I rolled to my back.

"I don't know if that's a compliment or the truth," I smiled.

She turned pink. "Callum. Andrew."

"What? Humor is a good tension breaker."

She fell silent, and I closed my eyes, letting her have a moment to think. But with my eyes closed I felt that same comfort come over me whenever she was near. My body was being dragged down toward sleep. I felt the drift, just as I felt her lips on my chest, her hair softly whispering across my stomach.

She looked down to me, and said, "Your kiss feels like fireworks."

I sat up and instantly tasted her lips, again. Everly wasn't as shy as before. I pulled her onto my lap; so out of line, so needful of her. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and returned soft kisses. Too soft. Too innocent.

"I need to feel," she whispered. "You don't understand how much."

"I do, Topolina." I kissed along her throat. "I understand so very, very much."

Everly pulled me down as she eased on to her back. I tried to rest on my palms, framing her head, to keep distance between us, but it was futile as she ran her hands along my back, to my ribs, hipbones . . .

I didn't need to graduate at the top of my class to guess where she was heading . . .

A mantra of, "I can't take this girl out of lust. I can't ruin her with my needfulness," ran through my mind as I felt her hand slip lower, lower . . .

"Everly Anne," I whispered, taking her hands into mine, trying to reassure her she didn't do anything wrong-hell-she couldn't possibly be doing anything more right. But I failed.

Her eyes grew shy, and she quickly pushed me up.

"I'm sorry," she said breathlessly.

I thumbed her cheek. "You didn't do anything wrong. We just have to slow down for a minute or else that inner beast I warned you about will take over."

She nodded silently.

Softly I kissed her. "Does that feel good, Farfalla?"

She nodded. I kissed her again.

"You mean something," I vowed. "Understand?"

She kissed me back. "I trust you, Callum."

"Do you?"

"More than anyone," she whispered.

She let me explore her in warm breaths and soft kisses. My lips adored her hipbones and navel. My fingers trailed along her sides and kissed her goosebumps. I marveled at how ticklish she was. I breathed along her throat. My hands ghosted along her breasts. Goose-bumps rose just like tickling her side; her tiny, pink, nipples grew taut, enticing my mouth.

"You're so beautiful, Everly Anne." I surrounded her with my lips, and she breathed out. "You have no idea how much I want you."

"Callum," she hummed my name as I palmed her breast. "Slow down."

I slid my hand to her hip. "I'm sorry. I'll stop."

She shook her head, taking my hand and putting it back on her breast. "I mean go slower. You feel so good, but you have to go slow or I miss the feeling."

"Miss?" I wondered.

She blinked. "I can't feel everything like you can. Like other girls get to appreciate. Your warmth. How you smell. Some of your touching. I have less senses. I have to pay more attention. It's easier if you go slower."

I nodded. "But this all feels good, right?"

She put her hand on my face. "Fireworks."

Everly elected to "eat" dinner in the privacy of my room rather than with my family. I told a lie about the sun and too much fresh air so I could join her sans Marta's never ending list of what I should do. I ate most of my food but her full plate rested on the dresser as she flipped through the channels.