Some of the smartest minds came from small towns. We did, in fact, have working technology and even though we lived in what was known as The Bible Belt, it didn’t mean we went door to door, preaching it.

In fact, the mating patterns of my senior class could have probably been compared to some sort of zoo animal.

In heat.

While facing extinction.

By the time our tiny class had walked across that rickety stage and taken ahold of our diplomas, hardly anyone had been on speaking terms because of the drama that had unfolded outside of school.

Well, mostly outside of school…

Tyler and I had walked away, feeling like the lucky ones. We’d made it through four years together, completely intact.

Unscathed.

He’d attributed it to our extreme intellect. We hadn’t let all the high school drama cloud our judgment.

I, on the other hand, had taken a different stance.

The fact that I’d made him wait four long years for sex?

Well, that could have had something to do with it.

It wasn’t something I’d wanted to give away lightly.

When my mother had sat me down and had the talk, she hadn’t muddled it by comparing my virginity to a flower, and she hadn’t talked about the birds and the bees. She had been honest and real.

“I don’t expect you to save yourself for marriage, like I did. I know it’s an old notion and something that isn’t practiced anymore, but the values behind it don’t have to fade. Whether it’s the first time or not, remember, making love to someone is the most sacred act two people can do together. Don’t squander that gift.”

That advice had stayed with me throughout my teenage years and every day since.

That was why I should have been freaking out while Roman Cavenaugh—my boss… my freaking boss—hovered above me.

Looking sexier than sin.

But, as he grinned, licking his lips after giving me the biggest damn orgasm of my life, all I could think of was, More please?

I’d always thought of the act of sex as pleasant, nice… maybe even a little adventurous, but that’d all changed the minute Roman’s lips met mine. It was stupid to say, but in a way, he made me feel like a woman with a single kiss more than Tyler had ever done in eight years.

Roman looked at me like a man drunk on passion, like he was physically holding back the urge to screw me into submission, and damn if I didn’t want him to try.

“I think I need to do a little exploring,” he said, his eyes lingering across the expanse of my chest. “Right… here.”