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Unsure feet continued down the slope of the forest floor toward the sound of flute music. Dani was trying not to be upset, trying to force herself to at least smile at the banter of her boyfriend and his friends teasing each other, or rather, Mark, for his fear of ticks, but she was struggling with that. Coming down from the shrooms, her mouth was dry and her head hurt, she was trying to stay in the moment, watching the yellow flowers come in larger, thicker patches, but it was a struggle. Dani shut her eyes briefly, she knew why today was so hard, it was her first birthday without her family.
Terri wouldn’t ever text her, her dad wouldn’t shout ‘Happy Birthday’ really loud through the phone, and never again would she get to eat a birthday cake made by her mother - deep breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth, Dani tried to calm herself, but the dark thoughts kept spinning. Christian forgot. Dani is sure he’s forgotten, anyway. When she woke up this morning and he helped her off the ground he didn’t wish her a happy birthday and he hasn’t said anything to her on this hike through the woods yet, either. Glancing over her shoulder, she looks at Christian, looks at the smile he has for his friends. He’s laughing at what Josh just said to Mark about how his grandparents died from ticks, Mark is telling Josh he's NOT funny, contrary to Christian’s laughter, and Pelle had a smile on his face, like he was just so happy that his friends were happy. Facing forward again, she blinked back the sting from her eyes. Christian always had a smile for the guys, but lately it feels like the smiles he aims at her are more of a grimace.
Up ahead Dani could spot an archway, a clearing, the flute music was getting louder. As the group walks up through the archway, ahead of her Dani could see Ingmar lead Connie and Simon away towards a small group of people. Christian, beside her, was looking around wide-eyed.
“Pelle, you know all these people?” he asked, faintly.
Dani could understand the faint feeling, while the commune didn’t seem very large, there were about 200 people, all in the white homemade clothing Pelle had shown her on his phone a couple weeks ago. Children running around, giggling and having fun. Women were chatting together as they worked in the garden, looking into each other's faces and smiling, laughing. Men giving each other hugs in greeting, happy to see fathers and brothers again now that they were home.
“These are my family!” the boisterous reply, completed with a wide smile. Pelle ran off towards a group of people, and tapped a girl on the shoulder. While they started talking Dani kept looking around with the others.
Some children approached them with berries strung on grass, offering to take their bags. As Dani thanks them and hands off her backpack, Pelle returns holding the hand of a pretty, slender girl dressed all in white.
“Hey guys, this is my sister Dagny, born on the exact same day as me. This is Dani, Josh, Mark and Christian.” Pelle introduced them one by one and Dagny followed with her eyes, but she brought them back to Dani to say:
“Välkommen till Hårga.”
“Tack!” Dani, said brightly and was answered with a happy scrunched face smile, Dagny turned her head and smiled at Pelle before lifting her hand in good-bye and abruptly leaving, Pelle smiling at her retreating form
The group began to move further into the farmstead, everywhere Dani looked there were people in beautiful, handmade white linen clothes. Green grass, beautiful yellow flowers dotting the area like miniature bursts of sun. Deep breaths, it felt easier to do that here, to breathe. It was so beautiful, and the people seemed so warm and friendly. Speaking of people - an older man has walked up to the group:
“Father Odd!” Pelle lights up and opens his arms,
“Lilla Pelle!” Father Odd smiles and returns the hug, touching his forehead to Pelle’s, “Hur är pilgrimsfärden?”
“Underbart, fantastiskt.”
Odd moved out of Pelle’s embrace, and looked at the group, his eyes slid to Dani last and widened. “Herregud är det här hon? Hon är vacker.” He said evenly, smiling and turning to Pelle.
Pelle, pink in the cheeks replied, “Here, English. These are my friends - Christian, Mark, Josh, Dani…” Odd shakes their hands as Pelle introduces them, “ Hello, hello, yes, welcome, welcome - Welcome home.” Odd hugs Dani.
“Thank you!” she laughs a little awkwardly.
“We are very happy to have you! Pelle has an immaculate sense for people.” Pelle smiled at the praise.
After some brief conversation and more welcomes, Odd bids them to enjoy all the festivities that would be starting up soon. The group, at Pelle’s gesture, started walking towards a platform situated in front of a Maypole dressed in greenery, others of the village gathering with them. A strong looking Elder woman stepped forward on the platform and began to welcome them, Dani felt taken by the woman’s sure words and strong presence. Whenever someone has welcomed them in Hårga it has felt genuine, and it made Dani feel a little guilty, but she felt like they were welcoming her, especially. Or maybe it’s the Aquavit they all just drank that makes her feel welcome.
