The front door swung wide as we stepped into his home. The magnificence of the mansion showed him regal and proud, like a magistrate returning to his castle. All aura of lust lining his face, visible.

He didn't pause, heading straight to the closest room and unlocking the door.

I tensed and wrapped my arms around my body. I sucked in a breath as he strode into the room.

This was it. I was about to have sex.

Should I tell him I was a virgin? I should tell him.

Should I tell him now? Or right before?

My thoughts were broken when my eyes focused on the silhouette of a large 'X' that was attached to the wall in the far corner where Shadow was.

Was that...?

It took him a moment to find the switch, looking in the wingback, by the bookcases. His body coiled tight as he hunted the room. When he found it, he froze and turned to me.

Something snapped between us, arching with awareness, temptation. I mentally fought it, cutting the connection.

His nostrils flared as we stare from our sides of the room.

"Come," he demanded, holding out a hand, fully expecting me act docile and follow. I did.

He placed a hand on my shoulder, his index finger dipping beneath the strap of my bra.

Pressing his forehead against my cheek, rough lips against my skin. "Allow me to show you the wild side. Let me give you a whole new type of pleasure, Rosé."

I nodded infinitesimally.

His hand tightened on my shoulder and his eyes dropped to my lips.

Then he kissed me.

He didn't bother with soft and sweet this time. There was a hungry desperation in his kiss that had me gasping into his mouth. His teeth pulled on my bottom lip and my whole body trembled in response. He bent slightly, and swept an arm around my waist, pulling me up and against him so that our bodies were lined up perfectly.

My toes barely brushed the floor, but it didn't matter. He was holding me up. I buried my hands into his quills, and threw myself into the kiss. He took a few steps backward, and laid a hand on the light switch and turned it on.

He managed to capture my arms, pinning them in his hands. A knee forced my legs apart, effectively trapping me.

I whimpered as my body once again disobeyed and grew hot beneath his touch. My heart rabbeted as Shadow pressed his forehead against mine. His eyes blazed me to the core. "Rosé."

I stopped breathing, suspended by the hard-edged yearning in his voice.

I cocked my chin. "Yes?"

He sighed heavily, pushing away, but keeping hold of my wrist. My muscles trembled as he dragged me to the bed.

My eyes widened as I took in the cylindrical room. A massive white rug rested in front of an enormous fireplace. It was so big, I could've stood inside and not reached the mantle. Weapons and ancient paintings covered the walls, along with a bed three times the size of any other.

Shadow's domain.

The décor screamed hunter; an insight into his wishes, desires to ravage and ruin. The huge room announced how much he loved to control and dominate. He brought me here to do anything he wanted.

Sitting at the end of the monstrous black coveted bed was a mirrored chest. Studded with silver rivets, it reflected my tussled hair and trembling form. The 'X' was to tie someone onto it I assumed since it had cuffs attached to it and there were whips and chains hanging at the wall.

My heart raced, absorbing so much at once.

Options ran through my head. I could spit in his face. Try and knee him in the balls. Run and scream. All of those choices ended with consequences and pain.

I stayed mute and still.

The man dropped to his knees, pushing my thighs apart. My heart raced as he inched forward, his breath hot on my bare thighs. So soon? I hadn't been there for ten minutes and he planned to have me already? Shit, I couldn't do this. I was a virgin who was not prepared for this roughness.

Breathe. Pretend you're somewhere else.

I gripped the sheets as he tugged my leg onto his thigh and rolled my dress upward. His fingers scorched flesh all the way down, turning my skin to bruises. My face scrunched and I gasped as my panties slid off my legs, leaving me bare.

My cheeks flushed when he suddenly stood and did what I least expected, ripped his shirt off. Shit. His body was incredible, model-like which made my hormones go to overdrive when he suddenly smashed his lips onto mine.

Shadow's breathing turned harsh, lowering his hand. Agonisingly slowly, he touched my leg, avoiding the tights, stroking reverently. Inch by inch, he made his way up my inner thigh, until exploring fingers found my heat.

I jolted as he circled my entrance. More worry ignited in me but he kissed my neck, adding pressure to his hold, keeping me still. "Écarté pour moi." Open for me.

I was about to, so close, when I came to my senses when he removed his bottoms with a quick movement.

