I didn’t pull away when Mr. Enzo leaned in closer, his hand still rubbing slow, warm circles on my waist. His words—“Let’s do this, sweetheart”—hung in the air. My breath caught, body tingling from his touch, a mix of nerves and something warmer, deeper, that I’d never felt so strongly before. I nodded, barely, my cheeks burning as I whispered, “Okay.”

That was all he needed. His mouth found mine in a kiss that started gentle—lips brushing, testing—then deepened fast, ...