Page 32 of The Dare

“What is it?” he asks, creasing his mouth and knitting his brows.

“I…I’ve never been with a man,” I finally manage to get out. “Never been with anyone.”

My voice trembles, as though it’s a bad thing. Like I’m convinced it’s a shame I’ve carried my virginity for so long.

In college, if you were a virgin, it was by choice or by circumstance.

Mine wasn’t by choice, and it made me the butt of a million jokes, even though I never told anyone.

Michael smiles, and then smiles wider. Almost chuckling to himself.

Hurt wells up inside me, but the way he grips me harder, and then finally kisses me tells me that he’s not making fun.

Far from it.

“You know that’s the second best news I’ve heard all day,” he sighs, smiling so wide I can see every one of his perfect teeth, and how few lines he has around his eyes even when he does smile.

The man’s bordering on unnaturally good looking.

“What was the first piece of good news?” I ask, not surprised my news takes second place.

“When you asked me to kiss you,” he whispers, planting another one on me, making me feel like I’m the center of his whole world when he does.

“You...You don’t mind? About me...” I ask, sounding unconvinced because I am.

His lips give me the only answer I need in reply.

With my limited knowledge and experience with the male species, I half expected Michael to want to have his way with me straight away.

That’s what all guys want, right?

But as hard as Michael is, and as much as I know what he’d love to do right now, he’s more concerned with only one detail.

“Mine,” he repeats in a sultry tone, cocking his brow.

Not in a question, but with the air of someone who’s pleased with what they’ve got.

He takes my hands in his, kissing them both, and looks up, his face falling when I snatch them back, struggling to get free.

“What is it?” he asks, alarmed, holding me by the elbows until I tell him.

“My mom! I totally forgot. Jeez, how long did you... I mean… how long didwe...” I stammer, glad when he laughs and helps me up.

“Oh, you had yourself quite a time there,” he quips, eying me up and down as I straighten my skirt and hair, trying hard not to look like a girl who’s just had her insides eaten out in the best possible way for…an hour.

A whole hour. Shit!

I mean… shoot. That’s some good lovin’ right there. A whole hour.

I startle at the thought of the ‘L’ word.

It’s too soon for anything like that.

Isn’t it?

Either way, I have no time to lose if I want to catch my mom before she gets off the train, which I can feel slowing down as I ask Michael if I look alright.

“You look perfect,” he says, followed by a peck on the lips.