Read A Dozen Dates for Free Online Page B

apprehension.
    “Why were you a virgin?”
    Gemma froze for a moment, and then answered, “Because I’d never had sex.”
    Michael chuckled, “Well, I know that...” He paused before continuing, “But why..? Why didn’t you ever have sex?” Michael watched the annoyance flash within her eyes as she tried to retract her hand. Quickly he tightened his grip on it... “I’m sorry!” He paused again. “It’s just that you are so... tempting...” Gemma looked at him, surprised... “I don’t know how... with all the sexed up men out there in the world... You got away with it for so long.”
    “Well, I didn’t live in the world...” she stated but her expression was blank.
    “What do you mean? Where did you live?” Michael was confused.
    “Out back...” said Gemma.
    “Out back of where?”
    “The outback...”
    “You mean the outback of Australia?” Michael inquired.
    “Yes, the outback. We were pretty isolated where I lived... This whole world you see around us,” Gemma gestured towards the high-rises, and frowned, “Seems a bit like Mars to me.”
    “Wow! So when did you move here?” Michael asked her.
    “Almost four months ago...”
    Michael chuckled, “Almost four whole months..? Had you never seen the city before?”
    “Oh, we visited every couple of years... For holidays..! I have been to this city twice before – I have wanted to move here ever since I was about twelve. To live near the ocean... the green... and people..!”
    “Well, how often did you see people?”
    “There was a community where we lived – about twenty-five people; adults and children.”
    “No boys?”
    “Well, once I became a teenager I started drifting towards the ringers...”
    “Ringers..?”
    Gemma looked at him, “You know... Cowboys...” Michael nodded. “My parents introduced rules about fraternising then...”
    “Humph! I bet! I might have too...” Michael paused and then continued wide-eyed, “So you must find all this...” he waved his hand about, “Fascinating... Exciting...” Michael paused again, and his face took on an expression of empathy, “Overwhelming..?”
    Gemma smiled widely, “Yes, yes... and definitely!” Michael smiled back, and then they walked for a while, in quiet.
    “You are very brave...” Michael decided and Gemma smiled, and again they walked in enjoyable silence.
    “Gemma, I want to do the right thing by you... And being that you were somewhat... virtuous... before I got my grubby hands on you...” Michael declared.
    She wasn’t comfortable talking about that night yet and in a panic went to pull her hand away, “No that’s okay...”
    “Stop doing that!” scolded Michael as he quickly caught her hand. “Just listen...” Michael paused and looked at Gemma and saw her staring back at him fearfully, “And trust me.” He took his other hand and placed it on top of hers, gently cushioning it between his own two strong man hands and started rubbing and stroking it gently. He smiled at her, dazzling her, “Stop pulling away...”
    “Okay,” said Gemma, but she faced forward again, unable to meet his penetrating gaze.
    Michael removed the covering hand and they started walking slowly again. He spoke as they walked, not making eye contact. “Saturday night should not have been out first date...” he informed her. Gemma’s nerves were beginning to fray, but she managed to stave off her impulses to bring to an end the conversation, and sensing her struggle, Michael smiled softly. “Tonight is a more appropriate first date... a romantic dinner, holding hands and walking along the beach, and later, a kiss goodnight..?” Gemma looked at him dumbfounded by his assumption, but unable to say anything because his reasoning made sense; and it wasn’t anything offensive. “Really,” Michael soldiered on, “A girl with... your prior... moral... stature.”
    “Huh?” Gemma exclaimed, the phrase taking a moment to sink in, “Oh, just say it!” Gemma faced forward