Nervous wasn't the right word. Years of decisions had led up to this moment, and not for a single second in those years could I have been convinced that I would be the one making the first move. The first real move.

It was easy to say I had always loved him in a way. I knew he would always be there for me, but I constantly worried that I was taking advantage of his feeling for me. A year ago, gratitude started to make me see him in a different light. He saved my life, but the emotions I felt afterward were far from that of a thankful friend. I began to mourn his absence in our hours apart and was bitter with jealously when his gaze moved to other girls. Now I knew it was the time to take the first step and let him know how I really felt.

Circumstance had provided the perfect opportunity. We were alone for the day, his mother out of town for the night visiting relatives and my brother, who was supposed to be keeping an eye on us both, had gotten a call earlier in the afternoon to come to Vancouver to meet with an art dealer. The prospect was so promising to him that he risked leaving us unsupervised for the rest of the evening. There should be no reason to be concerned after all, Freddie was just four months shy of being 18, and at 16 I was perfectly capable of fending for myself until Spencer returned home. The beautiful coincidence made me smirk as I reached for the doorknob to leave my apartment.

The hallway between our doors was brief but seemed endless, the only thing separating me and the subject of my desire. My heart skipped a beat as I bravely pushed my feet towards his door.

tap tap tap

A moment of silence and I heard his footfalls come toward the sound. Another moment as he assessed the girl awaiting him through his peep hole, then the door quickly opened to greet me. A quick smile passed his lips and again my heart stuttered.

"Hey Carly, What's up?" He slid out into the hallway shutting the door next to him with a click. Feeling the heat from his body, Fear got the best of me and I couldn't brink myself to face him. I turned, looking down, and began to slowly pace a short strip of the hall in front of him. On one hand, it seemed nearly impossible that he would turn me down. Then again, if what he had went through waiting for me was anything like the last few months had been for me, I deserved the worst for putting him through it. Suddenly he looked as nervous as I felt.

I realized then, coward as I was, no words could speak what my body could convey with a single action. I stopped directly in front of him on my last pass and closed the gap between us. His arms rose instinctively as I trailed my hand up his chest. I could only brave a single glance into his eyes as I moved my face toward his. His arms froze in the space around us as our lips met. His eyes fluttered shut and a torrent of emotions filled the space. Shock and confusion held his frozen stance; replaced by understanding and passion as he came to life and wrapped his arms around my waist. His lips moved with mine, strong but sweet, forceful but giving. In that instant I couldn't have told you my name, but the word everything rang in my head.

I redirected my kisses down his chin and worked my way teasingly around his jaw. His head hit the wall behind us with a soft thud as a pleasurable gasp escaped his lips. I ran my hands through his hair wildly and worked my fingers around the collar of his shirt. My hands greedily took in the feel of his muscles tensing and releasing as he caressed my back. Without warning, he took control. The hallway, which seemed an insurmountable obstacle a few minutes ago flashed by and Freddie suddenly had me pinned to the wall next to my own front door.

His lips were on mine again; I welcomed his advancing tongue. He traced a tantalizing line around my lips before I leaned forward to gently nibble on his. His hands held my wrists against the wall. I knew I could not fight him but I had no will no move. He answered every teasing bite, every flick of the tongue confidently. His hands released my arms and began to glide from my waist up my ribs and back down again. Taking in the scent of him, the taste of him, the feel of him was nearly more than I could handle.

His brave hands moved beyond my waist and came to rest briefly on the back pockets of my jeans before his fingers began to grasp, to crawl further around the curve of my ass. My body retracted from his kiss as the uncontrollable moan flew from my lips. Freddie grinned, wide and devious.

"Maybe we should take this inside," he said. "Before we disturb the neighbors." His voice always had a hypnotic affect on me, and having him so close his words vibrated directly to my core. After a moment I managed a few weak words, "Sounds like a good idea Freddie." And with that he broke away from our embrace, tenderly taking me by the hand.