Monday, Monday...

I worked with Daniel that morning. There was no smirk or sarcasm when he talked to me. He was his normal, happy, laid-back self. We picked on each other and joked around. At lunch, he and I went to get food for everyone and there was never an awkward moment.

No strings was DEFINITELY an awesome thing!!!

Our shifts were over early---like 2:30pm---so some of us decided to spend the afternoon at Dave & Buster's for happy hour!!! Let me just say that I rock at skeet ball and the free throw games!

It was about 6 when everyone started leaving. And, yes, Daniel asked me to come over. We got a pineapple and mushroom pizza from Mama's (OMG it's heavenly!!!) and watched some old episodes of The Office.

"You know, Pam & Jim made it work..." he said innocently before stuffing his mouth with a monstrous bite.

"Yeah," I admitted. "But give 'em a few years to figure out why they can't stand each other. Oh, and they're fictional!"

He stared at me, a piece of pizza hanging limp from his hand.

"What?" I asked after a few moments of dead silence.

"You are just so...bitter.". He shook his head and then looked at me again---only this time with pity.

"It's taken you this long to figure that out?". I laughed without humor. "And I'm not really bitter so much as experienced. That's just reality, Daniel."

He muttered something like, "Doesn't have to be..." and I pretended not to hear.

We had finished the pizza and were lounging together on his sofa when things started.

First, he began rubbing my bare legs (I was wearing my athletic shorts from work) and then he was playing with my hand, kissing it.

"What are you doing?"

"You don't like it?" His tone made it sound like a request, but he never paused.

"I didn't say that."

He just chuckled. "So you like being touched by me?". I rolled my eyes, refusing to give in to his obvious plea for a compliment. "I want to touch you everywhere..." he whispered.

Wow. That was all it took for me to turn into putty---Damn him!

I pushed him down on the sofa and we were making out like two horny teenagers. We stayed clothed for quite awhile, actually, before Daniel sat up, grabbed me, and threw me over his shoulder, caveman-style.

"Oh my gosh!" I was mortified because my weight was far from insubstantial. "Daniel, put me down right now!"

"Okay then," he laughed. We were in his bedroom and in two seconds I was dumped unceremoniously on the bed.

We pulled off each other's clothes quickly (he insisted on the condom again) and, instead of getting between my legs like I thought he would, Daniel rolled me on my stomach. All I could think was "oh my gosh, YES!!!"

He pushed my upper body down on the bed and positioned himself between my legs before grabbing a handful of my hair. "Does that hurt?" he asked flatly. I shook my head without speaking. "Good," he growled and then rammed himself into me.

I grabbed his sheets tightly as his pistoning rocked my whole body. My toes curled with pleasure as this was by far my favorite position. His grip got tighter on my hair and his thrusts got much faster and stronger.

It was over seconds later.

I waited until his breathing got deeper before moving to get my clothes. As I sat up, his hand shot out and grabbed my arm. "Stay with me."

I turned around to look at him and his expression nearly did me in---nearly. "I can't. You know that."

"Why not?"

I was remembering why I had protested to having sex with him in the first place. "Because. Dammit, Daniel, you know why!"

I tried to pull away from him, sitting there naked just made the argument worse, but he just gripped tighter. "I don't want you to go..."

"I know...and that's why I have to." I turned to face him in an effort for him to grasp the seriousness of this. "I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm not asking to be your boyfriend, Abby. I just want to hold you." He released my arm.

How could any girl say no to that? I sure didn't know how.

Around 2 that morning, I was confident that he was asleep sound enough for me to leave without disturbing him. There was no way I would allow us to wake up together. Very bad idea.

Tuesday morning I got a text from him that was only two words long.

"Thank you."

*****************
I have made it extremely clear to him what I don't want from a man right now. I just hope he gets that I'm not right for him. He deserves someone who will give herself to him exclusively...and that's just not in my power right now.