Page 45 of Bliss: Part 1
Dash had always been gentle with me, even long before things between us turned intimate. He was the one who held me when I came home from school overwhelmed or upset. He’d always been the one I could count on, and now, kissing him like this, the feeling only grew stronger. He made me feel safe. Special. It was hard to explain or grasp, but it filled me up completely.
Suddenly, footsteps creaked on the wooden stairs leading to the basement. I pulled back quickly, creating a bit of space between us, heart skipping in panic.
“Just me,” Tripp said calmly, his eyes meeting mine as he reached the bottom step.
He didn’t look surprise or even mildly annoyed. There wasn’t a hint of jealousy in his expression. Just quiet understanding, like he’d expected this and accepted it fully.
Dash’s hand stayed on my thigh, giving a soft, reassuring squeeze. A silent reminder that he was still here, still with me.
Tripp was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. He walked over and settled beside me on the couch, leaning back comfortably with his hands resting on his thighs. His eyes flicked from me to Dash, then back to me again.
“Come on then,” he said.
I blinked at him, confused. “What?”
“Come here, Lissy.” He tipped his chin downward, indicating his lap.
That’s when it clicked, but I didn’t move right away. Even though my fingers itched to touch him, even though heat twisted low in my belly, I hesitated.
“Still need time?” he asked. There was no edge in his tone, no trace of impatience. He was giving me the space I’d asked for, waiting without pressure.
“No, I…” I paused, sucking in my bottom lip. His eyes dropped instantly, focused on it.
“Been thinking about those lips since last night,” he said, his voice low and rough. “I’d like a taste.”
Dash continued to stroke my thigh in steady, slow movements. His silent support grounded me.
My heart was pounding so fast I could hear it in my ears. Tripp wanted me to straddle him and kiss him, and I wanted that too. I just didn’t know why I was so shy about it with him in particular.
Maybe it was the amount of respect I had for him. Or maybe I was afraid he wouldn’t like me like that. What if I kissed him and he didn’t feel the same spark? What if he thought I wasn’t good at it?
The others had never made me feel that way, so why would he?
Still, my mind raced through a hundred anxious thoughts.
“Okay,” I whispered finally, my voice barely audible as I swallowed hard.
I turned toward him and carefully swung one leg over his lap, straddling him slowly. His hands came to rest on my hips, steady and warm, guiding me until I settled fully onto him. His eyes never left my face. He didn’t look down at my body, not even once. And somehow, that made me even more nervous.
I could feel Dash’s gaze on us. Watching, not in judgment, but making sure I was still okay. I was. Just nervous.
“I’ll be gentle,” Tripp said softly, and the low promise sent a pulse of heat straight to my core.
“Okay,” I breathed again, almost trembling with anticipation.
He chuckled under his breath and squeezed my hips a little before pulling me in closer. His touch was subtle but commanding, a nudge rather than a demand. But even as his hands moved, all I could think about was the heavy pressure of his cock beneath me.
Holy shit, he was huge.
I could feel it pressing up between my thighs, against my aching pussy. The contact made my body shudder. I glanced down, eyes widening slightly at the visible bulge in his shorts. My lips parted as if to say something, but I stayed quiet and looked back up at him with a nervous smile.
“Just a kiss, Lissy,” he murmured, his voice steady and sure. “That’s all I’m asking for.”
I wasn’t afraid of sex. Not really. And this wasn’t leading to it. I’d thought about it often, fantasized even. I couldn’t wait for it to happen. But I had no idea what it would actually feel like. Would it hurt? Would I even enjoy it?
I was a very sexual person, but the truth was, I’d always backed out before things went too far. As soon as clothes started to come off, I ran. Maybe it was because I didn’t love those guys. Maybe that’s why I was still a virgin.
But now…now I was surrounded by the only people I had ever truly loved. Tripp, Rhys, Dash, Ashby. This felt right. It felt like it was supposed to happen this way.