I couldn't have sex with a guy I'd just met, who I knew absolutely nothing about other than his kinky lifestyle.

And he knew nothing about me… including the fact that I was a virgin.

And God, I wanted to go through with it. I was sick of being a virgin, and he was unbelievably sexy, but this wasn't me.

I couldn't do this. Not with him.

I just… couldn't.

I froze up underneath him, but his mouth continued worshipping at the skin of my throat.

I should have told him I was a virgin or that I wasn't ready. It wouldn't have been pretty or easy, but at least he would have understood… probably.

Instead, my eyes locked on a glass of water that sat on the table, and my brain created an insane excuse out of the first thing that came to my mind.

"Stop! Ocean! Stop…"

What the hell was I saying?

I put the heels of my palms against his shoulders, and pushed away slightly.

He pulled back, his eyes dark, his hair mussed, and his lips swollen from kisses. I almost changed my mind then. He looked almost irresistible. Almost.

"What?"

"Yes, I can't do this… right now. Because… I have to swim. Yes, I have , um, get? Take care of! I have to take care of my fish! So… I can't do this. "I gestured between us, hoping to God that I didn't sound as crazy to him as I sounded to myself. Improbable.

I don't even have a fish!

I don't know what synapses misfired in my brain, but I wanted to kick myself. I wanted to punch myself in the face until I lost consciousness. Right about now, I could probably dive into a pool of hydrochloric acid without even a pep talk.

His brain must have been as clouded as mine, because he paused for a few moments, processing, then blinked.

"Take care of a fish?" He narrowed his eyes. "The hell?"

"Yeah. Real sorry, it's really precious to me." I stuttered, mentally slapping myself.

I stood too abruptly, making my knee accidentally collide against his middle. He moaned, sounding tortured and hurt, cussing out the pain.

"Are you okay?"

He glared at me, holding himself. "What the hell do you think? You just smashed me on the bal-"

"Do you need anything? Water?" I asked, unsure of what to do as I took the glass of water from the table only for it to slip from my sweaty hands and fall over him on the bed. "Oops..."

"Get out." He hissed through gritted teeth.

"I'm so sorry, that was an accident I swear!" I exclaimed as I stumbled to the exist, hitting my face on the side of the door. My hand automatically went to my wet nose-wait, wet? When I pulled my hand away I now saw blood. "Shit!"

Despite this, I ran out the room and front door before I could cause anymore damage.

It wasn't until I'd walked halfway the street that I realized:

1.) I wasn't wearing shoes- or a panties.

2.) I didn't bring my cellphone- or anything really.

3.) I'd just hurt a complete stranger- naked.

Whoever said one-night stands were supposed to be simple with no strings attached had clearly never met the disaster that was me.

"I can't believe it!" Rouge laughed as she sat across from me inside Starbucks as we waited for the boys to show up.

"Shut up."

"Oh my god. It's like what happens in comedies!" Rouge said excitedly. She was so obsessed with watching those types of shows.

"Yeah, sort of." I mumbled, "I'm never letting you convince me into doing something like that again."

"Whatever." She grinned. "You know, Big Blue was real worried about you you left."

I raised my eyes to her from where I sat on the floor, "Really?" I wondered, perplexed.

"Yeah. Hey, remember when you had that crazy crush on him back in the day?" She teased, smirking with glee.

"Oh, don't bring that up. I was naive." I say as I turn to folding my clothes into my suitcase. "Besides, he's with Sally, remember?"

"That's not what I heard."

"What?"

"They broke it off a few months ago. Turns out love doesn't last forever."

I frowned. They won the school's cutest couple their senior year of High School and always seemed so happy together. I wonder what happened.

"Shut up."

"Oh my god. It's like what happens in comedies!" Rouge said excitedly. She was so obsessed with watching those types of shows.

"Yeah, sort of." I mumbled, "I'm never letting you convince me into doing something like that again."

"Whatever." She grinned. "You know, Big Blue was real worried about you you left."

I raised my eyes to her from where I sat on the floor, "Really?" I wondered, perplexed.

"Yeah. Hey, remember when you had that crazy crush on him back in the day?" She teased, smirking with glee.

"Oh, don't bring that up. I was naive." I say as I roll my eyes. "Besides, he's with Sally, remember?"

