The First Red Flag

Lily was nervous. Not the kind of nervous that made her palms sweat or her stomach churn, but the kind that made her chest flutter in anticipation. After months of dating Jake, she had finally agreed to stay the night at his place. It wasn't a decision she took lightly; she had always been cautious about blending her life with someone else's. But Jake wasn't just anyone. He was kind, attentive, and the kind of man who seemed to light up any room he walked into.

Jake's apartment was exactly what she expected—clean but lived-in, with a blend of rugged and modern décor that screamed "Jake." The shelves were lined with books, and a guitar rested against the wall. He had cooked dinner for them, a surprisingly delicious attempt at her favorite dish, and now they were curled up on the couch, sipping wine and sharing stories.

Jake led her to his room, where he'd set up a fort made of blankets, pillows, and string lights.

 "Cool, right?" he asked proudly.

 "Super cool," Lily agreed, genuinely impressed.

They spent the next hour playing video games, with Jake teaching Lily how to master a tricky level. As the evening wore on, they moved to the fort and started telling ghost stories. Jake tried his best to sound spooky, but Lily couldn't stop giggling at his overly dramatic delivery.

As they sipped their wine, Jake turned to Lily and asked,

 "What do you think of sleepovers so far?"

Lily smiled.

 "It's pretty awesome. But I don't think I'll be able to sleep."

 "Why not?" Jake asked, tilting his head.

 "Because this fort is so fun, and I don't want the night to end!" she admitted.

Jake grinned.

 "That's the best part of sleepovers—you stay up as long as you can!"

They played board games until they both started yawning uncontrollably. Eventually, they climbed on the bed. Jake fell asleep first, snoring softly. Lily lay awake for a moment, listening to the quiet sounds of the house and feeling a warm sense of belonging.

 "Maybe sleepovers aren't so scary after all," she whispered to herself before drifting off.

The next morning, she took her bath, dressed and left for work early. They kept in touch after the sleep-over, Jake kept taking her on dates and for anything romantic and nice. After the first sleepover, Lily hadn't gone to his place again, so she decides to offer to go to his place again.

 "Thought you'd never ask" Jake sounded so excited about her second sleep over at his place again.

Lily stood outside Jake's apartment, her overnight bag slung over her shoulder. The evening air was cool, crisp with the promise of winter, and she took a deep breath to calm her nerves before ringing the doorbell. It was her second time staying over at Jake's place, and though she felt a deep sense of comfort around him, there was an undeniable current of anticipation running through her.

Jake opened the door almost instantly, as though he'd been standing there, waiting. His warm smile was enough to soothe her nerves.

 "Hey, you," he said softly, pulling her into a hug.

 "Hey," she murmured, feeling the strength of his arms around her.

The apartment was just as cozy as she remembered, but tonight, there was an extra layer of intimacy. Soft music played from the speakers, and the aroma of Jake's cooking filled the air. He had outdone himself, preparing a candlelit dinner that was as delicious as it was thoughtful.

Over the meal, they talked about everything and nothing—work, childhood memories, their favorite songs. Jake had a way of making Lily feel seen, like she was the only person in the world. By the time they finished dessert, her nervousness had melted away, replaced by a warm sense of belonging.

After dinner, they moved to the couch, where Jake draped a blanket over them as they watched a romantic comedy. Lily nestled against his chest, her head rising and falling with his breath. She felt his hand gently stroking her hair, his touch sending shivers down her spine.

 "Lily," he said softly, his voice low and careful,

 "Can I tell you something?"

She tilted her head to look at him.

 "Of course."

 "I've been falling for you since the moment I met you," he said, his eyes searching hers.

 "And every day I spend with you just makes me fall harder."

Her heart swelled. She had been so careful with her feelings, hesitant to let anyone in completely, but Jake had broken down her walls with his patience and kindness.

 "I love you," she whispered, her voice barely audible but firm.

Jake's face lit up, his smile wide and genuine.

