Page 132 of Conform
I kept my eyes open as my tongue traced his lip, watching his eyes close as he deepened the kiss. His arm snaked around my waist, but I grabbed his shirt, tugging him into me, stepping back toward the sofa.
Hal broke away, his breaths ragged. “Not the sofa. There’s not enough room and Bri stashes her daggers in it.”
“Wait, she what?”
“Later,” Hal said, his lips claiming mine again as he picked me up and carried me into his sleeping quarters. He placed me down quickly. A loud scraping noise followed as he pushed two of the beds together. “I’m sorry it isn’t more,” Hal told me.
It was a simple room, three beds and a few personal items, but with Hal standing in the space, it was the most breathtaking place I had ever seen.
“I don’t care.”
I meant it. With him here, I didn’t care. It had never been about appearances or roles with him. I didn’t have to hide. There were no games here. No rules.
He smiled at me, his eyes darkening as he stalked toward me. His hand gently lifted my chin as his mouth met mine. Within seconds the need that had taken over in the tunnel slammed back into me with a force that left me breathless.
I tugged impatiently at Hal’s shirt. Hal chuckled and broke the kiss, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it to the floor.
I looked at him, the perfectly sculpted muscles and planes of his stomach, and my head emptied out. His mouth found mine again, trailing his lips and tongue down my neck to the tops of my breasts as he undid my gray shirt. It fluttered to the ground, followed by my bra a second later. His gaze roved hungrily over me.
Hal lowered me onto the bed. He stood before me as he gently tugged on my pants until they too found the floor, and I was left in nothing but my panties. My breathing hitched at the rawness—the vulnerability.
“You’re beautiful,” Hal breathed, his gaze traveling over every bare inch as he climbed on top of me. I felt it in my very being—I felt beautiful here with him. His mouth found mine, but it wasn’t frenzied and desperate like before. It was slow, gentle, like he knew. His fingers slipped between my legs, and he pushed aside the thin fabric, his touch light against the wetness gathered there. I arched into his hand, and he slid a finger into me. I moaned against the fullness as he moved. It was blissful, but it wasn’t enough.
“Hal—” I rasped. He broke the kiss, his starburst eyes finding mine, and he froze above me, his hand stilling.
I trembled because it wasn’t enough. I wanted him. All of him. Here. With the grid down—with all of us free for a limited time. In that freedom, I chose him.
Maybe there wasn’t a world where I danced with him in a fancy gown. Maybe there wasn’t a world where we could be together.
Maybe allowing myself this—allowing myself him—would be something I would pay for. Maybe every moment I ever spent with Hal would be laced with secrets and goodbyes.
“What is it, Moonlight?”
My heart swelled. I would pay any price. I would protect our secret, and I would bear the weight of every goodbye, for this moment. This choice. I wanted this for me. For us.
“I want you.”
Hal swallowed, his throat bobbing. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I said, pulling at his waistband with shaking hands. He covered my hand with his own, gently removing it as he stood and pulled down his pants. I glanced down at his obvious need for me. Nerves twisted around my desire as he joined me on the bed again.
“Have you ever . . .” he began.
I shook my head, afraid my voice would fail me if I spoke.
Hal pulled off my underwear. I lay naked before him, and he ran his hand along my breasts, down my stomach, before dipping between my legs. I arched my back, pushing the wetness there into his hand again.
“It’ll hurt for a moment,” Hal told me, nudging my legs apart and settling himself between them.
I wanted this. My first time. I didn’t want the Illum to take it from me.
“Moonlight, look at me,” Hal coaxed, hovering above me, and I did. “Are you sure?”
I nodded.
“I need to hear you say it. I need to know. We can stop,” Hal said gently.
I took a deep breath and grabbed his face, pulling him to me. “I want you, Hal. I want you to be my first.”