Pelle excused himself briefly and headed towards a large building, Dani’s eyes followed him until he walked through the door. Once he was out of her view she blinked, she’d been staring after Pelle a lot since they’d entered Hårga, why? Insecurity gripped her, and the calming breaths started. Why was she so worried about where Pelle was of all people? Dani’s eyes slide to her left where Christian was looking around, not concerned. He was distracted by all the people, the green, the flowers but not Dani. She knew it was probably her anxiety that had her focused so intently on Pelle, she was nervous being somewhere she didn’t know, but he knew the area and she knew him. That was probably it, she shook her head to herself, she just felt anxious. A flash of movement caught her attention, Pelle was leaving the building and walking towards them. He had put on a Hårga style shirt, and left it untied over his blue t-shirt, his hair brushed against the embroidered collar. Maybe she was so worried because she didn’t know anyone here, and Pelle was the local who knew everyone but when he smiled at them as he approached, she felt her stomach clench in a way that she didn’t think had anything to do with her anxiety.
“Why don’t we all go sit over on the grass, I think my brothers and sisters are going to start playing a game.”
A round of agreements rang out, and the group started shuffling over to the patch of grass that their friend had indicated. They arrange themselves on the mats laid out, and Dani starts when the music suddenly begins. Her eyes get drawn to the dancers, a trill gets called out, and they begin a rhythmic trot. It almost reminds her of a conga line of ballet dancers as they twine through the green grass. Dani feels her shoulders begin to move and a smile starts on her face
“You should join,” Pelle tilted his head toward the dancers, hair brushing against the collar of the shirt he’d changed into. His blue eyes looking straight at Dani, a gentle smile on his face.
“Oh I’m too scared.” Dani said, bringing her hand up to her cheek. When she did, she noticed that Pelle’s eyes were crinkled at the corners until they quickly tore away and Dani saw Simon approaching.
“Ah, thanks babe.” Connie said as Simon handed her a beer and sat down, he asked “What are the kids playing?”
“Skin the fool.” Ingmar replied, as the dancers started winding past the group sitting on the grass. As they did Christian suddenly asked Pelle if anyone could join.
“You’re an American, just jam yourself in there.” He laughed, as Christian, Mark and Josh all ran off to join.
Dani watched him go with a heaviness that she felt on the back of her neck. Disappointment was something she was familiar with but she still couldn’t quite get over that he forgot her first birthday without her family. And since when did he like dancing anyway?
“”Hey,” Softly, behind her. Dani turned to look at Pelle, “Happy birthday.”
He reached out and handed her the most beautiful drawing. It was of her, a sultry look in her eyes, Mona Lisa smile on her mouth, bedecked in a Hårga flower crown. “Oh my gosh, Pelle!” Dani couldn’t believe it. Someone had remembered.
“It’s just something I do for birthdays,” Pelle smiles, and then he hesitates as though a thought had just occurred to him. “Maybe it’s not appropriate?”
“No no no no, not at all. Thank you so much! It's beautiful.”
“Anyway, just between us.” That gave Dani pause, if this is just a birthday present why does it need to be a secret? Her stomach clenched again.
“Yeah well Christian forgot anyways, so this is amazing, thank you.”
“Oh.” It hung heavy in the air.
“No no, I forgot to remind him and, and it’s not his fault. It’s- Nevermind, it’s okay. This is beautiful. Thank you so much for this. I'm really touched.” Dani quickly stuttered out a reply and smiled at Pelle. He smiled back but seemed to look a little sad? Dani scrambled trying to think of something to say.
“Hey, would you want to show us around? I mean, it’s really beautiful here, I’d love to learn about it.” He lit up like the sun, his eyes meeting hers,
“I’d love to! Let's grab the others shall we?”
***** *****
***** *****
The farmstead was beautiful! Pelle pointed out some school lessons that were happening, the children were carving runes that they would put underneath their pillows and dream of their powers. He looked at Dani when he said it, and smiled warmly - Dani smiled back a little shyly, her stomach clenched again. Then after awkwardly telling Christian that he also forgot how long they’d been together, not that he realized he’d forgotten her birthday, she was rescued by Pelle offering to show them the main building he had gone into earlier, which he informed them was where they would be sleeping.
