After encountering problems at work, I lose myself in a virtual reality game. I randomly meet a male player in there and depend on my amorous interactions with him to escape reaity.

We flirt with each other and have roleplay; he grunts and groans over the microphone. Everything changes when I accidentally reveal my true identity.

The young man next door pins me underneath him and roams his hands over my body. When he speaks, his voice is hoarse. "You were great at flirting in the game, weren't you? Why can't you make those noises now?"

My name was Germaine Shaw. I'd just graduated from college, and my plain résumé made my job-seeking journey challenging. I'd lost the only job I'd managed to get after the internship ended because I'd turned down my superior's attempts to harass me sexually.

The difficulties faced in my job search got me down. I stayed at home all day, demotivated and depressed.

One day, while doom-scrolling, a new game caught my eye. "This is a romance game where you have all the freedom you need. Meet your destined half in the virtual world—set yourself free and release your pent-up desires!"

Judging from the tagline, I couldn't help thinking the game wasn't a proper one. However, as soon as that thought formed, my rebellious side acted up.

Since childhood, Mom and Dad had kept me on a tight leash. Despite already graduating from college, I'd yet to experience being in a relationship or dating anyone.

For whatever reason, I downloaded the game. When I entered the game after the download was completed, the raunchy start-up screen made me blush.

I flung my phone face down, leaving it there for a long while as I calmed down. Then, I picked it up again and followed the instructions, quickly customizing my avatar's appearance.

After that, I hesitated before selecting the world I wanted to play in. Ultimately, I chose a traditional setting. The screen went black for a long time before the words "Match Found" appeared on it.

A scene formed on the screen—it made me feel hot all over. I saw the female character I'd chosen lying on a bed, her gaze alluring and her clothes lying loose.

A man stood beside the bed. His face was generically handsome, and his deep-set gaze was enchanting as he stared at me. It was almost as if he wanted to see beneath my avatar at the person within.

He slowly approached me and leaned over me, pinning me to the bed. Then, he leaned close and rasped, "How are you going to reward me for helping you resolve such a huge problem, Your Highness? Gold, treasures, or…"

He paused and leaned closer. "Your body?"

His deep and sensual voice invaded my senses through my earphones. I gasped, feeling like I was experiencing this in person. At the same time, I also understood how this game worked. It was an online role-playing romance game.

I'd played games like this in the past, but my counterpart had always been the game's artificial intelligence. In this game, both players were actual people who would converse and flirt with each other.

This realization stunned me into silence. I didn't even notice the guided script that the game had provided, leaving the man waiting for a long while. "Your Highness?"

He was engrossed in the game, but I was still too shy to speak. I could only let out a dazed, "Huh?"

The other player didn't say anything for the longest time after that. I thought he was rendered speechless because I'd caught him off guard by not playing by the game's rules.

I was about to apologize when he chuckled softly. Then, he deepened his voice, making my ears tingle as he spoke. "Don't be nervous, angel. This is just a game, and we don't know each other. Don't be shy, okay? Just act according to the plot."

The way he addressed me made my mind go blank. Then, I thought of the young man staying next door—Mason Locke.

He'd just gotten into college and was cheerful and outgoing. He practically oozed youth and vivacity; he always smiled and called me "angel" whenever he saw me. The sight of his dimples charmed me.

I knew that I had feelings for him, but our age gap and my awkward personality made it hard for me to do anything about the situation.

My thoughts were interrupted by the man's urging over the phone. I apologized to him and continued the game, following the guidance and reciting my lines.

I stammered, "You're too bold, sir. Aren't you afraid I'll punish you for your indiscretion?"

I stared at the screen and watched as the man's character slowly kneeled at my feet to kiss my long legs. I didn't know where it came from, but a burst of courage suddenly overtook me. It compelled me to say something that wasn't part of the script.

"A puppy that only knows how to play hard to get can't be rewarded."

