A Lesson in Intimacy

We lay like that for several minutes. I watched the firelight dance across her satisfied face and along her naked body. I played with her curls gently and occasionally rubbed a tear from her cheek. Her eyes remained closed for several minutes as she regained some power over her body.

Finally, she opened her eyes and looked at me. I smiled weakly at her. In the time we had been laying there, my mind had returned. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I couldn't believe I had let myself do that, let myself touch her at all.

She searched my eyes, apparently reading my concern. She reached a hand up and got my attention with a gentle touch on my cheek. She smiled at me. "Thank you," she whispered. I looked past her for a moment, not believing what she had said. "I know it's not what you expected... me either. But I couldn't have chosen a better person to show me what it can be like. I won't regret this... please... please don't regret this."

I looked back at her. Her eyes were so trusting, so thankful. I pulled her closer and held her tightly. It was, admittedly, the most arousing experience of my life. As we lay there in front of the fire, I finally realized I had given her something she had been wanting for years. And I wasn't obligated in any way to give it again.

She fell asleep in my arms that night... the only time she ever did.