Grunting softly, Cruz shifts above me. I can feel him, hard and straining, between my thighs. I gaze up with wide, open eyes. My heart has never felt fuller or surer when I lean over to whisper in his ear, "Whatever you do, don't stop."

"You sure, baby?"

"I've never wanted anyone more."

His muscles tense up around me. "Keep talking like that, and I won't be able to hold back."

"Don't be gentle. Wreck me."

Cruz's breath hitches as the meaning behind my words hit home. The air around us thickens. It simmers. Sparks. A fevered need overwhelms my senses. A need to get closer to Cruz. To touch him everywhere. Feel him everywhere. On every inch of me. As we continue making out, I can't get enough of him. His fingers are digging into my flesh.

Passionately.

Possessively.

He can't seem to get enough of me, either. I don't fight the chaos even while my pulse kicks up to breakneck speeds. I don't want to think about anything but Cruz. I give in to our blissful frenzy, raining hot, adoring kisses all over his face. Cruz's arms tighten around me. He moans in desperation. I feel so wanted, so desired with him. Feeling emboldened, I reach behind my back to unhook my bra and shrug out of my straps, setting the girls free.

Cruz's green eyes practically turn black as he gazes down at me.

At them.

With a look of awe, he mutters, "Athena..."

I blush. "What?"

His gaze never wavers from mine. "Everything about you is perfect."

The intensity in his voice catches me by surprise.

"Nobody's perfect," I protest. Shyly.

His expression grows soft. Tender. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that you're perfect. For me."

His words squeeze my heart. "Cruz..."

"Ever since my mom left, I felt alone. I never thought it would be possible for me to be happy again."

Emotion pricks my eyes. "Oh, baby..."

"But I'm happy now. So fucking happy." Cruz reaches down to clasp my hand, raising it to his mouth to brush a kiss across my knuckles. "It's all because of you, Athena."

His sweet, stumbling confession sounds so sincere. I can't help myself. Instinct takes over. My palms drift up to cradle his jaw, pulling him down for another kiss. A real one this time. When his lips lock on to mine, I close my eyes and sigh, reveling in the blissed-out sensation of kissing the boy who I want to love and protect and cherish with every fiber of my being.

Breathlessly, I tell him, "I never want you to feel alone again, baby. I'm yours. All yours, okay?"

I feel his smile against my mouth as he murmurs, "All mine, huh?"

I smile back. "Mm-hmm."

From there, we don't say anything else. There's no need for words. Not anymore. Without removing his hand from my breasts, Cruz continues to toy with them as he shuffles down my body, leaving a trail of hot, heavy kisses in his wake. His lips brush against my neck. My collarbone. He kisses the skin between the V of my boobs before his mouth and tongue replace his fingers, locking onto my nipple to suck, flick, and swirl, swirl, swirl around the aching peak. Instinctively, my thighs tighten around his waist to draw him closer.

I may not be a virgin, but, at this very moment, I feel even more nervous and excited and all out of sorts than when I actually gave away my V-card. There's a part of me that wants to believe nothing else can go wrong as long as Cruz and I are together. I want our first time to be perfect.

Cruz slides down my panties. I tug off his boxer briefs. As we help each other undress, his chest glides along my breasts. My nipples tighten even more as his skin grazes the sensitive tips. Soon, there's nothing between him and me.

No clothes.

No words.

We're just two happy idiots in love.

Our gazes linger on each other. In the back of my mind, I know life is far from perfect. Everything outside of this motel room feels too big for me to handle. In this bed, though, I feel safe. I feel at peace with Cruz. Like nothing else can fuck with me. Not my dad. Not my great aunt. Not anyone from school.

Setting my jaw determinedly, I begin shuffling down the hard planes of his body. My greedy palms caress the defined ridges along his abs. Touching him is turning me on like crazy. He's so beautiful. I stop near his waist and dip down to kiss his lower stomach. My hand trails over to fondle his taut, heavy balls. Tilting my head, I move to kiss the base of his cock. Lick around it. My cheeks and hair keep brushing against his shaft. Cruz's thighs clench up. A drop of liquid appears near the head.

He chuckle-groans, "You're killing me, baby."

Smirking, I decide to put him out of his misery. Even though Cruz is probably more experienced than me in bed, his reaction makes me feel... powerful. It pushes me to be more daring. My tongue darts out to trace the underside of his boner. Then, I start over from the bottom. Lapping. Licking. Kissing. I tease my way up his length. Again. And again. And again. His fingers tangle themselves into my hair, clasping onto me as though his life depends on it.

"Athena," he barely chokes out, "I need—"

By now, his cock is throbbing and twitching for more.

I think I know what Cruz needs.

But the tiny devil inside me isn't quite ready to give it to him.

Not yet.

With my tongue, I tease him, upppp, down, uppppppp, down, a few more times before allowing my lips to, finally, envelop his head. He slides in with a wet-sounding pop. I take him deeper in my mouth, inch after inch, using my cheeks to create a soft, pleasing suction. In time, my head starts bobbing up and down as I slide him in and out of my mouth. His fingertips dig into my scalp. Sheer relief spreads over his handsome features.

Minutes later, Cruz releases a moan of pure-sounding bliss and rasps, "You gotta slow down, or else..."

My mouth is full. Of him. I can't speak. I can't exactly respond. All I do is gaze up at him with a knowing gleam in my eyes.

How far I can push Cruz?

How far can I push myself?

How far can we go before pushing each other over the edge?

Shamelessly, I swirl my tongue around and around Cruz's cock-head and suck on him even harder. I make it clear that I have no intention of stopping. Cruz doesn't seem to mind. Within seconds, he's gasping and panting and thrusting against me. Rougher, harder, faster. His cock starts to pulse with a heartbeat of its own. This is it. I can sense it. He's getting close—

Within seconds, Cruz seizes up, his eyes squeeze shut, and he lets out a low, deep groan, "Fuck..."

