Author's Note-I want to thank everyone who wished me a happy birthday. It was amazing and each happy birthday review just made it better. And seriously UrsulaBeckettBirthdayGirl, you're awesome thank you so much and KsenijaCastillion I will never grow up :D just call me Peter Pan :D

Now, the next chapter in this will be M rated. I really hope I do it justice as I've put a lot of pressure on myself to make it great, given Kate's past experiences. However, if you don't want to read it, any and all important plot points will be summarised at the beginning of chapter 37. So if it's not up your alley, you're welcome to skip it. NYLF xx

Six months came and went before they discussed her sexual experience again.

Alexis and Martha were visiting Meredith in LA for the weekend, Rick unable to go due to prior book commitments, and they had the loft to themselves from Friday night until Monday afternoon.

Kate and Rick were snuggled on the couch, her head resting on his shoulder while he held her close. They had been watching a movie, but it had long since finished both of them too comfortable to move to do anything about it though.

Rick could feel the tension mounting in Kate, alerting him to something big being on her mind, but he knew to let her come to him. Seven months of dating her afforded him the knowledge that if and when it got too big for her to handle, she'd confide in him.

"The other guy I've slept with," Kate started quietly, "his name was Josh." Rick turned his head, resting his chin against her temple, quietly and unobtrusively letting her know he was listening. "I was a few months shy of my eighteenth birthday and we'd been dating for about two months." Kate sighed, picking at a hangnail, another nervous habit he'd noticed. "It was consensual, I told him we could, I, I wanted to try it." Rick nodded; glad she'd at least wanted to this time. "He wasn't as experienced as he had said. He uhh, he just went for it y'know, no build up. And he wasn't exactly small. Yeah, I now get the analogy of a water slide with no water. " Rick cringed beside her. "I bled for two days afterwards, could barely sit down." Rick held her tighter. "We broke up a couple of days after that because I refused to sleep with him again."

"I don't blame you." Rick murmured softly.

Kate chuckled. "He did. I've only ever dated one other person. Tom was great. A real sweetheart, but we were fourteen. It was never going to go anywhere."

Rick nodded again. "Not that you need one Sweetheart, but is there a reason you're sharing all of this now?"

Kate bit her lip nervously before pulling back slightly, just far enough to see his face. "I..." she started before bottling it and watching her finger as it traced patterns on the seat cushions instead. "I was just thinking. I mean, seven months is a fair amount of time. And, y'know, we have the loft to ourselves..."

Rick gently put his hand under her chin and raised her head until he could look her in the eye. "Kate? Are you sure about this? I told you, there's no rush. I don't care if we don't sleep together until we get married." Kate's eyes widened but he gave her a soft smile, apologetic only in his timing. "I mean it Kate; I never want to push you in this. It would kill me if we did this and you regretted it."

Kate shook her head. "Rick, I, I want to. I want to go to the next step with you. Just..." She blushed slightly, playing with his hand between her fingers for a moment, embarrassed for feeling like she even needed to ask. "Just be gentle with me, yeah?"

Rick pulled her into his lap and held her into his chest, safe and secure. "You never need to ask that. I would never hurt you Kate, not like that, not ever. You trust that, right?" Kate nodded shyly. "Then believe that I will make this good for you. And if you need to stop at any point, and I mean any point, Kate, you just have to tell me and I will stop. Immediately. Okay?"

Kate nodded. "Okay."

Rick smiled. "Good. Now, first things first." He leaned in and kissed her slowly, allowing himself to not hold back any longer, pouring everything he felt for her into their kiss. Only when he felt that whisper of a moan vibrate in the back of her throat did he pull away, gently taking her hand in his as he led her to the bedroom.