His First Cherry Pie: A Double Virgin Valentine

I shrug my shoulders. “He was the quarterback.”

She puts her hands on her hips and stares up at me. “I don’t care about that. I liked you. You were the one I wanted to ask me out.”

It hits me then. All the time wasted. If what she’s saying is true, I had a chance with her back then when I was the dumpy, fat kid, and I missed the opportunity. All I know is I can’t screw it up now.

I pull my hands out of my pockets and cross my arms over my chest. “So your boss gave you the week to write the story. I want you to stay here. I’ll answer any questions you have, and whatever happens happens.”

She still looks shocked. “Hold on, I’m sorry. So... you wanted to ask me out in high school but didn’t because my supposed friend told you I liked someone else... and you’re telling me that for four years, you haven’t... you know... uh…”

I laugh because if I wasn’t sure of her innocence before, it’s definitely obvious now. She can’t even say it. I walk toward her and put my hands on her shoulders. She’s looking up at me, and I can read her look plain as day. She’s not trying to guard herself like she has been most the night. She looks almost hopeful, and there’s no way I’m going to take advantage of that. “I haven’t been with anyone, Willa. I always knew I wanted you to be my first.”

“So what you’re saying is that you’ve been saving yourself... for me.”

I nod, and her hands go to my waist. Her fingers cling to my shirt. “Me too. I’ve been saving myself... for you.” Before I can let that sinks in, she gasps. “JD, what if...”

Her voice trails off, and I hold on to her tighter. “What if what?”

She blinks as she looks up at me. “What if, you know, uh, I’m not good? I mean... what if you don’t like it?”

I laugh, and it comes from deep within my chest. She doesn’t have a clue what just being near her does to me. She playfully slaps me on the chest, and I grab her hand. “There’s no chance of that.”

She frowns at me. “I’m serious, JD. What if you have it worked up in your head to be this really great thing, and I’m nothing like that? I don’t even know what I’m doing...”

I should tell her that we’ve had sex a thousand times in my dreams. It’s always her, and I always wake up right as I’m about to come. But I don’t. “We have chemistry, Willa. If you decide you want me, it’s going to be perfect.”

“Chemistry?” she asks almost skeptically.

I nod, grabbing her hands and bringing them up each side of my neck. When she holds on to me there, I pick her up and carry her into the living room. I sit down on the couch with her in my lap. She’s breathless, as if she’s just walked a mile instead of being carried. “JD?”

“It’s okay, honey. I’m not going to take you right here on the couch. I just want to prove something to you.”

She’s staring at my lips. “Prove what?”

I smile at her as I cup her cheek in my hand. “That we have chemistry.” I barely wait for the words to sink in and I’m kissing her. When our lips meet for the first time, I know instantly what I’ve felt all along. My lips are meant for Willa’s. The years of attraction, the explicit dreams I’ve had of her, it’s all nothing compared to the real thing. I angle my head and deepen the kiss. She opens her mouth to me, and when her tongue presses against mine, I groan and force myself to pull back. I just told her I wouldn’t take her here on the couch, and if I plan to keep the promise, I need to stop now.

Her lips are swollen, her eyes heavy and almost dazed looking. She licks her lips. “I have a cat.”

I wasn’t expecting that. “You have a cat?”

She nods. “Yeah. You want me to stay here, but I have a cat. I can’t leave it for a week.”

She’s considering it. She wants to stay. Just knowing that makes me even more excited. “We’ll go get the cat.”

“She’ll ruin your furniture,” she warns.

She’s crazy if she thinks I care about my furniture right now. All that matters to me is getting Willa to commit to staying. “I don’t care. I want you here.”

“For a week?” she asks.

I nod, not trusting my voice because I know I’ll blurt out forever.

Chapter 8

Willa

JD drove me to my apartment last night, and I picked up my cat Princess. He arranged for my car to be picked up and delivered to his house even though I could have easily driven myself. He seemed pretty pleased with himself as he showed me the guest room and helped me get Princess settled. It was all sort of... anticlimactic.