She ignored his rhetorical questions. He was now close enough for his scent and body heat to invade her space, but both of his hands remained shoved into the pockets of his charcoal slacks.
“Because if you did, I’m experiencing a serious case of Stockholm Syndrome.”
Kalilah shuddered. His eyes burned into her with an intensity that made her feel naked despite her wearing skinny jeans, a light sweater, and ankle boots. Nick grabbed her hand and led her towards the couch.
“I want to show you something.”
Kalilah instantly thought of about eight different things he could show her on the couch. He opened his laptop and pulled up a document called Virginity Checklist and pulled up the document properties. Kalilah couldn’t believe he actually had a list.
“Do you see the creation date?” Kalilah nodded. “Okay. Do you see the last saved date?”
“Yes, Nick. A little over two years ago. Why?”
He pressed print and closed his laptop. Nick grabbed the paper off his dad’s printer and handed it to her.
Criteria to Lose My Virginity
She must be self-sufficient.
Wants me for me.
Not a gold-digger
Kalilah
Nick watched Kalilah as she processed what he’d just shared with her. She pushed her bangs out of her face with a burgundy tinted fingernail. She chewed on her perfectly glossed lip as her big chocolate eyes moved from the paper and locked with his. Nick let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
Kalilah had avoided eye contact with him since she arrived. Nick knew the stakes were high. If she walked out now, he didn’t know when he would ever get a chance see or talk to her again. Now that he had her attention, he had to tell her everything he’d been thinking the entire time.
“You were right. I did avoid you. I avoided you because I wanted you with every fiber of my being and I didn’t know what to do.” She raised an eyebrow and he powered on. “My attraction to you was so powerful that seeing you from across the cafeteria was enough for me to compare every woman I’d met to you. You were the standard; no one measured up.” He moved closer to her, his heart was pounding rapidly, but he couldn’t stop talking. “I tried to force a relationship, but it didn’t work because she wasn’t you.”
Her chocolate orbs filled with unshed tears. “But, Nick, you’ve already had me…”
Nick got on his knees in front of her, so they could be eye to eye and grabbed her hands. He was happy to be able to touch her again.
“And, it’s not nearly enough! Look at me. How can you not see it? I thought I’ve done everything in my power to show you. How do you not know?”
She looked at him confused. “See what? Know what?
He grabbed her face with both hands and cupped her cheeks. “That I’m in love with you. Everything I do is for you…about you.” He wiped a tear from her cheek and pressed his forehead to hers. “You didn’t set me free, you cracked my heart.”
Nick kissed her. All the melancholy feelings started to fade into hope. She kissed him back, and his hope morphed into lust. He moved his hands to her hips and pushed her back on the couch. She moaned and rubbed her soft body against his. He started to inch up her shirt, and she stopped him. Disappointment ran through him before she spoke.
“Uh, Nick, don’t know if you forgot or not, but we’re in your dad’s office.”
Nick sighed and stood up. He helped her up and pulled her against him.
“My office is down the hall.” She laughed and pushed him away from her.
“No, Nick. No more office sex.” Nick pulled her into a big hug. He rested his chin on the top of her head.
“OK. Let’s go home. I hear make-up sex is amazing.”
Kalilah pulled back to look at him. He loved how she frowned at him.
“Home?”
Nick smiled at her. “Yes. I had the house built with you in mind. My mom and sister were the only women allowed until you. You’re the only woman I’d ever pictured living in it.”