They don't believe in what I'm trying to do. But when my Dad called to tell me Mom was in hospital, I was upset, really upset.''
''Did you go and see her?''
''A couple of times. The first time she was too ill to speak to me, the second time she told me the same old shit. I should go to college and get a good job.''
They walked along the beach, the wind blowing their hair backwards . Shifty took her hand, Cara's heart leaped.
''You know it's going to come good for you. You're really talented. Talent always wins out in the end,'' she said.
He stopped, cradled her face and kissed her. The wind howled between their heads as their lips lingered. ''Thank you. You're the only person in the world who has any faith in me.''
''That can't be true.''
''It is. Mom and Dad don't, and I don't have anybody else except you.''
''Well you certainly have me,'' she said, reaching up to kiss him again. ''I'm your biggest fan.''
It was mid afternoon when they got back to Cara's room. When they 'd walked on the beach and had lunch in another seedy cafe, she'd known that this was the day when they'd make love. Her promise to herself that she'd never bring a man back to her room was long forgotten . She closed the door behind them and pushed him onto the bed. She closed the curtains and straddled his midriff.
''I'm a virgin,'' she said bluntly.
His expression didn't change. ''So?''
''I thought you'd be disappointed.''
''Why the hell would I be disappointed? Every man wants a virgin.''
''Do they?'' she asked, surprised.
''Come here,'' he said pulling her off him. They lay next to each other and kissed. It was the first time she'd ever felt a man's desire. It was pushing against her leg as they kissed deeper, faster. She was going to let him lead; she wondered if she should touch him there, but he would tell her when she was sure.
As they lay side by aide, she felt him pulling her blouse from her jeans, then his fingers at the buttons. She lay there and let him undress her. It was exciting, and she wanted to be his present: a present he was eager to unpack. With her blouse discarded, he turned his attention to her breasts. They were large, and the sight of them in her bra drove him to another level of excitement. Cara felt his manhood throbbing against her leg and wondered again whether she should touch him. She decided she should. When she touched him, he groaned. Thinking it was painful, she took her hand away. He put it back. She rubbed him as he unhooked her bra and took a nipple in his mouth. She felt the warmth between her legs growing and shoved her pelvis against him. He sucked more urgently and dropped his hands to her jeans.
Her thoughts turned to the hair between her legs and whether he would like it or not. Maybe she should have shaved. But she didn't know she was going to have sex today.
The top button snapped open, and she felt his hand sliding inside. She held her breath and waited for a cry of disgust as his hand found a thick mat of dark hair. But no cry came, just a gentle groan of satisfaction as his fingers discovered how ready she was.
''Okay?'' she asked nervously.
''More than okay. You're so sexy.''
She relaxed and let him slide the jeans over her legs. When he did, he was overcome by the sight of her long legs and rounded hips. Now he was in a hurry. He sat up, discarded his shirt and opened his jeans.
Cara didn't look at his tattoos. She'd do that later, now all she was interested in was his penis. His legs were long and slender and covered with a layer of blonde hair. It was the first time she'd seen a man with an erection and she reached inside his shorts and held him. She instinctively began to rub up and down. He pushed her hand away and took off the flimsy material. He was long and hard, and she loved the smooth feel of him. She also wondered what it would feel like inside her.
She didn't have to wait long. He lay on top of her pushed her legs open and guided himself inside her, as gently as he