He rolls his eyes lightly. “Yeah. Obviously. You’re very good at being you. And I’m attracted to you. It doesn’t matter what you wear or how you move or what you drink, I’m going to respond to you.”

I want to cry. “This is hopeless.”

“How so? I feel like it is the exact opposite of hopeless.”

“I’m leading you to sin.”

“No, you aren’t. I’m a sinner with or without you pushing me into dark corners and kissing me. That wasn’t sinning, Meg. That was loving.”

I don’t know what to say to that.

He picks up my hand and starts to play with it, sending frissons of electricity through me. “This feeling between us isn’t a bad thing.”

“Are you sure?”

He releases a breath, and his dark eyes pierce mine. “Pretty sure.”

“But the Bible says premarital sex is a sin.”

The corner of his mouth lifts. “Who said anything about sex?” He pretends to look around us. “Did someone have sex tonight? Wasn’t me.” His eyes are wide and comically innocent, and I can’t help giggling.

“Me neither.” I sober a little. “I felt like maybe I could have, though.”

Micah flops back on my bed with a groan. “Stupid Hozier.”

Another small giggle erupts past my lips, and I sink down next to him, facing the ceiling. “Stupid Hozier,” I agree.

Micah raises up on one elbow, his expression serious and full of something new. “I have an idea, but I don’t want you to feel pressured.”

I cover my eyes. “If you’re going to advocate for the pull-out method, don’t.”

He snorts. “Um, definitely not.”

I press my fingers to my warm cheeks. “I can’t believe I said that. Sorry. What were you thinking?”

“Do you trust me?”

My voice is tiny when I say it, but I do. “Yes.”

“I want to show you that things between a guy and a girl can be amazing, even without sex. I want to do something for you. If you can trust me. To touch you, I mean.”

My heart literally stops. I swear it pauses beating for a full ten seconds. I don’t breathe. I don’t move. But on the inside, my brain is whirring. Could I do that? Could I let him touch me?

I close my eyes, blocking out the tenderness in his. I need to think.

The thing is, the Bible doesn’t lay out the rules for this part. Sex, yes, but touching? Or maybe it does, but not in specific detail, and maybe I need details. Or maybe we’re meant to presume from the outline of standards that this is off-limits, which was fine Before Micah, but now I find I am verrrrrry interested in the logistics. Can a man and woman touch before marriage?