The man grunted. I watched the screen and saw him quit so abruptly that it was as if he'd been disconnected. I thought about waiting for him to come back online, but the doorbell rang just then. I had no choice but to put down my phone to answer the door.

Someone pinned me to it as soon as I opened it. Before I realized what was happening, they pressed their lips against mine.

As I struggled to break free, I saw who the person was—Mason, the man of my dreams. My struggling instantly became weaker.

He kissed me salaciously, running his tongue against my lips and slipping it into my mouth. He wrapped his arms tightly around my shoulders. The kiss dazed me, making my mind go blank. My vision blurred; I couldn't see the look on his gaze.

He released me after a while and buried his head in the crook of my neck. Then, he spoke, sounding aggrieved. "Can a courageous puppy get a reward from you, angel?"

My eyes widened in surprise, and I was at a loss for what to do. It took me a while to process what he'd said. Then, I endured the embarrassment while asking, "Were you the one who matched with me in the game?"

Mason kept his arms around me as he pushed me back inside the house. He blinked, looking pitiful. "Didn't you recognize my voice, angel? I immediately knew it was you once I heard you."

He paused and pouted. Then, he averted his gaze from me and mumbled, "You don't care about me at all."

I ignored his act and sat on the couch, asking, "Why did you lead me to say those things when you knew it was me?"

He dropped his aggrieved act and smiled slyly. It was almost as if he'd set up a trap to lure me in. "I was curious to see how far you could go, angel. I'm really sad, though…

"We were only lucky enough to get matched up because we live close to each other. Wouldn't you have said those things to another man if you matched with them tonight?"

I felt diffident and didn't know how to respond to that. All I could do was turn away and not look at him.

He didn't get mad. Instead, he watched me silently for a while before pouncing on me and pinning me to the couch.

It was dark in the living room, and Mason's eyes gleamed as he looked at me. His gaze was filled with so much desire that he was almost oozing it.

He lifted my hand and peppered my knuckles with soft kisses. His action was almost worshipful. His breathing grew heavy, and I heard him ask, "Can I kiss you, angel?"

I flushed, and my heart raced. My blood coursed through my veins, making my eardrums hurt with how much it was rushing. I tensed, which showed my nervousness.

Mason continued smiling as he looked at me. Then, he pressed his ear to my chest. He tapped a finger lightly on my chest, making me feel like I was burning where our skin met. I couldn't help trembling from the sensation.

"Is your heart beating so quickly because of me, angel?"

I parted my lips, but my throat was too dry for me to make a sound. Suddenly, one of Mom and Dad's lectures popped into my mind. Their words reverberated in my ears—they wanted me to be obedient and to keep myself chaste.

Mason didn't stop teasing me. He kept asking whether he could kiss me, but my brain seemed to have short-circuited. I couldn't process anything.

Before I knew what I was doing, I'd already propped myself up to peck the corner of his lips. It was a fleeting instant, but he was still delighted. He wrapped his arms around me and let out a muffled laugh. "Can I take that to mean 'yes,' angel?"

I looked up to meet his eyes, which were becoming cloudy with desire. Then, I pressed my lips to his Adam's apple. "A courageous puppy should be rewarded, don't you think?"

Mason hiked me upward and made me sit on his lap. He caressed my face and rasped, "Reward me more generously, angel."

I threw my hair over one shoulder and peppered kisses over his neck and jaw. I saw his gaze darken as he tried to suppress his desire. Instead of saying anything, I did something extreme—I nibbled his Adam's apple.

The atmosphere became steamy. He was like a beast out of control as he pinned me beneath him and kissed me hard. Our tongues danced together as the metallic smell of blood spread through our mouths. He paused and gently licked the wound he'd given me from being a little too rough.

I hooked his pinky to soothe him. At the same time, it was a silent acquiescence of what he'd done after losing control. I blew on his ear and asked whether he wanted to take things further.

