"So technically, I'm your first kiss, is that what you're saying?" He's grinning like I'm standing in front of him in my birthday suit.
I nod. "Yes. Usually, dates end before we get to that part." I exhale, reaching for my still half-full glass of champagne next to the slot machine. I take a sip, avoiding his gaze.
"And why do dates usually end so soon, Lucy? From where I'm standing you're the whole package. Endearing. Funny. Hard working. Beautiful."
"I just have a few rules is all," I say, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "And most men aren't interested in playing by them."
"Is one of the rules dropping nickels into that slot machine?" he asks, nodding to the game that just paid out more than my weekly paycheck.
"Oh, speaking of, here." I hand him the ticket, but he won't take it. "No, seriously it was your money. It's your prize."
"I don't want that, Lucy."
"Why not?"
"Because the only thing I want to win over is you."
I shake my head. "You haven't even heard my rules."
"Try me. I'm a burly-ass man and don't scare easy."
"Okay, well." I lick my lips. "Besides no kissing on the first date... um, I plan to be a virgin until my wedding night."
A flicker of desire lights up his green eyes. "Of course, you're a virgin. You've never even been kissed."
"Does that make you want to run away?"
He laughs. "Run? Baby, I don't mind the chase."
"Don't say that," I say, more sharply than I intended. "Listen, I'm not joking. This isn't some game. It's my heart. I'm saving myself for marriage. And when I marry, I plan to do it once. I'm not some bachelor weekend conquest."
He narrows his brows. "You're serious, then?"
I nod. "Completely."
"So, you're as wholesome as they come?"
I nod.
He grins. "A nice old-fashioned girl who plays a Sex and the City slot machine?"
I frown. "I may be old-fashioned, but I'm still a woman. I still have... interests."
Levi steps closer to me again, his hand on my back. "Then why'd you jump from my arms so fast the moment you got all hot and bothered?"
I exhale slowly. "I didn't trust myself."
"With me?" He uses the crook of his finger to lift my chin.
"With you," I agree shakily.
"And why did you slap me, Lucy?" he asks, looking at me intently. His mouth is nearing mine again and I want to both lean in and run away.
"Because I got scared," I admit.
"Scared of what?" His lips are so close to mine, his hot breath flooding my senses.
"That I'd give in," I murmur. "And that I would regret it for the rest of my life."
At that, he pulls back, stepping away and my body cools down about fifteen degrees.
"I would never want you to change your ideals for me," he says. "God knows, I wouldn't change mine for anyone."
I smile tightly, both relieved and let down. I press the slot machine ticket into his hand and refuse to take it back.
"Thanks for helping me unwind," I say, stepping away and reaching for my heels from where I kicked them off earlier. Stepping into them, I pull my tote bag onto my shoulder and give Levi a smile. "See you around, okay?"
He nods tightly. "Good night, Lucy."
And then he walks away.
I watch him go, staring at his ass in those snug jeans, mesmerized by his broad shoulders, and utterly deflated that I let him go.Chapter FiveLeviGoing to bed is torture. How the fuck am I supposed to sleep when all I can think about is Lucy?
A virgin.
And I was her first goddamn kiss.
Is it so absolutely insane that I also want to be her last?
Now that I understand the extent of her innocence, I wonder if she could handle a man like me.
I don't share. I don't play nice. And I'm sure as hell not like other men.
I live in the middle of nowhere, with no interest in being all neighborly. I'd rather everyone mind their own business and let me mind mine. I am pretty much the opposite of my brother in every way. That guy loves to be the life of the party.
Finally, I fall asleep, dreaming of the way Lucy's tits pressed against my chest when we kissed. Of her legs wrapped around my waist and her pink untapped pussy close enough to touch. Damn, I want to dip my fingers in her tight, creamy cunt.
I wake up with a massive hard-on, and I push down my boxers, take hold of my cock. I stroke myself up and down, picturing Lucy grinding her curvy ass against me. It wouldn't take long to get her nice and slick, ready to slide down my length and pop that sweetheart's cherry. She'd fucking scream my name as I took her innocence, begging for more after she began to understand what a real man's cock can offer.