"Am I doing this right?" She asked apprehensively. I told her she was doing great. I had explained to her watching videos, reading, or learning about it in school can never fully prepare you for the real thing.
Then I asked if what I was doing to her was 'OK' and all she could muster was a guttural moan. I think she was enjoying it.
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One of the greatest days of my life was marrying Jenny shortly after my 26th birthday. Jenny was 28 on our wedding day and had briefly been married a few years earlier. Her and her first husband discovered shortly into their marriage that they were mismatched. Jenny knew very early on it probably wouldn't last long. The only good thing to come out of that relationship was their baby Jessica, born just a few months before they separated.
Now, on our wedding day, Jessica was three and Jenny and I were as happy as anyone could have imagined. While her ex-husband was still involved with Jessica, in a very real way, I became her father. I was with her seven days a week and raised her as my own.
Jenny and I have a wonderful marriage. We connect as soulmates and love everything about being together. The only part of our marriage that could be considered a struggle is our sex life. My drive is much stronger than hers. While I would enjoy sex a couple of times a week, she is content with once or twice a month. It has always been a source of contention in an otherwise perfect marriage.
We discussed it from time to time, but nothing ever seemed to change. Divorce has never been an option because our love is so deep, but I had to learn to content myself with less sex, which was deeply challenging for me.
Raising Jessica was my inner delight. She was a wonderful little girl. For some reason she seemed to always attach herself to me. The older she got, the closer we grew. When she grew into her middle school years, I noticed she began to talk with me about her friendships and relationships more than she did her own mother. I certainly enjoyed how much she entrusted to me, and Jenny seemed to appreciate the role of father that I was playing in her daughter's life.
It became more challenging, however, when Jessica reached puberty. While her mother taught her the basics of becoming a woman, our daughter would often come to me and ask how to interpret the emotions and feelings she was experiencing. Of course, I did the best I could with little knowledge of what she was really going through as a girl. I would share these interactions with Jenny who would, in turn, give me advice for things I could share with her daughter.
Like any father-daughter relationship, ages 14 to 16 were a particular challenge. Jessica pulled back from our relationship, which was hard for me. I understood why but did not enjoy it at the same time. I knew she was trying to find herself.
However, by the time she turned 17, those emotions began to fade and our relationship as father-daughter rekindled. Both Jenny and I were happy for that.
As we began to reconnect on a deeper level, I realized she was starting to mature. She began to ask me questions about boys and relationships, and particularly the way boys think. I was happy to help her understand those things, mostly to protect her from the hurt that often comes from teenage relationships.
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The big day finally arrived so Jenny and I planned a giant party to celebrate our daughter's 18
th
birthday early in her senior year of high school. All her friends were gathered at the house for the bash. Everything was thought through, down to the decorations, food and even the slideshow of Jessica as a 2-year-old splashing across the big TV in the family room. All her friends had a great time and Jessica was overjoyed by the festivities, thanking her mom and I for what felt like a thousand times for creating such a memorable day. Her mom and I were so excited to see her this happy.
Shortly after her big birthday blowout, she finally got her first boyfriend by the name of Thomas, whom she referred to as "Tommy." She told me everything about the two of them, what he would say, how he would behave and how their relationship was evolving. She told me when they first held hands, when they first kissed, and even about their sexual energy. After they had been dating for about two months, she came home after a Saturday night out with Tommy and asked if her mom was home. I said she was out with her girlfriends for the evening so she asked if we could talk and, of course, I said yes.
"Dad, I want to share with you about our date tonight, but you have to promise not to judge," she said.
"You should know me by now, Jessica. I love you too much to think anything negative about you. What's on your mind?"
While looking down at her knees, she opened her mouth. "Well, things got very fired up between Tommy and I tonight. We both felt like our relationship was going to a deeper level. After holding hands and touching and kissing during the movie, we decided to go for a ride out into the country."
She hesitated momentarily, then continued, "We found a quiet place to park, and immediately began to kiss. And I was beginning to feel a warmth between my legs. I think he felt the same. As we kissed and touched, I slid my hand down on his jeans and felt his hardness underneath. It surprised me, but it really turned me on to know that he felt that way about me."
"His hands began exploring my body as well. He reached under my shirt and touched my breast through my bra, which made my nipples harden immediately. I've never felt anything like that before, dad. Then his hand drifted to touch between my legs, and I was never more turned on than I was at that moment. But I guess you could say we both got really nervous, stopped what we were doing and decided to head back home."
Jessica paused again, as if unsure whether to keep sharing.
"I understand, Jessica. It's OK for you to share. Everyone's been there at some point. I understand those feelings. So, what did you really want to share with me?" I asked lovingly.
She shifted in her seat and fidgeted with her hands.
"I promise, It's OK," I continued.
While still not giving me eye contact, I saw the corner of a mouth turn up, and a slight smile emerged. I took that to mean that she knew she could trust me.
"Well, my question to you is, I didn't know what to do next. Should I have let him inside my clothing to touch me? It seemed like he really wanted to and, honestly, I wanted him to as well, and I think he wanted me to touch him, but I wasn't confident if I should. I wasn't sure where this would all lead. I guess I was a little afraid. Did I do the right thing dad? My girlfriends told me I should've went for it. Did I blow it with Tommy?"
I paused for a moment to choose my words carefully. I lifted her chin and looked straight into her nervous eyes.
"Everything you described to me was perfectly normal, honey. The excitement you both felt was natural. I believe everyone goes at their own pace towards sexual intimacy. Some teenagers go quickly, and some take their time. There is no rush for you to experience sex before you're ready. You'll know when it's the right time to take the next step with Tommy. Just be careful and don't let him, or your friends, pressure you into doing something you don't want to do. When you're ready, you'll know it and you'll enjoy it."
Her eyes became glassy as she said, "thank you dad." Then she gave me the biggest bear hug I had experienced in years with her. She held on for several minutes with her face in my neck, holding me tightly. I really felt like our relationship went to the next level.
The next morning, Jessica arose early enough to make me breakfast, which I loved. Jenny was still sleeping after her girl's night out. We sat at the table and talked about Tommy and school and life. She also asked me about my work, life and how I was doing. It was an adult conversation for the first time and I really enjoyed it.
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A couple weeks went by as I was working from home on a Friday afternoon when Jessica came in from school and asked if she could ask more questions about her relationship with Tommy. Of course, I was happy to help.
"What are you wondering about," I said
She confided in me that tonight might be the night they go further with each other.
"Just be careful and make smart decisions. Don't go any further than you feel like you're ready for," was my fatherly advice.
"I think I understand that dad," She replied lovingly. "What I really want to know is," she continued, "if I touch him, I'm not sure what to do. I've seen porn videos, of course, but I've never touched the real thing. I don't want to do it wrong or embarrass myself."
I assured her that Tommy will appreciate any effort from her.
Then I said, "You will find that it's different than what you expected. Let him guide you into how soft or firm to touch him. Just explore, and you will begin to understand how to do it to bring him pleasure."
"And how should I let him touch me?" She inquired, probing deeper.