I feel the rhythmic pulse of his dick as he comes inside my mouth. Knowing that I'm the one who did this to him is such a surreal, amazing feeling. His pleasure becomes my pleasure. I feel embarrassed to admit it, but I've gotten wet from giving him head. When Cruz pulls his softening dick away from me, his muscles are no longer tense. His whole demeanor seems extremely relaxed and happy. He takes a moment to snuggle up to me. Resting. Recovering.

Then, he slips away. I hold my breath in anticipation as our roles slowly reverse, and Cruz makes his way down, down, down. Nipping at my skin. Caressing me with his hands.

Here.

There.

Everywhere.

By the time Cruz arrives at my sex, I've become a wound-up ball of hot, horny overstimulation. He glances up, and his gaze seeks mine out. The dark, heated expression on his face makes my heartbeat run wild.

"Now," Cruz murmurs, "your turn."

I sigh, "Yes, please."

He rests his palms on my inner thighs, nudging my legs wider. I let him kiss me. There. He's gentle, so incredibly gentle, that I barely feel his tongue when he starts tracing my folds and creases.

Cruz takes his time to play with me. He lingers and dawdles as though we have hours and days to spend in bed together. It's such a sweet fucking build. The pressure feels just right. My breaths grow quicker and quicker. Bliss surges through me, but I want more. I need more. I'm whimpering and writhing by the time Cruz reaches my clit. Stars shine before my eyes when he flicks the nub with his tongue. He suckles on it. Lightly at first. Then harder, harder, and harder. I'm trembling on the brink of release. A low, drawn-out moan escapes my lips. He keeps going. He doesn't stop.

Fuck, that feels good!

My climax rolls through me in a beautifully explosive ripple.

Immediately, he grasps my hand and guides it to my core, placing my fingers on my clit. Cruz keeps his hand on mine for a while longer while I start touching myself. Moments later, his fingers slip inside me. Cruz starts pumping the two digits in and out, rubbing along an extra sensitive spot on my upper walls. This makes my orgasm feel ten times better. A hundred times more intense.

"Oh, God," I gasp. "Oh, oh, oh..."

I'm so far gone. I barely hear Cruz when he says, "Hold on..."

He rolls away for a moment to retrieve something from his backpack. Cruz returns to my side within seconds. Condom in one hand. Fisting his cock back to life with his other hand. He rolls the rubber over his length and positions himself at my entrance. Somehow, in my mindless state of pleasure, I manage to wrap my legs around his waist, drawing him closer to me. He presses against my folds. I'm beyond slick and ready for him. He gives a push and slides in with only a little resistance, his sizable shaft stretches me, while I'm still coming down from my incredible pulsating high.

I've never felt so full in my life.

"Shit," I groan, "are you... in?"

"Not yet," he grunts back. "Only the tip."

My pussy flutters in response.

Damn.

Keeping a strong, steady tempo, Cruz fucks me through the tail end of my climax.

In.

God, he's huge.

Out.

I protest with a whimper, feeling empty without him. I'm beginning to adjust to his size.

In, in, in.

Grunting, Cruz shoves into me again, and I fucking love it.

Out.

My sex clenches with need.

In, out, in, out.

Bursts of exhilaration flutter in my core. I look up at him, brown eyes on green, breathless and wanting, and whisper in a shaky voice, "I-I love you so much."

"Love you," Cruz rasps hoarsely, muscles tightening, skin slicked with sweat, "more."

He leans down to kiss me fully on the lips. I close my eyes and let go. I let it all go. All of my stress. My worries. My fears. Squeezing my eyes shut, I give in completely to Cruz. To the tidal wave of pleasure that's about to sweep me away. The sensations consume me, and, before I know it, my body is swept away entirely by another brilliant, blinding release. My walls contract around his cock. Cruz soon loses his rhythm as well, quickening his thrusts, gasping for breath, as he reaches his climax soon after mine.

When I open my eyes again, for some reason, my cheeks feel wet.

Cruz is staring down at me, looking worried as hell. "Baby? What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Words escape me. Silence hangs between us. I feel overcome by this unforgettable moment. Our first time was everything I'd hoped it would be.

And then some.

Yet, I also feel terrified of the fuckery waiting for us beyond this motel room. I'm scared of meeting Nascha. I'm scared of becoming homeless. I'm scared that I won't be able to save my sister or Suzie. That I won't even be able to save myself. That I won't be able to stay strong for Cruz.

The contrast between these two realities threatens to unhinge me.

Feeling a bit crazed, I try to smile through my tears. "Don't worry, I'm fine. You were perfect. Amazing. I just—"

My voice splinters and breaks.

I don't know how to explain the depth of my feelings.

All I know is that I suddenly feel like bawling. I want to weep like a little bitch. Out of sheer happiness. Out of pure distress.

Cruz's arms wrap around me, pulling me to his chest. He's so warm. Solid. I cling to him for dear life as wetness pours down my cheeks. Cruz just holds me. No questions asked. He becomes my anchor as my emotions unravel at tornado-like speeds.

I start heaving and hyperventilating. I can't stop. I become a fucking mess. Ugly tears and a river of snot run down my face for God knows how long. Through it all, Cruz kisses my temples. He rubs my back. His kindness and sweetness trigger something deep and dark inside me.

A revelation crushes me then. It's painful. Merciless. Like a baseball bat to the skull. I didn't realize how broken my heart had been until—

Cruz's love for me.

My love for him.

Our love.

Filled in the cracks.