The water was turning cold underneath me, and I went back to shaving her legs so we could climb out.

She asked shyly, "Did you like your first time, Callum?"

Eyes on her leg only. "Sex is different for men, Everly. There's not really "bad" sex. If it's sex, it's good sex."

"It never means anything? Not ever?"

I glanced at her. The picture of innocence; so eager for knowledge.

"Sure it could. I'm only saying it doesn't have to mean something in order for us to enjoy sex."

"Has it ever meant anything to you?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Oh."

I rinsed her legs and then wrapped her in my robe. Everly watched as I washed quickly, ridding myself of sweat from my run with Nick. She handed me a towel, but wouldn't let me take it, tugging on it playfully.

"You don't want to test me in a game of naked tug-of-war, Everly Anne."

"Yeah?" she tugged the towel again. "How do you know what I want? You're not the one who can see the future."

I pulled her hard with the towel, on purpose so she would trip, and caught her before she even had a chance to fall. "That's it." I swung her over my shoulder and carried her to my bed, lying her down, face full of hair, laughing, as I went for her sensitive ribs.

"Isn't this better, Topolina?" I whispered, kissing her neck. "Doesn't this feel better than worrying-this one free day?"

"Don't try to win this game with your mouth on my neck," she laughed.

I pulled back, staring at her in the glow of the afternoon sun. Her eyes were bright, shining, and all for me.

"Then where should I put my mouth to win, Everly Anne? Tell me."

Our foreheads touched.

She breathed sweetly against my lips as I waited.

"Where, Farfalla?"

Her hands framed my face as she whispered, "You don't know how much you scare me, Callum Andrew."

"You don't know how much I want to kiss you and prove there's nothing to fear."

"My heart wants to believe you."

"Then close your eyes, and let me talk to your heart."

Slowly she closed her eyes, tilted her head back and allowed me her lips. I kissed her softly once.

"The sweetness of you, Everly Anne Brighton." I kissed her deeper, parting her lips with mine. "Do you believe me yet?" I kissed her again, pressing into her, naked below me. "Do you feel how much I adore you? How much I crave you, yet?"

She kissed me back, running her soft fingers along my shoulders. "I feel," she whispered between breaths. "I feel, Callum Andrew."

I pulled back for a moment to sooth her cheeks with soft caresses of my fingers. As I stared down to her I said, "I will never again be able to look at you in class. Understand?"

She smiled, but her eyes burned. "There's no inconvenient realities today. Shush with that nonsense. My heart was trying to hear you."

So we lay on top of the covers and kissed, and shivered, and I didn't ask why she didn't want to cuddle close, or crawl underneath where it was warm.

"I don't know what to do," she whispered as I laid her hand on my bare chest.

"You don't have to do anything."

She looked away. "I'm a little scared."