Nathan was underneath. He looked down the length of her. Smooth. She was so smooth, except for two small mounds that hung towards him. The backs of his hands were on the floor by his ears. Laura had her hands on his forearms, and she squeezed them. He had been holding his breath, afraid to dissolve the moment. Her hair tickled his neck.
“Breathe, silly,” Laura said.
She blew her hot breath into his ear and around it. He took a breath, reaching for her with his chest. He had previously lost his shirt in the wrestling match. Her clothes were in some other part of the room. His pants kept them apart, but he wanted more.
His arms still pinned, he opened his hands wide, asking to hold her. He opened his eyes, not realizing he had closed them. Her nose floated close to his.
She said, “I want to. It’s okay.”
He smiled.
She reached down with her right hand, freeing his left. He pulled her head down towards him. He wanted to kiss her, but she veered. She put her cheek next to his. He could feel her breathing. Ragged. He pressed his cheek against hers in an awkward, childish embrace. She pushed back, hard. He felt his lower clothes adjust, and she exhaled through her mouth. Heat. He felt her lips touch his ear. It was like touching her entirety.
In a rushing moment, it was as if the cooing of doves had become a feeling. There were no hands in the embrace. He heard her gasp. He wanted to say something beautiful, but couldn’t remember anything important. He felt the way he did when he learned his mother had died.
