Dahlia might have objected to the absence of his lips on her's if the sensation of his lips on her jaw hadn't been so.... so.... Dahlia didn't even have a word for what it was making her feel. And yet she also had absolutely no idea what to do with herself while he kissed her jaw. At the sudden self conscious thought Dahlia was suddenly aware of everything again, the heat, and Merlin's Beard had she just made that whimpering noise? Her knees were quite literally weak and her breathe was coming out in short puffs as she hugged him closer, but what else ought she to do?

Maybe if they sat down she'd feel less awkward? "Q-Quin?" Her ragged breathing had her stumbling over the most basic word. "Maybe we could sit down?" Arms loosened around him as she accidently tried to gesture as well as speak. Apparently embraces and passionate necking did not mix well with gesturing while speaking.

  

---

Pretties by Bee <3

And there it was.

Quin couldn't even find it within himself to be annoyed or frustrated, just worried this was going to set the tone for the rest of their marriage.

Loosing the desperation in his grip with a deep breath, he kept her upright as she wobbled, stepping half a step back, hands coming to rest gently on her waist for support. "Maybe we should just go to bed?" There was no rush, no urgency in getting this all in tonight. It had been a long day, it was a lot of emotion and exhaustion running high and he didn't want her to feel pressured. There was nothing wrong with getting some much-needed sleep and he hoped the expression on his face was reassuring to that fact.

---

  

---

There was no doubt in her mind that she had done something wrong, not with that suggestion. "N-no!" Goddess above she had to sound like a strumpet with such an objection. "I-I-" Dahlia threw her hands up in frustration. "I just don't know what I'm doing." She moaned, her hands covering her eyes in abject mortification. This was so, so, very much worse than she had imagined.

  

---

Pretties by Bee <3

Quin was starting to feel like he was mangling this even worse than anticipated. "I don't either," he assured her gently, unsure of what to now with her upset. Clearly he didn't know the right course of action, as he kept doing or saying the wrong thing.

"There's no need to do anything tonight, it's been a long, busy, lovely day and we're both tired and there's a weird expectation that legitimately nobody will know about aside from us." He sighed softly and ran his hands up and down her arms. Quin hated to see her upset or frustrated, but he was at a loss too.

---

  

---

"Really?" Dahlia tilted her face up to search his eyes, surprised at this revelation. She had thought that Quin, in fact that most men, knew what to do in the bedroom. Wasn't it only young ladies who were kept in the dark? And if he didn't have any idea what to do did that mean he hadn't been with another lady? He wasn't comparing her to someone else?

"It's just...." She bit her lip as she tried to think of the words. "I feel like I'm letting you down if we just go to bed. That I won't be a good wife." Mortification didn't even begin to cover how she felt when her words broke as if she were about to cry. Merlin, he was going to think she was such a little girl, not a lady at all. Trying to discreetly sniff she added, "Won't that just make it all that much worse tomorrow?"

  

---

Pretties by Bee <3

"For the most part, yes." Quin knew the mechanics of what was supposed to happen, but no idea how to appropriately execute it. He had no actual experience outside of a few heated exchanges in his kitchen with his best friend's sister. That was not the point though.

"Dahlia," he turned the thoughts over in his head, trying to find the right words. "I don't have any expectations of you, if you're not ready, you're not ready, we have an entire marriage ahead of us, it's just one night." His hand came to rest on her upper arms, looking down at her earnestly. Quin didn't want her to feel like she had to do anything just to please him or keep him from feeling disappointed. He really wasn't any of the above, he just wanted her to feel comfortable.

---

  

---

For the most part? What was that supposed to mean? Dahlia's thoughts would have begun to spiral if Quin hadn't started talking.

He looked so honest, so very much like her Quin. The kind considerate man who made her heart flutter, who made her whole body feel as if it was burning, who felt like the safest place in the entire world. How could she convey her gratitude for him? Her fingers reached up and traced his jaw line, the stubble rubbing against her finger tips as her gaze followed her fingers. "And if I am ready?" Much to her shame her voice was still teary and small. But she just didn't know how to explain to him what she was feeling, how, she was feeling. "I just don't know how to go about it." She admitted. Would he tell her if she was doing something wrong?

