The moment the word left my lips, Reece gently held my hips. With soft, caring fingers, he pulled my pants down, lifting me by my ass to get them off—one leg at a time. He gripped the fabric before looking at either side of the bed. "Hamper?" he asked.

I gulped. Laying in front of him in my red underwear, I felt open and exposed. But not in a bad way. I was anxious and ready for what he might do. So much so, that I couldn't process what he asked. "What?" I breathed.

He smirked. "It's fine." He tossed my pants on the floor. "We can pick that up later."

What person, in the heat of a moment, thinks of cleanliness? I appreciated it. But also, if he wanted to rip my clothes off and throw them around the room, I wouldn't stop him either.

Reece's hands slid up my waist. He was gentle until he passed my ribs, just under my breasts. He pressed, fingers pushing into my skin, massaging. "Do you like anything special?" he whispered.

I lifted my hands above my head. My shirt slightly raised with it. With my breasts still covered and his warm hands on me, the room's air did nothing. I was shivering, but I knew he was the reason.

"I don't know." Again, honesty. I'd never had good sexual experiences, so apart from the usual 'he got his and I'm unsatisfied,' what did I know about special?

Reece smirked, licked his bottom lip, and let his hands slide back down my body. "Can I say I'm honored?" he said, dark eyes peering at me as his thumb brushed over my panties.

Instantly, I arched and gasped. The electricity and spark I felt from just one touch were wild. He didn't even do anything.

Was he honored because he'd be the first to give me an experience? The one to show me how wonderful this could be; to give me something special.

He pressed, softly rotating his finger, and I cried out. My hands fisted the sheets. When he turned the other way, and the friction brought a burning, a yearning, swelling between my legs, my mouth hung open with a long, silent moan.

"Well, well, well." Cocking a brow, Reece grinned at me before focusing on my underwear. He rubbed his hands over my hips again, then hooked his finger around the fabric and moved it aside.

He wasn't going to take it off. This was happening. What was this? This sexual care. The look in his eyes—dark, desiring, hungry—wasn't the usual lust people talked about. This was... something else. Something more.

He saw me and cared about me. And I felt it from his gaze.

"Imm'a need you to do something for me," he whispered.

My hands loosened. The sheets relaxed under my head. And my brows shot up high. "Yeah?" I breathed.

"Relax." There was no warning, not that he needed to say anything. I knew what was coming. I just didn't know when.

It was like I blinked and the emptiness within my lower belly was filled by the slow entrance of two fingers. I gasped, arched, and tried to relax like he said. But how could I?

He did it slowly. And on purpose. Each smooth thrust from his hand had my body on fire. And after three seconds, I was whimpering.

I pressed my hands over my face. "Reece," I breathed against my palm.

"Don't." Leaning over my body, Reece used his other hand to grab mine. He moved them away from my face and placed them over my head. With his fingers still moving, I never felt so small, so delicate, and willing. "Let me see you," he said.

Okay. This was fine. No, more than fine. This was perfect. This was new. And so were my reactions.

My trembling breath deepened as I focused on his gaze. He looked at me like I was the most beautiful person he'd ever seen.

He came closer, placing kisses on the side of my neck. Like this, with his weight against me, chest on mine, and his hips over his hand, his fingers only got deeper, closer. And I instinctively wrapped my legs around him as I cried.

He deeply chuckled in my ear. "Let me know if you want to stop."

No, I wanted more. But as he said, we were responsible, and taking that route without what we needed wasn't smart.

I couldn't stop this. I was rolling with him, whimpering, following his fingers like a guided dance I desperately wanted to learn.

"Don't stop," I breathed. I wanted to touch him, but he didn't let my arms go.

He moved back and hooked his fingers, pressing upward. His eyes darkened. A low groan came from his throat as he turned his hand slightly, caressing my sides with each stroke. Pressing, massaging, digging deeper until I thought I would pop. He knew it, because he did it again, and again, until he fully removed his fingers, traced my entrance, and then pushed his fingers one more time. Quicker, deeper, sliding upward.

