"Am I sure?" she repeated. She could hardly believe he had said that. She had never known a man who would ask that question. They never thought about how she felt. She took his hand in hers and kissed the palm. "If I wasn't sure before, I am now."
She lay down on the narrow bed. The mattress was hard but the sheet was cool. He lay beside her and said: "What now?"
They were approaching the limits of her experience, but she knew the next step. "Feel me," she said. He touched her tentatively through her clothing. Suddenly she was impatient. She pulled up her petticoat--she had nothing on underneath--and pressed his hand to her mound.
He stroked her, kissing her face, his breath hot and fast. She knew she should be afraid of getting pregnant, but she could not focus on the danger. She was out of control: the pleasure was too intense for her to think. This was as far as she had ever gone with a man, but all the same she knew exactly what she wanted next. She put her lips to his ear and murmured: "Push your finger in."
He did so. "It's all wet," he said wonderingly.
"That's to help you."
His fingers explored her delicately. "It seems so small."
"You'll have to be gentle," she said, although a part of her wanted to be taken furiously.
"Shall we do it now?"
She was suddenly impatient. "Yes, please, quickly."
She sensed him fumbling with his trousers, then he lay between her legs. She was frightened--she had heard stories about how much it hurt the first time--but she was also consumed by longing for him.
She felt him ease into her. After a moment he encountered resistance. He pushed gently, and it hurt. "Stop!" she said.
He looked at her worriedly. "I'm sorry--"
"It will be all right. Kiss me."
He lowered his face to hers and kissed her lips, gently at first and then passionately. She put her hands on his waist, lifted her hips off the bed a little, then pulled him to her. There was a pain, sharp enough to make her cry out, then something gave way inside her and she felt a tremendous release of tension. She broke the kiss and looked at him.
"Are you all right?" he said.
She nodded. "Did I make a noise?"
"Yes, but I don't think anyone heard."
"Don't stop," she said.
He hesitated a moment longer. "Maisie," he murmured, "is this a dream?"
"If it is, let's not wake up yet." She moved against him, guiding him with her hands on his hips. He followed her lead. It reminded her of how they had danced together just a few hours earlier. She gave herself up to the sensation. He began to pant.
