This was their second kiss since getting together. Scott was gentle, but Julissa had little experience in this area. She quickly found herself short of breath, instinctively parting her lips as if fighting him for oxygen. This unintentional response, however, was taken by Scott as a sign of affection, stirring something deep inside him. He had been holding back these past few days. Julissa didn’t remember that they had already been intimate once, nor could she recall the details of that night. But Scott did. And he remembered it vividly. Now that they were officially a couple, his thoughts about that night had only grown stronger. It was like finally being given permission, only to be denied the reward—this frustration was something only he understood. He didn’t want to seem like a