It was incredible, Dani felt the collective awe upon entering the building. All of them were speechless. Pelle added to the beauty of the atmosphere by talking about how life is like seasons, and sharing a joke with her. She felt comfortable enough to wander around, and she came across a wall filled with different picture frames. Each photo was of a beautiful Hårga woman, with a crown of flowers and a beatific smile on her face. Dani turned and walked a few steps into the more main area, she wanted to ask about the photos when she saw Pelle talking to Christian. She couldn’t hear what they were saying but they were talking fast and Christian seemed stressed,
“Are these the May queens?” Dani heard herself speak, Pelle turned abruptly towards her.
“Uh, yeah,” He gestured to the bed behind him, while barely turning from Dani, “Right. You’ll actually be here for that.”
Josh came over and talked with Pelle about the May queens, his gentle lilting voice bringing the dance celebration and fun to life for Dani, for a bit, before Chrisitan came over and asked if he could talk to her outside for a moment. Dani felt a little bloom of panic rise in her throat; what was wrong? But when she went outside with him he produced a piece of cake with a candle in it and started singing happy birthday. For a brief second, excitement flickered in Dani before she paused and realized that he’d have had no way to organize this. He had forgotten - and Pelle was reminding him. The realization that she had interrupted Pelle telling her boyfriend that he had forgotten her and giving him something to give her crashed through Dani like a meteor.
She told Chrisitan the truth, she wasn’t mad at him but she should be. She wasn’t mad. She was starting to get confused though, instead of feeling hurt by Christian she felt exhilarated to realize Pelle cared about her to the point that he’d tell Christian to make her feel cared about on her birthday. She blew out the candle.
***** ******
***** ******
She could see the paintings on the ceiling. It was late, but not dark. Dani knew it was only her second night in Sweden, her first in Hårga, and that it would take a lot longer to get used to the midnight sun, but it was so frustrating. Everyone else seemed to be sleeping just fine! Well, actually, now that she thought about it she had seen that young couple sneak out earlier, but she also knew that sleep had been the furthest thing from their minds. Sleep was also the furthest thing from hers. Heaving a sigh, Dani rolled over to face Christian.
He was facing away from her, his blanket pulled up over his shoulders, breathing deep and even. Frowning in the dark, Dani thought about her birthday again. Christian had forgotten, and tried to play it off, the only reason he acknowledged it at all was because his friend had told him. Pelle had remembered her birthday, he’d even given her that beautiful drawing of herself which she had tucked carefully away with her belongings. She rolled over again facing the other way, towards Pelle.
He was laying on his back, one arm at his side, one curled up behind his head. He looked completely peaceful, breathing evenly. She took this time to observe him, no one was around to notice after all and she could really look at him. Biting her bottom lip, Dani let her eyes roam starting at the top. Pelle had a handsome face, baby-faced really, but the beard made him look a little rugged. His long hair was curled and fell over the bicep that was behind his head. As her eyes slid down his body Dani realized he was holding something in the hand at his side. A pencil?
She cast her eyes around briefly and spotted his red sketchbook on the floor next to his bed, folded open, but drawing down. Her eyes darted upwards again, Pelle hadn’t moved, he was sleeping soundly. Would he be upset if she looked at his drawings? He had seemed a little bit bashful earlier, but he was a beautiful artist. She gently untangled her hand from her blanket and reached forward, she would just flip it over and see what he had been drawing before he went to sleep. Leaning forward, her torso almost entirely out of bed, Dani gently grabbed the book. With one more glance upward to make sure Pelle was still asleep, she flipped in over and set it silently on the ground and looked at a picture of… her.
But it wasn’t like the picture he had given her earlier, this one was much more risqué. He had drawn her almost like a pin up, bare legged with a fluffy sweater on, which was hiding almost all of her. Her hair was in its customary bun, a few strands around her flushed face, the picture wasn’t quite done but it looked so beautiful. Her stomach clenched. Dani glanced back up, Pelle was still asleep, so she turned the page as quietly as she could. The next picture was also of her.
Dani looked up sharply at Pelle, sleeping soundly, her stomach clenched and she felt herself start to become wet. This picture was of her, completely laying on her back, biting a finger and looking back at Dani as though staring down a camera lens. Pelle had drawn her with round hips and perky breasts, soft thighs and a thatch of pubic hair that didn’t match her hair but rather her eyebrows. The Dani in this picture looked shy but also like she was teasing, like she knew what she was doing. Dani couldn’t help herself, she flipped the page.
