A First Time For Everything
by Isabel Morin
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 16, 2020
Hannah Bloom arrives on campus for her senior year of college a new woman. No more mortifying acne—though she still bears the scars—and no more trying to be invisible. She has two goals: get into med school and have sex before graduation. But getting into med school may prove easier than having sex, because Hannah has a secret—she’s never even been kissed.
What she needs is a tutor who’ll give her lessons in all the things she’s missed out on, and Casey Grant is the perfect candidate. Her dorm’s resident player, he’s not only the hottest guy she’s ever seen, he already knows her secret.
The only trouble is, nothing goes according to plan. Their lessons don’t feel like lessons, they feel like the real thing. She tries to date other guys, but nothing can compare with what she has with Casey. If she’s not careful she’ll fall for him just like every other girl on campus—and have her heart broken like them, too.
Wednesday night I’m in the basement pulling my clothes out of the dryer when Casey walks by. He’s dressed in sneakers, shorts, and a short-sleeved tech shirt, so he must be on his way to the gym down the hall. Clearly the man is feeling better.
He glances into the laundry room, then does a double take when he sees me. Coming closer, he peers at the colorful pile of silky underwear and bras sitting on top. Right before the school year began, I took a look at my ratty underwear and went shopping—a modest act of hope that things would be different this year.
“Mmm, nice. Need any help?”
I can’t think of a witty comeback so instead I settle for making a face. “I think I can manage.”
“You’re blushing.”
“It’s very warm down here.”
He leans against the wall. “I was looking for you earlier. I wanted to say thanks for checking in on me like you did. That was really nice of you.”
“Oh,” I say, surprised by how earnest he is. “You’re welcome.”
“You have a very good bedside manner,” he says, the teasing gleam back in his eye.
“I was pretty saintly,” I say, throwing a second load into the washing machine, “especially considering you turned me down in my hour of need.”
I didn’t plan on saying that, but I guess I’m testing him. I need to know if lessons with him are off the table so I can come up with a Plan B.
“I didn’t exactly turn you down. I just don’t want us to end up avoiding each other because I accidentally hurt your feelings or you see me with another girl.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. All you have to do is help me check a few boxes so that I can pass as someone who knows what she’s doing.”
He still looks skeptical.
“Fine. You’re officially off the hook,” I say. I add soap to my clothes and let the lid of the washer slam shut.
He gives me a narrow look. “Does that mean you have someone else in mind for the job?”
“I know someone who might help me.”
“Why didn’t you ask him in the first place?”
“Because he’s gay and he lives too far away, and I kind of wanted to do it with someone who was at least a little interested.”
“Oh, man.”
“Well, you don’t want the job, and I need to know what I’m doing before I subject someone else to kissing me.”
“Hannah, that’s the most...that’s...” he trails off, shaking his head. “Just because a girl doesn’t have experience doesn’t mean kissing her is awful. It can be pretty great.”
“You’re just saying that. Besides, the whole point is that I don’t want anyone to know how inexperienced I am.”
“I had some pretty good kisses back in the day. It’s like... like holding a hummingbird in your hands. You know she could tell you to stop any second, so you notice everything. The sounds she makes, the second she forgets to worry, and when she gets nervous again.”
I’ve gone utterly still, unable to take my eyes off him. Heat washes over me, dilating my veins, shortening my breath.
His voice is lower now, drawing me in, and his eyes have gone dreamy. “You try to make it so good—she forgets to be nervous.” He pauses, his gaze still inward. “It’s like discovering girls all over again.”
I’m trembling, my breath hitching as I try to breathe normally.
He looks at me, and he’s definitely back in the here and now. His smile is slow and devastating. “So yeah, I’ll give you lessons.”
It takes me a second to form words. “I...okay.”
We look at each other for several long moments. Awareness tightens its net around me and sends goose bumps down my spine.
Then some guy comes in carrying a basket heaped with clothes and nods at us. “What’s up?”
Casey straightens, a little smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “I’ll be seeing you, Hannah.”
He glances into the laundry room, then does a double take when he sees me. Coming closer, he peers at the colorful pile of silky underwear and bras sitting on top. Right before the school year began, I took a look at my ratty underwear and went shopping—a modest act of hope that things would be different this year.
“Mmm, nice. Need any help?”
I can’t think of a witty comeback so instead I settle for making a face. “I think I can manage.”
“You’re blushing.”
“It’s very warm down here.”
He leans against the wall. “I was looking for you earlier. I wanted to say thanks for checking in on me like you did. That was really nice of you.”
“Oh,” I say, surprised by how earnest he is. “You’re welcome.”
“You have a very good bedside manner,” he says, the teasing gleam back in his eye.
“I was pretty saintly,” I say, throwing a second load into the washing machine, “especially considering you turned me down in my hour of need.”
I didn’t plan on saying that, but I guess I’m testing him. I need to know if lessons with him are off the table so I can come up with a Plan B.
“I didn’t exactly turn you down. I just don’t want us to end up avoiding each other because I accidentally hurt your feelings or you see me with another girl.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. All you have to do is help me check a few boxes so that I can pass as someone who knows what she’s doing.”
He still looks skeptical.
“Fine. You’re officially off the hook,” I say. I add soap to my clothes and let the lid of the washer slam shut.
He gives me a narrow look. “Does that mean you have someone else in mind for the job?”
“I know someone who might help me.”
“Why didn’t you ask him in the first place?”
“Because he’s gay and he lives too far away, and I kind of wanted to do it with someone who was at least a little interested.”
“Oh, man.”
“Well, you don’t want the job, and I need to know what I’m doing before I subject someone else to kissing me.”
“Hannah, that’s the most...that’s...” he trails off, shaking his head. “Just because a girl doesn’t have experience doesn’t mean kissing her is awful. It can be pretty great.”
“You’re just saying that. Besides, the whole point is that I don’t want anyone to know how inexperienced I am.”
“I had some pretty good kisses back in the day. It’s like... like holding a hummingbird in your hands. You know she could tell you to stop any second, so you notice everything. The sounds she makes, the second she forgets to worry, and when she gets nervous again.”
I’ve gone utterly still, unable to take my eyes off him. Heat washes over me, dilating my veins, shortening my breath.
His voice is lower now, drawing me in, and his eyes have gone dreamy. “You try to make it so good—she forgets to be nervous.” He pauses, his gaze still inward. “It’s like discovering girls all over again.”
I’m trembling, my breath hitching as I try to breathe normally.
He looks at me, and he’s definitely back in the here and now. His smile is slow and devastating. “So yeah, I’ll give you lessons.”
It takes me a second to form words. “I...okay.”
We look at each other for several long moments. Awareness tightens its net around me and sends goose bumps down my spine.
Then some guy comes in carrying a basket heaped with clothes and nods at us. “What’s up?”
Casey straightens, a little smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “I’ll be seeing you, Hannah.”
Now she writes sensual, emotionally intelligent stories about likable people who discover themselves as they navigate their way to great sex and true love. What could be better than experiencing all that new love and lust just by picking up a book?
She lives in Connecticut with her conveniently tall, dark, and handsome husband.
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