Page 47 of The Bachelor

Oh God.

What’s happening to me?

Is this a mistake?

Am I going to end up screaming in the middle of the dining room, and the whole scene will be captured on social media, where it will undoubtedly go viral and cause me to lose my job?

And my best friend?

Before I even lose my virginity?

Those were the thoughts nagging at me as I pulled into the parking lot at a painfully slow speed before idling in the parking spot for several minutes.

I was already five minutes late even though punctuality was one of my strongest suits. I just couldn’t shake the nerves. I couldn’t stop thinking about what Camden was going to do to me tonight.

He was a guy I’d known most of my life and one I’d been crushing on for almost as long. He’d already seen me naked, already watched me touch myself. Already seen me scream out an orgasm.

So, why did this suddenly feel so different?

Unlike the other evening, he was going to be the reason I came.

And in my head, that would change everything.

This was, without question, going to bring us closer.

But he’d warned me, challenged me that I wouldn’t be able to handle the emotional aspects of a physical relationship.

I needed to keep that in mind. I needed to just concentrate on the sexual acts. Once this evening was over, I couldn’t get myself wrapped up in the feelings.

Because if not, I was for sure going to get my heart broken.

Even if I sensed that was going to happen anyway.

And that was what I repeated in my head as I turned off my car and grabbed my purse and headed up to the restaurant entrance. I was greeted by the hostess the moment I stepped inside.

“Hi,” I said to her. “I’m meeting Camden Dalton. I’m not sure if he’s arrived yet.”

She glanced at her tablet. “Oh, yes, he’s here. Follow me.”

Nerves continued to shoot through my stomach as she led me into the main dining room and over to the side, where there were small booths that aligned the wall of windows.

There were two things I noticed immediately.

The first was Camden’s eyes and how quickly they found me. How they stayed on me. How they were unquestionably taking me in and devouring me.

A look that made all the thoughts in my head swirl even faster.

The other was that this dining room was packed with people. A full audience to watch what was about to go down. Camden obviously knew this restaurant and had chosen it for that reason.

I wondered what would happen if I failed a lesson.

Or if my silence the moment I came would be considered passing.

I attempted to fill my lungs, my feet feeling extremely heavy as I took the remaining steps to the table, the hostess shifting out of the way to give me room to sit.

“Is there anything I can get either of you before the waitress comes?”

Courage, I wanted to reply.

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