I chuckle, and when I turn, they're both giving me a questioning look. I shake my head.“Nothing.”
Pops leans toward Avery and says, “I’d like to know more about newsletter businesses.”
My eyebrows rise at this.
She smiles, ever the teacher's pet. “I'd be happy to forward you some things I designed for my e-commerce class. They’re not as sophisticated as what giant companies have, but it would give you a feel.”
“Hey,” I say, inclining my head at the window. “We’ve gotta table this for now. If we’re going to make it back to school in time, we need to hit the road.”
“Right,” she says, standing. “Mr. Sullivan, thank you again. I had a really great time. And I’ll send the emails to Shane, so he can forward them to you.”
Pops stands as well. “No need. Shane will bring you when he comes for dinner next week, and you’ll show me yourself.”
“Oh, yes, maybe,” she murmurs vaguely, putting on her shoes.
I chug a few more swallows from my mug and dump the rest into the sink.
Avery does the same and washes both mugs quickly and puts them in the drying rack. Pops watches her with a smile and winks at me. He has very definite ideas of the way men and women should take care of each other, so of course he approves.
He’d also approve of the fact that she’s still a virgin at eighteen. But that’s a fact he’s never going to know. No one is. That’s between her and me.
We all walk to the front door, and I shake his hand. She gives him a brief hug and then slips out as soon as the door’s open.
Outside, our bodies brush against each other as I open the passenger door for her.
Her cheeks are flushed from the cold and possibly more. Last night when I discovered she’s a virgin, it was like stumbling across buried treasure. Rare, unexpected, hidden and secret. I wanted to know why she’s got such little experience. But Avery was hesitant to talk about it. Instead, she gave me a blow job to reciprocate for the orgasm I gave her, and then we both crashed.
Today, her persistent innocence is the only topic of conversation that interests me. I love everything about the fact that I’ve got a second chance at being what I always wanted to be. Avery’s first. The one who teaches her about sex. The one who makes her come for the first time when a cock’s inside her. I want her to learn how good sex can feel, and for the sex between us to be the best she ever has. Where Avery’s concerned, I basically want to be all things…first, best, and—if I’m being completely honest about my fantasies from back then—the only one ever.
As I pull out of the drive, I say, “You didn’t answer me last night when I said—”
She cuts me off in a tone that’s low but accusatory. “Are you working for him, Shane?” The sweet girl from the kitchen is suddenly nowhere to be seen. This version of Avery is clear-eyed and sharp. “Is that why you need a locked room in your house?”
Her tone leaves a lot to be desired, considering she’s asking questions I’ve already said aren’t open for discussion. “My business is none of yours, remember?”
She stiffens and turns her head to stare out the passenger window.
“Now you’re upset?”
“No.” Her voice is cool, and very clearly upset. “As you said, it’s none of my business. Thanks for reminding me.”
I blow out a breath as I enter the expressway. “What’s between you and me is—” I’m about to say new when she cuts me off again.
“There’s nothing between us.” She continues to look at the road instead of me, which I don’t like. “Last night was fun.”
Fun?My lip curls in distaste.
I don’t like the pattern that’s emerging. My fingers tighten on the steering wheel when what they’d really like would be for me to pull over, yank her dress up and spank her gorgeous ass on the side of the road while cars pass. My cock hardens at the thought of owning her that way.
“That’s as far as I go, by the way,” she adds, not helping me talk myself out of punishing her for real. “No more pushing boundaries.”
When I reply, my voice is level, even though calm is not what I feel. “What do you mean by that?”
“I mean, let’s stick to the agreement. I’ll do what I promised and that’s all. No more sex-capades or falling asleep together in the same bed.”
This is not the day we’re supposed to have after last night. “Why are you still a virgin? You planning to save yourself for marriage?”
“No.” She blows out a breath like she’s impatient with the conversation. “But I don’t want my first time to be with you.”
