A Beauteous Flower Ch. 08

Confused, Madison changed her pose and her expression. She flowed through many poses she had used in the previous photo-shoots, determined to show him how physically desirable she was. Over the next few minutes, Madison showed Daniel her best approachable smile, her most sultry secret smile over hooded eyes, and her seductive bad girl pout face. She did poses that highlighted her legs, her hips, her butt, and her boobs. She posed like a good time in the sunshine, a come-hither siren, and a petulant midnight naughty girl. She primped, she posed, and she vamped to the best of her ability, but the camera never moved from Daniel's lap. All he did was eye her studiously and wait. Finally, after ten minutes, he gave Madison a single direction.

"Please, don't pose."

Madison furrowed her brow in confusion. Why would he bring her here and take out a camera and not shoot any pictures of her while she displayed herself for him and him alone? Was she not obvious enough? Wasn't Daniel interested in her at all? Self-conscious thoughts danced in Madison's head, and she shyly tugged at her clothes as she looked up uncertainly at Daniel. He simply stared straight at her like she was the focus of his entire being. It made her more uncomfortable.

"What... what should I do?"

"You don't have to do anything," he answered.

"Well then what are you doing?"

"Waiting."

Madison felt as though he spoke to her in riddles. She cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably.

"What are you waiting for?"

"I'll know when I see it."

Now Madison felt truly awkward with a strong desire to cover herself. What was Daniel's game? Everyone played games and everyone flirted, but this was something else. No one had ever inspected her like this. She liked attention, but this was attention of a different kind. Daniel was obviously wanted something, but what the heck could he want if he didn't want her to do sexy vamps and poses? Madison had done her best sexy photo routine, but Daniel hadn't snapped a single picture. All he did was sit there and stare at her like he expected her to know what to do. She felt flush with embarrassment, so Madison looked at the bouquet of wildflowers in her lap and sniffed at them to partially cover her consternation. She tried not to fidget under his steady gaze, but she couldn't help it. Seconds of uncertainty stretched into a minute of insecurity and doubt that made Madison feel vulnerable and a touch frightened. Just as the silence grew horribly awkward and loud and she thought she might start to cry, Daniel called her name.

"Madison."

Madison glanced up at Daniel just as he tripped the shutter. He didn't snap a follow up picture. He just lowered the camera and looked down as he scrolled to the picture he had just taken of Madison. He paused with a blink that gave Madison the impression he was pleasantly surprised by what he saw.

"Perfect," he muttered.

Madison's discomfort turned to interest.

"Can I see it?"

Daniel looked at her and Madison would have almost sworn she saw a flash of fear in Daniel's eyes.

"Well..."

"Please?"

"I normally don't..., well, OK."

Daniel walked over to her, went to a knee, and held out the camera to her. Madison shifted so she could see the image and what she saw left her thunderstruck. Madison took selfies by the dozen to get just the right shot. Other photographers had burned through thousands of pixels for a collection of images of her to select from. In contrast, Daniel managed to shoot the best portrait of Madison she had ever seen with one snap of the shutter release. The image showed a Madison that looked natural, lovely, and feminine, in all her glory. She would not have wished for any element of that picture to change. She put her hand to her mouth in surprise then boss bitch Madison asserted herself and tried to play it off, so as not to look so naïve in front of Daniel.

"Nice work."

Daniel smirked a little at her.

"You did the hard part."

Madison turned an appreciative eye to Daniel.

"You're very talented."

Daniel stood, looked down and stirred the dirt with a finger before he bestowed a smirk on her.

"I had a great subject."

Madison's heart fluttered at this modesty and Daniel's attendant display. Once again, she sensed something monumental had happened. Daniel, who was so guarded and elusive, was slightly vulnerable again. In that moment he let her see something of him, and she could tell it was something he did not share often. Daniel looked up and as they stared into each other's eyes, Madison felt the air between them thicken. Time gradually slowed to a halt in the little bubble of space they occupied together, and in that moment of shared solitude, Daniel very deliberately put the camera down and leaned close to her. His eyes smoldered darkly, and Madison's breath caught. In a flash Madison knew what was about to happen and her heart surged expectantly.

"Oh, God," Madison whispered as their lips met.

