My heart was racing. Sure, he was usually sweet and well-behaved, but tonight he'd been drinking - and not just any wine!

And there he was, all 6'1" of him, towering over my 5'4" frame like a skyscraper. The size difference alone was enough to make me nervous!

"What are you doing?" I asked, backing away.

"Giving you your present?" he said with a smile, holding up the shopping bag.

"Present?"

Only then did I notice it was the same bag he'd tossed on the couch earlier.

"Yeah, happy birthday!"

"What?!"

It suddenly hit me - today was my birthday!

But why hadn't he mentioned it earlier? No cake, no warning, and now he was barging into my bedroom to give me a gift!

I couldn't help but feel curious about what was in that bag.

Without hesitation, I took it and peered inside.

Inside was a bright red lingerie set!

My cheeks instantly turned scarlet, especially remembering this morning's incident - his teasing about my red underwear wasn't just playful mischief after all. He'd been checking my color preference for this birthday gift!

And that story about meeting high school friends? Probably just an excuse to go shopping for this present!

"Scarlett, let me help you try it on," he said eagerly, reaching forward. "I want to make sure it fits."

"Keep your hands to yourself!" I squeaked, dodging away from him, my face burning.

"Then... maybe you could try it on yourself? I just want to see if it looks good..."

"Get out! I'm not modeling it for you!"

"Oh..." he said softly, looking disappointed but obedient as he left the room.

Watching his dejected puppy-dog expression as he walked away made my heart soften a little. Still, I didn't call him back or try it on for him. After all, he was a 6'1" college guy now - we weren't little kids anymore who could be casual about these things.

The next morning, I caught him sneaking glances at me, probably trying to figure out if I was wearing his gift underneath my dress. Thankfully, I'd chosen a modest sundress that didn't reveal anything.

I made sure to be extra careful - no bending over, no chances for any "wardrobe malfunctions" when the wind blew. He didn't get to see anything he shouldn't.

The rest of the day passed normally.

After dinner, we went for a walk in the riverside wetland park. He was walking ahead of me, bouncing around like an excited kid, laughing and chatting.

When we reached a dimly lit path under some trees, he suddenly stopped, falling silent.

Before I could wonder why, he turned around with a mysteriously excited expression, quietly motioning me over.

Curious, I walked up to him. He pointed into a darker area, gesturing for me to look.

What I saw made my face burn red - a couple in an intimate moment, hidden in the shadows!

Embarrassed and upset, I didn't scold him but tried to pull him away.

He resisted, stealing glances for a while longer before finally letting me drag him away.

We walked around some more, but he seemed distracted, his mind clearly elsewhere.

Later at home, even after we'd said goodnight and gone to our separate rooms, he still seemed lost in thought.

In the middle of the night, I suddenly woke up.

Through my sleepy haze, I sensed someone by my bed, carefully lifting my blanket.

Startled, I opened my eyes. In the dim light, I saw it was Ethan!

"Scarlett," he pleaded hopefully, "that couple in the park... were they... you know? My classmates talk about how amazing it is... Would you show me what it's like?"

Then, before I could stop him, he slipped under my covers...