Pulling up outside Renna's apartment building, Renna unbuckled her seatbelt, and Levi put the car in park. He clicked his seatbelt off and and said to Jensen over the music, "Wait here. I'll be back." As he opened his door, he said to Renna, "I'll walk you up."

Levi opened Renna's door before she could put her hand on the handle.

They held hands all the way up to the front door, and as Renna pulled it open, Levi stood behind her, too close for comfort right now. She wondered if she should have told him to stay in the car and waited to watch him drive away before walking to her apartment.

Was this going to be a reoccurrence of the night after the date? She saw the elevator and hoped it wouldn't be. Her heart pounded.

As they waited for the elevator to reach the ground floor, she waited for him to make some kind of move, but nothing happened. He stayed behind her, holding her hand, standing close, but keeping a gap.

The doors opened. They stepped into the small and dull space. The doors closed. Renna watched the gap in the doors shrink. Levi stood behind her, holding her hand. Just before the gap shut, a tug on Renna's hand made her turn to face Levi. Without time to look up at him, he connected their lips.

Renna's heart slowed. Her muscles relaxed and her body fell against his.

He moved forward until her back hit the cold metal wall. Pushed himself against her. Spread her legs with his knee. His hands held her head. One shifted to the back of her neck, holding her tight, pulling her in. The other hand slid down. Paused for a second over her breast. Then, down to her hip where he dug his fingers in and pulled her into him.

She opened her eyes, but couldn't pull away. Pushing back didn't work. Goosebumps rose all over her skin. Tingling.

He should have stayed in the car. Should have told him to stay. Didn't. Why didn't I learn? Elevators. Never get in with him. Why? Should have—Don't want—Can't. This is wrong. Please.

He tried to push his tongue into her mouth. She turned her head. Disconnected the kiss. His mouth slid down to her neck. He sucked. Saliva all over her throat.

Her pulse hammered like a hummingbird's wings.

This is what he wants. He wants this closeness. And more. More than this. Further. I can't—I can't give him more. I'm—I want less. I want closeness. Not this. Will he—Should I say something now? Will he act bad? Be okay? How do I?

Hands travelled over her body. Pulled. Tugged. Gripped. Mouth sucked on her neck. Tongue gliding over flesh. Swirling. Arms around her. Legs pushed against her. Knee pressed into her crotch. Pelvis to pelvis. Chest to chest. Back pressed into the wall.

Ding! The doors opened.

Renna tried to break apart, but Levi held her in place. The doors—open. Leave. Is someone standing there? We don't know. Watching. Anyone could be. He's not stopping. I want to stop. How could he want—in public. Anyone to see us. I want to be home already. Say goodbye. This isn't the—We should at least be home. Behind locked doors. Elevator doors open to anyone.

He pushed her into the wall as if he expected her to pass through it. One hand kept his mouth against her. Both arms pinned her in place. His leg—knee—kept her legs apart.

She groaned, and struggled from his tight grasp. "No," she said. "Stop." Her hands pushed him back and she squirmed. Finally, they came apart.

He stood back, watching her, panting. She gave a quick look to the doors to be sure they were alone. With relief, she looked back at his face. His brow furrowed.

I have to. If I don't, Bri will. I need to. He has to know. He needs a reminder. Please take it well, Levi.

"I don't—I don't want that."

"I was just trying to be...close with you."

"I don't want it." She stared at the floor. At his white shoes.

He stepped forward. "Hey." His fingers took her chin and lifted her head. "That's okay. If you're not ready for more, I can wait."

I don't want more. I thought I had told him that.

Renna had never told her three previous ex-boyfriends at the beginning from the fear of losing them early because of her sexuality. She kept it to herself until they wanted to go further and she had no choice but to tell them. Through the months they dated, she had hoped for a higher chance of acceptance, but each time, they broke her heart. Nothing made them stay. Without sex, she had nothing better to offer.

After all of them, she began to learn. She realised by postponing the truth, she wasn't securing her relationship, she was falling more and breaking harder. So, when she met Levi, she made the decision to tell him from the beginning, believing if he had a problem with it, the relationship would end there. It took a lot of courage for her to bring up the subject after he asked her out, but she remembered doing it.

She could have sworn she told him sex was off the table. For the entire relationship. Moving slow wasn't going to change anything. Did he not listen? Or is he just confused?

Her hesitation caught his attention. "What? What is it?"

"I'm...I'm..." She struggled to find the words. Create an excuse. An explanation.

"Spit it out, babe."

"I—I don't want it...ever." She looked him in the eye, but it became to much and she looked down again.

"Alright. But how did that feel?"

The doors slid shut, trapping her in, forcing her to reply instead of run.

"Err. I didn't like it."

"At all?" He took a step back.

She glanced at the doors, wishing she could have escaped. "Someone could have walked in on us, and—"

"Oh," he said, cutting her off, and closing the gap. "Well I'll keep it in privacy next time." His hands rested on the sides of her neck, his thumb stroked the jaw line.

"No. I—Levi, I don't want to have sex." She looked him in the eye.

A smirk appeared on his lips. "That wasn't sex."

"I know. It's just..." The sentence fell short of her lips. She didn't know what to say.

His smile grew. "Come on, lets get you home." Throwing his arm over her shoulder, he pushed the open doors button and walked her towards her apartment.

♡