 "I love you, too."

The confession hung between them, sweet and electric, and when Jake leaned in to kiss her, it felt different—deeper, more intentional. His lips were soft and warm against hers, and she felt herself melting into him.

The kiss deepened gradually, slowly and unhurried. Jake's hands rested on her waist, pulling her closer, and Lily's fingers found their way to the back of his neck. Their movements were tender, each touch a silent promise of love and trust. The kisses grew more passionate, and soon, Jake scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. He placed her gently on the bed, as though she were something fragile and precious.

 "Lily," he said, brushing a strand of hair from her face,

 "Are you sure about this? I don't want to rush you."

She looked into his eyes, seeing nothing but love and respect.

 "I'm sure," she said, her voice steady.

 "I've never felt this way about anyone before. I trust you."

Jake kissed her again, slower this time, as if savoring every second. He took his time, never rushing, always checking in to make sure she was comfortable. His touch was tender, his movements thoughtful, and he made her feel cherished in a way she had never experienced.

Jake slowly slides his right hand inside her panties and Lily quickly gasps, as she had never known the feeling of a man stroking her.

 "Do you like that?" Jake whispered in her ear, waiting for her answer and permission to go dipper

 "Oh Jake…" she could finally form a word. Jake then went further to gently insert his index finger inside her,

 "Mm" Lily unconsciously let out a moan

 "You like that, don't you?" Jake said naughtily as he licked her earlobe and slowly increased the speed of his hand stroking her.

 "Yes, I do" she found herself replying without thinking. The feeling was crazy, it was amazing but also unbearable, she wanted more, she wanted him inside her, she was ready to give him all of her.

 "I want you!" she blunted out

 "What was that?" he heard, but he wanted to confirm that he hadn't heard wrong.

 "I want you…" she repeated.

 "I want you to have all of me" she finished.

 "Oh my precious Lily" he said with so much passion in his voice as he laid multiple kisses on her neck before he came down from the bed and started taking off his shirt, then his trousers and boxers looking straight into her eyes daring her to look away, and she didn't but as he walks towards her, her eyes slowly took a glance at his d!ck.

Jake knelt down on the bed below her and slowly helped her take off her skirt, giving her assurance that there was no need to be shy. She helped herself with the top and her bra, uncaging her two moderate breasts , drafting her eyes to anywhere that wasn't on the man in front of her

 "Look at me, my love" he said, as soft and sweet as his deep strong voice could let him. Lily hesitated but slowly looked into his eyes.

 "I could stop if you don't want to" he said with all seriousness. That's so sweet and thoughtful of him considering the fact that all parts of his body were already hard and turned on

 "No, no" Lily quickly snapped.

 "I'm ready" she said as she attempted to take off her panties herself.

 "Let me do that for you my princess" he said as he stopped her and helped her take it off, causing Lily to giggle. He cupped one of her breasts in his hand and used his mouth to do injustice to the other. He sucks her breasts in turns, then starts placing kisses down to her stomach before he stops.

 "This will hurt a little my love" he said, warning her in advance before he applied lubricant on himself and on her, touching her for a while to help her shake off her anxiety, then slowly placed the tip of his d!ck on her clitoris and rubs it before he went further to slowly penetrate her.

 Lily grabbed his muscle and squeezed it as tight as the tingling in between her legs could let her. Multiple emotions flooded her mind in a split of a second. It hurt, and it absolutely didn't hurt a little, but yet she didn't want him to stop because the sweet feeling in between her legs was making her go insane.

 "Awww" she let out a painful sweet moan

 "I'm sorry, my love." He said as he kissed her lips to distract her from the pain. He went slow at first and when he noticed the pain must have faded, and she was relaxed, her waist was even going according to his rhythms, he then increased the speed.

For Lily, it was a new experience—not just the physical aspect, but the vulnerability of sharing herself so completely with someone else. There was no fear, no hesitation, only a deep connection that seemed to transcend words.