"That's not what I heard."

"What?"

"They broke it off a few months ago. Turns out love doesn't last forever."

I frowned. They won the school's cutest couple their senior year of High School and always seemed so happy together. I wonder what happened.

"Whoa, hottie alert!" Rouge said, breaking me out of my thoughts and winked her mascara-coated lashes at me. "Maybe a new potential cherry popper?"

"Cherry popper, really?" I raise a brow at her ridiculously and she shrugs, tilting towards the counter.

I can't argue with her. The barista is cute. Or at least from here. His silver quills are stylish and move with him, waving around him every time he looks greets a customer. He's too far away to distinguish eye color or distinct features, but the details don't matter when I remember what Rouge just said. A potential cherry popper?

This guy has it. He's cute and charming. I've always been a sucker for working men. They can give support and that makes for good boyfriends.

He glances at me as if he can hear my thoughts, and then a slow smile appears across his face. He never once pauses the greetings while he continues to watch me. The eye contact makes me blush, so I turn back to Rouge. I hate that he just caught me staring so hard. Not that I was doing anything wrong; it just feels odd for him to know I was watching him. I glance up again, and he's still watching me, but he's not smiling anymore. The way he's staring causes my heart to speed up, so I look away and focus on Rouge again.

Way to be a creeper, Amy.

"He was totally checking you out!" Rouge grins at me and winks again. "Go for it, pinky."

"I don't know…"

"Come on…" She drags out and smiles wider. "Live a little."

I stand a little when I see Rouge smile at me widely.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." I dropped back into my seat. As much as I wanted to say no to her, I couldn't. Not even about this. "Damn it."

"Don't be nervous. I wouldn't tell you to do it if I didn't think it was important to try. And it's not like you're going to have a one–night stand with him."

"Rouge, you expect me to woo the guy into bed. It's the same thing."

"Hun …" She laughed softly. "You're pouting. It's so adorable." Leaning forward, she nudged me to my feet. "And really pathetic. Go get him. I think his name is Silver."

My gaze narrowed. "Don't expect this to work."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Of course it will. We'll try to make it fun. A challenge. See if you have the lady balls to do it."

I grit my teeth, "I do."

"Then go get him, girl." She smirks.

I'll prove her! Better yet– I'll become better sexually experienced than her!

I rolled my neck and then straightened my dress before fixing my hair. I can do this. My own way. No one-nightstand disasters. I'll woo him in my own way and then—!

"Good afternoon, miss. What can I get for you?" Silver asked politely. His smile was broad, showing off two rows of perfectly white, straight teeth behind full lips.

Sweet lips.

Lickable.

My pulse sped as I imagined that sexy mouth swollen from passionate kisses. I never noticed how cute he actually was till now.

I wonder how he would be in bed…

"Miss?"

I ripped my gaze away from Silver's mouth and looked up. The beautiful rich-gold eyes did little to help me get my thoughts or my libido under control. Christ, get your things together. You're losing it. I smothered a curse and raised my chest.

"Large caramel frappuccino coffee, please," I said coolly.

Silver cocked his head and appeared to study me. I forced myself not to squirm under the man's scrutiny, but it wasn't easy. After a long drawn-out moment, Silver smiled, and I had a funny feeling the man knew exactly what I had been thinking.

I watched Silver as he grabbed a large cup and moved to the coffee machine. I took a moment to appreciate the handsome man. Silver was the same six foot height as Sonic, and they were similar in build. Both broad chested with thick, muscular arms; height and body style were where the similarities ended.

Where Sonic's hair was blue and eyes were cosmic green, Silver had gray hair, and his eyes were such a rich shade of gold, they looked almost like the sun. Silver also had a softness, an almost delicate look to his features, unlike Sonic's sweet, but masculine facial features. Silver, in a word, was cute, not in a feminine sense—as there was nothing female-like about Silver—but in a truly beautiful masculine sense. It was a look that caused my breath to hitch and my pulse go into overdrive whenever I looked at the man. It also didn't hurt that Silver had the nicest, roundest, most cutest butt, the sight of which caused me to smirk.

"Will that be all, miss?" Silver asked, and from the shy smile on his face and the hint of color in his cheeks, the man had a good idea of the effect he was having on me.

