War Torn Ch. 07

It had been a surprise to wake in that bed, hours before dawn, beneath unfamiliar bedclothes. At first, I could not remember where I was or how I had come to be there. When my memory caught up with my consciousness, I smiled as I felt the warmth of Erich's arms around me. Lightly, I put my palm to his forehead. His fever had broken. I kissed his brow, slipped from between the sheets and left him sleeping there. I crossed the room to light the stove, and began heating water for a bath.

Apart from the usual dust and rumple of traveling, the smell of unwashed skin and coal soot permeated my hair and underclothes. When I was at the convent, my appearance hadn't much mattered. Now, however, I found myself preoccupied with the thought. I could not help but notice how thin I had become. The food shortages and stress of the past years had taken their toll on my young body. I certainly did not resemble the dewy and voluptuous French women that I had seen on soldiers' postcards at the hospital. It had been days since I had last bathed and weeks since I had last washed my hair. I waited impatiently for the water to warm, anticipating the glorious sensation of properly clean skin.

Soon the fire had heated the room, and I glanced toward the bed where Erich lay, making sure he was still asleep. In the darkness, I began to peel away my layers of wrinkled clothing. First I removed the bodice of my frock, then the skirt. Next came the slip and petticoat, then the stockings and drawers. Finally, I removed my brassiere and unpinned my hair so that it fell around my shoulders. I took a thick piece of flannel, dampened it in the water atop the stove, and began to bathe myself. Unused to the exposure, my teeth began to chatter as I worked the suds from a sliver of soap into my hair and skin.

I rubbed my skin with the flannel until it became rosy, then rinsed my hair, and began to dry myself. The soap I had used smelled lightly of lavender, and I breathed in the fragrance with relish. Momentarily, I stood naked in front of the stove, delighting in its warmth on my bare skin. I could not very well return to wearing my filthy stockings and undergarments, but I had only one change of clothes—a lovely white summer dress that my mother and father had bought me in Berlin before the war. I didn't feel that the occasion merited such a fine piece of clothing, but I opened my valise and removed it nonetheless. I slid it over my head and felt the cool cotton settle upon my figure like snow.

The first silvery rays of morning sun crept through the windows just as I finished dressing. My hair hung in loose curls down my back, and I debated whether to bother with a chignon. As I pondered, I glanced again at the bed. This time, Erich was sitting upright, gazing back at me. I blushed, wondering if he had seen me in a state of deshabille. He rose from the bed, and I could see that during the night he had removed his uniform jacket and wore only a white shirt in addition to his trousers. Though I had seen many men in their most natural state, I had always felt distant and clinical toward them. Now, this vital young man stood before me—fully clothed—and I could hardly stop myself lusting for him. The color in my cheeks deepened.

Erich approached quietly, and softly placed his right hand against my reddened cheek. With his other hand, he encircled my waist and pressed himself to me. I gasped at the sudden contact, but he smiled and lowered his lips to my own. His kiss was warm and passionate, and I felt myself melt into him. Slowly, he ran his right hand along my neck and shoulder. He twirled my strawberry curls around his fingers, and then continued tracing down my back. I shivered with pleasure when his hands met at my waist.

Just then, he removed his lips from mine and let them wander down my neck to my shoulder. Each tender peck elicited a sigh from me and an increased desire between us. My hands, which had at first rested lightly on his shoulders, began to clutch at his back. He set his hands on my hips and vigorously moved me toward the far side of the room. He pushed himself against me, and pinning my back to the wall, he lifted me so that I could wrap my legs about his torso.

I balanced there on his hips, my arms thrown around his neck and shoulders. He found my lips again and kissed me forcefully. His breathing had become heavy, and the sound of it ignited in me a physical longing I had never experienced. My hands found the supple skin of his neck and I began to unbutton the collar of his shirt. He made a noise in his throat like a low growl and tightened his grip around my waist.

After a few moments, he loosed one hand from my waist and slowly moved it down to my hip and thigh. The dress I wore had ridden partway up my thigh, and I sighed when he placed his hand on my bare leg. He stopped kissing me then, and carefully let me slide down so that my feet touched the floor. With one hand still wrapped around my waist, he leaned down and whispered to me.

"My God, you're beautiful. I want to touch every inch of you."

My hands rested on his chest, and I was seized with a sudden desire to see the firm body that lay hidden beneath the shirt he wore. Gently, I took hold of the material and began to tug at it. When he realized what I was doing, he instantly released me and pulled the shirt over his head. He smiled and touched my cheek in encouragement. I let my fingers trace the firm muscles of his chest and stomach, stopping when I reached his navel. A dark trail of hair descended from the navel, and as I touched it, he let out a deep breath. It was then that I noticed the hard bulge in his trousers.

I quickly looked away, but I knew he knew that I had seen it. Taking my chin in his hand, he guided my lips to his once more. As I relaxed into the kiss, he reached around my back and began to unclasp my dress. I felt my cheeks growing hot at the thought of what he would do next. But when the dress slid silently past my shoulders and breasts and onto the floor, I could only concentrate on the sensation of his skin against mine. The satin slip that I still wore was like a conductor of electricity. Wherever our bodies touched, I felt a charge.

