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“Benedict!” she squeaked as his hand slipped between her legs, gently tracing her there.

He lifted his head and shifted over her. “Yes, my Lizzie?” he murmured, lowering his mouth to hers in a kiss that coaxed and teased. For the first time he let his tongue trace lightly over her lips even as his fingers did the same below.

When Lizzie gasped, he slid his tongue into her astonished mouth, even as he carefully explored her hidden folds and felt her quivering response until his fingers were coated in a warm, wet welcome that had him groaning aloud.

“Wait,” she gasped. “Wait.” He stilled his fingers at once, tilting back his head to look at her.

“Too fast?” he asked raggedly. Jesus. He didn’t know if he could go any slower.

The look in her eyes was conflicted. “I don’t know what I’m doing!” she said shakily, her cheeks poppy red, her blonde locks escaping from its braid.

“You’re doing just fine.”

Her chest heaved beneath the cotton nightgown. “I am?” Her eyes sought assurance from him. Whatever she saw in the depths of his own seemed to work, for she seemed to relax.

“Just kissing and touching, remember?” he assured her, withdrawing his hand from between her legs. He wanted to taste his fingers, but he didn’t want to shock the holy hell out of her, so instead, he stared at her lips which were reddened from his kisses.

He’d never really noticed her lips before. They weren’t the cupid’s bow that popular songs extolled, but they were delicate and surprisingly sweet. He wanted to crush them under his own instead of sipping from them like some lovesick swain. She nodded and started to say ‘yes’, when he hungrily took her mouth, bearing her back onto the pillows and covering her body with his own.

This time he did not hold back, but gave her the kiss he wanted, rough and tender at the same time with plenty of tongue. Lizzie squeaked and panted underneath him, and he was sure she was shocked as hell at the way he pressed his manhood into her hips and belly, rubbing and straining against her.

He told himself he was getting her acquainted with it, but in truth it was as much for his own relief as anything. The noises she made seemed to make him even wilder for her. He ran his hands down her slim back and over the swell of her bottom before tugging her body flush against his and grinding against the cradle of her hips. “Are you going to touch me now, Lizzie?” he whispered raggedly. “Don’t make me wait any longer.”

Her hands, which had been close to her sides, rose to loop around his neck. “Where?” she asked against his jaw. Even the touch of her featherlight breath made his dick jump.

“Everywhere.” His voice was so gravelly he scarce recognized it. He shuddered when her palms skimmed down his spine and circled his shoulder blades before sliding around to his chest.

“You’ve hair here too,” she murmured, scraping her fingers through his chest hair. “I saw it this afternoon when you boxed.”

“I liked you looking at me,” he admitted raggedly. Where the hell had that come from? Her hands slid down his sides and stopped at his hips, lightly clasping him there and making him growl. He thought she would stop there or await further instruction, but instead, she shifted away from him, putting space between them.

He reached for her at once.

“I can’t see what I’m doing,” she murmured. “You’re practically on top of me.”

He frowned. “I know I am.”

“Then how am I supposed to touch you everywhere?”

“You want to touch me there?” he rasped. Christ, he wasn’t sure he would withstand much of that.

“I thought that was the idea.”

He must have been mad. Blowing out a breath of air, Benedict lay back down on the mattress. He glanced down with a grimace at his engorged shaft. Lizzie shuffled closer until their sides were touching. Carefully, with exaggerated slowness, she reached across him and he felt her fingers brush lightly against him there. Steeling himself for more, he sucked in his breath. Again, she ran her fingers tentatively down his length, rather in the manner of one stroking a dog you were unsure of. He should find it amusing, but instead, he was stimulated almost beyond belief. Very, very lightly she cupped his balls, and Benedict nearly arched off the bed with a strangled oath.

“Did that hurt?” she asked, releasing him in alarm.

“No,” he panted. “I just … you took me by surprise, that’s all.” She looked at him doubtfully. “Do it again,” he ordered thickly.

Very gently she did so, and Benedict felt himself break out into a light sweat. Damnation. There was no way it should feel this good. “Take me firmer in hand.” She did so, lightly squeezing. “Fuck,” he groaned aloud. “It feels good,” he added, before she got the wrong impression and backed off again. He lifted a hand to show her. “I’m going to touch you now too, Lizzie. Alright?”

She nodded and he slid his palm over her flat stomach and down between her legs until he found the slickness there with his questing fingers. Lizzie let out a whimper as he stroked and sought out her hidden pearl. “You like it there?” he asked as she bit off a sob.

“Y-yes,” she answered breathlessly. “Oh, I don’t know. It feels strange.”

Luckily, her own hand grew slack as his ministrations increased. He was way too stimulated now for her to be tickling his balls. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on finding out her likes as her cleft grew increasingly wet, enough for him to push a finger up inside her.

“Ohhhh!” she moaned, but it wasn’t in protest. The blood pounded in Benedict’s ears as he felt her convulse around his finger. She was coming. Damn, that was fast.