“Thanks,” I stuttered, unsure how to respond to the compliment. There hadn’t been time for the awkward moment after in his office because he’d left so quickly, but I felt it now. Gabe was an incredibly handsome and successful author and professor, and I was just me. The women he’d been with before me would have known how to react. I was sure they were experienced and sophisticated. And I was... “I’m a virgin.”
Chapter 6
Gabe
A lot of men would have taken off running at her announcement, but it turned me the fuck on. I was already hard from eating her pussy, but damn, my cock was begging to be where my mouth had been. Somewhere no one else had ever been. I wanted to shout to the world that Charlotte Young was mine, had only ever been, and would always be mine.
I couldn’t wait to teach her all about sex, explore new things, and learn to please each other. Not that I was worried about pleasing her. I don’t care how conceited it made me sound, I was an expert at satisfying women in the bedroom...or wherever.
I took a deep, calming breath.
Charlotte’s face was filled with trepidation and I realized that she was taking my silence as a bad sign. I helped her sit up, then reached up and smoothed out the worry lines on her forehead. Then I trailed my finger down her cheek, and over her rosy lips. “Sweetheart, stop jumping to conclusions.” I kissed her lightly. “I love that you’re untouched. Don’t mistake my silence for anything other than me trying to control my impulse to throw you over my shoulder and take you to the bedroom so I could pop your sweet cherry.”
Her face brightened and she locked her legs around my waist, making me groan at the contact. She gripped my shirt with two hands and pulled me close.
“I have no objections to that plan,” she whispered across my lips. I was about to give in when we were both startled by the oven timer. I removed her legs from my waist and quickly grabbed my oven mitts to remove the fresh, crusty rolls from the oven. I threw a glance her way before checking on the asparagus. “We’ll talk about that idea after dinner.” I turned back to the food, but not before I glimpsed her cute pout, making me smile.
I dished up the asparagus, wild rice, and parmesan encrusted chicken, placing each on the table. Lifting Charlotte off of the counter, I handed her a bottle of wine and two glasses, then grabbed a basket for the rolls. We sat down, our chairs at the corner of the table so that we were close, but still faced each other.
Charlotte looked over the meal, her expression indicating that I had impressed her. I winked at her and watched as a blush stole across her face. My hard-on had settled a little but that beautiful sight had me shifting uncomfortably in my chair. She took a bite of chicken and moaned, making me way beyond uncomfortable. I needed a distraction.
“Tell me what I don’t know about you, sweetheart,” I requested as I poured us each a glass of white wine.
“There isn’t much to know,” she said in between bites. “My parents died when I was fifteen, and since Elisa was eighteen, she was able to become my guardian. I grew up, went to school, and made every effort to graduate early so that Elisa wouldn’t have to continue supporting me. Oh, I also had a huge crush on my professor, and here we are.”
I chuckled. “You forgot, practically seduced said professor with your gorgeous legs, always on display with your short skirts.” I gave her a stern look. “Which is another topic we will be discussing at some point.”
Charlotte smirked and I glared at her. However, this wasn’t what I wanted to be talking about tonight, so I steered the conversation back on track.
“How is it that such a beautiful and intelligent woman is still a virgin at twenty-one?”
She blushed again and I decided it was one of my favorite things to see. “It’s not like I didn’t have the birds and bees discussion with Elisa. And, the safe sex lecture. I guess I was too busy with school and, um, I hadn’t—” She broke off and her blush intensified, spreading from the roots of her flaxen hair to dip below the collar of her low-cut sweater. I was dying to know how much of her body was covered with the pretty pink hue.
“Hadn’t what?” I pressed.
She cleared her throat and averted her gaze. I took her chin firmly between my thumb and forefinger, turning her face so her brown doe eyes stared into mine. “Eyes on me when you talk, Charlotte.”
“I hadn’t found anyone I wanted to be with like that.”
My heart swelled with emotions I hadn’t taken the time to truly examine yet. She was so fucking perfect.
“I’m ecstatic that you want to take that step with me, sweetheart. Although, even if you didn’t, I would have chained you to my bed and spent every second convincing you that you’re mine.”