For the past couple of years, I’d watched as, one by one, my friends met the men of their dreams, wondering why that could never be me. Not once in my life had a man looked at me the way Josiah did. And that was partly why I was still a virgin. I would not accept less than the spark I had with him. Even if it didn’t work out, this would be the most incredible experience of my life.

God, I hoped it worked out, though.

When his fingers began fumbling with my bra clasp, things got real. I had to tell him I was a virgin. He might not want to continue. He was a gentleman, so at the very least, he’d probably insist on waiting until we could make this romantic.

I didn’t want to wait. I wanted him, and I couldn’t wait another second.

The bra fell easily to the floor, but the sight of it made me aware that he was wearing too many clothes. I broke the kiss and stepped back, gripping his T-shirt in both hands. I tugged it upward, and he lifted his arms, helping me jerk it over his head so he could toss it to the floor.

I couldn’t stop staring at him. He was perfect. Every muscle defined, like a statue that had been carefully sculpted. But what was most amazing was the heat in his eyes as he looked at me.

This man wanted me. I got tingly just thinking about it.

I reached back and unbuttoned my skirt, letting it fall to the ground. I was trying to work up the nerve to tell him, but I didn’t want to dull that fire in his eyes. I had a feeling that was exactly what my words would do.

He put a hand on each of my upper arms and looked me in the eye. I knew instantly he was about to say something serious.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.

My eyes widened. “You can tell, can’t you?”

When he frowned, I knew I’d misjudged the question. He hadn’t been ramping up to suggest we go back to his place to make my first time romantic. No, he’d simply been asking.

“Tell what?” he asked.

May as well say it now. I took a deep breath and blurted it out.

“I’m a virgin.”

There. Three words that would send any man running. I usually broke the news to a guy I was dating early on. When we were younger, it worked out just fine, but I’d noticed, as I hit my early twenties, it tended to throw a bucket of ice on any interest a man had in me.

Virgins weren’t good for one-night stands. Or even casual relationships. No, you had to be serious to sleep with a virgin. If you were a gentleman like Josiah, anyway.

His expression softened, and I knew he was about to speak those words. “Violet?—”

“I want to do this here,” I said, cutting off anything he might say. “But maybe we tilt the blinds open.”

He looked over toward the blinds, then back at me. “People will be able to see us from the street.”

I shook my head. “They won’t. We’re going over to my desk. But we’ll know if somebody pulls into the parking lot by their headlights.”

His eyebrows arched, and a smile slowly spread. “I like the way you think. But this isn’t any place for a first time.”

“It’s the best place for a first time,” I said.

I reached out and took his hand, stepping out of the skirt pooled around my feet. Then I led him over to my desk, all too aware of the fact that he could see my backside—my white cotton briefs were about as boring as they could be. At least he hadn’t gotten a good look at my matching plain white bra. That might have sent him running away.

I was shivering by the time I turned to face him. My knees were so wobbly, I used my desk for support. That was when I saw him undoing his button, then lowering his zipper.

His pants were coming down. Holy hell, his pants were coming down. I braced myself for my first glimpse of an erection in real life. I had a feeling once I saw what he was packing in those jeans, I’d never be the same.

6

JOSIAH

Violet’s eyes were wide as saucers before I even got my zipper down. I considered slowing my roll. I didn’t want to scare her off, after all. But I couldn’t seem to stop things once they were in motion.

My fingers swiftly lowered my zipper, and I hitched a thumb under each side of my jeans and underwear. I didn’t take my eyes off her as my cock sprang out, ready for her touch. But first, she’d have to get past her surprise at what she was seeing.