Not with a little guidance.

“Sorry,” he said.

“It’s okay. I trust you to follow the rules but I’m still...”

“How could you not be?” It was rough on him when all he wanted to do was slide his hand under her sweater and explore.

She brought his hand to the malleable underside of her thigh, a few inches outside of her sweater but still much higher than he expected. She urged him to explore, but kept him exploring where it wouldn’t worry her.

“Maaaan...” he sighed appreciatively. “In all my life I never thought I’d touch a girl as gorgeous as you. Nobody’s thighs should be so seductive. It’s simply unnatural, I tell you.”

“You would have.”

“Hmm?”

“Touched a different girl someday. Someone much prettier than me. You know exactly what to say to make a girl’s heart melt. Any girl would fall for a guy like that. And at least she’d be able to reciprocate your feelings...”

“There’s no girls, women, ladies or maidens prettier than you, Jessie,” he said, and kissed the hand not currently helping him caress her.

“And I’m not really like this. Charming, or whatever. When I’m around you, I just suddenly know what to say.” Even if he included the System benefits, it was still true.

Jessie didn’t reply, but her hand kept guiding his across her supple inner thigh.

“You’re practically burning up. How scared are you? I’m seriously starting to feel bad.”

She shook her head and said something quietly.

“What?”

“It’s not because I’m scared,” she breathed.

He moved his head so she had to look him in the eyes. She had the same expression on her face as the one she’d faked for the picture, minus the lip bite. “You’re not saying-“

“If you say it out loud, I swear I’ll never forgive you,” she said in a way that made him wisely shut his mouth. Did I seriously... turn her on?

“Hooooo... okay then. We’re chilling. I’m not out of my depth here,” he said nervously. “Is it because of my hand?”

“Nuh-uh." A pause. "Well, it’s probably helping.”

“Because of how close we are?”

“Same answer as the first one.”

“Then what it is it?”

“Do I really have to say? I feel like I’m being dissected here.”

“This is important stuff we’re talking about. Life or death, really.” That got a little laugh out of her.

“It’s all these dumb compliments. I’ve never had anybody say this stuff to me before, and your hand is on my thigh while you’re saying it and you’re calling me seductive and building my ego up and up and up. It turns out that I have hormones after all but I’m too scared to do anything about it so it’s like, what’s the point?”

“It’s exciting though isn’t it? Being wrapped up in each other like this?”

“Y-yes. It’s definitely that.”

“It’s something new for the both of us?”

“I’ve never felt this... excited about it. God what are you making me say, you evil man?”

“Let’s just enjoy these new feelings without putting pressure on each other. I’m having fun just seeing where your hand will take me next.”