Then, I sat up and took off my checked shirt, revealing my flawless body and pink lace bra. Flames of desire danced in his eyes, making them turn red. His voice was also hoarse beyond belief. "This is a huge reward you're giving me, angel."

The veins on his hands protruded as he held my shoulders—they were so sexy I could combust on the spot. Passion sparked between us.

"Don't you like it? Don't hold out on me." I smiled at him.

Mason didn't say anything. He merely stared at the cut on my lip while roaming his hands over my bare back.

His breathing grew heavier, and his Adam's apple bobbed. He seemed to be trying hard to hold himself back. "I don't want to leave you hanging, but you don't have anything here, angel. You won't feel good.

"Besides, I haven't won you over and convinced you to be my girlfriend yet. Doing the deed now would be a disrespect to you and our relationship."

He looked me in the eye. "I don't want a moment of satisfaction to quell my lust. I want us to be exclusive, and I want this to last forever."

He carried me to my bed before I could process the situation. Then, he headed to my bathroom to take a cold shower. The soundproofing wasn't the best, so I could hear him panting and grunting inside. It made me tremble all over.

It took me a long time to calm down. Then, I grabbed my phone and deleted the game. After that, I texted Jenny White, my best friend. "We were one step away from getting it on, but nothing happened."

Just then, Mason came out of the bathroom. My pink towel was wrapped around the bottom half of his body; water droplets fell from his hair and onto his lean torso, trickling down his washboard abs. His eyes were red from the shower.

When he spoke, his voice was hoarse. "I've drawn you a bath, angel. Do you want to get in yourself, or should I help you out?"

I turned pink with embarrassment and pushed him aside as I hurried into the bathroom. However, after my bath, I realized the only towel I had in there was the one Mason had wrapped around himself.

My clothes were already in the basket for dirty laundry. After an internal struggle, I failed to win the battle against my neatness.

I had no choice but to call Mason's name and have him get me some clothes. He chuckled softly and teased me but still handed me something to wear—his white shirt.

The sight of it embarrassed me even more. I held it, not knowing what to do. Ultimately, I still put it on.

The shirt was too large on me, yet it barely covered my private parts. I had a feeling I would expose myself if my actions were just a bit more unrestrained.

I tugged at the shirt's hem as I slowly walked out of the bathroom. The heat and steam from the bath turned my body red.

Mason faltered when he saw me come out. Then, he pressed his tongue against the inside of the cheek and smiled at me. He lifted me into the air and carried me to the bed, making me gasp in surprise. He silenced me with a kiss.

In between kisses, he chuckled and asked, "Didn't I lend this shirt to you because I was afraid you would catch a cold after getting caught in the rain? Why was it still in your wardrobe after being cleaned?"

I turned away, not knowing how to answer that. Ultimately, I brushed him off with an excuse. "I forgot to return it to you because I was too busy."

It was a lie. I'd just selfishly wanted to keep the shirt and my love for him a secret.

He pinched my cheek and turned me back to face him. He looked me in the eye and said, "That's a pity. I thought you didn't want to return the shirt to me because you liked me too much."

He rubbed the top of his head against my jaw, tickling me a little. It wasn't just my body that felt tickled—my heart did, too.

The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I hesitated. Ultimately, I still said them. "I do like you."

Mason was surprised. His head shot up as he looked at me, his eyes bright. Then, he grinned and pestered me to repeat myself.

I lowered my head, bringing my lips close to his ear as I told him repeatedly that I liked him.

He buried his head in the crook of my neck, his warm breath tickling me as it fanned over me. I was about to push him away when I felt some moisture around my shoulder.

I hurriedly lifted his face to see his red and tear-filled eyes. He looked so aggrieved. He said, "I thought you didn't like me, angel. I was so scared."

Instead of responding to that, I smiled and carefully kissed away his tears.

He held me close as we snuggled under the sheets. I had the best, most worry-free sleep I'd had in days, right there in his arms.