Natasha ~ Past
THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF school went by like a whirlwind, and it was all because of Jericho.
We’d spent every waking minute together. When I wasn’t in class, I was with Jericho, and when I was in class, I was thinking about Jericho.
No, I didn’t let my grades suffer; I still studied, I just did it with Jericho.
I didn’t really get to know my roommates, because I was never in my dorm, choosing instead to spend my nights at Jericho’s apartment. Not only was it nicer, had more room, and afforded us privacy, he had a kitchen.
We ate out often, but we’d recently found that we really enjoyed making meals together. I’d started checking out cookbooks from the library and we experimented with different dishes. It was fun, and added a whole new element to our relationship.
But tonight, I’d put together a meal all by myself. I wanted to surprise Jericho when he came home from class with a special dinner, and a special night.
It was our six-month anniversary. Six months since that fateful first day of class and our coffee date. I’d made steak, baked potatoes, and roasted asparagus, with a chocolate Bundt cake for dessert.
It wasn’t only special because we’d been together for six months, but tonight I was going to tell him that I loved him, and I was also going to give myself to him. Like, go all the way . . . for the first time.
I was a little nervous, but mostly excited.
We’d obviously kissed a lot, and made out, and had done other things . . . things that made my body hot and tingly, and I knew it was going to be an amazing experience, I just had to convince Jericho of the same thing.
I knew he liked me, and I could obviously tell when he was turned on when we made out, but he’d never tried to push me into anything. I think he was worried that I wasn’t ready. I mean, I knew that he wasn’t a virgin. He’d been completely honest about his past, so I couldn’t help worrying just a little bit, that it was my inexperience that kept him from taking my virginity.
Is it a turn off for him? Does he wish I were more experienced?
I didn’t know, and couldn’t bring myself to ask, so, tonight, I was taking things into my own hands.
I finished setting the table with my dollar store finds: a white tablecloth, two candlesticks with holders, and a pretty blue set of napkins, just as I heard Jericho’s key in the door. My stomach gave a whoosh, as I waited for him to come find me.
“Tasha?” he called from the living room.
“Here,” I replied, knowing all he had to do was peer around the corner and he’d see me.
I tried to lean casually against the chair, then felt foolish and stood up and clasped my hands together.
“Hey,” Jericho began, then stopped and took in the room, and me.
I was wearing a slip of a dress, which was very short, and just a touch see through. I’d bought it specifically for this night, and hoped I looked as sexy as I felt. My body was positively humming with anticipation already, and he’d done little more than look at me in shock.
“What’s all this?” he asked, his voice a touch rough.
“Happy anniversary,” I said sunnily, then found my feet and crossed to give him a kiss.
I put my arms around his neck and looked up at him, sure that my love for him was written all over my face.
“I made a special dinner to celebrate,” I told him, then tiptoed up to brush my lips across his.
Before I could pull back, Jericho took over the kiss, deepening it until my head got light. His arms snaked around my back, his hands coming to rest on my satin-clad bottom as he squeezed and pulled me closer. Close enough to feel his erection straining against his shorts.
I sighed and wriggled, trying to get closer, eager to feel his body against mine.
When he moaned, my knees started to buckle, my need for him swelling and expanding within me.
“Are you sure?” Jericho asked, moving his lips from mine to leave a trail of kisses down the length of my neck.
“Yes,” I gasped. “So sure.”
“What about your dinner?” he asked, and a thrill shot through me.
He doesn’t want to wait until after dinner, that’s a good sign, right? He’s saying yes, and he wants me now . . .
I wanted to wrap my legs around him and secure me to him before he could change his mind. Instead, I tilted my head to give him better access and managed to say, “It’s in the oven keeping warm, it’ll hold.”
I squealed as Jericho bent and put his hands behind my knees, swinging me up and into his arms. Then, his mouth was on mine once more as he moved us through the apartment and into the bedroom that we’d been sharing, chastely, over the past few months.
Jericho laid me down on the bed and got in beside me. He moved his kisses from my neck, across my shoulder, and down over my chest, before kissing my breast through the satin of my shift.
I arched my back and moaned; we’d gotten this far before, and it was one of my favorite things, having his hot mouth on my breasts, and when he sucked my nipples and bit down gently, I put my hands in his hair and cradled him close.
“Jericho,” I said, urging him up. When he complied and was laying over me, his gorgeous face in mine, his hard body covering my length, I looked into his eyes and smiled. “I love you.”
Jericho’s eyes shut for a moment, as if he needed to freeze time and commit it to memory, then he opened them and grinned beautifully.
“I love you, too, Natasha . . . so much.”