He raises an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Right now?” he questions suspiciously

I bite my lip and nod, not trusting myself to say more.

A slow grin spreads across his face, and he gestures toward the car.

“Your wish is my command,” he murmurs, as he loads us into the car, then tells the driver of our change of destination.

The drive is short, just a few blocks, and soon we’re pulling up in front of an unassuming brick building. It’s certainly not as polished as his current place, but there’s something charming about it, history evident in the deep lines of the brick façade. He lets us inside with a very fancy keypad, and he leads me down a narrow hallway, past a series of abandoned units. Soon, he’s stopped in front of a simple black door with a faded number on it that I can’t make out.

There’s a key box hung on the handle and he quickly enters the code to retrieve the key. He opens the door to the slightly musty apartment. Clearly no one has been here in a while.

I follow him inside, our footsteps echoing in the empty space. He shuts the door behind us, and I suddenly feel hyperaware of how close we are, the quiet intimacy of being here, alone, in a place that clearly holds pieces of his story.

“So, where was your bed?” I ask, my voice soft, barely above a whisper.

He gestures toward the far wall, a slight smile tugging at his lips.

“Right there, by the window.”

I walk over, standing in the spot he indicated, feeling the weight of his gaze on me. I don’t know what I expected, but there’s something electric in the air that makes my pulse quicken, my skin flush.

He steps forward, closing the space between us. His hand reaches out, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face, his touch gentle yet possessive, like he’s claiming this moment, anchoring it. I look up at him, and the intensity in his eyes makes my breath hitch.

I don’t know who moves first, but suddenly, his lips are moving against mine, soft but insistent, a slow, steady kiss that sends a shiver down my spine. His hand slides to the back of my neck, pulling me closer, and I can feel the heat of his body against me.

After a moment, I pull back, my heart pounding, and I blurt out the words I swore I’d never say out loud.

“I’m a virgin,” I tell him breathlessly, cowering in shame after spilling my secret.

He pauses, his eyes searching mine, and a slow grin spreads across his face.

“And would you prefer to stay that way?” he asks, playing with the hem of my shirt.

I move closer to him, until we’re chest to chest and I can already feel the evidence of his desire pressing against me. All I can do is stare at his lips, wondering why he hasn’t moved them back to my own, when I realize he’s waiting for me to answer his question.

I quickly shake my head, my hands moving to his shirt buttons.

“Thank fuck,” he whispers under his breath, his movements much quicker and surer than mine.

Once I’ve gotten his shirt unbuttoned, he shrugs it off, quickly pulling his undershirt over his head with it. He takes a step back, and I watch, mesmerized as he starts to unbutton his trousers.

“Look at me,” he demands, his voice sharp and dripping with sex.

I look him in his eye, biting my lip as I see him remove his pants until he’s staring in front of me stark naked, his erection stiff between us.

“Now you, my dear, are wearing far too many clothes,” he whispers, his hands moving to my waist to pull me against him again.

His tongue intertwines with mine as his hands move everywhere, pulling and grabbing and eventually we’re standing in the middle of the room completely bared to one another. It’s dark in the room, the only light coming in from the windows, and it’s the first time I realize that anyone could look in and see us. I should feel embarrassed by that, but it only sends a thrill through me.

“I’m sorry this isn’t more romantic,” he murmurs as his hand slides between our already slick bodies, touching me in the place that’s only ever felt by my own fingers. I whimper against his touch, wrapping my arms around his shoulders as I ride his fingers, which are far more capable than mine.

“Fuck, you’re tight,” he hisses as he slides a finger inside me. “Are you sure this is what you want, Ginny? I don’t want you to regret this.”

I shake my head profusely, unable to form words as my eyes roll back in my head as his thumb swipes over my most sensitive nerve endings. He stops momentarily, misinterpreting my head shake.

“I won’t regret this,” I whisper quickly, hardly able to form the words as I press my lips against his, feeling relief at the contact.

He backs us up until I feel the cold of the brick wall, and he braces me against it, pulling one of my legs around his waist as he positions himself.