Lessons Learned

Part 14

I must have drifted off, because the next thing I knew I opened my eyes to see Niall's pretty blue ones staring back at me.

He was sitting on the steps dressed in jeans and a white polo, hugging his knees to his chest as he watched me. He blushed when he noticed that I was awake and ducked his head bashfully. I sat up, stretching carefully so I made sure not to hit him.

He stood up abruptly and held out a hand to me, which I took after a moment's hesitation. Still not looking at me, Niall tugged me up and led me up the stairs. When we hit the landing he finally acted, pushing me up against the wall as his lips desperately searched for mine. I was stiff with surprise at first, shocked by his actions. His hand went to my neck and drew me closer to him. At our sides, our fingers tangled together loosely. I wrapped my other hand through the belt loop of his jeans, enjoying the way his hips jerked forward at the simple touch.

I rejoiced in the gentle pressure of his lips on mine. His kiss was perfect. There was no sharp sting of lust on his lips, only the sweet taste of tenderness and a minty hint of curiosity. Though he had been forceful in backing me into the wall, he was nothing but gentle now. Even though I was dead, his kiss made me feel more alive than I had ever been before.

Making sure our hands and lips stayed connected, Niall began to back me down the hallway. We stumbled into the bedroom he had been sleeping in this morning, still kissing as we stood next to the large bed.

Once again Niall was the one to end our kiss. This time he kept eye contact with me as he slowly pulled his shirt over his head. He let it drop at his feet, biting his bottom lip whilst doing so. I felt my heart skip a beat as my eyes roamed his perfect torso. Then, knowing what he wanted, I slipped out of my shirt and tossed it aside. Niall quickly stepped out of his pants and kicked them away as I did the same.

I had never shown this much skin willingly before and I was surprised to find that I actually felt beautiful. It had everything to do with the misty look on Niall's face and the way his eyes explored my body as if it was a treasure, not a burden.

Once we had shed the last of our clothes Niall took my hand and led me over to the bed. He laid me down on the white sheet, kneeling next to me as his eyes traced every curve and contour of my body.

Without speaking he took my hand, pressing his palm flush against mine, and held our joint hands up in the space between our bodies. Suspended in the air, his larger hand dwarfed mine, the tips of his fingers folding down to protect mine. He just held our hands there, staring at them, not saying a word. He hadn't spoken once yet.

"Niall?" I murmured, attempting to sit up.

Niall silenced me with a kiss, gently pushing me back down on the bed. He snuggled up next to me, wrapping an arm around my waist and burying his face in the arc of my neck. "Don't talk," he whispered.

I obeyed his wishes, not speaking as I traced the curve of his hip with my fingers. He moaned throatily into my neck as my hand made its way down to his thigh, rubbing gently. I had no idea what I was doing. I had no idea how to satisfy the ache inside me. I didn't know why Niall had made me get into bed naked with him if he didn't want to sleep with me. I didn't understand how he could be so beautiful.

My hand dragged up the outside of his thigh, running over his hip again. I traced the curve of his torso, letting my fingers roam over the slight ridges of his rib cage. I pushed him away from my body, laying him out on the bed the way he had been when I first saw him that morning.

His blue eyes filled with confusion as I placed my hand on his chest, feeling the rapid beating of his heart. I kept it there for ages, enjoying the way it skipped a beat when I leaned in to kiss him again. He wrapped his arms around my bare waist and pulled me down to him, keeping the pressure on my mouth steady. Our legs tangled as he ran his tongue over my lower lip, sending tingles down my spine. One of his large hands reached up and traced the bumps of my backbone. I wrapped his name into the small moan that escaped my lips as I melted into his body. He rolled us over so we were lying side to side and brought his hand to my face. He brushed away a strand of stray hair and kissed my forehead gently. His arm snaked its way around my waist and he hugged me to his trembling frame. I rested my head on his chest and let the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lull me into a stupor.

"Please don't let anyone convince you that you aren't perfect," he whispered into my hair. "Because you deserve to know the truth."

With one last kiss on the top of my head we both drifted off to sleep, exposed and vulnerable in each other's arms.