It was a drawing of her, but this time she wasn’t alone. Pelle had drawn himself behind her. They were both kneeling and he had one hand on her breast and the other between her legs, he had drawn it as though he were whispering in her ear, and the Dani in the picture had her hand secured in Pelle’s hair behind their heads as she gave herself over to passion. Dani clenched her thighs together, feeling more aroused than she had in a long time. This is how Pelle saw her. Beautiful, in his home with a crown of flowers; Soft and in a sweater, smiling at him; looking at him, shyly teasing; giving herself over to her passions with him. She reached forward and turned the page.
Just as she went to pull her hand away from the book a hand clamped firmly around her wrist. Dani gasped and looked up. Pelle wasn’t looking at her, he was staring at his sketchbook with his blazing blue eyes, a flush on his cheeks. He let go of her quickly and closed the book before looking at her.
“Åh fan.” he whispered under his breath.
Pelle sat up in his bed, swinging his legs over the side. As his feet touched the floor Dani finally managed to scoot herself quietly as far back on her bed as she could, cheeks burning. She didn’t think she’d ever felt so embarrassed.
“Let’s go outside and talk, Dani. Please.” Pelle whispered quickly. His eyes darted between her and the door. Dani thought to herself, she’d never seen him look nervous before.
“Okay,” she whispered back and swung her feet down to put on her sneakers.
As they slipped through the main door and started down the path towards the tree line a thick silence descended upon them. Dani couldn’t handle it for long.
“I’m sorry I looked at your sketchbook without permission,” she started, talking very fast, “ I couldn’t sleep and I saw it sitting next to your bed and I really liked the picture you gave me for my birthday so I, I just thought… I don’t really know what I thought.” she finished lamely, It didn’t seem like an adequate apology let alone a good one.
“I’m the one who should be apologizing to you.” Pelle spoke quietly, but he looked at her when he did. “Lets go over here, there are some rocks by the lakeshore, we can sit and talk.”
He led her down a path through some trees to the lake side, there were several large rocks that sat around the water's edge, Pelle held his hand out to her and helped her climb atop a flat one sitting off to the side. Pelle sat down beside her and sighed.
“I’m sorry, Dani. It’s inappropriate to draw you in situations like that. It’s just -” he cut himself off, looking down “Christian talks about it.” he mumbled.
Dani sat still for a minute. She wasn’t shocked that Christian talked about their sex life, after all she had talked about it to Amy or even Terri once or twice. But with the sinking feeling in her gut, she knew Pelle had not heard good things.
“Oh?” She whispered, and looked off across the lake.
Pelle looked at her then, searing blue eyes glowing at her in the perpetual twilight, he looked electrified. “Yes, he did,” His voice was stronger too
“And every time he spoke I knew he wasn’t giving you what you needed, I knew he wasn’t taking his time and building you up before bringing you to ruin. Dani - for months all I’ve wanted to do is hold you. And build you up,”
Dani realized just a little too late how closely she was leaning into Pelle, his voice having gone back down to a whisper. They were so close, she could smell his woodsy soap, she could see herself reflected in his eyes. They were nose to nose when he whispered,
“For months I’ve wanted to bring you to ruin, because you have utterly ruined me.”
And it was like a wire snapped. Dani reached forward and grabbed Pelle’s shirt in her fists at the same time that Pelle reached forward and took her face in his hands. They brought their lips together in a searing kiss. Dani felt light headed, her teeth scraped along his bottom lip and with a groan he opened his mouth and sought entrance to hers, their tongues battling for dominance neither would win.
Dani’s mind raced. He tasted herbal, like thyme and mint and honey. His hands were so warm on her face, one trailing down to her neck, stroking a thumb just under her ear. Pelle’s lips separated from hers with a gasp, but he wasted no time trailing small kisses along her jaw and down her throat, she gasped for breath and ground her thighs together. Dani had never felt so turned on in her life.
“Du luktar så söt och du smakar så bra. Detta måste vara en dröm.” He whispered into the hollow of her throat. Dani didn’t understand the words, but his voice was rough and gravelly and she felt her stomach clench again, tension coiled within her.
