We only stopped holding hands when I got in his car. Obviously, we had to let go. I watched him as he started the engine of his car. The air inside the car was cool, but I was feeling warm.

"Hey, thank you so much for this lovely evening," I said in a soft voice, and it came out a little seductive.

"No. Thank you. This evening wouldn't be this lovely if it weren't for you."

"Honestly, this is one of the best dates I've ever been in."

His eyebrows raised and I could see him suppressing an amused smile.

"Really? It's up there?" he asked, holding a hand as high as his head.

"Yeah."

"Me too."

I had met a lot of guys but they were nothing like Jake. This guy was a whole new level. I was an excellent flirt, and I always had an answer to everything, but Jake could make me speechless.

"Which one's better for you? This one or last night?" he asked, leaning closer to me.

"I can't quite tell. I feel like there's something missing tonight."

I held his gaze and once again, his eyes flickered down to my lips. I moved closer and felt his hands behind my neck. Our lips slowly touched, and I closed my eyes as he crashed his lips with mine. He deepened the kiss and I almost let out a soft moan.

I pulled away a little, but he was still holding me close to him.

"Wow," I muttered.

"I've been waiting all night to do this," he said in the softest voice I ever heard from him.

"I think this one's better than last night."

He gave me a lopsided smile, and it was all it took for me to lean in and kiss him again.

***

Jake was grinning from ear to ear as he drove down the highway. I couldn't believe we had made out in his car at the parking lot of an amusement park. How I ended up sitting on his lap, I could never explain.

"You know, I haven't dated anyone who gave trivia about kissing after making out with me," he stated, and his amusement was apparent.

I had explained to him how kissing triggers our brain to release chemicals which make us feel happy.

"Yeah, I like to be unforgettable. The one who gives trivia doesn't sound so bad," I joked.

"You are unforgettable," he assured me in his soft voice.

I figured he uses that voice because he sounded sweet and sexy in it.

"I can't wait for our next date," he added, and it made me shift on my seat.

Things were happening so quickly, and I wasn't sure where it could take us. Or if I wanted it to take us somewhere.

"There's something I have to tell you," I whispered.

"What is it? You sound so serious."

"I like you," I started. I thought it was important to put it out there. "I think you're a really nice guy, but I don't think I'm ready for a relationship."

"But you went out for a blind date last night," he reasoned.

"I know. But I just wanted to go out...and you know, maybe hook up if the guy was hot. But I'm not yet ready for anything serious."

"Oh, I see."

I swallowed, waiting for him to say more. But he just remained silent.

Okay, this wasn't the reaction I was hoping for.

"But I also like to have you around. I hope this makes sense," I added.

It was true. Jake was fun, sweet, and hot. He was fun to talk to—and he had a lot of sense. There were a ton of ways I could describe him. He seemed like a perfect boyfriend, if everything he showed me were true. But he also seemed like a pro in flirting, so I couldn't tell exactly what kind of guy he is.

"You don't want a commitment," he replied.

"I guess you can put it that way," I agreed. "I just want something light and fun. But you're honestly one of the best and most interesting guys I saw. And if you're looking for something serious, I'm not that girl for you. I don't want to string you along."

He nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. I wished he could look at me so I could at least see his eyes.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. I understand..." he murmured, finally glancing at me.

"You do?"

"If you're not ready for something serious, it's alright. We can take things slow if that's what you want. I can be your boyfriend minus the official label."

"What? Like we'll still go out on dates?" I asked, unable to believe what he just said.

I wanted to make it clear because I might be misunderstanding him. For all I knew, he might be asking if we could be hook-up buddies.

"And introduce me to your friends and let them assume I'm your boyfriend? Sounds like a plan."

Okay, he was definitely not after just hooking up.

"How about pick me up from school and grab some dinner after?"

"Done," he was quick to reply. "And head back to your apartment and watch some movies?"

"Stay for the night and sleep on my couch?"

I didn't know what would happen if we took things slow or to enjoy each other's company without the pressure of commitment. But maybe it wouldn't hurt if we sleep together once in a while.

He smirked and shook his head. "Oh my God, Rox Ilagan, are you inviting me to stay over tonight?"

I closed my eyes and sighed. I remembered I was using a fake name. How would things work out fine if he didn't know who I really was?

"What's wrong?" he asked, reaching for my hand in my lap.

"There's something else I have to tell you. Oh, I feel terrible already... I don't know how to say this to you."

"You can tell me anything. No judgment," he reassured me. "But I do hope you're not going to tell me you're married or engaged."

I let out a soft laugh.

"So?" he asked.

I took a deep breath before saying, "I lied about my identity."

He let go of my hand to shift the gear to park.

"My real name's Elise. Elise Corpuz..." I confessed, avoiding his eyes.

If my sister were here right now, she would be laughing at how I looked like. She always lectured me to be more careful with my actions and to stop fooling around. But I wasn't the good girl that she was.

"I hope this doesn't change things between us," I added, feeling hopeful.

I might not want to commit, but I didn't want to mess things up with Jake. I hadn't connected to any guy like I did with him. It was as if we were in sync, and we understood each other.

"I see... hey, it's okay."

He reached for my face and cupped my right cheek.

"I'm not mad. You didn't feel like telling me your real name last night. Honestly, I didn't imagine taking you out tonight when I had approached you last night."

I heaved a sigh of relief.

"This doesn't change anything. So, you used a fake name on our fake marriage certificate."

I chuckled and leaned in to give him a quick peck on his soft lips.

"I can still treat you like my wifey..." he whispered.

"Then drive a little faster and take this missushome."