This chapter is not very filled with plot points and has a bit more of a mature feel. So you are free to skip it and I'll give you a recap of the essentials at the end.

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It was maybe too soon and insensitive as fuck, but Davyn couldn't care less.

When he'd gone to the art studio, he'd just wanted to maybe talk a bit and kiss her some more. But once she'd succumbed to her passion for art and completely ignored him, his plan changed. She'd never looked more attractive to him, more filled with life. Of course, it was easy to pull her into his lap, kiss, tease, and touch her. It was her decision to allow it which pushed him to do what he was doing now.

After all, she was right. Maybe he should stop acting like he was taking something from her. Let her decide her own fate even if her decisions might not be the wisest.

Getting in the car with him was definitely not wise.

"Where are we going?" Millie asked, propping her feet on the edge of the seat and hugging her knees to her chest.

"Don't do that." He reached out his hand and pushed her knees down.

"Why not?"

"Because if we get into an accident, your knees would go right through your chest."

"Wow, I didn't see you as the cautious type."

He huffed. "There are some risks you can take, but getting killed in a car crash doesn't seem like the type of thing to risk for the sake of badassery."

"Badassery?" She tilted her head but didn't try to get her legs up again. There was a shadow of sadness on her face and his heart skipped a beat.

He knew what she was thinking. That his dad had died in a car crash so it must be a sore subject. What shocked him was that, in truth, it wasn't. That car crash, the drugs... He still refused to believe it. This maddening discrepancy was still at the back of his mind, but he hadn't had the disposition to sink into it yet. But as the days passed and it continued to surface, he was sure it wouldn't be much longer.

"That's not a word," she pressed on.

He appreciated her very obvious attempt to steer clear of the painful subject. "It can too be a word. Shakespeare invented a lot of the words he used in his plays. Especially the insults."

"Huh. I didn't know that."

"You're failing your cliché of the artsy good girl who is into classical literature."

She laughed at this, the sound driving the last of the tension away. "I'm sorry, I'm not much for reading. And good to know I'm not a cliché."

True. He would've hated her if she were. Instead, he got this strange creature that seemed to be made to fit in between the cracks inside him.

"You still haven't answered my original question. Where are we going?'

He pulled over in front of the apartment building and killed the engine. "Right here."

She looked up at the red brick four-story building. Yes, it was old, but it was sturdy and had a classical type of architecture that would most likely soon disappear.

"This is very close to school," she observed.

"That was the whole point." He got down and rounded the car to pull her out as well.

She kept staring, as if unsure of what they were doing there. It was so very obvious, but her innocence bordering on ignorance was oddly endearing.

"It's on the fifth floor," he said, waving his hand to indicate that she should go first.

"And, of course, there's no elevator."

"What's wrong, darling? No stamina? Your room is on the last floor of the dorms, too."

"Doesn't mean I like climbing stairs," she said with a heavy sigh.

He moved past her and ran up the first flight of stairs, before turning to her. "You'll need to improve your stamina."

"I don't think so." But she finally moved towards him.

"I know so." And he continued his way up.

"Stop running!"

He didn't. He just laughed at her and only stopped once he reached the door. It took her about a minute to reach him, and by the way she was panting, it was obvious that she'd run up, too. He liked to see her like that, out of breath and red in the face, though he had better ways of making that happen.

"Oh, darling, that won't do."

"Shut up," she breathed. "I hate you."

"Perfect." He took the keys out of his back pocket and unlocked the front door.

Millie straightened and her demeanor changed into the curious, innocent one. "What is this place?"

"My place." He stepped inside and reached out his hands.

She stepped in, her eyes wide with wonder, taking in the walls and floors. The place wasn't large, but it had hardwood floors and the back wall was made of the same red bricks as the building itself. Except for the main room, he just had a bathroom and a small kitchen which was only separated from the main room by a counter.

"It's not much, it's just a studio, but it's not like I need more." She didn't answer, walking around and staring at the bare walls. "I haven't exactly brought in furniture yet either," he explained. "Just the bed and the kitchen and bathroom stuff."

"This is yours?" She turned to him. There was something in her gaze that brought both pride and a weird sort of embarrassment.

"Yeah. Things at home aren't getting better, so I decided to move out."

"I'm so sorry, Davyn," she whispered, and took a step towards him.

She reached out her hand to touch his cheek, but he caught it in midair. "We're not here for you to feel pity for me. That's not why I got this place. Me moving out is a good thing."

Her smile was still sad and he wanted nothing more than to drive it out of her, so he pulled her hand and caught her against him.

"You're not getting the hint," he murmured in her ear.

Her posture relaxed and a shudder ran through her body. It plunged him back into the state of mind in the art room.

"I love the place," she whispered back. "And I'm happy for you. I mean... I hope moving here..."

"Oh, shut up." And he kissed her.

She molded into him immediately, once again proving that she was made for him. They were alone now, there was a locked door between them and the world. He wasn't sure if she sensed the danger, but the way she fumbled with the hem of his t-shirt indicated that she might.

