Don't Forget Me (An Unforgettable Romance)

We’re sitting in a hospital room and it's just sterile and cold in so many ways. But when his eyes meet mine, I feel nothing but warmth, love, safety.

"Sienna, it’s going to be okay," he says, wrapping me up in his arms. Something he has never done before. I just met him this morning. And I feel like I've known him my whole damn life. I want to know him forever. I swallow.

"You don't owe me anything, Smith. This is stupid," I say, doubting myself, doubting this. "This is all so ridiculous. I came onto you so strong." He didn't even know me and probably thought I was crazy, a fool. "I'm a virgin. Okay? I just want to say that right out of the gate. I want to tell you that." I shake my head. "You don't even have to believe me. I mean, I spread my legs minutes after I became conscious in your house this morning," I tell him, shaking my head in disbelief. "I mean, what came over me?"

He grins. "I think you couldn't help yourself. One look at me and you were overcome with desire."

"With a need," I say. "I ached for you. I mean, I really ached for you."

"Hurt was the word you used," he says, "if I remember correctly."

I close my eyes, cringing. "See, I don't know what kind of person you want to be with. If you even want to be with a person at all. You have this perfect little life for yourself. You have a cabin at the lake. You have your whole little world. And I don't know how I would fit into that. You don't even know me. You might think..."

"Can I talk for a second?" he says. "I don't mean to cut you off, Sienna, but..."

"No, it's fine. Please say something. Anything. I feel mortified and horrified. I broke into your house and–"

"Sienna. I think you breaking into my house is the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Really?" I exhale, wanting his words to be the balm my aching heart needs.

He nods. "Really." He tucks my hair behind my ears, lifts my chin. "Sienna, you're everything, everything I could ever want. I know you're young. I'm 32 years old. So I am a lot older than you, but it doesn't make any difference to me if it doesn't make any difference to you.”

“Doesn't make a difference to me," I tell him. "I like that you know who you are, that you know what you want. I like that you could take care of me."

"Yeah?" He smiles. "Well, I like that too, because that's what I want to do. If you want to work at the kids' camp, I think that's fucking awesome. I love that you work there and I like that you like to be around the lake."

"Well, I signed up to go to community college," I tell him. "For early childhood education. I want to work with kids. I mean, I want to be a mom one day, but there's no guarantees that that will happen. So I thought I could get some training in that department in the meantime."

"I love that," he says. "I want kids, too." He runs a hand over my belly. "So you never have been pregnant. I guess I was right about that. Your pussy has never been filled either, huh?"

I lick my lips. "I've never been with a man. Any man, in any way."

"How's that possible?" he asks. "I mean, when I look at you, you're so perfect. You're so incredible. I can't imagine a man not wanting you. One look at you and, fuck, that's all I want."

His words are so nice to hear. "My mom was sick the last few years of high school. It kept me busy, I wanted to be with her as much as I could. She was my priority."

"I love that," he says. "She was so lucky to have you. I'm sorry for everything you went through, baby."

"Baby?" I say, heat rising to my cheeks. "Feels so good when you say that."

"Yeah? I'll say that as much as you want, as much as you need."

"Why are you being so good to me, Smith? Why are you you?"

He shrugs. "I think I've been waiting for you my whole fucking life, Sienna. A woman like you, a real woman who knows how to touch herself, how to make herself come, who knows what she needs and wants. Just like you did today. A woman who knew that she needed to leave a bad situation and ran. I like that strength. I want a woman like that. I want you, Sienna, you."

"Even though I'm so inexperienced?" I ask him.

He runs a hand over his thick beard. "I think it's fucking hot. And I like how willing you are to try things. I'm guessing you'd never touched yourself like that in front of a man before you did for me today. Maybe you'd like to try it again?”