Free Road to Reason by Natalie Ann

Just be yourself.  I think you have been with me.”
    “Yes, I have. With you more than anyone else in the past few years.”
    “Well, I like the real you. Don’t pretend to be someone you aren’t. Not for me and not for anyone,” he said fiercely.
    She was taken back by the conviction in his voice and could only nod her head.
    “I have one more condition. Well, it has two parts to it. But before we get to that, do you have any conditions?”
    She paused for a minute. “Yes.  I want to handle my family.  I don’t want them to know anything about this, about my problem that is. It’s embarrassing enough as it is and it’s no one’s business.”
    “Agreed.  We are consenting adults and answerable only to ourselves.”
    “I’ll tell my family when I’m ready that we’re dating. And when I tell them, I’m going explain that I approached you.”
    “No,” he told her. “No one is going to believe it, for one thing. And second, it’s not the truth. I don’t like to lie.”
    “It is the truth. I did approach you weeks ago. Not about dating, but I approached you all the same. So it is the truth. We wouldn’t be lying.  I don’t like to lie either. And why wouldn’t they believe it?” she asked, suddenly annoyed.
    “Because your family knows me, and they know you.  Do you really believe they’re going to think you approached me?” he asked curiously.
    “I don’t care what they believe because I did approach you. So that shoots your theory right down,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest again in a huff.  Just because she was a virgin didn’t mean she didn’t know how to ask a guy out.
    “Point taken. But I know your brothers are going to give you grief, and I don’t want you to take it alone. I want to know when you are going to tell them, and I want to be there if I can.  We’re in this together,” he said.
    She didn’t know why that statement caused her heart to bang loudly inside her chest, but it did.  “Deal. Now what is your last condition?”
    He took a deep breath, looked at her seated across from him in old clothes and messy hair, arms crossed—she’d bet there were even a few cobwebs still on top—and smiled. A wickedly charming smile, causing chills to race up her spine. “First part, we need to be attracted to each other. Otherwise it won’t work.”
    She blushed, but refused to confess her attraction first.
    His eyes bored into hers, then traveled from her head to her red painted toenails on the floor. “I’m very attracted to you,” he said in a slow drawl, that dangerous wicked smile and gleam still in his eyes.
    Her blush deepened. “Same here,” she mumbled.
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear that,” he said, laughter mixing in with the wicked gleam.
    “I said. The same here. I’m very attracted to you. What, am I dead?” she said sarcastically, making him to chuckle.
    He stood up and walked over to her, reached for her hand and pulled her up. “Second part of my last condition.  Chemistry.”
    “Chemistry?” she said with a shaky voice. “We just agreed we were attracted to each other.” She was watching him carefully now; he was like a hunter going after his prey.
    “Being attracted doesn’t guarantee chemistry.”
    She looked into his eyes, saw they turned a darker shade of a blue and knew he was going to kiss her.  She held her breath and closed her eyes when his lips lightly touched hers.  Nothing more than a touch. Gently at first, then a little bit more pressure.
    Her body relaxed, a sigh escaped her lips, and she had all she could do not to devour him right there.
    But he took it slow.  His tongue came out and traced the edge of her mouth, urging her to open for him. When she complied, he slid in tasting her slowly, coaxing her to join him. 
    The room started to spin, she imagined herself falling. Grabbing his shoulders, she held on tight, not even realizing her nails were digging into him.  There was a roaring in her ears she had