Author's Note: Like Chapter 20.1, this is another short segment of the story which revolves around that human element called *sex*, and if that type of thing bothers you, feel free to skip this chapter, which occurs at the end of our previous day and before the full start of the next one. Even though this chapter does help establish and illustrate some of our character's goals and personality, it can be safely avoided without destroying the plot or premise of the story itself for those who are 'intimacy wary'.

To read, or not, I leave that choice entirely up to you, my intrepid public.

The next morning, I awoke early once more as the sun was starting to come through the window. It seems that since I’ve been getting more paranoid about ; well, about I guess everything really; I was waking up at just about any change to my local environment. Unfortunately, once again, Little Bud was already awake as well and – like a gopher sticking his head out to look for his shadow – he was alert and ready for action also.

Embarrassed, I looked for a way where I could somehow extract myself from this situation without waking Isabella, but it was no use. She was still nestled close up against me, and her arms were wrapped loosely around my neck and her head was snuggled down against my shoulder while resting on my left arm and trapping it. Her right leg was up and draped over mine, and her soft warm mounds were pressed warmly against my chest as her gentile most breath blew into my shoulder.

There wasn’t any way I could move her without waking her, and from the way she was nestled against me, there wasn’t any way I could … umm… reach down and take matters into my own hands. The way she’d snuggled and nestled into me had me well trapped, and she wasn’t letting go. Just how much did this girl hate sleeping alone, now?!

I tried to wait Little Bud out, figuring eventually he’d get tired and go back to sleep, but he wasn’t having any of that! Apparently a twenty in CON made me quite healthy, and Little Bud being the type of leech he was, was just as energetic and healthy as me!

Several long moments passed, and the sun continued to get brighter through the window. If I was found in this predicament again, I’d never lose the Creeperboy stigma! Almost in tears, I trembled slightly, and Isabella snuggled up even tighter against me as if she was somehow trying to respond to my distress. Her leg brushed up against mine as she nuzzled her head against mine, and the oversized dress I was in rode up and uncovered Little Bud completely in his divine glory! Her warm stomach pressed up against me, and Little Bud was trapped between us, where he happily twitched and squirmed against her flesh.

There was nothing I could do, except lay there and tremble from a mix of excitement, embarrassment, and lust. For several long moments, I just trembled against her while Isabella breathed steadily and nestled against me. Finally, I couldn’t take it any longer, and I took a chance to slowly rock my hips back and forth, letting Little Bud rub gently himself gently against her stomach.

I was slow. Careful. I kept a steady listen to her breathing, to make certain that it didn’t change. Slowly, I grinded my hips against her’s, and after just a few moments Little Bud twitched and blossomed! Like Old Faithful, the pressure building inside was just too much, and he released his steam as fast and far up Isabella’s bare chest that he could.

Several times he erupted, and my mind went blank.

As my thoughts were starting to come back to me, and as Little Bud was finally setting back down to rest, Isabella giggled lightly deep into my shoulder. “Feel better?”, she asked.

Embarrassed and bright, I brought my right arm around to hold her head against me. I didn’t want her to look up and see how ashamed I was at myself, but luckily she didn’t try to pull away. “I’m sorry,” I apologized. I don’t think words could really describe the way I felt at the moment. Embarrassed. Relaxed. Apologetic. Tense. Ashamed. Relieved. I was just a jumble of conflicting emotions.

“You know, you could’ve…” Isabella’s voice was faint and muffled in my shoulder. Slowly shaking my head back and forth, I took a deep breath and a moment to compose myself as much as possible before I answered her.

“No, I couldn’t,” I told her. She tried to pull back to look at me, but I pulled her back up against me instead. She was so weak, I couldn’t tell if she was fighting back or not, but I had to continue on and say what I needed to say. “Just stay there for a moment, and let me finish.”

I sighed and took another deep breath. “You spoke about several things yesterday, and one of those things you spoke about was trust. You said we’ve got to be able to trust each other, and I agree with that. If I just suddenly did… you know… THAT with you, I don’t think you could ever trust that THAT wasn’t all I wanted from you. It’s not.

“Now, that’s not to say that I wouldn’t want THAT, but THAT isn’t all I want. I want a friend. I want someone I can trust, and someone who can trust me. You mentioned three things that a woman promises a guy: to love, honor, and obey. The promise you made might represent the last oath, and you might obey me. Honor is something that each person has to determine for themselves, and since it seems you’re going to keep the promise you made me, no matter what, I think you have it in spades. But love…

“Love takes time to build. No promise in the world can just make it grow. You said your father would consider us ‘married’, but I don’t think we could truly say that we were. Not until all three of those conditions were met, and I don’t think they have been. I mean, I like you and all. Heck, I like you a whole lot. Now, whether that’s just because I like you, or because you’re the only person I’ve seen since this has started, or whether it’s just because of the promises or something else or I don’t know what…”

Realizing I was rambling, I just shut up and took a deep breath. I held her trapped against me for several long moments as the sunlight continued to brighten the room, and then finally I continued on. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I want to, but I’m not going to. Sure, my Little Buddy does a lot of thinking for me, and I appreciate his opinion and all, but in the end, I’m the man and he’s not. I’m not going to let him tell me what to do.

“I want my first real time to actually be with a woman I love, and who loves me. That’s why, I can’t, you know… do THAT, no matter how much you’d let me, nor how much Little Bud would like it.”

Slowly, I released the grip I had against her head and let her pull back away from me somewhat. “Look, I’m sorry about what happened. I’ll try and… umm… deal with Little Bud before…”

Isabella put her fingers to my lips and made a slight hushing sound. “No need to do that, and no need to say anything else. This morning was fine. There’s no need for you to worry about it.”

I tried to pull myself away, so I could get up and put this whole situation behind us, but Isabella was the one who pulled me up tight against her and didn’t let go. For several long minutes, we just lay there, neither saying anything as the stream of warm manliness dried and left a stain on her stomach, but I hoped not on our relationship…