He pulled back an inch. "Be careful. You're going down the path of no return."

The desire in her eyes morphed into panic as she glanced over her shoulder, at the bed. "Is this why you brought me here?"

"I brought you here to show you the place. If it happens to lead to more, I'm not going to complain."

She took a tiny step back, staring from him to the bed, obviously torn between running and staying. He pursed his lips, trying his best to keep in his amused smile. He'd always loved the conflict inside her, watching her step out of her comfort zone. This was no different. She had to decide what she wanted and the battle was delicious.

"I..." She bit her lower lip.

"I'm not going to make this decision for you."

"What do you want?"

This time, he didn't keep the grin in. "Oh, darling, you know exactly what I want."

Her cheeks caught a delightful pink tinge and she didn't step back as he closed the space between them. He didn't kiss her, just lingered above her, enjoying the way her breathing quickened, how her eyes searched his face for clues. It was just too obvious since he didn't even bother hiding his desire.

"Do you want me to say it?" He whispered, placing his hands on her hips. "Show it?" He moved them up to her waist. "Spell it out?"

Her breathing hitched and she shuddered, but she placed her hands on his stomach. After a moment, she raised his t-shirt and ran her fingers over his skin. It was so hard to not throw her on the bed. The way she knew and didn't know what she was doing was driving him insane.

"Careful, darling, you're treading on dangerous territory."

"Maybe I like the danger," she whispered, running her fingers up and down the ridges of his abs.

"You shouldn't have said that..." He hoisted her up, grasping her thighs.

She didn't waste time and wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, so close, he could hear her heart beating. The way she looked down at him, her blue eyes hazy with desire, was everything. When she leaned to kiss him, he kissed her back, taking the lead from her. In mere seconds, she was with her back against the mattress, her body fitting perfectly under his, like he knew it would. Adrenaline pumped through his veins because he knew she would be perfect. He just had to confirm it.

She didn't back down, kissing him, touching him, pulling the t-shirt over his head. In return, he undid the suspenders of her overalls again, lifted her t-shirt, and kissed a trail from the lining of her bra to her belly button. The way she moaned drove any reason from his head.

"Davyn," she whispered.

The sound of her voice, breathy and needy made it even better. But he pulled himself up and let himself fall to his side, freeing her of his weight.

"You still have the safe word," he said, trailing his fingers on her bare skin. "Except this time, you get to use it for its actual purpose."

She blinked. "The safe word?"

God, she was so out of it and he couldn't believe how hot he found that. "Yes. In case you're scared or it becomes too much for you."

She sat up and hesitated for a moment, nibbling on her lower lip. "And if I don't use it?"

"Well..." He undid her braids and ran his fingers through her hair. She let him, just watching him work. "If you don't use it..." He undid the buttons on the sides of her overalls. "I might just take something else from you." He pressed her back down and slid the overalls over her hips and down her thighs.

She didn't make a move to stop him, just watching. Then she reached out a hand and placed it on his chest, moving it down his stomach, to his belt.

"Does that mean that I get to touch you?" Her voice was breathy.

"It means you get to do whatever you want to me."

"Oh, God," she whimpered.

He leaned over and kissed her behind the ear, running his hand up her leg, to her hip. "Exactly."

She shuddered again. "Can I...?"

"Stop asking. Just do what you want. Trust me, the safe word is for you, not me."

It took her a moment to register his words, but when she did, she nudged him to his back and straddled him. Her eyes half-lidded with desire, she ran her hands from his shoulders, down his arms, then on his chest, on his stomach, until she reached the belt of his jeans.

"You can take those off, too," he offered.

"How can you...?" Her words faltered as she started her way back up.

"How can I what? Be so open about this?"

"Yes..."

"Do you like me being open about it?"

She hesitated for a moment. "Yes."

Good. Because he liked seeing her react to his words. "Then how about I take more of your clothes off and I show you something even more pleasant?"

She shook her head, but grabbed the hem of her t-shirt and pulled it over her head, leaving herself in her bra and panties, both simple white cotton. It didn't matter, her body more than made up for any flaw in attire and it became increasingly harder to just lay there and do nothing.

"You've seen me like this before," she declared as if to justify her boldness.

"I'd say I've seen you in less. That bikini was smaller. And white in water..." He shook his head. "It was pretty see-through after it got wet."

Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him. He placed his hands on her thighs and gave her a smile. "You're beautiful, darling. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

A small smile lifted her lips. "You're beautiful, too." And she placed her hands on his chest.

The movement had her leaning over, showing a lot of cleavage. It was becoming excruciatingly hard to remain still, but he could sense she needed more time to get used to the idea of him. When she moved a little and positioned herself over him, it got even worse. She froze, eyes wide.

"Um, it's... is it...?"

He quirked an eyebrow. "Hard? Very. You're being quite the tease."

She scooted lower, analyzing the lower half of his body. Her cheeks turned pink as she looked back at him.