Dani ran her hands up his chest and over his shoulders, grasping them and trying to pull him even closer to her. His other hand left her face and he wrapped that arm around her waist and pulled her up into his lap, her legs on either side of him, straddling his lap. Pelle groaned deep in his chest when her hot core came in contact with his swollen length, and Dani let out a gasp.
“Åh älskling, jag vill ha dig så illa.” Pelle’s rough voice in her ear, he was in a place where he seemed to forget she only spoke english, or she had gotten him to a place where he didn’t know what language he was speaking.
The thought caused her to groan lightly and roll her hips against his, seeking friction. Her hands started balling up his shirt and trying to tug it over his head. His lips left her décolletage for a brief second, for him to yank his shirt over his head, his skin revealed to her Dani ran her hands across the expanse of his chest causing him to drag in a shuddering breath. He slowly returned his hands to her, both hands around her waist just slightly under her tank top, his thumbs stroking over her hips, his eyes locked onto hers.
“Dani, älskling, please.” He sounded desperate, like those words were forced from his throat, like he only knew how to beg for her and nothing else.
It was a heady feeling, one she’d never felt before in her life. She knew it was wrong, she knew she’ll have to deal with the consequences later, but for the first time in a long time she felt in control, she felt seen, she felt so good.
“Yes, yes Pelle.” She grasped his face in her small hands and pulled their lips back together. Pelle groaned in his throat and leaned forward, placing one hand behind Dani’s head to cushion it as he lifted her and shifted them so she was laying on her back on the rock and he was positioned on top of her.
He removed his lips from her again, so she could sit up slightly and shift until it was possible to pull her shirt over her head, once it was removed their eyes locked. Pelle looked utterly destroyed, Dani felt dizzy with the knowledge that this calm, steadfast man was a tense coil of nervous energy because of her. His eyes were roving her chest, she hadn’t worn a bra to bed so her bare skin was exposed to him, he lowered his one hand to her right breast, and gently stroked it. Dani couldn’t control the whimper that came out of her, and Pelle surged forward to begin kissing her chest, his fingers finding her nipple, tearing more whimpers and sighs from Dani’s throat.
“I could kiss you forever and never tire of it.” His gravelly voice reaches her ears, his warm breath is gusting over her skin. “If you were the last thing I saw before the gods struck my eyesight from me I would let it happen happily.” His lips wrapped around her left nipple, while his fingers still played with her right.
Dani was so wet, she could feel it start to seep through her sleep shorts. She had never had a man devote this much attention to her, to making her feel good. His hand left her breast and began trailing down her stomach, his lips leaving her nipple. He looked into her eyes, his lips were swollen and he was breathing heavily. Dani herself was gasping for breath. Pelle eased his hand out from behind her head and made sure she was gently situated before bringing his hand to her cheek. He lowers his forehead to hers and they breathe together for a moment. His eyes were so blue and she couldn’t bring herself to break eye contact; she felt like he was asking a question that she couldn’t hear but she knew the answer was yes, so she nodded.
Pelle’s hand had been resting on her abdomen stroking his thumb near her belly button, but with her nod he began to trail it downward, lowering his lips to hers once more. His fingers brushed over her waist band and continued over her shorts to the apex of her thighs, finding the fabric soaked through. He sucked a breath in through his nose and pulled his mouth from her to lock his burning blue eyes on hers, a groan falling from his lips,
“Herregud, du är så våt, söt tjej. Jag kan inte vänta med att få dig att må så bra.” His voice was so low, frayed around the edges. Dani didn’t know exactly what he was saying, but the intent behind it was so apparent she could help but moan.
“Please Pelle, more please.”
Pelle wasted no time in sitting up and reaching for her sleep shorts with both hands. He slowly pulled them over her hips, she lifted slightly so he could bring them down her legs. His eyes never left her body, slowly tracing the path her shorts took, and once they were out of the way he brought his eyes to her sex, flushed and wanting. Dani was slick down her thighs, the breeze on her exposed skin caused her to suck some air between her teeth. She felt so close to the edge already and she hadn’t even really been touched yet.
Pelle slowly lowered himself to his elbows and began kissing her stomach, just under her belly button, and then began to drift lower. The tension coil in her abdomen got impossibly tighter and Dani could no longer stop the moans that were falling freely from her mouth. His lips brushed over the hair on her mons and she registered in her fogged brain that maybe she should be embarrassed? Previous partners had all been upset if she had forgotten to shave or wax; but she didn’t even consider apologizing because Pelle’s voice cracked out in the twilight,
“So soft, so sweet, som en persika.” And then he dragged his tongue up through her folds and Dani was lost.