And she knew when their lips met that her wait was finally over. Their bodies pressed closer and entwined, and Madison felt electric tingles where their bare skin touched. She put her hands on either side of Daniel's face and deepened their kiss. In this moment, nothing needed to be said. Madison searched his lips with her tongue and looped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her possessively. She felt Daniel's body react and she knew he was anxious to be with her as well. His breath quickened and his hands came to rest on her hips as his fingers caressed the small of her back. Madison pressed into Daniel even more firmly and slipped her tongue past his lips.

She poured herself into the kiss and let her body flow with his. Her left hand caressed his shoulders and neck while her right hand slid down his chest and stomach to his crotch. There she felt him, warm and stiff under his shorts and Madison let an excited sigh steal out of her mouth around his lips.

"Daniel."

Daniel's hands worked down her hips to her lower abdomen and she gasped as her stomach muscles fluttered. For a second, she felt frighteningly vulnerable.

"Madison," Daniel whispered, and Madison's doubts disappeared under a second, stronger surge of desire. Madison gave herself over and simply plunged headfirst into the moment. As her hands roamed on his body, Madison yielded a strange little confession.

"I've wanted this since the first time we kissed."

Daniel responded with a gentle kiss and his fingers trailed over her body. His touch was light and soft, and the warmth of his hands elicited involuntary moans and squirms from Madison. Her breath became a heavy pant as his hands fumbled open the button on her shorts and then pushed down under the waistband. She gasped and looked up at him with pleading eyes.

Their love play didn't go exactly smoothly. They were unfamiliar with each other and didn't have a natural flow yet. As this was their first time together, their actions were hesitant and a little clumsy, but together they made steady progress although at times it advanced in fits and starts such as when Madison's fingers shook so with anticipation that she struggled to remove Daniels clothing, especially his shorts which had a knotted draw string. This momentary frustration made her clutch at his clothes with gritted teeth, but eventually with his help she managed.

For his part, Daniel moved with patient smoothness and somehow each article of Madison's clothing simply slipped away, replaced by Daniel's strong hands, and he explored her newly exposed skin with warm, gentle caresses of his fingers and lips. At times Madison got impatient with Daniel's deliberate pace. Unlike the other guys she had been with, he didn't just plunge ahead heedlessly. Daniel took his time and explored her body, but she was so eager after weeks of sexual frustration that it seemed to Madison that he lingered too long at each of her erogenous zones, even the ones she didn't know she had until Daniel touched them. But then he would magically remove another item of her clothing and touch her in a new place and her mind would spin up to a new level of ecstasy. Finally, after an eternity of shared moments, they lay naked next to each other in the folds of the blanket.

Daniel explored Madison's sex with a feather touch of a caress, more exploratory than invasive. His eyes stayed fixed on Madison's face, as if he studied her reactions to every one of his ministrations. As he patiently worked his fingers around, Madison remembered how she claimed that she was so horny that if Daniel simply touched her thigh she would cum. It wasn't quite that easy, but Daniel's warm touches made Madison writhe and squirm with barely contained pleasure. Madison fought to hold her orgasm down, but Daniel kept up his attentions and finally Madison yielded herself to the sensation growing in her belly.

With a small yip of pleasure, she came to the edge to her first orgasm with Daniel and Daniel kissed her softly as she poised breathlessly on the verge of that first plunge. He let her hover there for a second and then gave her the smallest and lightest of strokes with his hand and Madison had the orgasm she had craved since that night in the garden. It wasn't the biggest orgasm Madison ever had, but it was the first one she'd had in a first encounter with a new lover. Daniel, it seemed, was an attentive and gentlemanly lover in addition to his other talents.

Her tension relieved, Madison whimpered pleasure while her body fluttered down from the crescendo. She sighed her way back to the blanket as Daniel's dark eyes stared down into hers. He smiled his sexy smirk at her.

"Perfect," he whispered admiringly as he kissed her nose.

Madison flushed and emotion choked her.

"Daniel..."

