You Don't Know..What you Don't Know

Chapter Thirty Nine: Summer

I took a slow, unsteady breath before slipping off my shirt, then my pants. Every movement felt like a leap of faith, my heart pounding as I silently hoped Torri wouldn't stop me.

Standing before him in a simple white bra and matching underwear, I suddenly wasn't afraid anymore.

The uncertainty that had followed me for so long simply... faded.

I knew my answer.

I had always loved Torri.

Not because he was exciting or impossible to forget, but because no matter how much time passed, a part of my heart had always found its way back to him. If I was going to trust someone with this part of myself, I wanted it to be him. I wanted my first time to be with the person who had quietly held my heart all along.

His eyes never left mine. They traveled over me with quiet admiration, but there wasn't a trace of pressure in them—only tenderness that made my racing heart slow.

"Tia..." he whispered, almost as if he couldn't believe I was standing there.

I smiled through my nerves.

Instead of speaking, I took one small step toward him.

He met me halfway.

When he gently hooked a finger around my hand and drew me closer, I lost my balance with a surprised laugh. He caught me effortlessly, and together we tumbled onto the bed, laughter replacing the nervous silence.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

We simply looked at each other, smiling, our foreheads resting together as the rest of the world disappeared.

The world seemed to disappear the moment our eyes met.

Torri rested his forehead against mine, his breathing as uneven as my own. His hands framed my face so gently that I wondered if he was afraid I'd disappear if he held on too tightly.

"You don't have to," he whispered one last time.

I answered by slipping my fingers through his and giving his hand a small squeeze.

"I'm sure."

His eyes searched mine for another long moment, looking for even the smallest hint of hesitation. When he found only trust, his expression softened with a tenderness I'd never seen before.

He kissed me as though he wanted me to remember this moment for the rest of my life.

Slowly.

Patiently.

Every lingering kiss calmed the nervous flutter in my chest until all I could hear was the steady rhythm of our hearts.

Nothing about him felt rushed. Every touch asked instead of demanded. Every pause reminded me that I still had a choice.

When the final distance between us disappeared, I instinctively tensed, a quiet gasp escaping my lips. My fingers tightened around his shoulders as I buried my face against his neck.

He immediately stopped.

"Tia?"

I nodded against him, taking a shaky breath.

"Just... don't let go."

"I won't."

His arms wrapped around me, holding me close until the discomfort eased. He brushed gentle kisses across my forehead and temple, whispering my name like a promise.

"I'm right here."

His patience steadied me.

Little by little, the uncertainty gave way to something warmer—something that felt less like fear and more like trust. The nervousness melted beneath his quiet reassurance, and I found myself relaxing into him completely.