Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
My shoulders slump. It’s like eating the best piece of chocolate ever and giving a piece to your friend only to have them spit it out.
“I think the no sex is part of the appeal,” I say. “Saving yourself for the one person you truly love—that means something.”
He scoffs but then sobers when he reads the look on my face.
His lips part, and I see a dawning on his face. “Are you a virgin, Penelope?”
Panic at being so transparent rises for half a second until it ebbs away. I don’t know why, but I feel like I can be myself with him. “Yes.”
His face changes, the humor softening into amazement. “A twenty-one-year-old virgin…at Waylon? Impossible.”
I stare down at my hands.
“Are you sure?” He’s leaning in closer to me now, the heat from his body radiating to mine.
I roll my eyes. “I can assure you I’ve never had my cherry popped, hooked up, yada, yada, yada…”
I glance back up, and he’s staring at me, his gaze swirling with an indecipherable emotion.
“How far have you gone with a guy?”
I cock my head. “Seriously? You’re asking for specifics?”
“It’s just so rare. I’m fascinated.”
I chew on my lips. “Good. I’m glad you’re not prejudiced against virgins.”
His lips quirk. “You’ve been kissed. Obviously.”
I nod.
His gaze lingers on my chest. “And second base?”
I nod.
His face grows still. “Third base?”
The air grows heavy. “What is third base?” I murmur.
“You want me to describe it?” he asks. There’s a flush on his cheeks as we stare at each other.
Heat rises in my face. Yes. I want him to spell it out in excruciating detail, so I can replay it over and over when he’s gone.
“Third base is when a guy—or a girl…” He stops and looks at me.
“Guy.”
“Puts their hands…” He glances down at my legs and clears his throat. “Inside your underwear and touches you.”
Fire licks at me. It feels as if he’s touching me now, sliding his hands under my panties, his fingers dipping inside—
I suck in a breath. “Hmmmm, I see. And the purpose of this is to…”
His chest rises. “Fuck, Red. To get you off. Make you come. Have you ever had an orgasm?”
My eyes lower. “Oh, definitely. I’m just waiting for a special person to give myself to completely.”
With scarcely a movement, he leans in and brushes my lips with his.
“What was that for?” I whisper as he stares down at me.
“Because…shit…I don’t know. I wanted to.” He sighs.
I twist my hands in my lap, my mouth saying something I don’t intend it to. “A guy has never given me an orgasm. I mean…I have had one, but not caused by an actual human male.”
His chest rises up and down in quick succession and he swallows. His eyes darken. “I see.”
I pick at one of the loose threads on my cardigan. He watches me. “Sometimes I wonder if the feeling itself is different, you know, with a guy. If it’s still that intense burst that goes off in your head and makes you warm and tingly.” I let out a ragged breath I didn’t know I was holding. “I think about it a lot. Who I want it to be…”
He stands abruptly.
“Ryker?”
He opens his mouth to say something but then shuts it and takes off for the kitchen. I’m not even sure he knows where he’s going, so I hop up and follow him.
“What’s going on?”
“I need some water. With ice, preferably.”
From behind him, I watch as he flings cabinets open and shuts them.
“Glasses are on the right side, next to the fridge.” I move in closer in case he needs help.
He opens the right one, grabs a glass, and fills it up with ice from the dispenser. Then he turns to the sink and starts filling up the glass. It overflows.
He doesn’t notice.
“It’s overflowing,” I say.
He curses and pours out some of the water then lifts the glass and drinks it down.
“Um, I have some Gatorade if you’re really thirsty.”
His shoulders are tense, and he hasn’t turned around, and my heart beats double time at the sparks in the air.
He sets the glass down on the counter and takes three huge breaths before facing me.
His expression is conflicted, a range of emotions flitting across his chiseled features. I can’t read them, and I suspect he doesn’t want me to.
I’m not sure what’s going on. I shake my head. “I’m sorry if I went too far. I’m just comfortable with you. It’s like we have this easiness when we’re together—”
“No, stop. This isn’t your fault.” His voice is husky.
I ease over to my sucker drawer and pull one out. I’m so fast, I have the wrapper off and the candy in my mouth in three seconds. I ignore the fact that my hands are shaking. “Want to tell me what’s going on then?”
He dips his head and rakes his hands through his hair. “Fuck. Red.” He says my nickname like it’s torturing him.