Daniel kissed her lips softly and deftly shifted himself between her legs and paused. She felt his body's warmth against her as he braced himself over her and Madison uttered a soft moan of anticipation and spread her legs to invite him inside her. But there on the verge of union with her Daniel paused while Madison whined impatiently and wriggled to try and capture him. Madison was suddenly worried Daniel would stop at the moment of truth and she did not think she could handle that. To have come so close....

"Daniel."

Daniel shook his head and shushed to reassure her. He opened his mouth to say something, but then stopped. Madison got a flash of anxiety.

"Please don't say you're married," she whispered.

Daniel shook his head again and maintained their deep eye contact. Frustrated thoughts came to her mind and Madison moaned excitement. How much longer would Daniel make her wait? Daniel continued to hover just outside of her nether regions and smirked his peaceful crooked smirk at her. Then just when she thought she could not wait any longer, Daniel acted.

"Madison," Daniel whispered and gently slipped inside her. For a moment she wondered when he had put that condom on, and she was cross with herself because she had not told Daniel she was on the pill. But then Madison felt fullness and Daniel's warmth spread from her belly all over her body and she had never felt more safe and secure in with anyone in her life. Her eyes widened and she gasped surprise and pleasure.

She surged up to kiss him and pulled him down into her embrace. Madison clenched her eyes closed and tried to fix this magical moment in her mind so she could savor it later. When she opened her eyes, Daniel's dark gaze met hers. He was warm and strong above her and something happened inside of Madison's heart that she didn't know was possible, but she knew it wasn't a lie.

"Daniel... I...,"

Madison felt totally exposed, yet she was exhilarated, and her heart soared. Their bodies were merged together, and Madison felt his warmth on her skin and inside her as well. The physical sensation of connection made Madison's mind reel and she heard her voice speak his name.

"Daniel!"

Daniel kissed her full on the mouth and their bodies began to move together. Their lips parted and they both breathed the air from each other's lungs in a moment of oneness. Daniel's body gave her a slow, steady rhythm and Madison's consciousness became a blur of gentle presses and kisses and moans and clutches. Daniel kept to his slow and studious pace, and worked around her body to explore the places that elicited the most reaction. In short order he found the right spots and another surge of sexual energy grew to an explosion between Madison's legs. This orgasm engulfed Madison and rocked her and for the first time in her life, she felt what it was like to be emotionally satisfied with an orgasm and it moved her in a very deep way. A sob of spent pleasure escaped her lips as Daniel continued to press home inside her.

Now Madison wanted Daniel to share this sensation with her and reflexively bore down on him with her pelvic muscles. His face remained silently placid, but before long Daniel's body stiffened and then his arms trembled at his own release. For the first time she felt his orgasmic twitch inside her and a triumphant warmth spread over her entire body. After he was spent, his eyes opened, and he settled into Madison's waiting arms. His breath came in deep inhalations, as if he meditated on their oneness.

"Madison," he whispered.

Madison enfolded him into her embrace and her mind raced with exultant and terrified thoughts. Her throat tightened and her breath got short and gaspy and she was keenly aware that she was in the arms of a man who made her feel insecure yet safe, frightened yet exhilarated, vulnerable yet protected. That awareness resolved into unfamiliar and powerful emotions that welled in her heart and threatened to burst out of her mouth. She needed an emotional anchor, some way to stabilize herself and for a moment she considered how to escape these feelings, this man. But then the warmth of his embrace calmed her as it shielded her from the chilly onset of evening. Madison chanced a look at Daniel's eyes and there she found the comfort and anchor she needed.

His eyes showed the same nervousness she had seen before they made love. That look told her that he had experienced the same thing she had, and that he was on the cusp of what she felt as well. Her heart settled and she breathed relief. As she let out a long, contented sigh, Daniel's confident sideways smirk returned, and Daniel kissed her nose delicately.

"Perfect," he whispered.

And joyful tears traced out of the corners of Madison's eyes.

*****

After a post-coital sunset, Madison snuggled against Daniel for the walk back to the truck and possessively maintained body contact with him. To Madison, Daniel's body warmth was a sweet reminder of his skin on hers while they made love. As it had been with their first sexual experience together, that first intertwined walk began awkwardly, but soon they fell into step, and it began to feel comfortable and natural. Madison couldn't help the smile that just wouldn't leave her lips. She was gleefully satisfied with their love making, and she didn't care at all if the whole world knew it.

