Cutler 01 - Dawn by authors_sort Page A

ear. "Dawn. I just love saying your name. You know what I did this morning? I got up with the sunrise, just so I could see the dawn."
    "You didn't."
    "Yes, I did," he said and brought his lips to mine. I had never kissed a boy on the lips before, although I had dreamt about it. Last night I had fantasized about kissing Philip, and here I was doing it! It felt like dozens of tiny explosions all over my body, and my face grew hot. Even my ears tingled.
    Because I didn't back away, Philip moaned and kissed me again, harder this time. Suddenly I felt the hand that had been on my knee traveling up over my waist until his fingers settled around my breast. The moment they did, I pulled back and pushed him away at the same time. I couldn't help it. All the things I had heard about him flashed before my mind, especially Clara Sue's horrible threat.
    "Easy," he said quickly. "I'm not going to hurt you."
    My heart was pounding. I pressed my palm against my chest and took a deep breath.
    "Are you all right?"
    I nodded.
    "Didn't you ever let a boy touch you there before?" he asked. When I shook my head, he tilted his skeptically. "Really?"
    "Honest, no."
    "Well, you're missing it all then," he said, inching toward me again. "There's nothing to be afraid of," he coaxed, bringing his hand back to my waist.
    "Haven't you at least been kissed like that before?" he asked. His fingers started moving up my side. I shook my head. "Really?" He brought his hand firmly to the side of my breast. "Just relax," he said. "You don't want to be the only girl your age at Emerson Peabody who's never been kissed and touched like this, do you? I'll do it slowly, okay?" he said, barely inching forward over the top of my breast.
    I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Once again he pressed his lips to mine.
    "That's it. Easy," he said. "See." The tips of his fingers surrounded a button on my blouse. I felt it open and then felt his fingers against my skin, moving like a thick spider in and under my bra. When the tips of his fingers found my nipple, I felt a surge of excitement that took my breath away.
    "No," I said pulling back again. My heart was pounding so hard, I was sure he could hear it. "I . . . we'd better start back," I said. "I've got to help Momma with dinner."
    "What? Help your mother with dinner? You're kidding. We just got here." He stared at me a moment. "You don't have some other boyfriend already, do you?"
    "Oh, no!" I said, nearly jumping out of my seat.
    He laughed and traced my collarbone with the tip of his forefinger. I felt his hot breath on my cheek. "Will you come back here with me one night?"
    "Yes," I said with abandon. He was so handsome, and despite my fears, his touch had made my stomach feel like butterflies were flying around in it.
    "Okay, let you slip out of my hands this time then," he said and laughed. "You're really cute, you know." He leaned over and kissed me quickly again. Then he lowered his eyes to my opened blouse and quickly buttoned it.
    "Actually, I'm glad you're shy, Dawn."
    "You are?" I thought he would hate me because I wasn't as sophisticated as most of the girls he knew at Emerson Peabody.
    "Sure. So many girls are know-it-alls these days. There's nothing fresh and honest about that. Not like there is about you. I wait to be the one who teaches you things, makes you feel things you've never felt before. Will you let me? Will you?" he pleaded with those soft blue eyes.
    "Yes," I said. I wanted to learn new things and feel new things and be just as grownup and sophisticated as the girls he knew at Emerson Peabody.
    "Good. Now, don't bring any other boys up here behind my back," he added.
    "What? I wouldn't."
    He laughed and got back behind the steering wheel. "You're definitely something else, Dawn. Something good," he added.
    I gave him the directions to take me home and finished buttoning my blouse.
    "Our section of town isn't very nice," I said, preparing him. "But we're only living there until Daddy can