"Just for a few minutes," I whisper. She starts to object, so I cover her mouth with mine. Whatever it takes to shut her up. I drop my hand between her legs, feeling her rely on me for support as her knees begin to buckle beneath her. Needless to say, her anger dissolves with each stroke. She moans into my mouth and I push her further into my closet, just as Sloan beats on the door for a second time.

"Two minutes," I whisper. "I'll get rid of her."

I kiss her again, then shut the closet door. I grab a towel and wipe my hands, then walk to the bedroom door and open it.

"It's four o'clock in the afternoon, why are you asleep?" Sloan says, shoving past me.

She's heading toward the closet, so I grab her by the waist and pull her down onto the bed. "I had class all day. I'm tired," I say, knowing the lie will ease her resolve.

It does.

She relaxes and curls into my chest. "You actually went to class today?"

I nod and bring my hands to her face, wiping a stray strand of hair out of her eyes, then tuck it behind her ear. I roll her onto her back and hover over her. The distinct bruises on her arms catch my eye, and it reminds me that I never did apologize for that incident in the kitchen.

"I did go to class," I lie, running my fingers down her arm, over the marks I left on her. "I'm taking it seriously, Sloan. Everything I've promised you. I want to make it better." I bend down and kiss the fingertip bruises. "I love you, babe," I say softly. "I didn't mean to hurt you. Sometimes I forget how fragile your skin is."

She presses her lips into a thin line and swallows. I can tell she's trying not to cry. This is going to take a little more work than I thought. "God, Sloan. I don't deserve you. I swear to you, I'll make it better. I'll make it better for both of us, okay?" I take both of her cheeks between the palms of my hands and I kiss her deeply. I know girls like it when guys hold their face while they kiss them; like kissing is their only intention.

It's bullshit. If guys had their way, the hands would never venture above the tits.

"I love you," I say again as I glide my hand down to her waist. My dick swells in my pants, getting a hell of a lot harder than the whore in the closet could get it.

As many girls as I've been with, I can honestly say Sloan turns me on more than any of them. I don't know what it is about her that I find so much more attractive than the rest of them. Her tits aren't that big and she's not even that curvy.

I think it's her innocence. I like knowing I'm the first and only guy that's ever fucked her. I like knowing I'll be the only guy that'll ever fuck her.

I slide my hand underneath her shirt and pull the lace of her bra down. "Let me make it up to you," I whisper. I press my mouth to the thin layer of shirt covering her nipple, and I take it between my teeth. She moans and arches her back, but pushes against my chest.

"Asa, I just left the gym. I'm all sweaty. Let me take a shower first."

I release her nipple from my mouth and attempt to change her mind by running my hand between her legs, rubbing at the denim of her jeans. "You're perfect," I say, licking at the sweet, sweaty skin of her neck. She stiffens, so I increase the pressure of my hand. "Relax," I whisper. She fights it, but I can feel her slowly melting against my hand. I let the subtle movement of her hips guide my hand to the right spot. I work her up, harder and harder, until she's on the verge of falling apart beneath my fingertips.

She gives in to my coercion and relaxes her arms above her head. I sit up on my knees and unbutton her pants, easing them down her hips far enough to give me access. I slip my fingers underneath the edge of her panties and ease two of them inside of her. She moans and grasps at the sheets, balling them up in knots between her white-knuckled fists. I slowly ease my fingers in and out of her, teasing her clit with the pad of my thumb. I rake my eyes over her body as I build up speed with my hand. As soon as I feel the shudders rising up from her, I cover her mouth with mine and kiss her hard. She lets out a scream that's completely muffled by my mouth. God, I love it when she screams into my mouth. Her breath slides down my throat in labored waves, mixing with mine. I continue rubbing her until she stiffens beneath me and tries to pull my hand away. I slip my hand out of her panties, pulling them back into position.

"You can go shower now." I kiss her again and she grabs my face, then pushes me onto my back and rolls on top of me.

"What about you?" she asks, reaching down to unzip my pants.

I grab her hand and pull it away. "I owed you one," I say. "Now go shower. We're going out tonight."

She smiles. "Like on a date?"

"Not like a date. It is a date."