CHAPTER SEVEN
Beth
The fact that Eric had come by to the bakery to ask me out a huge surprise, but it was nowhere near a surprising as the movie that he had suggested when we arrived at the theater that night. He bought us tickets to some kid’s movie that was just coming out, and I started to wonder if he was trying to imply something that he was refusing to say out loud. The movie was great, but I was relieved when it was over.
Even though we had so much fun, the trip back to the compound was quiet, and I was starting to wonder if something was wrong. Had I convinced him that I wasn't interested in him while we were watching the movie? Was he already regretting his decision to take me out in the first place? After several minutes, he glanced in my direction.
"Is something on your mind?" he asked as we drove along. "You've been quiet ever since the movie was over."
"Not at all," I said. "I've had fun tonight, and it seems a shame for it to be over so soon."
"The night is still young," he said as he motioned toward the clock on the dash. "If there's anything else you want to dot, I would be happy to consider."
"Nothing really comes to mind," I sad. "What do you think, though? Is there something you want to do?" He went silent for a moment as he considered my question, and I became convinced that my suspicions were correct.
Whatever had gone wrong on the date was keeping him from deciding if he wanted to spend more time with me. For all I knew, he wanted to just go back to the compound and never talk to me again. Much to my surprise, after considering for a moment, he shook his head.
"Honestly, I can think of at least one other thing I would like to do," he said, "but I don't know if you're ready for it or not."
"And what would that be?" I asked. He hesitated for a moment, as if debating if he wanted to answer my question. After a brief silence, he continued.
"I would like to spend the night with you," he said. I froze with my jaw hanging open as I stared at him in shock and disbelief.
That's why he had hesitated the way he had. I wondered how I felt about it.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't attracted to him. Even though, he was old enough to be my father, he was incredibly handsome with his well-toned muscular body and salt and pepper dark hair. What was even more attractive was the fact that he had been willing to come to my rescue without even knowing me. He was a great man, and I had secretly fallen in love with him.
"I should have known it was a bad idea," he said, suddenly breaking my train of thought. Looking back at him, I saw the concerned look on his face as he stared at me. "You don't have to lie. If you don't want to, I understand completely." .
"It's not even the fact that I don't want to," I said before I could even stop myself. "The fact is I don't know how to even respond."
"What do you mean?" he asked. My cheeks burned red with embarrassment as I struggled to find the words to say.
"Even though my stepdad's friends wanted to do things to me that I didn't want to do," I said, "I've never done anything like that ever in my life. So, I don't even know where to begin as far as how to answer your question."
"I see," he said. "So, you've never done anything like that at all." I shook my head, and he fell silent for a moment. "Do you want to try it?"
"Yes," I said after considering. "More than I can express."
"If you'll allow me, I would be more than happy to be your first," he said with a smile, "but I need to hear you say it first before I can act on it."
"Yes," I said. "I want to spend the night with you." He smiled and placed a hand on my knee.
"As you wish, Little One," he said, and we continued down the road to the compound.