And like that, I cried out louder than I'd been. I arched and let the fire come over me. When his fingers straightened inside me, only to curl again as he pushed, I was done.

Electricity came over. Sparks erupted on my skin. He had to let me go because I pushed, I reached for him, and as I felt my orgasm take hold, I grabbed his head and brought him down to kiss me. I never thought he could taste so sweet.

"You good?" he whispered, pressing his forehead against mine as I touched his cheeks. We locked eyes. He grinned. "I think you're good."

I moaned, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth. Biting hard, I let myself fall back on my bed. "Oh, I'm good," I whispered, then looked down at my underwear, "but I think I need new panties for the night."

Reece laughed and lifted his hands. "Don't let me stop you."

I didn't, even though I wouldn't mind. Stopping me meant I wouldn't leave the bed, and if that was the case, if he wanted to touch me again, 'no,' wouldn't be my answer.

Scooting away from him, I slid off the bed and quickly realized my legs wouldn't support me. I was weak in a good way and couldn't stop trembling. It took the biggest breath to step forward.

As I got to my dresser and opened the top drawer, I looked back at Reece, who'd laid back on my bed with a smile. "Am I being too forward to tell you, you can stay over."

He placed one hand behind his head and the other pointed, bouncing between the two of us. "Not forward if you're my boo," he said. "But again, something I wasn't prepared for it."

I bit my lip, holding clean, pink panties in my hand. "If you mean toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, and soap, I got you." I ended with a smile.

Reece lifted his brows and smirked. "Preparing for something?"

"Nope." I slowly walked back over to the bed. "I just buy in bulk."

"Touché." Reece sat up once I leaned on the bed. I glanced over the side, eyeing my pajama pants. "Oh, sorry," he said. "Did you want them back?"

"Yeah," I giggled. "I don't know why you were thinking of tossing them in a hamper."

Pressing his lips together, he wasted no time and said, "Because I could touch you all night."

The dark lure returned to his eyes. He leaned forward, almost crawling to me, and cupped my cheek with one hand. "You only have to say the word."

Was this a dream? Was he a character straight out of an erotica? Right now, he oozed desire. I wouldn't tell him no.

Rather than pulling off my wet panties, I neatly placed the clean, dry ones on the corner of the bed. "I mean..." I started.

But Reece swooped in and took my mouth in the deepest, hottest, most delicious kiss I could ever ask for.

***

Reece's expert hands kept me up all night. Who needed sleep when a man could push you over the edge with just his fingers? After three orgasms and long, breathless kisses, I fell asleep like a baby. And the fire followed me into my dreams.

His voice echoed in my head. His hands brushed over me, almost ghostly, as I twirled in my dream space to a song that I didn't know the name of. There were sparks of pleasure in my mind, and occasionally, my eyes fluttered open; I'd stare into the dark shadows of my room, sighing at the gentle sparks continuing to erupt around my body before I closed them again.

When morning came, and the dreams ended, I rolled onto my back, cuddling my blanket against my face. I stretched until my feet shook then sighed into the soft fabric. And when I turned over one more, facing my left, I smiled.

Reece slept peacefully next to me. I never thought I'd open my eyes to such a beautiful person in my bed. He looked like an angel. And I was happy he agreed to stay the night.

The sun touched his skin, and I followed the rays like a guiding light. I gently passed my fingers over his cheek until he opened his eyes. Their dark auburn absorbed the morning. "Hey," he said, his voice groggy. He passed his hand over the front of his face as he took a deep breath. "Morning, babe."

Babe. I could get used to this. It felt so natural.

I bit my lip as I smiled at him. "Morning," I said quietly, "want some coffee?"

Elixir of the mornings, of life, and the much-needed drinks to start my days. Caffeine was mandatory, especially after last night. I needed a jump-start to recharge my body. Reece put me in such a calming peace, if I could, I'd stay in bed all day.

