If This Is Just The Beginning

Hands fiddled about before her as he slowly crossed the room, nearing her with every step. Her eyes were fixed on the carpet until his bare feet became visible directly in front of her and with laboured breathing, she forced herself to look up at him. He wore a knowing smile; something about his calm and collected manner putting her at ease momentarily as she offered him a smile in return. But it did not last too long, as he tilted her head higher by tipping up her chin with his thumb, examining her face as a bright blush spread across the tops of her cheeks, enunciating her embarrassment.

' I'm not going to hurt you, ' he reminded her, trailing that hand down the side of her neck.

' I know, ' she responded, words breathy as a lump was swallowed in her throat.

Taking those words as confirmation that he could continue, the male began slowly, circling her with approving gazes as he went, until he came to a stop behind her. He noticed how her shoulders stiffened in response to his pause and chuckled, brushing aside her hair so he was able to press a tender kiss to the side of her neck. Immediately, he earned himself a stifled moan and so, chose to do it again, before leaving that area alone. Hands moved from her shoulders, travelling downward over the outline of her frame and venturing back up again, toward the protruding zip on the back of her dress.

' May I? ' he asked, fingers closed over the zip as he waited.

' N.. yes, I mean.. ' she mumbled, unable to make up her mind, as she remained nervous.

' If at any time I make you uncomfortable, tell me, ' he assured, dragging that zipper down slowly.

A long, drawn out breath parted from her mouth as the fabric fell apart, loosening against her body and falling down her shoulders when the zip finally came to a halt. She heard the distinct sound of a repressed groan from the male behind her and that gave her a little bit of a confidence boost, as another smile crossed her face briefly. Still, she was unable to take control and remove her own clothes for him, or free him of his own, for that matter. Every time she looked into his eyes, the world started to spin and her breathing became so rapid, she had to look away in order to find herself again.

' Jared.. ' she breathed, noting his shift forward as he began placing kisses between her shoulder blades.

' Mm? ' he uttered, completely drawn in by how baby-soft her skin was against his lips and tongue.

At this point, she was so caught up reacting to the smallest of touches that her words had gotten stuck in her throat and the only sound that left her was another moan, though this one was not stifled. A grin settled on his lips then as he pulled back, gripping the fabric of her dress and slowly gliding it down the rest of her body, over her hips and legs, until it pooled at her feet. Now, given the occasion of that nights events, she was completely bare before him. As before, he released another grunt and her response to it this time was a slight chuckle, which also set him off for a moment.

' Turn around, ' he requested, removing his hands from her body as soon as the dress had fallen.

' I can't, ' she whimpered, painfully unsure of herself and her appearance.

' Why can't you? You're beautiful, ' he stated, matter of fact, laying his hands upon her shoulders.

Her eyes filled with drops of tears at those words and though she had heard them before, these seemed more meaningful than others had in the past. For what reason, she could not decipher, but with the weight of his belief regarding her beauty lingering a long while in her mind, she bit her lip and did as he had asked, very slowly, arms rising to shield herself as she turned fully. Again, her eyes were set on the ground as opposed to his face and she shuffled uncomfortably from one foot to another. Her lower lip was receiving a few nips and bites, purely out of her own frustration.

' Helene, look at me, please, ' he encouraged, a warm smile present just for her as he tilted her chin up.

Brown eyes popped open then, still pooled with a few tears that he immediately brushed away with the thumb of one hand, before reaching down with both and grasping her own with them. He could see just how reluctant she was just by reading her expression, as well as those tears, but the tension in her hands and the unwillingness to move in her arms heightened his concerns all the more. He wanted her to know she was both mentally and physically alluring, but his words were not proving enough. With a soft sigh, he tugged one last time until her arms opened away from her body.

' See, you're stunning, ' he assured, pulling her tight into an embrace as his arms wound around her.

' You're too nice, ' she hiccuped, a few more tears finding their way over the familiar trail from earlier.

' No, you're too modest, ' he chuckled, pulling back to pepper kisses all over her face.

' It's just that, well, you're like a marble sculpture.. and then there's me, ' she laughed, nervously.

' Helene, ' his tone rose a little, as both hands rested on either side of her face. ' You're beautiful. '