Brian's gentle touch raises goosebumps on my flesh. It's the closest I've come to being intimate with a guy, and I'm glad it's with him.

"Spend the night with me," Brian says against my lips. "Dad's staying with Mom; we'll be alone. Please?"

His tone is pleading, almost desperate. I smile and press a kiss to his mouth.

He moves his fingers over my bare breast, whispering, "Is that a yes?"

"It is, but I'll have to be home before Mom's back from work," I utter, distracted by Brian's touch.

"We'll set the alarm."

"Okay," I say and rest my forehead against Brian's shoulder.

He hugs me tightly after putting my bra back in place. "I can't get enough of you, Princess. It's scary."

"Why?"

Brian chuckles. "I've never dated anyone. You'll have to tell me if I suck at it, Kitten."

"You don't."

Brian smirks. "Tell me my kisses aren't average."

"Who told you they weren't?"

"Your moans did, babe. So?"

"They're average, but I believe you have what it takes to improve."

My grin mirrors Brian's as we rise to our feet and collect our things. We're ready to head back into town. Brian holds my hand and doesn't let go of it until his motorbike comes into view.

The ride seems short, perhaps because I'm already used to the Fat Boy. Brian parks his Harley, and we enter his house.

"Are you hungry?" he asks.

"Not really. You?"

"Not yet. I won't say no to a hot drink, though. I'm gonna make hot chocolate."

"Okay."

I sit on a chair in the kitchen, watching Brian as he fixes our drinks.

He gives me my mug. When we're in his room upstairs, we settle on the bed. Brian draws an arm around my shoulders and kisses my cheek. "Listen, Kitten."

"What?"

"Would you like to go on a date with me? It's Valentine's Day this weekend."

Brian's offer's unexpected. I'm still getting accustomed to being with him. Going on a date is what couples do, and the heat rises to my cheeks at the thought.

Brian sips his chocolate and waits for my answer but loses patience after a while.

"It's a yes or a no, Princess. If you need something to convince you, I can show you the boy."

"I've seen the boy," I say, chuckling. "Better show me something else."

"What else?"

I contemplate my next move. Then, I rest my mug on the nightstand and straddle Brian's legs. He does nothing, and I fist the hem of his shirt, lifting it to yank it off him.

"What do you wanna see, babe?" Brian asks. His hand covers my hip and caresses it while I run my fingers over his naked torso.

"The tattoo. You said you had one."

Brian raises his arm and folds it behind his head, exposing the two small tattoos that adorn his ribs — the word Freedom and a motorbike.

"When did you get them?"

"When I turned sixteen. Now I want to get another one."

"Of what?"

Brian shrugs. "I don't know. I'd like something meaningful, like the other two I have."

My fingertips explore Brian's skin. It's smooth and hot, and I enjoy touching him too much. More than that, I love seeing what my touch does to him.

Our eyes meet. I inch forward, pressing my lips to Brian's and circling his neck with my arms. I lose myself in him and his scent, and a moment later, in his taste when he brings me closer and kisses me hard. He holds my head in place and licks the seam of my lips before I open my mouth, and our tongues meet.

My hands roam his chest, and he hums his approval when the tip of his tongue touches mine. We end up lying in each other's arms. Brian doesn't try to rid me of my clothes, but his hands slide under my sweater, and he touches me in the same way he did earlier, gently squeezing my bare breasts and rubbing my nipples. The sensation is beyond pleasant, and I moan.

Brian stops kissing me and places one of his hands on my cheek, smoothing his thumb over the flushed skin. Then, he sighs and straightens my clothes.

"I can't, Kitten."

I take a moment to speak. "You can't what?"

"Take it too far with you. How about we watch a movie?"

I nod, and Brian kisses my forehead. He unmakes his bed and leaves the room so I can change into his T-shirt. When he returns, he wraps me in his arms under the comforter, and we choose a comedy to watch.

I know he wants me, but although we laugh at the jokes and Brian kisses my forehead a few times, the mood changes. He doesn't make any of his smartass remarks and doesn't tease me. I find myself wanting more with him. I want him to undress me the way I undressed him, but my shyness gets in the way, and I say nothing.

***

Brian takes me to school the following morning and kisses my lips in front of some of my classmates. Gavin is one of them. His expression is full of disgust, but for once, I don't care.