With him, of course.

Eyeing me from the top of his fingertips, he smiled. "I'll take coffee," he said, "and if you can tell me where your bathroom is?"

Duh. Morning. I pushed myself onto my elbows and looked out of the bedroom door. I was surprised Franny wasn't howling for breakfast. Her normal routine was to hop on the bed and pat my face until I opened my eyes. The fact that she didn't do that confused me. Had we not heard her?

"It's the next door over," I said, pointing in the direction with my chin. "Extra towels are on the shelf. Toothpaste and toothbrushes are in the cabinet under the sink."

"Cool." Reece yawned as he sat up in the bed. He passed his hand over his face again before rubbing his neck. Glancing at me, he gave me a small smile and cocked a brow. "I'd kiss you, but, you know, we're not at the morning breath stage yet."

Oh, boy! He was thinking of stages. It hadn't even been a day and he was thinking of the future.

When was the 'morning breath' stage? I didn't even know there was one. I always complained when people woke up in the mornings and got straight to kissing, like their breath didn't stink. Wash first, then kiss, people.

"I'll go take care of this." He waved his hand over his face, pushing off the bed. I couldn't help but watch him, mesmerized. Because he was here, in my room, having slept in my bed.

But when he reached the door, he waved his hand over his face again, quietly whispering, "This."

I laughed. This mesmerizing man was not only intelligent and caring, but he was also goofy. Taking the chance to lower his exterior to make me laugh was a solid point and well-earned.

He turned right, and his footsteps echoed for a moment, but when a door opened and closed, I flopped back on my bed with a happy sigh.

"Oh. My. God." I couldn't believe it. Even though I heard the water running in my bathroom, heard the adorable humming paired with the sound of a toothbrush, it felt like a vivid dream.

If someone told me that the beautiful man I saw some evenings in a diner getting food would happily call me his girl, and care for me in ways I'd never experienced before; I wouldn't have believed them. I would've said, "Me? Awkward, introverted Camila? The girl who daydreams about robots and would lose hours watching Korean dramas? No, not me."

Yet, no, it was me. And all I did was follow the fairies. The magic. And his light.

Sliding my hands over my face, I giggled into my palm. Then I touched my chest, linking my fingers over my heart. This is truly my reality.

The humming stopped. The toilet flushed and the bathroom door opened. Footsteps approached. Looking up, I caught Reece as he leaned against the wall with a smug look. "Come on, beautiful," he said, "you're up."

Smiling, I pushed off the bed and walked to him. Then I glanced around with a quiet pspsps. "Franny!" I called out.

"I fed her at five A.M," he said. "Hopefully that's okay."

I blinked. "You did?"

He nodded with a chuckle. And as if summoned, Franny turned in from the kitchen and rubbed herself on my leg.

"Yeah," he said. "She just came into the room and kept hitting my cheek. When I paid her attention, she chirped and left, but sort of stayed there. It was either follow her or get slapped again."

Ha! That sounded like Francesca the Queen. It was food or off with your head—no in-between. So, she didn't wake me up for breakfast. She chose Reece.

"Well, welcome," I said as I moved past him. "When Franny accepts you, you're in and can't leave."

I turned for the bathroom, but Reece's hand shot out and gently grabbed mine. His thumb slid over my skin as he looked deeply into my eyes. "After what happened last night, Camila, I don't want to leave."

I bit the insides of my cheeks as I held his hand and kept his gaze. Because I had the same thought. This was it. He was mine. And I could do this every day.

"Let me brush my teeth so I can steal a kiss," I said, slowly peeling myself away.

He laughed. "Can't steal what I'm ready to give."

***

The smell of fresh coffee filled the kitchen. Two coffee mugs were prepared on the counter, deliciously sweetened. I ran out of creamer a few days ago, but Reece made it work. With milk, sugar, and a dash of cinnamon—it reminded me of the morning love my grandmother used to make.