The following 1 user Likes Dahlia Honeyduke's post:1 user Likes Dahlia Honeyduke's post
   Daffodil Grimstone

---

Pretties by Bee <3

Fortunately they were back on the same page and Quin let out a little chuckle, relieved he hadn't gone and done anything wrong. She didn't sound too confident, but he didn't think she wasn't being truthful either. They were approaching this with about the same about of knowledge and maybe he should have been more forthcoming with his own thoughts.

Gently he brushed his thumb across her cheek. "I know it's supposed to go, the basics," he admitted with a wry smile. "But how to go about it well is another story entirely." The fundamental basics of knowing where to put it was about all he did have going for him. He didn't have an experience and lacked finesse in most aspects of his life, here included.

Quin assumed her mother had also told her how it was supposed to go, and he hoped to Merlin she'd been realistic about it. From what he knew, the first time was probably not the best time, but after that it got better. Hopefully. "I'm happy to go at your pace, with whatever you are comfortable with, if you trust me to take the lead. Just tell me to stop if you need me to, or something isn't right." He wouldn't be upset of frustrated, not when she was his first priority.

---

  

---

That was reassuring. He wouldn't be measuring her up to anyone. She could just be herself. His thumb left a trail of heat across her cheek as she shyly met his eyes.

"I trust you." She whispered into the air between them her eyes looking up. She hoped he could see what she felt in her eyes, hoped he knew her heart beat for him and that she wanted this to start off right. She pressed up on her toes and kissed his lips again. "I trust you." She repeated against his lips, trying to make sure he understood.

The following 1 user Likes Dahlia Honeyduke's post:1 user Likes Dahlia Honeyduke's post
   Daffodil Grimstone

---

Pretties by Bee <3

Quin also had to trust in her that she was ready— that she trusted him here almost put too much pressure on the situation, but he could hopefully handle it. He knew the first time wasn't generally the best, but hopefully it would be good enough. Neither one of them had anything to compare anything to anyway.

Giving himself a moment, Quin could focus on moving slow by at least starting where they were comfortable. He slid the hand on her cheek to the back of her neck gently, trying to keep the intensity light for the moment. Quin pulled her in close again, daring to venture from her lips once more, he pressed his against her neck and racing pulse. There were far too many layers for him to even begin to think about where to start there so he slid his hand up into her hair, pulling at the pins he could find easily, letting them clatter to the floor. He was rewarded with the fresh scent of her hair that had him tightening his hold on her even more. That was an unexpected sensation and he was reacting pure impulse, all while trying to keep a clear enough head to read her reactions.

---

  

---

His lips met her's, the spikes of tenderness and heat that had been there in the stolen kisses of their courtship returned. Dahlia fell into the feelings this time, into the sensations, pressing closer to Quin, hardly realizing her fingers had pushed into the short strands of his hair except for the delightful sensesation it was sending through each finger as she allowed herself to feel this pleasure. His mouth moved from her lips to her jaw, her neck and ... oh! She had never felt anything like it before. His hand was gently tugging at her hair, distracting her ever so slightly from the heavenly pressure of his lips. Some part of her mind realized she had made a small noise, but the rest of her trusted him, let herself lose herself in the moment, pressing even closer to him.

Idly, Dahlia wondered what his skin felt like, let her fingers slide like flower petals down his neck, into his collar, around the front of his neck. But there was a cravat and vest and shirt to content with. A frustrated mew came out of Dahlia's mouth at this realization as she pulled back slightly to glare at the offending items of clothing.

  

---

Pretties by Bee <3

Quin was far too focused on what his hands were doing to really focus on Dahlia's but as she leaned back, looking at him with her hair loose and her eyes wild, it wasn't hard to see that she might actually be ready. Warm now, Quin loosened the tie at his neck with one hand, pulling it off and tossing it aside. There were a lot of buttons between them and the end goal, but they had to start sometime.

Gently he slid his hands down over her shoulders to the buttons on the bodice of her dress. Quin wasn't confident enough to try buttons and kissing at the same time, trying to focus on keeping things somewhat predictable. Fortunately at least his hands worked and he was able to get the bodice undone, running his hands back up under the fabric to slide it off her shoulders. Skimming his fingers up her bare arm, he moved to undo the buttons of his vest, adding that to the growing pile on the floor.

