Time stopped. The universe held its breath for us.

His eyes flitted to my lips, burning with an unmistakable desire that made my insides turn to mulch. Electricity crackled between us. His hand reached my face, stroking my bottom lip with his thumb and pulling it gently. I was mesmerized by his eyes, his mouth, his warmth so close to me.

"Nico..." he whispered and slowly leaned towards me. I couldn't breathe. My lungs constricted. My stomach twisting into uncomfortable, nervous knots. My heart hammered almost painfully as his mouth came closer to mine. I shut my eyes, anticipating his lips.

No jalapeno today. I couldn't even remember what I had eaten. I couldn't remember anything as his lips found mine.

He kissed me, and I combusted on the spot.

The kiss was tender, soft and still hungry. His hand knotted in my hair, pulling me closer. The kiss became hot, wild. Our mouths opened against each other as I gasped. His warm breath morphed into mine, setting my senses on fire. My brain froze for a second before I slowly tried to regain myself.

He sucked on my bottom lip, pulling it gently as his tongue traced it. Butterflies erupted in my stomach. I didn't know where to put my hands. Do I touch his face? His shoulders? His back? Lower?

Before I could figure out what to do, his phone rang.

His mouth left mine and my heart sunk as he reached into his pocket, fishing his phone out. My lips craved for his again, still tingling with the intense heat. He sighed when he saw the phone screen.

"Who...is it?" I asked hesitantly, my heart's pounding audible in my ears.

"Kendra," his eyes clouded over as he answered.

For a second, I wondered if she had a radar to know any time I was with him. With a jolt I realized he was cheating on her. With me. My heart sank and I started to move away from under him. However, I watched, stunned as he pressed the button on his phone, silencing it and throwing it on the mattress.

"Wil-?" I began, puzzled. Before I could finish, I found his lips on mine, moving with renewed fervour. I was too stunned to react before my lips moved against his on its own accord. His tongue entered my mouth as I gasped again, the heat between us sweltering.

His hand reached mine and placed it on his shoulder, guiding me to touch him. I could hardly believe what was happening when he parted my legs, hooking them around his waist as he kissed me hungrily. He moved closer to me, fitting his body snugly against mine. I was stunned at how perfect it felt.

I was breathless, but air seemed secondary. His mouth was hot, wet, soft, eager. His lips left mine, trailing along my jaw and to my ear. "Fuck...Nico..."

He nibbled my earlobe as my insides melted. I couldn't think coherently, having to remind myself to breathe. His hot breath tickled my ear, sending shockwaves through my body. His mouth was so hot against my feverish skin. His tongue snaked out to lick the spot below my ear as I shuddered in anticipation, gasping.

"Wilder..." I whispered as he leaned back to look at me, his lips glistening. His eyes burned with what I could only assume to be lust.

He leaned over me again, whispering against my mouth. I shivered slightly at the tickling of his hot breath. "Get on top of me."

I couldn't make sense of what was happening. It was a dream, but I didn't want to wake. He grabbed my waist and turned around so he lay on his back. He pulled me on top of him so I was straddling him and our mouths found each other again with ravenous hunger.

I hoped we were five feet apart. 

The thought almost made me giggle. My head felt dizzy, light from his intense passion. I let my desires take over me. I was intoxicated by his taste when I dipped my tongue into his mouth. His scent, unhinging my deepest desires. I knotted my fingers in his hair, pulling gently. His hands grabbed my waist and pushed me lower down his body till I gasped.

"Fuck...Wilder..."

Our eyes met in an electrifying gaze when I felt the hardness between his legs. I was hard myself, getting even more turned on knowing that I was having the same effect on him. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I had quite scandalous dreams about him. 

He held me close, his mouth finding mine again as he slowly moved his hips, grinding into me. I couldn't tell if it was accidental or on purpose.  My brain disconnected from my body. I was drunk. The contact was simmering. My entire body heated up with flames so intense that I was afraid and eager that they would singe our clothes away. 

I let my mouth travel to his ear and nibble at it as he gasped softly, his hands digging into my back. I nuzzled his neck, breathing in his heavenly scent. Something dark. Something sweet. Something seductive. His scent seemed to enter my senses, ensnaring them till I could no longer form rational, coherent thoughts.

I kissed him again. Again. All my longing for him, all my emotions, all my venerability breaking the tide and burying us under a deluge of passion.

I finally pulled back, panting breathlessly. He gazed at me silently, his mouth parted open. My stomach turned to mulch at the way he looked at me. So hungry. His hand knotted in my hair, the other grasping my waist firmly as he turned me around again so he was in control. His mouth travelled along my jaw, my ear, planting soft, tender kisses to my neck. I remained transfixed by the feeling of his soft, warm lips. Each touch sending a surge of fire through my skin that penetrated into my veins. 

This is it. The universe must be enthralled with me somehow.

I gasped softly, my fingers digging into his back. His mouth travelled lower down my neck. When I felt the warm wetness of his tongue, his mouth, I was afraid I would blackout from the almost painful hammering of my heart. He sucked softly, hungrily. Like he was starving for a taste. His hands slipped under my t-shirt, digging into my lower back as he held me flush against him. The naked contact made my skin erupt in goosebumps as my heart gave a mighty lurch. 

In that moment, I was almost sure that his kiss at the party hadn't been a mere impulse. But I was puzzled by his actions. Did he like me? How was that possible? He had cut me off for so long. He had had several girlfriends after that. 

Finally, he leaned back, placing his forehead against mine and shutting his eyes as he breathed hard. My heart ached with an agony so tangible that it made me breathless. Before my heart had the time to settle down, he kissed me again. Again. Again. 

Each of his kisses was now fleeting. Gentle. Loving. 

