She chuckles. “You say that, but maybe I’m a terrible kisser.”
“Not possible.”
“Have you…have you ever kissed anyone before?” she asks.
“You will be my first, my last, and all my in betweens.”
Piper smiles softly. “I like that.”
As if she is feeling brave or bold or has forgotten we are up in a tree far off the ground, she pivots fully and sits on her knees within the shelter of my legs. She scans my face before reaching out and caressing my brow bones. Her finger travels down my cheek and along my jawline.
“I love your eyes,” Piper announces quietly. “They’re so expressive. Surprisingly so given how they’re different than mine and what I’m used to.”
Pride rises inside me. Mykeeshlaloves my eyes.
“If we are sharing what feature we love most about the other, then, for me, it is your smile.” I skim my finger along her bottom lip. “There is a voice inside my head telling me that perhaps you do not smile often enough. So, when you do, it is as if the sun shines so brightly to be blinding. I wish to capture all your smiles, because I cherish each one.”
Piper ducks her head, but only a beat later, raises it again. And smiles. Both her hands go to my shoulders. Instinctively, mine go to the curve of her hips to steady her.
She leans in slowly and her eyes drift closed just as her lips touch mine. This kiss is soft. Delicate. Perfect. Just like my mate. Sincethis is my first mouth touching experience, I let Piper lead. We have plenty of time for me to learn how she likes her kisses.
Before I am ready, she draws back with darkened cheeks. “Was that okay?”
Her question is hesitant and uncertain. Almost as if she has not done it before either.
“Keeshla, was that also your first mouth touching?”
Her coloring darkens more.
“Was I that bad, you could tell?”
My grip tightens. “Not at all. It was wonderful. I enjoyed it immensely.”
Piper brightens. “Really?”
“On my honor.”
She glances away, but quickly back to me. “Maybe we could try it again.”
“I am more than happy to do so.” My grin is wide.
“Me too.” She leans in once more, but this time, I meet her halfway. My head tilts just slightly to deepen our mouth touching. A hesitant flick of her tongue against the seam of my lips entices me to open and invite it more fully in.
Piper slips her tongue inside and glides along the slick length of mine. With each beat that passes and as the pleasure grows, so does our confidence. Together, we learn the taste of each other. I wrap my tail around her waist and she sucks in a breath, but does not tell me to remove it.
The kiss goes on for several more beats before we both need air. Piper is the first to draw back, but she stays close and touching me.
“Before you ask, that was more than perfect.”
She laughs. “Yeah, it kind of was.”
I push the long curls that have fallen forward over her shoulder and cannot resist threading my fingers through her hair. It is slightly coarse, like the dreri’s, but far more beautiful.
“Thank you for gifting me with your kisses. I will cherish them until I travel to the lands of the goddess.”
Out of nowhere, Piper’s brightness and joy go dark. She loses her smile and sinks back onto her heels. Her eyes no longer meet mine.
“It’s getting late. We should probably go,” she says quietly.
