Willow Smoke by Adriana Kraft Page A

experience all of this. She opened them. He was staring at her. His look was raw and savage. She’d never witnessed him on the verge of losing control. Was she having
that affect on him? He was certainly having that affect on her. She struggled to stay
present.
    His eyes closed and then he churned in and out of her as if he were racing against life and death. She gripped him like a vise for fear that he might die, and then she disintegrated.
    A few minutes later, Daisy tried to reconstruct what had happened. There had been little warning. Not at all what she’d expected. She was there, and then she wasn’t. She was whole, and then she’d shattered into a million fragments of light. Somehow their bodies remained entwined as they lay side by side. His arms held her tight. He was still inside, but had softened. He must have climaxed, but she sure didn’t know when.
    God, she was warm and tingly all over. Couldn’t they just stay like this forever? Maybe they should have died in ecstasy. How did you go back to the way things were?
    His tongue traced her jaw line.
    She smiled. She pried her eyes open. He looked nearly as satisfied as she felt. Maybe they never would move again.
    “Are you okay?”
    “I’m fantastic,” Daisy whispered. “How are you?”
    Nick smiled. “Feeling younger by the minute. It may be time for some wine. And then we’ll see what else might happen. Just stay here, I’ll pour the wine.”
    Daisy accepted the wine he offered and sipped it. She didn’t like beer, but she did have a taste for wine. Cassie had given her some from time to time. Daisy blinked. What would Cassie say if she saw her now? Daisy blushed.
    “It doesn’t make any difference to me,” Nick began, running his fingers lightly down her arm. “This
was terrific, but why the charade?”
    Daisy frowned. “What do you mean?”
    “The virgin act. There was no hymen to break. You’re not bleeding.”
    “Oh, I forgot,” she said, idly pulling the sheet up to her throat. “I took care
of that with a wine bottle when I was eleven.” She flinched as she saw the horror sweeping across Nick’s face. “My grandmother repeatedly warned me about being raped. Where we lived, young girls lost their virginity early, one way or
another. I didn’t want to give itto
a rapist, so I took it myself. Figured ifI got raped, it would hurt less if I wasn’t still a virgin.”
    “Jesus H. Christ,” Nick swore, cuddling her to him and kissing her forehead and eyelids warmly. “I’m so sorry.”
    She broke away. “It doesn’t matter,” she said, pulling her knees to her chest and clasping them tight, wishing the tears streaming down her face weren’t telling adifferent story. “At least this—what wejust shared—matters more. It’s more than I had ever dreamed.”
    “Sounds like you dreamed about it a lot.”
    She smiled. “I suppose so. Not many girls who live in group homes are asked to proms. I refused to
be easy; my grandmother wouldn’t have liked that at all. She drummed words of wisdom into my head. What you’ve got between your legs is your most prized treasure. Cherish it and use it well. Don’t give it away to just anybody who thinks he’s a man.”
    “But you just gave it away.”
    “Not to a boy.”
    “That’s for sure.” Nick
wet his lips. “I want you to know that this was incredible for me, too. Thank you for sharing your treasure with me.” He kissed Daisy on the tip of
her nose.
    “Sure.” She blinked. “It’s done now.” She turned to eye Nick. “I am pleased. I’ll always remember this night. Thanks.”
    He liked it when she blushed. He pulled the sheet back down and pressed a finger on her right nipple. Smiling, he watched it
stretch when he removed his finger. Her eyes turned smoky. “You make it sound like this is a one night stand.”
    She stiffened under his gaze. “It is, isn’t it?”
    Nick frowned at her. She’d taken a huge risk coming to him, but she’d had no idea
how desirable