"See you this afternoon?" Brian asks, kissing my mouth once again.

"Annie and I are going shopping because my mom gave me some money to buy new clothes. I can stop by the garage afterward."

"Okay. Have a great day, Kitten."

"You too," I say, pecking Brian's cheek.

He starts his bike and leaves, and I rush to the classroom.

Annie's already there. I plop down on a seat next to hers, and she giggles, looking at me.

"What?" I ask.

Annie gives me a wink. "That was one hell of a kiss. Brian's claiming his territory, making sure everyone saw you with him."

"Did you see us?"

"Everyone saw you. That's what happens when The Legend takes you to school on his bike."

I blush and roll my eyes. Annie laughs again. "I'm happy for you, Leah. And I'm even happier for Brian. You'll be good for each other."

The teacher interrupts our talk, but the clock ticks away the hours fast. We gather our stuff and leave the school building in no time to head downtown. Annie knows where all the stores are, and I follow her, no questions asked.

A beautiful dress in the window of a small store catches my eye. I halt and tug at Annie's sleeve.

"Let's go," she says, leading me inside.

We've barely looked at anything when Annie's phone rings. She pulls it out of her pocket and groans. "It's my mom. We haven't chatted in two days. I'll talk to her outside, but I'll try to be quick, okay? Try on that dress; Brian will love it."

"Take your time."

As soon as Annie exits the store, I take the dress I liked and head to the fitting rooms, eager to see if it suits me.

I'm not attentive to my surroundings, and a girl carrying a bunch of clothes collides with me, knocking the air out of my lungs.

"I'm sorry," I mumble and still because the girl in question is Bella.

"It's okay." She smiles. "Leah, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'm Bella, but you must already know that. I guess Brian told you."

"Told me what?"

Bella shrugs. "About me. We've known each other since we were kids. Grew up in this town."

"I see," I whisper. It's the first time Bella's spoken to me. I'm not sure how I should act and what I should say.

"Do you want a piece of friendly advice? Leave that dress on the rack. It's way too modest for what Brian likes. Choose a tighter and shorter one, and no panties underneath. He's not a fan of them—the guy's impatient."

"Excuse me?"

Bella laughs. "Oh, come on, don't tell me he hasn't slept with you yet. Poor guy. That's why he came to my house after our meeting at The Temple. But you know what? I closed the door in his face. He begged me to fuck. I regret I didn't. He knows what I like, and I let him do all kinds of things to me.

"In case you have no idea what he likes, well, he likes it rough. And he's crazy about my breasts. You don't have a lot to show; that's a shame. Oh, and he loves it when I suck him off before he fucks me. I don't mind. He always goes down on me, so it's a win-win. What else...Yes! The positions. His favorite is from behind, always has been."

"Stop," I utter. Tears fill my eyes, and my knuckles whiten as I grip the dress harder.

"Oh, no. You're a virgin. Now it's all clear. Brian's waiting to collect his trophy before he dumps you and comes back to me. He always has, ever since we were sixteen. Even when he moved away, he came to me every time he visited his dad. Once, he fucked me so hard we broke my bed. Can you imagine it?"

I can. That's why I stand riveted to the spot, speechless.

"Poor thing. It's hard to know your guy needs something you can't give him. I wouldn't like to be in your shoes. Brian's hard to handle, but I know him and his needs better than anyone."

"Why are you doing this?" I say. My voice is too low, and I know I look pathetic in my cheap clothes, crying in front of the girl who looks sexy in her tight jeans and a crop top, with her lips painted red and her jet black hair shiny and impossibly straight.

"I'm doing you a favor. You need to know what you're getting yourself into before it's too late."

Bella pauses and looks at me with fake pity dripping from her gaze. Then, she delivers the last blow—the one that hurts the most.

"I guess Brian didn't tell you I was his first. He might've been with other girls after me, but tell me, Leah, how can a guy forget his first time? The answer is, he can't, and he keeps coming back for more. Do you really think you can beat that?"

A current of air makes me shiver. The door of the store swings open, and Annie walks in.

"Happy shopping," Bella says before sauntering away, swaying her hips and leaving me a miserable, sobbing mess.

Alarmed by my tears, Annie rushes to me, but I'm numb to everything but Bella's words I wish I could unhear.