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His fingers brushed her inner thigh, and against her will, her legs spread wider to give him better access. As they caressed the outside of her lacy pink panties, Hannah let out a moan of frustration. She wanted those fingers touching her, inside her, not just teasing.

Without warning, Blake withdrew his hand with a heavy, shuddering breath, placing both hands on the wheel.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

She turned and gave him a little smile. “I didn’t mind.”

“Maybe we can pick it up after dinner.”

Here it was, the perfect chance for her to be honest.

“Sure, but just so we’re clear, there are some things I want to take slow, too.”

Blake glanced toward her for a second, then returned his focus to the road. “Such as?”

“Well, the . . . intimate stuff. I’m not terribly experienced, and I just want you to know that even though I’m not ready for sex, that doesn’t mean I don’t like you.”

Blake didn’t say anything for the longest time, and Hannah was sure she’d spooked him.

Finally, he asked, “Are you telling me this because you feel like I’m pushing

you? Because I never meant to—”

“No! God, no, I don’t feel pressured. Believe me, I like it when you touch me. I just don’t want to get in over my head before I’m actually ready to take that step.”

“Okay, sure. We can take our time. I don’t mind.”

Hannah breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God. I was a little nervous telling you, especially because it’s a little embarrassing being almost twenty-five and a virgin, but it was my choice—Blake!”

Blake had swerved into the other lane, coughing.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, I just . . . Did you say you were a virgin? As in, you’ve never had sex with anyone?”

“Well, yeah, that was what I was trying to explain. Is that a problem?”

He hesitated. He freaking hesitated. “No, no, it was just a surprise.”

But Hannah didn’t believe him.

“It wasn’t for religious reasons, and I’m not holding out until marriage. I was holding out until I found someone I could really love.”

Someone like you.

Even though she hadn’t said the words aloud, the car filled with tension, and she could have sworn Blake was sweating.

“Are you panicking?” she asked.

“No, I’m fine. Just hungry.”

Hannah turned to look out the window, her stomach sinking in disappointment.

Why did the fact that I’ve never been with anyone else send Blake into a full-force meltdown?

BLAKE DIDN’T KNOW what the hell to say about the bomb Hannah had just dropped on him. He’d figured she’d probably been with one, maybe two other guys, but he didn’t think she was very experienced.

Turned out she was even more innocent than him.