A rushing sound entered her ears, her hands grasped Pelle’s hair and her head tilted back in a wanton moan. Dani felt his tongue drag upwards a few times, then he gently kissed her clitoris before sucking it between his lips, and tracing her entrance with a finger. Dani started babbling her pleas, she needed him inside of her, she needed it. Pelle took mercy on her and slowly pressed his finger inside, she was so wet it glided easily. She was enthralled, enraptured and when he crooked his finger towards her belly button and pressed down on her g-spot at the same time he sucked hard on her clit she was gone.
Dani didn’t think she’d ever come so hard in her life, her thighs clamped around Pelle’s head, her hands in his hair. He hummed deeply as she moaned, he sounded more pleased than anything she’d ever heard. She blindly reached for him, she still felt so empty, so hungry for him.
Pelle knew instinctively what she wanted and he brought himself up to face level with her, caging her head in with his arms, he rested on his elbows. Lowering his lips to hers she could taste the tang of her own arousal on his lips and she whimpered. She felt him positioned at her entrance,
“What do you want, älskling? I want to give you what you want.”
“In me, please,” Dani gasped without thinking, “I need you Pelle, I need you in me, please.” She was begging, she knew it sounded that way, but Dani honestly felt like she would die if he stopped right now, and she was desperate for it.
He didn’t hesitate a second longer, he began to push into her slowly but was met with no resistance. She had never known sex to be this easy, to feel this good. Usually there was wincing and adjusting and waiting to be ready. When Pelle’s hips were finally flushed with hers he let out a stuttered moan, and stared her in the eyes.
“Du mår så bra, som om du var gjord för mig. Gillar du det här? Do you like it when I fuck you?”
The gravelly swedish flowed so seamlessly into english as he started to move. Dani couldn’t help but moan loud and long. She could tell by his tone of voice that Pelle hadn’t only just been spouting endearments at her, but dirty talking. She would never have guessed that sweet, gentle Pelle would have been the one whispering filthy expletives in bed.
His eyes never leaving her face, his pelvis came down to meet hers again, and she began to roll her hips up to meet his thrusts. He wasn’t quiet; gasps and moans fell from Pelle’s lips as much as hers, a song sung by the two of them. Her clit was getting stimulation with every met thrust, Pelle’s thickness filling her again and again, Dani was lost to the sensations she was feeling, the coil in her abdomen so, so close to snapping when Pelle leaned down and whispered in her ear;
“Christian could never make you feel this way, could he?” She let out a groan as she felt wetness escape her and run down her legs, the forbidden words sinking directly to her core. “He doesn’t see the goddess that you are, made to be worshipped, made to be brought to rapture over and over again. Dani, du är perfekt. Du är den vackraste kvinnan i världen, och jag kan inte tro att du är här med mig.” He placed a gentle kiss right under her ear and that was it.
A loud moan ripping from her throat, Dani felt herself begin to spasm around Pelle’s cock. She forced her eyes open and they connected with Pelle’s. He lowered his forehead to hers and thrusted once, twice more through her orgasm and came himself. A groan leaving him, their song’s final chord in the night.
Their panting breaths intermingled, Pelle lowered his head to begin trailing kisses on Dani’s neck, stroking her side and helping her breathing calm. She was glad for this moment of quiet because the weight of everything that had just happened came crashing into her; she had cheated on her boyfriend with his friend, this friend had been harbouring a huge crush on her for a while now, Dani had been beginning to acknowledge that they were beginning to devalue each other in the relationship and she knew, knew, the disposal step was right around the corner but that doesn’t make this right.
Pelle lifted his head, and smiled gently at her. “Stop worrying kärlek, everything will happen at your speed. Tonight will be between us until everything can get figured out.”
Dani didn’t know how he always managed to know what she was thinking and talk her off the ledge, but she didn’t hate it. It made her feel special, loved. They started to get dressed but it went slowly. Pelle was the type to help you take your clothes off and insist on helping you put them back on, with a similar amount of kissing and caresses. He took her hand and led her back through the forest. It was late now, quite dark, but the youth house was still visible once they emerged from the tree line. Pelle squeezed her fingers as they approached, but he dropped her hand before he ushered her inside first. As she slipped into bed, sleep started to claim Dani quickly, she couldn’t even think about what she was going to do come tomorrow.
**