I stumbled upon my neighbor Henry and his girlfriend in the middle of something awkward. My face immediately flushed bright red, now that I had just turned eighteen.

With my parents away on a business trip, they had asked Henry to keep an eye on me.

But in the dead of night, I discovered him involved in something... something too awkward to mention.

The muffled sounds of a guy and a girl getting down and dirty buzzed in my ears.

I caught a glimpse through the door crack—Henry Larson and his girlfriend tangled in a heated moment.

Henry was like a wild, fearless creature, powerful and untamed.

My cheeks burned with a mix of feelings I could not quite sort out.

Part of me, the part that was all teenage curiosity and hormones, wondered if Henry had treated me the same way, would I be able to handle it?

However, another part, the pure green-eyed monster, could not understand why Henry would choose her over me. I mean, I was pretty sure I had her beat in the looks department by a mile.

Henry was the boy next door—literally—and the guy I had been crushing on for what felt like forever.

With my parents out of town for a month, the idea of staying alone in our big, empty house freaked me out. So, naturally, I thought of asking Henry to come over for some company.

And, okay, maybe I was hoping for a little more than just company. Maybe I was hoping for him to finally notice me.

However, barging in on him then? Not the best timing.

I messaged him once I got home, not really expecting much. However, he said yes like it was no big deal. I was buzzing with excitement, plotting how I would make Henry fall head over heels for me.

After my shower that night, I skipped the pajamas and went for just a towel. I might be young, but let's just say I have been blessed in the body department.

The towel was struggling to do its job.

"Henry, your turn for the shower," I chirped, bouncing into his room.

I was a little out of breath, my face all flushed, and my chest doing that dramatic rise-and-fall thing.

Henry just stood there, his eyes practically glued to my, well, assets. He cleared his throat and quickly looked away.

"Uh, yeah, I'll go wash up," he mumbled, grabbing his clothes and making a quick exit.

As Henry walked by, I staged a little stumble, tumbling forward.

Henry reached out, pulling me into a safe, warm hug, and I could not resist clinging to his waist.

Oops! My towel chose that exact moment to fall to the floor.

I was, well, in my birthday suit.

Henry was just in a T-shirt, and I felt his heat right through it. His eyes were like lasers, and I swear I could see his throat work as he swallowed.

I bit my lip, feeling my cheeks burn. I could not help but look down, even though my heart was doing somersaults.

In the movies, was that not the moment when the guy leaned in for a kiss? Or was it up to me to make the move?

While I was debating with myself, Henry's lips were inching closer.

My heart was pounding so loudly, I thought it might burst.

Was Henry going to kiss me? After that, would things get... you know, serious? Was I about to become Henry's girl tonight?

I braced myself, nerves and excitement battling inside me, and closed my eyes, waiting for that sweet first kiss.

However, all Henry did was pick up the towel and drape it around me.

"Make sure to tie your towel tighter next time, so it doesn't slip off," he said. Then, he was off to shower, leaving me standing there.

I felt a twinge of disappointment, puffing out my cheeks in a pout.

Why did not it go like I thought it would?

I mean, after all that, Henry still did not seem to want me? Considering how many girls Henry brought home, I figured he would be into it.

People like him usually act on impulse, and I was way cuter than those other girls, but even that did not do the trick.

Could it be that he really did not like me at all?

Just then, my bestie texted me, wanting to know if I had scored. I spilled the whole story to her, feeling pretty down, and asked her what I should do then.

[Girl, based on what you told me, I'm pretty sure he's got a thing for you. You just haven't hit the right note yet. Remember that 'battle dress' I sent you? Slip into that and give it another shot. Guys are pretty simple; they think with their other head. I bet he won't be able to keep his calm when he sees you in that!]

The so-called battle dress my bestie was talking about turned out to be a ridiculously skimpy dress, barely covering anything and leaving little to the imagination.

She swore by it, claiming it was her secret weapon that never failed to enchant the guys she dated. She even bragged that her boyfriend could last seven rounds in a single night whenever she wore it.

As soon as she found out about my crush on Henry, she did not waste a second and got me one just like hers.

The dress felt a bit too bold and wild for my taste, but I was willing to step out of my comfort zone for Henry.

It was too late to try anything tonight, though. Henry was probably fast asleep. I would have to wait until tomorrow.

In the midst of a dreamy haze, I half-opened my eyes. There was Henry, right by my bed, gently stroking my cheek. His touch sent my head spinning, igniting a fire within me.

As his fingers brushed past my lips, I could not resist and took them into my mouth.

To my surprise, Henry did not pull away. Instead, he gazed down at me with a look of pure adoration. "You like that?"

I blushed and nodded shyly.

"There's more where that came from. Want to give it a try?" Henry teased with a wicked grin, arching an eyebrow.

My heart skipped a beat. Was he talking about... that?

Had he not been hesitant before? What made him change his mind?

I asked him, my voice laced with uncertainty.

Henry just chuckled softly. "Silly girl, you're too adorable. How could I ever resist you? I just needed some time to figure things out. Now that I have, let me show you how much I care, okay?"

Tears of joy blurred my vision as I nodded, lost in his eyes.

With my silent agreement, Henry leaned in, and the world around us faded away...

"Henry, Henry..."