Afterward, they lay tangled together under the covers, Jake's arms wrapped around her protectively. Lily rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

 "Was it okay?" he asked softly, his voice tinged with concern.

She looked up at him, her smile radiant.

 "It was perfect," she said.

 "You were perfect."

Jake pressed a kiss to her forehead.

 "I just want you to know how much you mean to me. Tonight wasn't just about… that. It was about us."

Lily nodded, her heart full. She had always wondered what it would feel like to truly connect with someone, to feel so completely at ease in their presence. Now she knew.

As they drifted off to sleep, Lily felt a deep sense of peace. She had let herself fall, and Jake had been there to catch her. It was the start of something beautiful, something she knew would only grow stronger with time.

The next morning she dressed up and went to work just like before, but unlike before, she came back to his place after the day was over, so she slept in his place two nights in a row. Lily made dinner, they ate and after that they sat in each other's arms discussing one thing or the other.

The evening was perfect until Lily mentioned a funny moment from work earlier that day.

 "Tom was trying to carry three cups of coffee at once and ended up spilling them all over his desk," she said, laughing at the memory.

 "He's such a klutz sometimes."

Jake's smile faltered for a split second. It was subtle, but Lily noticed.

 "Tom, huh?" he asked, swirling his wine.

 "You seem to talk about him a lot." She had only talked about Tom with him once.

Lily tilted her head, slightly taken aback.

 "Well, he's my cafeteria partner, so we work together a lot. Why?"

Jake shrugged, his jaw tightening.

 "No reason. Just… you're close with him, aren't you?"

The flutter in her chest shifted to a twinge of discomfort.

 "Jake, it's nothing like that. Tom's just a coworker, and besides, he's married."

Jake's shoulders relaxed, but the tension lingered in the air.

"I know. Sorry. I guess I just… I don't want anyone else taking up your attention."

Lily chuckled, brushing it off.

 "You don't have to worry about that."

They moved on, but the moment lingered in her mind. The next day, when she casually mentioned another coworker, a similar reaction surfaced. Jake's possessiveness wasn't overt—it came in small, fleeting comments or questions—but it was enough to unsettle her.

One evening, after a lighthearted argument about whether she had laughed too hard at another male coworker's joke, Lily finally addressed it.

 "Jake," she began gently, "do you trust me?"

 "Of course I do," he said quickly.

 "Then why does it feel like you get upset whenever I mention a guy from work?"

Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair.

 "It's not that I don't trust you, Lily. I guess… I just love you so much that the thought of someone else catching your eye scares me."

His words were heartfelt, but they didn't sit right with her. Still, she chose to believe him, dismissing it as a sign of how deeply he cared.

A few days later, Jake surprised her at work with a bouquet of her favorite flowers and a handwritten note.

*"Lily, I realize now that my insecurities are mine to deal with, not yours. You've given me no reason to doubt you, and I hate that I made you feel anything less than cherished. I'm so sorry. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I'll do better to show it."*

Lily's heart softened as she read the note. Jake wasn't perfect, but he was trying.

That night, when she returned to his apartment for their second sleepover, she found the living room transformed. Candles flickered on every surface, and fairy lights were strung along the walls. A soft melody played in the background, and in the center of the room stood Jake, holding a small box.

 "I know I went overboard, but I wanted to make it clear how much you mean to me," he said, opening the box to reveal a delicate necklace with a tiny star pendant.

 "This is a reminder that no matter how far you go or who you talk to, you're my star. And I'll do everything I can to make sure you shine."

Tears welled up in Lily's eyes as she hugged him tightly.

 "Jake, I don't need grand gestures. I just need you to trust me."

 "I do," he whispered, holding her close.

As they swayed to the music, Lily felt a mix of hope and caution. Love was a journey, she reminded herself, and they were just starting theirs. With open communication and effort, she believed they could navigate even the roughest patches together.