"Amy," I said, taking the cup and letting my finger slide along the back of Silver's hand. "Call me Amy."

Silver's smile grew. "Will that be all, Amy?"

Spurred on by the sweet grin, I found my courage.

I pulled my wallet out and dropped a few bills on the counter and slid them toward Silver, holding his gaze. "You're cute, can I keep you?." I didn't mean to say that, but my nerves mingled with my awkwardness made it come out as more of an order. My slurred voice had just a hint of snap in it.

Silver's eyes went wide and then he blushes. I quickly added, "Kidding?"

"Young lady, do you mind playing the dating game after hours? You're holding up the line."

I turned to find a portly elderly woman with a disapproving expression on her face glaring up at him. Behind her a long line had formed.

"Sorry," I murmured. "Guess I found my courage at the wrong time," I told her with a wink.

I turned back to Silver and smiled awkwardly and I tried my best to avoid my embarrassment.

"See you around." I winked and walked away.

Great. I just made an idiot out of myself.

I look up and am about to open my mouth to tell Rouge when I notice the company beside her. Embarrassment gone now. I skip over to them.

"Ladies," I greet my posey as I flop into my seat. Seems like the guys were actually in the restroom since they all have drinks. Gross. But whatever's.

I shift my gaze to Knuckles, one of my closest pals. "You're looking kinda green, man." I smirk. "Does your tum-tum still hurt?"

Knuckles flips me the finger, but it's a half-hearted gesture. He looks sick as hell, and I'm not surprised. Roge told me what happened after I left, he was sucking on a bottle of whiskey like he was trying to make it come.

"Pinky, you should have seen him when we were walking home," Rouge laughs out "Stripped down to his tighty whities and trying to dry-hump that statue in the middle of Central Park."

Everyone around us breaks out in laughter, including me—because either I'm wrong, or the statue in question happens to be a bronze emerald. I call him Sparkle, but I think it's just a memorial for some filthy-rich alumnus who won some game a hundred years ago.

"You tried to ride Sparkle?" I grin at him.

Red splotches rise in his cheeks. "No," he says sullenly.

"Yes," Rouge corrects.

The cackling continues, but I'm now distracted by the smirk being aimed in my direction, courtesy of Sonic.

I guess you could call Sonic my best friend. Of all my friends, I'm closest to him, and yeah, we haven't hanged out in a while, but "best friend" isn't exactly a term I throw around often. I've got friends. I've got a ton of friends, actually. Can I honestly say any of them really know me? Probably not. But Sonic comes damn close.

I roll my eyes at him. "What?"

He shrugs. "Knuckles isn't the only one who had a good time last night." He's lowered his voice, but it doesn't really matter. Our friends are too busy teasing Knuckles about last night's statue shenanigans.

"Meaning?"

His mouth twitches. "Meaning I saw you go home with that guy last night. You guys seemed pretty close when you left at two in the morning."

"Wait," I demand when I register what he just said. "What are you trying to say?"

Sonic's jaw tightens. "Exactly what it sounds like." His features relax, but only slightly. "Didn't know you were the type to hook up with random strangers."

Did he just slut shame me?

"Are you calling me a slut," I ask.

He sips his coffee. "Ames, it's fine. You can do whatever you want."

"Are. You. Calling. Me. A. Slut?" I ask again, venom dripping from my stuttering tone.

He scrunches up his face. "If you want to open your legs to any guy that comes around it's fine. Seriously—"

Slap.

My hand stings. I just slapped a boy in the face. Not just any boy. My best friend.

I didn't do any damage to him, unfortunately. Not like the damage I've done to my hand, I felt bad for hitting him though. But then I remembered what a disrespectful, douchebag he is, and it made me want to slap him again. I would have if Rouge hadn't prevented it by stepping between us.

"Oh God! Pinky," Rouge cried, wrapping her arms around me.

It takes me a minute to grasp what just happened and notice everyone staring at us in shock. I can feel tears threatening to fall out but I blink them away and glance at Rouge desperately.

"Take me home, please."

"Ames, I–" Sonic's voice is shaky and his eyes are wide as he reaches out for me.

"Just shut up, Blue Boy. You've done enough damage," Rouge snaps at him, shutting him up. "Come on, let's go, pinky."

I'm in desperate need of an editer...