I couldn’t believe I was doing it.

I was going to see Kayden—a man I’d talked to for months but had never met. Even though it went against everything I knew was right and safe, I agreed to drive across numerous states to finally meet him.

I thought my heart would explode before I got there, the pounding growing harder and faster with each passing mile. I tried to steady my breathing and concentrate on navigating the streets of New Orleans, but it was useless.

“Stay right and take Exit One, West Napoleon Avenue. Your destination is one mile ahead on your right,” the GPS stated.

One mile?

I clutched the wheel, adjusting in my seat as my clothes clung to my body. God, I seriously needed a shower. Beads of sweat started to form near my temples as I tightened my grip, causing my knuckles to turn white.

Get it together, Sophia.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice coming through the speakers.

“I’m just trying to figure out where I’m going. There are so many buildings.”

“I’ll guide you, Soph.”

I looked for him in between the masses of cars, but I saw no one. “Do you see my car?”

“You just passed my building. Do a U-turn and turn by the black gate.”

“Shit.” I wiped my forehead, realizing I was only moments away from seeing him in the flesh. I wanted to look my best. Well, at least as good as I could after two days of driving.

Stopping the car in the middle turning lane, I checked myself out in the rearview mirror. Not too bad even though I’m a mess inside.

I sat there for a moment and took a deep breath. “I’m coming now,” I said, blotting my face before applying powder to smooth my complexion.

Calm down, he’s just a guy.

I turned back toward him—the man I had thought about constantly for months.

“I see you.”

I looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of him. I spotted a gorgeous man…Kayden. He was smiling at me, and my belly flipped. I had seen him in pictures, but they didn’t do him justice.

“I see you now, too. Be there in a second.” I hit the end button, needing a minute to freak out in private.

You can do this. Calm the fuck down.

I tapped my index finger against the steering wheel as the gate to his apartment complex opened painfully slowly. He stood near an empty parking spot, waiting for me, and with each passing second, I grew more anxious.

As I pulled forward, I drank him in. His body was muscular and lean, covered in a pair of white, knee-length shorts and a blue T-shirt. His only visible hair at a distance was a goatee that framed his smile. As the space between us closed, I could see his bright sage eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

His smile had been a mystery to me, but now it made my breath catch in my throat. He didn’t like to show his teeth because of a gap that was never fixed. It finally filled my vision, and it mesmerized me. The display made my heart melt. His teeth were imperfectly beautiful.

I parked my car in a haphazard fashion, not caring if I was in between the lines. My heart rate increased, and I clenched my hands into tight balls, closing my eyes before reaching for the door handle. I slid out, leaving the door open.

“Hi,” he said as he reached for me. His heart was pounding as fast as mine, as if they were speaking a secret language.

Thank God I’m not the only one nervous.

I buried my face in his neck, closed my eyes, and inhaled the sweet, masculine scent. He didn’t wear cologne, but the scent was purely him.

He backed away, and before I could open my eyes, his soft lips glided across mine. The kiss turned more demanding as he sucked my lip into his mouth, and I moaned. After weeks of verbal foreplay, I finally had his body pressed against mine.

The passion was palpable as he gripped the back of my neck, tilting my head up to give him deeper access. I opened to him, and his tongue swept inside, exploring my mouth. The kiss conveyed all the longing and passion we felt toward each other. My knees grew weak as the realization hit me that I was here—kissing him.

Have I ever been kissed like this?

His lips pulled away from mine, and I swayed a bit. “Let’s go inside,” he said as he steadied me and slammed the car door. “We’ll get your stuff later.”

He snagged the keys from my hand, locked the car, and slid his hand into mine.

I followed behind him, taking in my surroundings as we wound through the garden courtyard that led to his apartment. The units were stacked three high, lined with wooden porches connecting the doorways. Birds sang in the trees overhead as the sun cast shadows upon the ground.

Stopping in front of the door, he gave my hand a quick squeeze before turning the handle. “The guys are excited to meet you.” He smiled.

Another man sat in the living room, watching television with his hand shoved down his pants like Al Bundy from Married with Children.

By the looks of it, a man had decorated the place because of the sparse, non-matching furniture and no decorations. It lacked the female touch and had only blank white walls.

“Tom, this is Sophia. Sophia, this is Tom,” he said as we moved through the living room without stopping.

“Hey,” Tom said, finally looking up from the television

My belly began to dance again, but I walked behind Kayden with confidence and a smile. “Hey.” I waved to him as Kayden pulled me toward the hallway leading to his bedroom.

Unlike the rest of the place, his bedroom matched and had a completely male feel, filled with modern black furniture, a flat screen television, and a few simple decorations.

I turned around to face him, and his lips were on mine in a flash, guiding me backward. He kissed me deeply until the back of my knees hit the bed.

How far will I let him go?

I wasn’t sure, not even in that moment, but my mind flooded with images of him naked, and I knew I wanted him.

He laid me on the bed and crawled on top of me, covering my body with his. Our hands moved across each other’s bodies quickly, exploring every inch of flesh. The man could kiss, and it was intoxicating. We’d spent so much time talking, teasing, that the sexual tension was almost suffocating.

I’d lost all willpower due to his kiss, and his hands moved along my body, touching my breasts through my shirt and bra. I reached down, feeling his cock through his pants and gasped.

Shit. He was large. Bigger than any man I’d been with before and I knew this wasn’t going be easy, but I wanted him just the same.

He chuckled, but he didn’t stop as his lips blazed a trail of kisses down my neck, causing my body to break out in goose bumps. I wanted to feel his skin on mine, and I wasn’t about to stop him from having his way with me. It had been so long since anyone had touched me.

He pulled my navy tank top down along with my bra, exposing my breast. His finger grazed my nipple, and pleasure shot through my body at the contact. When his mouth found my breast, I moaned and closed my eyes. I wanted this…wanted him.

His smooth hands slid up my thigh and into my shorts, pushing my panties aside. I rubbed his head and scratched his arms, unsure of how to react as he sucked my nipple harder.

Suddenly his head dipped down, and my stomach sank.

Was I ready for this?

He didn’t attempt to unbutton my shorts as he kissed down my stomach before his mouth covered me. He licked and sucked like a starved man, and I freely offered myself up as a meal.

Pure ecstasy.

He stopped abruptly and moved back up my body, kissing me on my lips. “We need to go, Sophia. Are you ready to hit the town?”

“What?” One minute he was licking me in the most forbidden places, and now he wanted to leave?

I gaped at him, confused and achy.

He climbed off the bed and held out his hand to me. “We have to get out of here. If we don’t, I won’t be able to stop myself.”

He’s right. My body felt like it was at the point of no return, but I knew what he was saying was true. If we went any further, if I let him fuck me now, we’d probably never leave his apartment.

I rearranged my clothing and pulled my underwear back into place. “Okay,” I said, but I felt rejected and it stung.

He helped me off the bed before I smoothed the wrinkles out of my clothes. I was at a loss for words as we walked out of the bedroom. In the heat of the moment, I’d forgotten about the guy sitting just a few feet away. My cheeks heated, and I started to sweat, feeling his eyes on me as we walked out the front door.

As soon as we stepped outside, Kayden placed his lips on my cheek, pulling me closer. “I can’t wait to show you the beauty of New Orleans.”

From this moment on, my life would never be the same.

My fate was sealed.

I thought I’d liked him before, but now…I knew it for sure.

Kayden Michaels had my heart.