Erich's hands roamed my body—stroking my back, caressing my neck, fondling my breasts—until his hands met mine and began guiding them slowly to the waist of his uniform. As my fingers rested there, his lips became more urgent, and he moaned at my touch. Again, he pressed me to the wall, and I fumbled to unfasten his fly. When the last button had been freed, he wriggled out of the trousers and stood before me in his underdrawers. I could see the rigid line of his manhood beneath the thin material. Tenderly, I reached toward it, grasping it through the cloth that was by this time damp with perspiration and desire.

I stroked it lightly through the material and felt it throb and swell in my hand. For a few moments, Erich stood there, sighing and gasping. His breathing was shallow, and he had braced himself against the wall on either side of me. Then, without warning, he jerked away from me and took a stride back. He looked me over for a moment before turning his back and walking to stand in front of the stove. Thinking I had done something to upset him, my heart dropped.

He stood watching the fire in the stove for nearly ten minutes, and I remained motionless against the wall. Suddenly, he crouched down beside the water pail and splashed a bit on his face and neck. Rising to face me, I saw that his expression had changed.

"Anna, forgive me. I had no intention of doing this."

"What do you mean?" I asked, taking a step toward him.

"When I asked you to come with me, you must believe that I was only looking for companionship. There's just something about being a soldier. One is so far from female comfort...I couldn't control myself...but the last thing I want is to take advantage of you."

I took a step closer to him.

"Erich, I want this. If I didn't, I would have never gotten off the train. There has been so little love in my life since this war began, you are all I have. You are all I want."

When I had finished speaking, I stepped toward him once more and placed my hands against his rough cheeks. I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him, and as our lips met, he lifted me into his arms. A few quick strides across the room and soon he had laid me on the bed. He stood over me, hands caressing my legs and ever so gently pushing my slip over my naked thighs.

After a moment, he backed away from the bed. I watched as he stepped out of his underdrawers, his liberated member bobbing and swaying between his burly legs. It was much larger than I had thought, and I bit my lip trying to imagine the work it would do. I did not have to imagine for long, however, as Erich mounted the bed and began to kiss me with intensity. He positioned himself between my legs, placing his hands on either side of my head. I could feel the heat of his cock on my thigh, and I longed for him to enter me.

One of his hands glided beneath my slip, and I raised myself far enough off the sheets to bring the garment over my head. Straight away his lips began to journey to my breasts and belly. His touch was like velvet, and each kiss brought me exquisite pleasure. I wrapped my arms around his back, feeling the deeply etched muscles there. Eventually, his sweet, soft mouth found its way back to mine. I laid my hands on his smooth hips, and I could feel the heat of his lust. Little by little, I let my hands drift toward his inner thighs. When my fingers brushed against his manhood, it twitched away, but then relaxed into my open palm. I cupped my hand around its tip, feeling the silky wetness there. Erich gently bit my lip in response. I began to caress him very lightly with the thumb and index finger of my other hand. Each stroke made him shiver. Soon, his shaft was drenched in his own juices and I quickened my movements. He began to push forward with every stroke of my fingers, all the while moaning softly into my mouth. His moans became frantic and suddenly he tore his lips from mine and looked deeply into my eyes.

"I need you. I need to be inside you or I'll go mad."

I tried to reply, but my intense desire for him had tightened my throat. I could not tell him now that I had never been with a man. With one hand, Erich was guiding himself to my opening. I spread my legs wide and tightened my grip on his shoulders. Swiftly, he thrust into my depths and I cried out in pain. He withdrew partway, and I winced with discomfort.

"Anna, have I hurt you?" He whispered, between ragged breaths.

"I should have said—you're my first." I gasped.

"Oh, my love, I didn't know. I thought...never mind. I'll make this as gentle as I can."

I smiled up at him, and he kissed my forehead. Again he pushed himself into me, and then withdrew. As minutes passed, the pain faded and I began to enjoy the steady rhythm of his body. I wrapped my legs around him and rocked to the motion of his hips. Before long, I felt a strange tingling in the area of my belly and groin. The tingling spread through my body, and wherever it went, my muscles began to stiffen. It was like an ache that could not be relieved.

Erich had also begun to tense his body. His thrusts had become faster and more powerful, and the bed shook each time we rocked forward. The tiny house was raucous with the sound of flesh against flesh and the bedstead against wall. The force of his penetrations drew little whimpers from me, and I dug my fingers into his back. Without warning, he lifted me from the sheets so that I sat straddling him.

He felt even bigger inside me than before, and as he began a new rhythm, I threw my head back to enjoy the sensation. He kissed my neck and I ran my hands through his unruly hair. As we adjusted to this position, the physicality of our entwined bodies became too vivid. My desire was like corporal pain, and every part of me was on edge. Erich reached his hand between us to touch that most sacred and secret part of me. I moaned aloud as I pressed myself into adept fingers.

Suddenly, I felt as though I were losing control of myself. My muscles tightened all at once and then my whole body began to shake as they released their tension one by one. I cried out again, this time in relief. Erich kissed me hard on the mouth and deepened his thrusts. Moments later, he emitted a loud groan and plunged into me one last time as his hot seed filled my womb. We collapsed together on the bed, legs and arms still tangled. He kissed me tenderly, and I stroked his hair. After some time, he put his arms around me and closed his eyes. I curled into his chest and we drifted off to sleep together.