"So, I know last night took a detour," Reece said, grabbing his cup to take a sip. "And I'm not complaining—it was worth it—but you did want me to give you feedback, right?"

Poo. That was why I called him over. Yet, the second the fire between us erupted and his hands touched my skin, I'd forgotten about it.

"Y-Yeah!" I reached for my cup, too. "What you read; is it okay?"

"Oh," he took another sip, "you're at a good spot. No rule says your twist and climax need to happen later. With what's happened with my boy Enzo, I'm sure another big swing's coming."

His enthusiasm warmed me. He was right, I did plan for something else.

I took a small gulp from my coffee. "Anything I should add or change?"

"Change? Nah." He leaned back against the counter and crossed his legs. "Although, this relationship between Cari and Enzo? I'm intrigued. It feels like there's a deep message about them."

I'd taken another sip, but that slipped out of my mouth and back into the cup. A deep message between them? Yeah. Us.

Reece laughed and shook his finger in the air. "Ha! There is a message, I'm catching on." Sipping from his cup, he winked at me. "I'll figure it out."

Oh, boy, would that be awkward? I didn't know. Maybe it'd be flattering? My main character is loosely based on him, his persona, and his physical appearance. Nothing wrong with that, right?

"So, now that it's a new day, a new morning, and we've connected on a newer level," sliding his tongue along the inside of his bottom lip, he placed his coffee on the counter, "how would you feel about swinging by my place? I'm off today, so."

"I actually work today." Despite the happy excitement swelling in my belly, I frowned. I would love to see his place, be in his space, and possibly, maybe, more than likely have another experience like last night. Was that wrong to want?

"Aw, shit." He rubbed the back of his neck as he glanced at me. "What time you get off?"

I looked at the time on the wall. I had two hours before I needed to go in. Early afternoon until closing. Normally, I loved longer shifts because it meant more money. But if only today could've been one of my four-hour 'clock-in, clock-out' days.

"I'll be done at eight-thirty tonight."

Reece sucked in a slow breath. "Damn, eleven to close?"

I nodded and shrugged. Disappointment settled in. If I could ditch work, I would. Again, the need to be responsible was strong. "Yeah."

"Well, how about I meet you there?" He quickly lifted his hands. "If you want to. I know last night happened, but if coming to mine is too soon, I understand. We've only known each other a little while and—"

And he sounded like me. It was cute to see a little glimmer of nervousness. It made this more real. Despite the adorable moment, I continued to frown. "I know Nancy's closing today, too. When we close, we walk together. Better safe in pairs."

"Makes sense." He nodded, grabbing his cup to drink from it again. "It's best to think safety first, right?"

"Right." I smiled.

He paused then twirled his finger around the top of the mug. "Would a third wheel be bad for a few minutes? Unless, ya know, it's when y'all get your girl time in."

I thought about it. It wouldn't be bad, and Nancy loved to gossip, so I knew she would talk Reece's ear off. Besides, this meant they could get to know each other; more than the talkative girl and the hot librarian. They could connect because she was my friend, and, as of last night, he was my boo.

"I'm okay with it." I turned and faced the counter just as Franny jumped on top. She purred as she rubbed against my arm. "But if I do go to your place—"

His eyes widened as he smiled. "You coming through?"

Laughing, I nodded, and continued, "I need to make sure Franny has food tonight."

"That's cool," he grinned, "we can swing back this way, so she's taken care of. My place isn't a far walk. I could always use the cardio. Keep in shape."

Panning my eyes over his body, his tee, and the subtle outlines of muscles, I knew he was in shape.

"So, it's a walk-date? With your friend?" His awkward grin made me laugh. He even waved his hands to accentuate the ridiculous question. A walk-date?

"Yes." I nodded. "I'll see you at the store at closing?"

"Damn right." Leaning in, he grabbed my chin, lifted my face, and kissed me.