Shifting onto his side, he comes closer to me, his gaze a mix of confusion and curiosity. But there's something more, too. Something strange and exciting. I can barely blink because I cannot tear my eyes from his, afraid that the spell would be broken any moment.

A low tremor goes down my spine as he takes my hand and lays it against his chest.

"I," he starts, licking his lips as he searches for the right words. "I think mine hurts for you too."

A wide smile stretches across my face, just as a hopeful look crosses his.

"This is called friendship, Ze," I tell him gently. "We care about each other because we're friends."

His expression falls, a scowl pulling at his features as he tightens his grip over my hand. Taken aback by the sudden change in his countenance, I pull my hand from his. It takes me a few tries to dislodge it from his iron grasp.

"Right, uhm... What else happened after you recovered?" I ask in an attempt to redirect his attention to the previous topic. I'm not sure what I said that triggered him, but judging by the tension in his muscles, he's not very happy with where our conversation was going.

He narrows his eyes at me.

"I am overwhelmed by these new...urges," he states, watching me intently. "And I do not know how to quench them."

Seconds trickle by as he awaits my response, but I find myself at a loss for words.

"What...urges?" I ask hesitantly.

He stares at me, the answer clear without him having to verbalize it.

Right. Awkward. Why did I have to offer to help him navigate his newfound feelings?

"Uhm..." Is this really the time to give him the sex ed talk? Given his disinterest in females and his prudishness, I am sure he's never done anything of that nature.

Damn... Why does it have to be me?

I may be married, but I've always been shy about these things. Nikki used to laugh about it all the time when my cheeks would turn red at the mere mention of the word sex. But then, he'd tease me about my blushes and one thing would lead to another and we'd end up in bed, where somehow I'd forget all about my shyness.

But that was Nikki, my husband and only lover. Even with him, it took me a long time to come to terms with the abuse I witnessed at the hacienda. Our courtship lasted over a year, and in that time, we only kissed a handful of times. It was only on our wedding night that we became intimate, and although I'll always cherish that memory, I must admit that it was a disaster. We fumbled awkwardly together, and the entire thing was a painful ordeal. It took us months of practice to become comfortable with it and enjoy each other.