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Blake hadn’t meant to let on how much the news affected him. Losing your virginity was a big deal—at least, it had been when he’d been eighteen and Jenny had been seventeen.

Fuck, how the hell did this happen?

It happened because he wanted Hannah. She made him happy, and he’d liked the way that had felt. It had been nice to let things progress, to enjoy getting to know her on a whole new level.

But now he knew she was a virgin, and a thousand what-if scenarios went through his mind. What if they had sex and things didn’t work out? What if she resented him for hurting her, or he disappointed her?

“Blake? You sound as if you’re hyperventilating over there.”

“No, I’m fine.”

But he wasn’t. He was crazy. He was fucking losing his mind.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

DINNER WAS A quiet, awkward affair, and for the first time since Blake had stepped foot in Dale’s, Hannah wanted to get away from him.

She’d hated the way he’d looked when she’d told him she’d never been with anyone. Why had that sent him into a full-blown panic attack? Because he’d been trying to keep things fun and light and he thought virginity somehow made sex more complicated? She’d saved it so when she fell in love, even if it didn’t last, it meant something, instead of randomly hooking up and regretting it later.

Then he’d had to act like an idiot and made her regret even mentioning it.

“So, maybe we could do this again on Saturday?”

Hannah shrugged, too irritated with him to hide it. “Maybe, I’ll let you know.”

“Hannah, come on—”

She climbed out of the car and shut the door on whatever else he was going to say, wondering if she’d made a mistake telling Blake at all. Maybe she would be better off dating someone else. There were any number of guys who were cute, smart, and completely uncomplicated . . .

But none of those guys ever made her feel the way Blake did.

Hannah walked into the apartment and let Milo out of his cage, taking him into the front yard to relieve himself. She noticed Blake was still sitting in the parking spot and tried to ignore him.

Calling Milo back inside, she locked the door, ready for bed and the new romance she’d picked up at Walmart. Romance novels had flawed, tortured heroes, but they only drove her crazy for a page or two.

Unlike real men.

BLAKE SAT IN his car, trying to decide whether he wanted to call up the guys to meet him at Mick’s Bar or bang on Hannah’s door and try to explain himself.

How did he explain that he was a big, fat pussy who couldn’t handle the responsibility of being her first?

She’d been waiting for someone she could love. Did that mean she thought she could love him?

He wasn’t there yet and didn’t know if he could ever be in love again, but he cared about her. He needed her.

Blake climbed out of his car and jogged up to Hannah’s door, knocking loudly. Once he explained why he’d freaked out, everything would be back to normal.

It flew open, and both Hannah and Milo stared out at him.

“Blake, what—”

Before he even knew what he was doing, he’d cut her off with his mouth, backing her into her apartment and slamming the door behind him. He tried to tell himself to slow down, to seduce her slowly and listen to that little sigh of surrender she gave when he kissed her neck just right.

But he was overwhelmed with the need to prove he wasn’t scared without actually saying the words. That what they had between them was real and that he hadn’t meant to freak out, that he’d be happy to be her first, if it ever came to that.

Blake eased the pressure of his mouth, teasing her lips as he maneuvered her back toward the bedroom. He ignored Milo nipping at his ankles as he ran his hands all over Hannah, lovingly caressing every curve beneath the sheath of her dress.

Her hands gripped his shoulders, kneading the muscles, and he almost groaned, it felt so good.