That is how Madison thought of it; she and Daniel had made love, not just had sex. It was the first time she had ever experienced the difference, and now that she had, that difference was stark. They're union was much more important than just physical sex and that had everything to do with the magical emotional connection she felt with Daniel.

Daniel opened the passenger side door, placed the picnic items behind the seat and then helped Madison into the passenger seat. That flattered Madison, and her feet pattered excitedly on the floorboard as Daniel shut the door for her and walked around the truck to climb into the driver's seat and started the truck. As he put the truck in drive, Madison shimmied out of her seat belt and slid across the bench seat to re-insert herself under Daniel's right arm. Once installed there she tucked her bare feet up behind her and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Hey you!" Madison whispered into Daniel's ear and then snuggled into him with her head on his shoulder.

Daniel kissed the top of her head and switched on the headlights.

"Hey you, yourself."

Madison toes curled when he said that to her, and she heard a smirk spread among the stubble on Daniel's face. She got another hurty wide smile. Those words sounded so good to Madison, but she wanted more from Daniel. She wanted the cherry on the sundae. Madison turned her head and nuzzled Daniel's neck.

"Hey!"

"What's up, My Dear Heart?"

That made Madison's heart thump against her ribs, and she settled her head back on Daniel's shoulder in satisfaction. Could it really be true? Could this be what love felt like? Had she fallen for Daniel? Madison wanted more from Daniel and squeezed his arm tighter.

"Say it again."

"It."

"No! Say it!"

"Hmmmm?"

Madison huffed theatrically and pulled away from Daniel. She put a petulant little girl's pout on her lips and her hands on her hips.

"I'm your Dear Heart! Say 'Madison in my Dear Heart!'"

Daniel smirked and Madison's heart got fluttery. Yes, something special had happened tonight and Madison could feel it from her hair to her toes. All most reflexively, Madison's mind began to make a little plan and she determined to set her heart on Daniel come hell or high water.

"Madison is my Dear Heart."

Madison's eyes gleamed and she clapped her hands happily.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Really, really?"

Daniel smirked and glanced at the road.

"Do you always ask for confirmation?"

Madison tucked herself back under Daniel's arm.

"Well, sometimes. When I really want to believe something, I do."

"OK. In that case, Madison is really, really my Dear Heart. Two times."

Madison clutched his body with her arms again.

"Good," she cooed while she kissed his ear. "Never forget it."

"I won't."

Madison's heart went boom all over again. There was no one else in the world except for her and Daniel and that was just the way she wanted it. This was the man she had wanted all her life. She was convinced and everything was perfect.

Well, almost perfect. As she closed her eyes and got comfortable, Madison's stomach growled insistently. Madison had been too nervous to eat anything for breakfast, and she had only picked at her lunch because she didn't want to look like a pig in front of Daniel. Up until now, Madison's desire to be with Daniel had blocked out all thought of hunger, but with that first desire satisfied, her body let her know just how hungry she was, and her stomach complained loudly a second time. Her eyes flew open in fatal embarrassment and before she knew it, her stomach filed a third noisy protest.

"I'm hungry," Daniel said unexpectedly. "I'd like to stop for a pizza."

The thought of pizza made Madison's stomach growl again, but Daniel didn't seem to notice.

"Well, if you're hungry," she allowed in a non-committal tone. "You could stop for some food, I suppose."

Daniel nodded.

"Great, I'm famished. I know a place that's just around the corner."

Madison wasn't sure what "famished" meant, but she was grateful for the prospect of food and grateful Daniel was polite enough to not notice the way her stomach howled in anticipation. Daniel pulled up to a stop sign and in two quick turns they were parked outside a quaint pizza place at the end of a little brick strip mall. The place looked nearly empty except for a teen aged delivery driver who held the door open for them and then went out with his next delivery in the other hand. Daniel led Madison over to a corner booth and almost immediately after they sat down, a wide hipped older woman in a hair net appeared at the table.

"Ciao, Daniel," the woman exclaimed as she bent down to give him a large matronly hug. Madison flashed with jealousy as the woman squeezed Daniel's ear into her ample bosom, even though Madison was clearly prettier than this woman.