The house looks completely different in the daytime. Maybe part of it is because last time, we went almost straight to the bedroom. Last time I was here, I was overwhelmed with the luxury and wealth that his house displayed, but it also had a sort of calculated coldness to it. It didn’t seem like someone lived in it, like everything had been bought and rarely used.

But now, with the sunlight streaming in generously through the windows, the whole house has a lighter feel to it. I can start to appreciate how nice everything is. It’s nothing like my apartment, where the stove has to be a few decades old, and the refrigerator is an ancient beast filled with my roommate’s forgotten and rotting food.

“Wow,” I say, probably with my mouth gaping open. “This place is nice.”

Ryan just shrugs.

It’s a little strange to be walking alongside him, following him through the downstairs of the house to the bar. I could get used to him carrying me in his arms, the way he carried me out of that building.

“It’s just a place to relax,” he says. “I’ve got some other houses, too.” He says this casually, not to brag. For a billionaire, I haven’t heard him boasting about his possessions. But then again, when you’re really rich, I doubt you care much about money in the way people like me do. For a moment, I find myself wondering what it would be like to be so rich, to have all my financial problems vanish away. For one thing, I’d never have to go back to work at that furniture store, not that I’m planning on doing that anyway.

“Well,” says Ryan. “Let me order some food. What would you like to eat?”

For a moment, the only thing I can think of is pizza. It sounds so warm and comforting, full of carbs. There’s nothing like stuffing yourself full of pizza. It’s the ultimate comfort food. But then I think back to the last meal that Ryan bought us, that incredibly fancy take out Italian food, which was like nothing I’d ever eaten before.

Plus, I’m not sure I want to be seen stuffing myself with pizza in front of Ryan. That’s something to do with Hailey at my side.

“Well?” he says.

Apparently it’s been a little while since I’ve said anything.

“Uhhh…” I manage to say. “I don’t know. Whatever you want to get.”

“You’re probably still shaken up from that fire,” says Ryan. “Why don’t we get you changed out of those clothes. Would you like to take a shower? Then we can worry about food.”

“Uhh…” I say. I’m not sure where this is going to go, taking a shower here at Ryan’s house, changing here.

Back when I thought he was the billionaire douchebag, which was just a few hours ago, I never would have even agreed to come here. But now, well, I’m not even sure what I think.

“First food you can think of,” says Ryan. His voice is commanding, and he says it all of a sudden.

I respond without thinking. “Pizza!” I say, with so much enthusiasm that Ryan laughs.

“Pizza it is, then,” he says, chuckling to himself and tapping away at his phone. “Don’t worry. I know the best pizza place in San Francisco. And they’re exclusive.”

I let out a groan involuntarily.

“Hm?” says Ryan, looking up at me, because of the strange sound I just made.

“Oh,” I say. I’m not sure why I’m suddenly all clammy and nervous around him. I guess it’s because maybe I’m actually considering sleeping with him now… This thought brings back all of my anxieties and insecurities about my virginity. “I was just thinking about how fancy that last meal was…”

“Don’t worry,” says Ryan. “The whole point of pizza is to relax, right? This comes in a plain brown box. It’s only like 10 bucks, too, which is a steal for San Francisco. Most people just don’t know about this place.”

He pauses, tapping away at his phone for a moment, and looks me up and down. His gaze lingers on my breasts and my face. I can feel him drinking in my body. My panties become instantly wet as I imagine what it would be like to feel him inside of me. Not that I can imagine it that well, yet, having never had a cock inside me before.

“I forgot where I put the number,” says Ryan. “Ah, here it is. These guys don’t have an app or anything. It’s just the phone for them, and if you’re lucky, they’ll even answer.”

Ryan calls and begins speaking fluent Spanish. I have no idea what he’s saying.

When he hangs up, I look at him incredulously. “You speak Spanish?” I say.

He shrugs. “I like to learn new things. Plus, they don’t speak any English. It should be here in about half an hour. Why don’t you take a shower and I’ll put out some clean clothes for you.”

“I don’t know…” I say. “I think I’m fine.”

“You’re filthy,” says Ryan, cracking a smile.

