bedroom, stopping in the doorway. I wanted away from his sick bed and into my bed.

“Coming?”

His eyes lit up and he stalked forward to lift me into his arms. I broke out a laugh as I wrapped my legs around his waist. I took a long look at his form moving toward me and internally sighed. His visage was closer to the gods of old.

“You are so beautiful.” I ran my fingertips down his face tenderly.

He walked through the door, holding me, and sat down on the bed.

“Thanks, I guess.” He laughed. “I would have said the more attractive between us was always you. That hair, those eyes, this amazing ass.”

“No one’s ever called it amazing before.”

“Then they were obviously blind. You are stunningly attractive, Cor.” I blushed again, turning my head away and he slid his hands down my waist, resting at my hips. “Trust me. Your beauty is noticed.” His warm hands held on possessively.

I laughed and fiddled with his wavy hair. “You were very much in demand in school.”

“Less than you would think. Most figured out I was holding a torch for you.”

I shivered, and he frowned. “Cold?”

“A little but it feels good to hear you say that.” I had always denied it, denied we were together or he liked me or I liked him. How could I otherwise?

“I thought it was obvious.” He nuzzled into the side of my head.

“I am…very oblivious,” I whispered. He pinned me with his eyes again and whispered into my ear, “Just to spell it all out then, I am hopelessly infatuated with you and as soon as you let me, I want to touch every part of you.”

I’d never known him so bold. It was a totally different side to him.

“Never knew you were so primal,” I said, with a thrill going down my spine.

“Only for you, my nymph.”

I grinned. “I like this seductive side to you.”

He kissed a line down my neck and rested a hand in the middle of my breasts. “I look forward to seducing you.” Never had a handful of words made me so eager.

I looked down and saw the fading scar on his chest. I put my hand over it, feeling the beating beneath it. He saw me gazing at it.

“It’s always been yours, you know?” Time stopped in that moment. It was all I needed to hear.

Those words broke what little tether I had and I crushed my lips into his. He responded back, equally enflamed, if a bit surprised.

“Dae…I want you.”

He nods and motions for me stand up.

He takes care with the thin cotton of my shirt before tossing it to the floor. He’s focused on my exposed breasts and I’m focused up. I trace his chest, always going back to the area with the scar. Like I’m worried it’ll pop out again.

He turns my neck and gently traces a line with his tongue. I shiver again and reach down to squeeze his incredible ass through his jeans.

“Dae…” I moan.

I give him a solid kiss on the lips and then move to pull down my leggings. He’s staring now.

“What?”

He soundly lifts me into his arms, bridal style, to tenderly set me down in the middle of my bed. He removes his pants quickly and crawls back on top of me. The only fabric between us are his boxers and my panties. I shiver again as he approaches. I run a hand down his back and up around his neck.

“Oh my sweet nymph…”

He latches to my nipple with his teeth and teases the area around it with his tongue.

Meanwhile his hand is sliding down my belly and thighs and he’s palming me through my underwear.

I arch against him, moaning. I’m soaked by now and he starts teasing the area with his fingers, around the borders of my panties, pressing in lightly around my core.

He swaps breasts and I bring my hand up through his hair, fisting it loosely. He always bemoaned his curls; I loved them.

His erection has been pressing into my upper thigh and I don’t want to wait anymore.

“Please. Take them off.” I finger the elastic on his waistband.

“Patience, Cor.” He brushes my fingers off. “You first.” I blink up at him slowly. Have I imagined him removing my clothes before? Of course. This is much better.

He pushes up to his knees and hooks a finger on either side of my underwear, slowly, very slowly, pulling them down.

“You’re more beautiful than I ever imagined.

” He brings his head down further so that he’s between my two thighs, pushing one out to the side.

He sends a series of kisses and small nibbles up further and further before I’m fully exposed before his face.

It takes a second to realize what he wants to do.

“Dae, I’ve never done that before…” I curse my relative inexperience silently. I haven’t had a lot of luck with dating or sex. Missionary a few times, a handful of make-out sessions. Mostly my own toys for personal satisfaction. But I’d never gotten there yet. I felt exposed in a new way.

“I’d like to, if you’re up for it?” His beautiful face is tender. I nod and let my legs fall to the side. I swallowed hard, not knowing what to expect. I mean, knowing the logistics of something and experiencing it for yourself are two completely different things.

I never thought I’d get to check oral with Damien off my bucket list. He’s looking at me with that look again.

“Here.” He takes a leg and puts it over his shoulder. “Stop me if it’s not right.”

I look down my body at his kissing up my thigh again and finally to where he wants to be. His eyes are smokey, intense. This is a man that is far from satisfied, craving more, as much as I’d give him. I’m not really sure what to do and a blush crosses my face.

His tongue sweeps up and my back flattens to the pillows. Oh. Well then.