I kissed her back. I kissed her back with everything I had, my hands wrapping around her golden strands. Elsie moaned into my mouth as we lowered to lie back on the bed. We kissed and we kissed until, breathless, Elsie pulled back to look into my eyes. “Levi, you… you make me want to give my heart away.”

And that was all it took. That was all it took for me to fall completely for my silent girl, my beautiful girl.

Bella mia.

“Elsie,” I groaned, edging back from her mouth. Seeing her bare throat, the light skin I had to kiss, I moved my lips down to brush along the smooth flesh.

Elsie moaned and squirmed under my touch. Her skin tasted as sweet as apples. As my lips ran over her pulse, I felt it beating fast—too fast.

I suddenly pulled back as Elsie’s back arched, and I sat back on my heels. My hands were fisted on my thighs as I fought back what I wanted to do. Something I had no idea how to initiate.

The feel of a fingertip ran over the back of my hand, but I kept my eyes closed. I was hard, and I was trying like hell to calm down.

“Levi—” Elsie went to speak, but I cut her off.

“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice thick with need. “I’ll back off. I just… I just need a minute.”

Elsie didn’t say anything in response, and I worked on breathing in and out. Then, suddenly, I felt a kiss press on the bottom of my throat. My eyes snapped open to see Elsie sitting back before me. As our gazes met, she held my eyes in her trance. I lifted her hand to my face. Her fingers traced the edge of my forehead, slipping down my cheeks and across my lips. I rubbed them together when it tickled, but Elsie didn’t stop there.

Her hands continued down my throat, to the top of my chest, only to stop where the buttons on my shirt were still done up.

Her warm breath drifted over my face, and in the glow of the mason jar, I watched her pupils dilate. I froze, unable to move and unable to speak, then Elsie undid the next button on my shirt.

My blood rushed through my ears, and I stared at Elsie’s flushed face. Her eyes were intent on mine as her fingers undid one, then two, three, and four buttons. My pants grew tighter the farther down her hands went, my skin flushing as she touched it.

The silence stretched on until my shirt was open. I waited for what she would do next. I had let her take control. I didn’t expect her to push the shirt from my shoulders, the material dropping to my wrists. I sucked in a sharp breath, getting so hard I could barely stand it. Then Elsie moved in and kissed the skin on my chest.

“Shit,” I hissed, the feel of her mouth on me caused my muscles to tense. Elsie paused, but when I looked down, she pressed another kiss to my chest. She pressed kiss after kiss along to my pecs. I squeezed my eyes shut, her touch the sweetest torture.

Her soft lips landed on the side of my neck, they moved higher until her mouth stopped at my ear, and she hushed out, “Make love to me.”

My eyes opened and my breathing stopped.

Elsie’s breathing was ragged as she waited for me. Her head then moved back until her blue eyes came into view, her blue eyes filled with want… for me.

She wanted me.

I wanted her… so bad.

“Elsie,” I groaned, lifting my fingers to her hair. I pushed my fingers into the thick strands and watched as she closed her eyes, then licked along her lips. “Elsie,” I murmured and brushed my cheek against hers. “Are… are you sure?”

Elsie stilled, but she didn’t speak. I waited and waited until I felt her move back. She moved out of my grip and away from where I sat. My heart plummeted when I thought she’d changed her mind.

I exhaled, ready to move off the bed for some air, when Elsie began lifting her shirt over her head, throwing it to the floor, only her pink bra remaining.

My hands clenched as I stared at her beauty, at her incredible body, at her milky white skin. Then she edged forward until she was right in front of me. Until her bare skin was in my reach.

I could feel my face was on fire. “Elsie,” I whispered again, feeling completely out of my depth.

“Make love to me,” she repeated and slowly placed her arms around my neck. With tears in her eyes, she added, “Underneath the stars you gifted me. Make love to me.”

My heart slammed against my chest. I had to admit, “I ain’t ever done this before.” I lowered my eyes. “I ain’t ever done anything like this before.”

Embarrassment gripped me, until Elsie pressed her hand on my chest, my heart beating fast.

“Me neither.”

Lifting my eyes, I stared at her pretty face, which watched me so intently, and rasped, “You’re so beautiful.”

Elsie’s cheek reddened, and before she could do anything else, I kissed her soft lips and shed my shirt. Skimming my hands over her soft skin, I lowered us to the bed, Elsie laying her back to the comforter. Lost in the kiss, I moved over her body, covering her with my own. Elsie moaned into my mouth as her hands ran down my back. The feeling shot straight to my dick, sending shivers over my flushed skin.

I groaned into her mouth. Breaking from the kiss, I moved down her throat to her chest. I stopped at her breasts. Elsie froze beneath me, and I looked up into her eyes.

She nodded her head, agreeing for me to touch her. Swallowing my nerves, I ran my hand over the top of her bra, her back arching and her soft moans filling the room. Spurred on by her encouraging sounds, I pulled down the straps of her bra, pulling them lower with shaking hands until her breasts were freed.

Breath hitching at the sight, I moved my timid fingers over the full flesh, then over the tight pink nipple that was hardening under my touch. Elsie cried out as the pad of my finger teased the hard bud. I froze at the sound and asked, “Are you okay?”

I could hear the nerves in my voice, and as Elsie inhaled through her nose, she nodded her head. I understood that I hadn’t hurt her or caused her pain, but she’d liked it.

“Levi,” she moaned breathlessly, and ran her hand through my hair. My eyes rolled back at her touch. But then her hand was pushing my head down, pushing my head down to her nipple. Groaning, I needed to taste her. Palming her full breast in my hand, I flicked out my tongue and tentatively licked over the hot skin. Elsie’s hand tightened in my hair, lighting a fire inside me. Pulling back my tongue, I then took Elsie in my mouth, a high-pitched gasp pouring from her lips.

“Levi,” she cried, “please.”