It’s true. I look down at my clothes, and I’m covered in soot.

“Well…” I say. “So are you.”

“True,” says Ryan, looking down at himself.

He starts unbuttoning his shirt, and pulling it off, revealing his incredibly toned and cut muscular physique. I can’t keep my eyes off his abs, which seem to ripple and glow before my eyes. I never noticed it the other night, but he’s got a full sleeve tattoo on one arm. It’s an intricate set of black designs that I can’t make out. And it looks hot, even though I never thought I’d be one to go for tattoos.

“What are you doing?” I say.

“My clothes are dirty, remember?” says Ryan. “Come on, take a shower. You’ll feel better.”

He says this last part almost like a command.

“OK,” I say. “I’ll do it, if it’s going to make you that happy. I think you just want to see me naked.”

He just grins at me. “Follow me, and I’ll show you the guest bathroom.”

We don’t go into his room like we did the other night. Instead, he takes me to another room, which is just as large. It looks like something out of a catalogue for fancy homes. But the bathroom is what really impresses me. Everything is sleek and shiny, and the shower is huge. I can’t even identify the material that it’s made out of.

We stand in the bathroom for a moment, and I turn to face him.

He looks down at me and smiles. “I’ll put the clothes out for you,” he says. “Give me those and I’ll get them washed.”

“You’re going to put them in the washing machine?”

“I’ll send them out,” he says. “Someone will come by to pick them up. They should be ready in an hour.”

An hour to wash and dry clothes? This must be some fancy service he uses.

“Well…?” says Ryan, grinning down at me.

“You expect me to take off my clothes right now, right in front of you?”

“Only if you want to,” says Ryan. “I certainly wouldn’t object.”

“I thought you were just taking me here to be nice.” I say this even though I know the unspoken undercurrent of this whole interaction. And I know that I didn’t object when he invited me home. In fact, it felt perfect.

“I am being nice,” says Ryan.

“Why don’t you stand outside the bathroom,” I say. “And I’ll hand you the things.”

“If that’s what you want.”

He doesn’t move for a long, long moment. He just looks me in the eyes, and I wonder if he’s going to kiss me.

He’s still shirtless, and I can’t help but let my gaze slide down along his ripped torso.

My panties are wet. I can’t hand him my wet panties like this.

I feel drawn to him like a magnet. I’m so conscious of his presence, so close to me… half naked. I imagine what his hands would feel like on me, moving slowly over my shirt.

Is he going to kiss me? Is he going to make his move? I don’t think I would be able to say no.

But he doesn’t, and he turns his back on me and leaves the bathroom, closing the door completely behind him.

“Just leave them outside the door,” he calls through the thick door that muffles a lot of his deep voice. “I’ll send the delivery person up for them.”

Thank God, I think to myself, as I breathe out a sigh of relief.

I can’t let him see my soaking wet panties.

But honestly, the thought of him touching them and feeling their wetness and warmth—it makes me even wetter. My breathing is changing. My nipples are hard, as I unhook my bra and drop it to the floor.

I look at myself in the mirror, naked now, my clothes in a pile.

I’ve always had issues with my appearance. I mean, I know some men have found me attractive, catcalling me, and things like that, but on the other hand, people always say that guys are just horny and will sleep with anyone.

I don’t get that sense from Ryan. I can see it in his body, and his eyes, and the way he talks to me—he wants me, and not in the crude way that the catcallers wanted me. But that doesn’t mean Ryan doesn’t want to take my body…

For the first time in my life, my image in the mirror looks good. My breasts look plump, and I think I might even look sexy. That’s a rare thought for me, honestly, and it must have something to do with feeling desired.

I turn on the shower, and admire how fluidly the water flows out. The steam starts to build in the bathroom, and I step underneath the perfectly regulated flow, letting the water drench me, washing away all the soot and grime from the fire this afternoon.

Suddenly, a thought hits me: my algorithm discovery from earlier this afternoon! I don’t know how I’ve forgotten about it. It’s the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to me in all my years of learning programming. Only Ryan Hudson and his naked torso could drive those thoughts right out of my head.