I snapped awake, and to my relief, it was just a dream. However, not just any dream—it was one of those dreams I would never speak of, not even if my life depended on it.

I chewed on my lip, feeling a mix of shame and awkwardness. My night clothes were drenched in sweat, sticking to my skin in the most uncomfortable way. Beneath me... was a mess, like a puddle of mud.

I buried my face in my blanket, mortified. Thank goodness Henry had not noticed.

If he had, I would never live it down.

I stripped off my clothes, determined to wash my underwear without Henry finding out. It was the middle of the night, and after that dream, I felt like I was burning up.

So, there I was, sneaking off to the bathroom in my birthday suit to wash my undies.

I tiptoed through the dark living room, a naughty thrill tingling through me at the thought of getting caught.

If the lights suddenly came on and Henry found me standing there completely naked, it would definitely be a huge shock.

However, no, that would be too much. I would probably scream my head off.

I slipped into the bathroom without turning on the light, but as I reached for the faucet, the door flew open.

I had thought Henry was asleep and had not bothered to lock the door.

Our eyes met, and I could not hold back a shriek, grabbing a towel to cover up in a frantic rush. In the chaos, my underwear hit the floor.

Henry picked them up, eyeing the telltale stain. My cheeks flamed as I snatched them back.

Busted.

However, Henry just chuckled and gave my head a gentle pat. "Silly girl, it happens to everyone. Even me."

I blurted out, "You have those embarrassing dreams too?"

The moment the words left my lips, I realized I had just spilled my own beans.

Henry chuckled with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Yasmin, were you off in dreamland again? Who's the hero in your dreams?"

I blushed a deep shade of red, feeling like a tomato that had spent too much time in the sun. Henry was such a tease, always trying to get a rise out of me.

Desperate to steer away from the topic, I shot back, "Henry, you've caught me in my birthday suit twice, and I haven't even caught a glimpse of you. Don't you think you owe me?"

"What kind of compensation are you thinking of?" Henry quirked an eyebrow, a playful challenge in his gaze.

I nibbled on my lip, a little embarrassed. "I want to see you, too."

I never thought Henry would go for it, but to my shock, he started peeling off his clothes.

That was my first full-on view of Henry's physique, and it was way more up-close and personal than that morning's sneak peek.

His chest was sculpted and strong, his abs chiseled into a perfect six-pack, and just below, where the V-lines converged, was... well…

Standing there, in front of his statue-worthy body, I felt my knees go weak, my breaths coming out all funny.

Henry's grin turned devilish. "Wanna touch?"

Before I could even answer, he took my hand and moved it toward... well...

Truth be told, that was my first-ever encounter with a guy's private parts in all eighteen years of my existence.

My eyes went wide as saucers, and just as I was about to make contact, my hand snapped back like it had a mind of its own.

I bolted from the bathroom, a total mess of panic and embarrassment.

Cut me some slack, it was my first time seeing one, and I needed a moment to process, let alone touch.

However, I did not go far. Instead, I hid just around the corner, spying on Henry's every move in the bathroom.

Henry did not bother shutting the door. He grabbed my underwear, inhaling deeply from it, and then he slipped off his own pants.

He was actually using my underwear...

It was the same pair I had been wearing after that dream I had!

As things were wrapping up, he was murmuring my name, "Yasmin... Yasmin..."

I leaned against the wall outside, breathing heavily as my cheeks burned up.

My heart was buzzing with excitement. It was pretty clear Henry had a thing for me, which meant my plan for tomorrow was totally going to rock.

The next night, I slipped into the battle dress my bestie had gifted me. It was that strappy number that had let him see right through to my curves.

While Henry hit the shower, I ninja had my way under the duvet of his massive bed.

Time ticked by, and then I caught the sound of footsteps.

My heart was racing so fast, it felt like it was about to leap out of my chest.

At last, Henry flipped back the duvet.

There he was, just in his boxers, with his hair still wet, droplets of water trailing down his tan, sculpted abs.

His eyes popped when he saw me. "Yasmin, what are you doing here?"

I got up from the bed, showcasing my well-toned figure in front of Henry.

He caught his breath, his throat working as he looked away.

However, I was not about to be shy. I looped my arm around his neck, gazing into his good-looking face. "Henry, I caught you yesterday with my underwear, getting up to no good in the bathroom. You're into me, right? Because I'm into you too. So why are you holding back?"

Henry looked at me, his eyes opening wide with a mix of shock and hope. "You really like me?"

I nodded like it was the most serious thing in the world. "I really, really, really dig you, Henry. If you don't believe me, I'm ready to show you."

With that, I planted a kiss on Henry's lips, all awkward and eager.

"Yasmin, hold up."

Henry eased me back, pressing his lips together. "Yasmin, there's stuff you need to know before we go any further."

I whispered, "Spill it."

"First off, you're aware I've been with a lot of girls. Truth is, I like it pretty rough. It might be a lot for you to handle.

"Secondly, I really do like you. Now that we've decided to be together, I won't be with anyone else, and you'll be the only one for me."

Henry's words hung in the air, and I quickly agreed, "Yeah, I got it."

He gave my head a gentle pat. "You're such a good girl."

Then, he lifted my chin and planted a soft kiss on my lips.