OUR LITTLE SECRET

Part 48

Later that night...

After a few drinks and some conversation with Sean, you couldn't help but feel a little bit of a connection. It was impossible not to, as he was telling you all about his life in a way that made you feel like you had known him for years.

You did not have much in common, but he was a good listener, and you liked his company. He was slightly awkward and nerdy , but there was something very endearing about it - a rare, untouched purity that you could sense in him.

"He is cute. You should take him home," your best friend Emma whispered into your ear after she had watched you two from afar, a sly grin spreading across her face. You had initially come to the bar with her and her friends, but as the night wore on, you found yourself drawn to Sean and she picked up on this immediately.

"Shh," you told her before she introduced herself to the stranger you met and were talking to without interfering with your attempts to flirt with him.

You had always been a little bit shy when it came to conversations with strangers, so you were surprised at how easy it was to talk to Sean. Maybe it was the alcohol that made you more confident, but you didn't think that was the only reason.

"Ask him over, have some fun. You only ever been with Cillian so this might be good for you," Emma told you while Sean was ordering another round of drinks, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

You couldn't help but feel a blush creeping up your cheeks. Emma had a point - you had never really been with anyone else besides Cillian. He had been your first and only and you needed to explore and move on, no matter how daunting it felt.

But then, there was something about Sean that made you feel at ease. Was it his green eyes or the awkward way he smiled? Either way, you found yourself nodding in agreement and Emma squealed in delight.

"Good for you," she cheered, patting your back. You grinned sheepishly before turning back to Sean. As if sensing your gaze, he looked up from the bar and caught your eye, which is when Emma nudged you forward, urging you to take the next step.

Taking a deep breath, you made your way over to the bar, helping him with the drinks before asking him whether he wanted to go back to your house for a nightcap after you finished your beers.

"You want me to come to your house?" he asked innocently, and you smiled coyly at him, nodding affirmatively.

"Just for a bit of fun, no promises," you told him casually, catching him of guard. "I am not after a relationship or something, just something casual," you admitted honestly, causing Sean to smile and nod awkwardly.

"Really? You want to take me home to have some fun?" Sean asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice as, never before, he had been picked up in a nightclub before and you could see that there was something in his eyes that was weighing him down.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry. I am not usually that direct," you said, blushing as you looked at Sean, hoping he wasn't offended.

"No, it's okay, really," he responded, a hint of a smile on his face. "I am just a bit surprised; you know. But, of course, I am not going to reject your proposition," Sean said, his eyes shining with a mix of excitement and nervousness. There was a pause before he asked: "So, uh, where do we go?"

"We will need to get a cab. I don't live in the city centre," you told him as you both quickly finished your drinks and excused yourselves from your respective friends.

Outside the bar, you hailed a cab and gave the driver your address. The drive was about 20 minutes, and during that time, you could feel the tension building up between you and Sean.