Page 38 of A Little Christmas: Rivi
I gave a little squeeze. My body tingled all over.
We held hands like that for a long time. Was this normal? Right? It seemed like Briar might think this was cheesy. He was probably used to boys fawning over him and offering themselves right and left.
But I couldn’t keep asking myself questions, overthinking things like always. I needed to just let go. Let this situation take its course. I had to trust.
Little thrills of electricity moved up and down my body. If I could have a Christmas wish, it would be that this night could last forever.
As I had that thought, Briar turned on his side toward me, still holding my hand between us. With his outer hand, he reached out to my face and brushed my springy curls from my forehead.
“What do you look like without your glasses?” he asked in a soft voice.
I gulped. “Probably better.”
“Not better,” he said. “Just different.”
His hand moved across my temple and took hold of the frame of my glasses, tugging until they came off.
I blinked up into Briar’s face above mine.
He said, “I like you both ways. But now I can see those beautiful brown eyes better.”
I sucked my lower lip into my mouth. His presence over me made my body go into over-drive. My cock became instantly hard. That rarely happened with me. But right now, I couldn’t help it. He smelled like men’s cologne and chocolate cake.
I couldn’t breathe as he stared at me. My fingers closed against his even harder as he leaned down. It was an eternity. It was less than a second. But finally—finally—his lips pressed against mine. Soft. Minimal pressure. So warm and tender. I had not expected that gentleness.
Blood rushed through my ears. And other places. My senses went haywire. I couldn’t hear. The touch of his mouth intensified. I was about to let my lips part when he pulled back.
“There,” he whispered. “All right?”
My first kiss. Being a late bloomer sucked, but now all that was behind me. I’d had my first kiss.
I inhaled slowly, trying not to make any sound. I looked into Briar’s face and saw one sleek eyebrow rise in question.
Time froze. I didn’t know what to say. Or what he expected. But I did know one thing.
“Can you do that again?” I asked.
His smile made his dimples pop. He placed his hand on the side of my jaw and leaned in, and his mouth was against mine again as if it belonged there. As if that touch was something I’d always wanted but I never knew how to define.
I wanted to hug him to me, press harder. But my arms lay limp at my sides, my hand still clutching his.
It took me a few seconds, but I got up the nerve to move my lips, using those muscles to press back against him. They parted and the kiss took on dimensions I’d never known could exist.
Briar’s hand against my cheek was hot. His thumb caressed over it. It was as if our bodies touched all over, melting into each other even though we were inches apart. It was only his hand and our mouths. How so little could be so much filled me with wonder.
Finally, I got up the nerve to lift my free arm and place it on his shoulder.
Briar moaned against me and the kiss took off.
16
Briar
Beautiful Rivi lay passive and without his glasses as I gave him our first kiss. But on the second kiss, which he asked for, he slowly began to wake to the reality of what I’d done. What we were still doing.
One kiss had me more worked up than I’d felt in a long time.
What a precious treasure. I had to keep reminding myself to go slow so he didn’t panic and run.
