CHAPTER 297: CHAPTER 297: WORDS THAT MELTED WALLS

~Nantam’s POV~

But the rational thoughts were drowned out by the sudden, overwhelming heat of his presence. Before I could truly gather my scattered thoughts, I felt Evans’s mouth descend, his lips finding and gently suckling the skin of my neck.

"Huh," I let out a sharp, involuntary groan. Immediately, I found the necessary strength. "Stop! I’m not ready."

Evans froze instantly. He lifted his head, his face hovering just inches from mine, his eyes searching, filled with a sudden, painful rejection. "Are you rejecting me?" he asked, his voice low and wounded.

"No!" I rushed to correct him, sitting up slightly. "No, I’m not rejecting you."

"Then why?" he pressed, confusion mixing with the hurt in his eyes.

"I just... I wasn’t ready," I repeated, feeling hopelessly inadequate.

He shifted, raising his body as if to stand up, his expression hardening into that stubborn, arrogant look I knew so well. "It’s okay. I understand you are rejecting me but trying to be nice."

"I am not rejecting you!" I grabbed his arm, pulling him back down. I took a deep, shaky breath, knowing this was a truth I had to share. "I just... I haven’t done this before."

He paused, studying my face, his intense gaze clearly questioning if I was lying to stop him.

I looked him straight in the eye and nodded. "I haven’t done it before."

He frowned. "How old are you?"

"I’m twenty-seven," I told him, dropping my gaze. "And soon I’ll be twenty-eight."

"So you’re twenty-seven, almost twenty-eight, and you’ve never done this before?" he asked, astonishment coloring his tone.

A slow heat crawled up my neck. "Yes," I admitted, then rushed to clarify before he could misunderstand. "I don’t get attracted to people easily. I’m sapiosexual—not gay or bi. Gender doesn’t matter to me. I only fall for someone when I find them genuinely interesting and intelligent. Even if others don’t notice it, I do... and that’s what pulls me in. It’s rare."

He processed this, and then a slow understanding dawned on his face. "Now I understand why you were so obsessed with Zayn in the past."

"Yes," I confirmed. "That’s more reason people don’t attract me often. I only see that kind of intelligence and connection in very few people around me."

"So what about me?" he asked, leaning close again.

I didn’t hesitate this time. "You already have your answer, Evans. I was attracted to you because of your intelligence."

He beamed, his entire mood transforming into triumph. "So you admit that you like me."

"Can you stop asking?" I snapped, frustration returning. "It’s not a must I say it loudly to you!"

Evans gave me a devilish grin. He pushed me back onto the couch and climbed over me again, caging me in. "But I want to hear you say it," he whispered, his face inches from mine. "So, do you like me?"

I nodded, unable to speak.

"I want you to say it out loud," he insisted, his voice a low command.

"Stop," I pleaded softly.

He stared at me, waiting.

Finally, I gave in, the words ripping past the last of my defenses. "Fine! I like you. Are you satisfied?"

Evans shook his head, the smile still in his eyes. "No, Nantam. I want you to say it romantically."

I looked at him, feeling cornered but desperate to please him. "I’m..."

He gently held my face between his hands, forcing my gaze to meet his. He moved his hand slightly to brush my hair back from my forehead, his touch impossibly tender. "I’m waiting," he prompted, his voice a low, compelling rumble. He waited until my defenses completely collapsed.

"I like you, Evans," I finally whispered, putting all the suppressed meaning and truth into the simple words.

His smile became softer, warmer, and more genuine than I had ever seen. "I don’t just like you, Nantam," he confessed, leaning down until our foreheads touched. "I love everything about you."

The sudden declaration of love made my chest ache with unexpected happiness.

Then, he pulled back just enough to look me in the eye, his expression shifting to serious consideration. "Are you ready to give me your first time?"

I called his name softly. "Evans..."

He kissed me—a slow, deep kiss this time, filled with promise, and asked again when he pulled away. "Are you ready to give me your first time?"

I finally looked at him, realizing the moment was sacred and real. "Yes," I said, a faint sound of acceptance. I quickly added, "But I’m not just ready now."

He chuckled, the deep, rolling sound vibrating against my chest. "There’s no way I will take your first time here, on your couch, Nan. Not after hearing you haven’t done this before."

He moved to sit beside me, his arm draped possessively over my shoulder. "If we are going to do this, it will be in my house. I’ll make sure everything is perfect, and I’ll be able to take care of you after."

I looked at him, feeling slightly dramatic. "Why so dramatic? It’s not like I’m going to give birth. Why sound so extra?"

Evans smirked, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You will understand when that day comes, Nantam. I will claim your virginity from both back and front, and there’s no way you will ever want any other man after doing that with me."

"Such a brag," I scoffed, but I couldn’t stop the grin that stretched across my face.

"For you, Nantam, I’m willing to try and make this work," he said, turning back to the serious topic. "And can you please stop ignoring me from now on?"

I melted under his sincere gaze. I looked up at him and nodded, "Okay."

He kissed the top of my nose. "Thank you, Nan."

"Don’t short my name," I protested, but he ignored me, kissing me fully instead.

"I can’t ignore how beautiful you look right now, Nantam," he murmured against my lips. "But we can just go into deep romance, and you just trust me. I can make you feel incredibly good without going all the way yet."

I knew he was right; the intensity of his presence was already dizzying. I leaned into his touch, submitting to the moment. "Go ahead."

Instead of moving, he tapped the tip of my nose lightly with his finger.

"Ouch!" I complained, instinctively pulling back.

He smiled, a soft, teasing light in his eyes, and used his thumb to gently rub my nose where he had tapped it. "I reserve everything until you are completely ready, Nan." He leaned back slightly, his expression turning serious again. "But when you tell me you are ready, you need to understand this: you can’t say no halfway again."

I looked at him, feeling my cheeks flush at the intensity of his demand. "Whatever," I muttered, trying to look nonchalant.

"Promise me," he insisted.

"Promise," I said quickly, just wanting to end the interrogation so I could breathe.

He smiled, clearly satisfied. "Good. Now, can I spend the night here?"

"It’s already late," I sighed, unable to hide the faint smile playing on my lips. "You can’t seriously expect me to chase you out now."

He chuckled, a rich, satisfied sound that made my heart flutter. He stood up and took my hand, lacing our fingers together with a possessive squeeze. I stood up, feeling surprisingly steady. Together, we walked out of the living room and toward my bedroom.