Or maybe I was delusional.  

Slowly he straightened up and I opened my eyes, shocked to see the unfathomable darkness in his alluring irises. His usually immaculate hair stuck up in all direction. My face burnt when I realized my wandering fingers had resulted in that. 

He sighed softly, biting his perfect bottom lip and gazing away from me. I could still feel the hardness between my legs and remained still, bewildered. My heart pounded so loud I was sure he could hear it. 

"Was that...your first kiss?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He seemed to chew on his tongue, as if nervous. He took in a sharp breath before asking again, "At the party?"

I nodded, biting my lip as my face burned.

"Was it that obvious?" I asked in a whisper, feeling embarrassed and suddenly wondering if he had indeed minded the jalapeno.

He chuckled softly, the characteristic sparkle back in his eyes. Despite the dim lighting in the room, the pink blush on his cheeks was unmistakable. "No. I just... wondered how I got so lucky. How this fucking beautiful, perfectly adorable and sassy little nugget hadn't kissed anyone before me."

My breath caught in my throat. This wasn't normal, right? All that playing with my hair, the kissing, the practically grinding against each other, the way he complimented me, the way he remembered every little thing about me. There was no way it was normal.

Was it?

"You...you have a girlfriend," I whispered.

His eyes darkened and were quickly back to normal and he sighed, gently pushing me away. He raked a hand through his hair. His lips parted slightly as if he was on the verge of saying something but struggling with it. "She's...we're not serious that way," he answered finally, biting his lip nervously as if battling some internal thoughts. "I don't even think we're..."

He shook his head and sighed. He seemed so puzzled by his own actions.
 
My heart sunk. My skin still burnt from his touches. My lips still tingled from the aftermath of our kiss. I already missed him and vaguely wondered if he would stop me if I leaned over him and kissed him.

Maybe I should just try.

He rose to his feet as I decided not to try after all.

He looked flustered, his cheeks burning. Was he blushing again? Did I, horrendous-first name-very-common-middle-name-random- surname, make him blush?

Maybe.

Was I blushing?

Definitely.

"Er-" he raked a hand through his hair again, fidgeting nervously. "I...I guess-"

"Yeah," I quickly got to my feet, my stomach knotting nervously. "I'll-"

My heart stopped altogether when I heard the doorbell. His eyes widened for a while before he took a deep breath. "Must be my mom."

I opened my mouth to say I would leave, feeling extremely awkward that I would see her. Before I could, however, my heart fluttered as he grasped my hand, pulling me towards the door. For a second, I marvelled at the way his much larger hand enclosed my smaller one. It was warm. Comforting. Right.

He stopped suddenly at the door, his cheeks blazing red. I gazed at him, confused for a while before he spluttered.

"M-maybe we should wait a while."

I opened my mouth to ask him why before I realized what he meant and felt my face burning. After a couple of minutes of extremely awkward, thick silence and making sure that nothing was sticking up, he led me downstairs, my hand still held in his and didn't drop it till we came and stood in front of his mother who had just entered from the front door.

"Mum," Wilder said, "Nico's here."

I nodded and gave Mrs Collins what I expected was a friendly smile. Mrs Collin, like her son, looked like she had stepped out of a modelling catalogue. She wore a simple white pantsuit, her wavy blonde hair cascading around her heart-shaped face. Her blue eyes shone, her high cheekbones and chiselled nose clearly visible as features her younger son had inherited.

I had never seen Wilder's brother. He was nine years elder to him and lived in another city, working in some small start-up he had big hopes for. However, seeing the rest of his family, I could guess what he would look like.

She smiled warmly, her eyes somehow brighter as she walked towards us. "Nico! It has been too long dear!"

I smiled awkwardly as she pulled me in half a hug. I wasn't sure what she smelled like, but it was probably expensive. 

To my surprise, she seemed genuinely pleased to see me and even asked to stay for dinner. I refused, knowing my mom would flip out if I made impromptu dinner plans. Not to mention I would probably have to lie to her about with whom the plans were made in the first place.

Wilder offered to drop me back home since I didn't have my car. I settled in what was an uncomfortably silent car ride. I gazed at the massive, modern two-storey house that belonged to the Collins as we drove off.  I stole glances at him, my neck heating up when I recalled the kiss.

His hands on the steering wheel were tensed, his nerves pulled tautly. His jaw was clenched. He seemed to be thinking hard about something.

He stopped a good fifty metres from my home and sighed. "I'm thinking this will be the safest. "

I nodded and undid my seat belt, preparing to leave when he spoke suddenly.

"I want to help you, Nico. If you...if you still want my help with the website," I stopped in my act of opening the door and turned to look at him. He bit his lip, looking nervous. "I mean...it would have to be at my place though. And probably late because I have football before that. But...if you want."

I nodded fervently, my heart racing at the prospect of spending more time with him even as my stomach clenched nervously. He gave me a soft smile.

I opened the door and swung it open, preparing to leave and turned towards him again. "Hey...thanks for today."

He nodded, a sudden turmoil of emotions behind his irises. He leaned forward and gently kissed my cheek. I revelled in the feeling of his soft lips against my warm skin. The act was so sweet, so tender that it made goosebumps erupt on my arms. When he leaned back, his cheeks were bright red, much like my own I expected.

What was happening? Was he nervous around me?

I bid him goodbye and climbed out of my car, my heart hammering as I watched his car move away.

What exactly was happening? He was with Kendra. In all three years, he had never shown interest in me, and suddenly he was kissing me deeply, making out with me on his bed. What had changed?

It felt surreal. The feeling of his warm body. His lips. His breath. It was a fantasy. But I would hold on to it for as long as I could.