“But... Sam Looked crestfallen.

“But you said last night that you DID love me more for what we did."

I rubbed my forehead and grimaced.

“Sex changes things. You're special, you're my first lover, and nothing can ever change that. And after years of fantasizing, I was THRILLED you Let me finally have sex with you."

“And wouldn't you be disappointed if I stopped?”

I sighed.

“Of course I'd be disappointed.”

“Sounds Like your Love IS dependent on these things."

I set my forehead against hers and took a deep breath.

“I loved what we did, using the term ‘loved’ as a substitute for ‘really, really liked’.

But I don't want you to leave here believing that my feelings for you are conditional on you putting out for me. Make sense?"

"Yeah... Makes sense..." Sam's words said she agreed, but her tone was that of a six-year-old accepting the fact that broccoli is good for you.

"I get that you're competitive. I get that you want to feel like you're my favorite. And I'll be honest: Yes, I'm thrilled that we had sex. I don't regret it in the slightest, and if I had the chance to do it all over again, even knowing what I know now about why you chose to mount yourself on me, quite frankly I'd still do it. You were my FIRST. I'm never going to forget that. I'm never going to forget YOU. The sex... I mean..."

“Was pretty spectacular," Sam drawled with a small smile of reminiscence.

“REALLY spectacular. You truly did become my Venus, my Aphrodite." I assured her with a smile, although I held up a finger.

“But that's in the past now. If you and I are going to have sex again in the future, I have to know it's for the right reasons. I have to know it's because you want me for me, and not to try and one-up the others."

She shook her head.

“I'm not trying to one-up the others. I... Okay...

Maybe that had something to do with it Last night. I saw where the wind was blowing, realized things were going to escalate between you and the girls sooner than later, and I'm willing to admit I may have gone into last night's date intent on doing something to really knock your socks off before the others could get their claws into you. And when the deep-throat failed, I panicked and decided to fuck you."

“Simple as that?" I asked gently.

Sam blinked, her eyebrows furrowed as she studied the front of my shirt, even though she clearly wasn't looking at my shirt.

“Well... okay..." she sighed and looked away from me, mumbling, "MbbemLtLLvwyu."

I leaned forward and cocked my ear.

“I'm sorry. I didn't quite catch that."

Taking a deep breath, Sam looked up at me, her Luminous brown eyes looking large and Liquid. She gave me a brave smile that nevertheless revealed all of her teenaged fear. And in a voice that was still quiet but at least intelligible, she muttered, "Maybe I am a little in love with you."