"I have no idea how to work that," He chuckled, tugging at the top of the corset with a finger, leaning in again to kiss her softly.

---

  

---

Quin seemed to understand her look, the pout on her tender lips, for he reached up and removed the tie with much more ease than Dahlia would ever have been able to. Her fingers began to edge into his collar but stopped as she felt his hands moving down her body, the warm pressure as they moved over her breasts to the buttons making her wish he'd go back to kissing her.

Unfortunately, however much Dahlia might want him closer to her, the time it took for him to unbutton her made her feel nervous again. She tried to focus on any sensations the brushes of his fingers might cause but the maiden cursed corset seemed to prevent that. Instead a nervous giggle escaped her lips. He began to unbutton his own vest, Dahlia standing rather still wishing he was kissing her again, that way she could forget it all again and lose herself in the sensation. At last the vest was off and she was extremely grateful that Quin pulled her back in close.

Not wanting to wait through any further awkward undressing, Dahlia nestled back into him, returning his kiss and allowing her hands to rove under his collar as she demanded, "Then just kiss me." His skin was so soft, so warm, so beautiful to touch under her fingers as they dipped to his collarbones. But then they caught on the buttons on his shirt. Trying to distract him as she fumbled with the buttons, "Kiss me, and I'll show you how to work it." She was trying to be coy and playful, but honestly she suspected she just sounded.... not herself.

  

---

Pretties by Bee <3

Directions. Quin could follow directions. Directions were good. So he did what he was told, letting her take the lead for a moment as she seemed wont to do. A little shiver ran over his skin at the feeling of her fingertips under the collar of his shirt, but Quin was still focused on her and trying to just let her explore the sensations and the moment.

Still, he was a little frustrated by the corset and so he gave it another tug, pulling her back against him, hands roaming as he kissed her. Gently he nipped at her bottom lip and his fingers found the ties of her skirt. Maybe he could pull off this, ties were much easier than buttons.

The distraction of the thrum of excitement in his veins was finally giving him at least a little courage and so Quin dared to dip a little lower, lips running along the sensitive skin of her neck, over her exposed shoulder and back to her mouth. He sincerely hoped she'd show him how to get that Merlin-forsaken torture device off sooner rather than later.

---

  

---

With her hands searching for his buttons, Dahlia barely registered him tugging at the ties to her skirt, until there was a gap of air hitting her chemise. A only one tie had loosened, Dahlia took stock. Her fingers were shaking as she worked a button through the button hole. This was a task she'd done a million times in her life, well not on a man, but she'd buttoned and unbuttoned plenty of frocks for herself and her sisters... no, now was not the time to consider that. Quin tugged at another tie, but this time it managed to tightened, likely knot. Her fingers went to the next button, half way there. His lips trailed along her neck and collar and then lower. A noise of surprise and delight pressed out of Dahlia and she gave up on the buttons.

"Quin," She gasped, pushing him away very so slightly and turning exposing her back to him so he could see the laces. She ought to have gone with her mother's suggestion of a front lacing corset, she realized belatedly. But there was no way her shaking fingers would manage the small hook and eye clips that she'd naively insisted would be alright. "The laces." As she stood there, one hand pressed against her stomach, the other gripping the fabric of her skirt, Dahlia realized hazily that her breath was coming in shallow puffs, her cheeks were rough from his stubble, and she was quite certain something was melting in that most impolite spot of her body.

  

---

Pretties by Bee <3

Better. This was good. Just get lost in the natural flow of the moment. Well, he worried for a moment as she pushed him back a bit, that she was overwhelmed again, but as she presented him with the laces of the corset, he realized that was certainly not the case.

Quin tugged the ties free from where they were tucked and pulled at the laces, unsure of how much force he could use, but working through the impatience building up in his system. He felt like he was making progress, but he also wondered just how she was supposed to get it off completely, he had a lot to learn about women's undergarments apparently. It was loosened as far as he could get it without pulling the laces out entirely, but maybe she could just slip it over her head?

He was sure she would know how best to proceed from there, but his hands itched to keep contact, so he gently brushed her hair from her neck as she still faced away from him, dipping down to run his hand over her skin and then his lips.

---

  

---