"I don't know how to do this."

"You mean this?" He unclasped his belt and undid his buttons, sliding his thumbs in to lower his jeans.

She placed her hands over his. "No, don't. I don't think I'm ready for that."

It felt like she'd thrown a bucket of ice-cold water on him. Unfortunately, it did nothing for his growing desire, just doubled it with a whole lot of frustration.

"You'll have to use the safe word for that." His voice came out like a growl and he hated that he didn't sound cool and collected.

"No, it's not that. It's seeing."

The frustration left him, replaced by a sudden desire to laugh his head off. She apparently had nothing against having sex, but seeing him naked was too much for her. But this was his fault for thinking she should take the lead. On some level, he'd thought she'd feel more comfortable. But her lack of experience was showing and it just made him want her more.

"Okay, then you won't see it until it's too late." He rolled her over, pinning her underneath him. "Let me show you how it's done."

He kissed her deeply, but only for a second before his lips traced a way down, unclasping her bra on the way and tasting her skin. She moaned underneath him, her body arching to come closer. The taste of her skin was intoxicating, the knowledge that no one had touched her like this before even more so. Her hands grasped his shoulders, her nails digging into her skin.

"You can always use the safe word," he whispered as he ran his mouth down her stomach.

She ignored him, her hands digging into his hair. He wasn't going to insist that she stop him. It was enough that she knew she could. Though as he focused on kissing her inner thighs, he wondered if he would have the strength to stop even if she wanted it at that point.

He didn't have to find out. The only sounds coming out of Millie's mouth were moans as he explored every inch of her. It was him doing the talking, ensuring that the pace was right for her, that she wasn't uncomfortable or afraid. Her answers came in the form of pulling him closer, spreading her legs out wider. He hadn't been wrong. Under his touch, she moved in the perfect way, fitting against him like no one had before, her movements slow and sensual. The taste of her skin, of her, was perfect. Her screams gave him life, seeing her succumb to the pleasure, sweaty and panting underneath him even before he got to take his jeans off.

"Oh, Lord," she breathed as she came down from her height.

He squeezed her against him and kissed her hair. "Can I take my pants off now?"

"I just can't believe... Never before..."

He huffed. "Never before. What's important is that you like it."

Her gaze was hazy as she took him in. The desire in her eyes reminded him of when she'd woken up in the middle of the night with him in her bed and how she'd fallen right into it.

"I never thought it would be like this," she breathed. "That you could be so patient."

"I'm usually not. So feel flattered. Though I can't say I didn't enjoy that. And it can be better. I just didn't want to ruin what comes next."

"I..."

For the briefest moment, he thought she'd use the safe word and he tensed. Lost in her haze, she didn't seem to notice, but she stayed silent as her eyes roamed his body.

"I want more," she finally said.

That's all he needed to hear. In a heartbeat, he'd shed his clothes as well and was back on top of her, supporting his weight on his forearms. There was no hesitation from her side as she spread herself out wide and waited. He ran his hand up and down her leg, kissed her more. Her mouth, her skin, her perfect breasts, her stomach. Then he went back up, focusing on her mouth again, loving the moans coming out of her.

It was so easy to position himself perfectly, but he waited, giving her the chance to stop it, to save herself while she still could. She didn't. Instead, she wrapped her legs around him and squeezed, pulling him closer, inviting him in.

He resisted her pull, but only the right amount to make sure it wouldn't be too sudden or painful. When she drew a sharp breath, he stopped completely. She opened her eyes, looking at him with so much desire it drove him mad.

"Is this it?" she whispered.

"Hardly." His voice came out breathy and filled with desire. "There's a lot more to go. But we're getting there."

Her thighs tightened against his hips, pulling him closer. The feel of her almost sent him over the edge.

"Millie." It came out like a plea which she ignored as she increased the pressure. Her hips raised off the mattress coming to meet him until they were finally one.

She let out a small scream, but there was no trace of pain in it. Just pure ecstasy. He held on to her, careful not to move her even a millimeter, his heart pounding in his chest. Never in his life had he felt that someone belonged to him like she did now. When she opened her eyes and stared straight into his, he could swear it was the most erotic moment of his life.

"I love you," she breathed. "And I'm yours."

"Yes, you are." And he'd never felt that way before. "And I am yours." He leaned over and kissed her. "I love you."

The sigh of relief she let out filled his heart. They still had a long way to go and there was so much more he could teach her. Including that they needed protection before everything ended in a blaze of glory. But he was more than willing to put the time in. She proved to be worth every second he'd waited for her.

He hadn't been wrong. Millie Tanner was made for him.

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Well, things got serious. And someone had fun. It worked a lot better than either of them expected I think 😅

But now it's time for the aftermath of all of this and for the happiness to be shattered. At least some!

In case you decided to skip the chapter, they just got intimate in Davyn's new studio. It worked out well. No conflict, no tensions. It went well. Too well, maybe. 😅

See you next week!