I froze, the cufflink almost slipping from my hand.“Wait.What?”
I wasn’t expecting him to say that.At all.
37
HER PET
KATIE
He shifted his weight, rubbing the back of his neck.“Yeah.I was a virgin.”
“Is that why you came so quickly?”I asked before I could stop myself.
His ears turned bright red.“Probably.”
I set the cufflink down carefully, my voice softer than I expected.“Why didn’t you tell me?”
He glanced at the trays of gemstones.“Because I didn’t want you to… find someone else.Someone who had more experience.Someone who could give you what you thought you wanted.”
“But I wouldn’t?—”
“Yes, you fucking would.”His voice was sharp before softening as his eyes finally met mine.“Katie, I saw it in your eyes that night.You were so determined.You wanted to hire a fucking professional—more like a professionalinfucking.Anyway, I thought that if I admitted I didn’t know what the hell I was doing when it came to having sex—you know, penis in vagina, you would leave me and go look for someone else.”
My pulse pounded in my ears.Because he was right.I would have thanked him for his time and hired someone else.But at the same time, I was glad I didn’t.
I was torn between anger and something…newand fresh that I’ve never felt before.
“So you lied to me.”
“I didn’t lie,” he said, his voice small as he hesitantly stepped closer.“I just didn’t tell you the truth.”
I closed my eyes, trying to process his words.The ticking of the wall clock filled the room, making my skin prickle.
I turned around, running a hand through my hair, the same hair he had tenderly dried moments ago.
Then, suddenly, Dylan was on his knees on the worn rug at my feet, his arms wrapping around my waist.His cheek pressed against the thin fabric of my robe, his voice muffled but shaking.
“Please don’t leave me,” he whispered.“I mean it.Please.Don’t.I can’t—” His words faltered.
I stared down at him, my heart hammering between my ribs.My hands hovered before sinking into his hair, tugging him closer even though my brain wanted me to step back and introspect on the new information.
“Dylan…”
He didn’t budge.
I sighed and said, “Look at me, Dylan.”
“No,” he said as if he was whining.“I can’t look at you right now.”
“Look at me,” I repeated, and I knew he would oblige.
He finally tilted his head up, his eyes glassy.“What?”His pout deepened.
I pinched his cheek, ignoring the mock wince.“You could have told me the truth before…”
“Before I fucked you senseless?”He added.
I pinched harder, making him wince for real.I let go and stroked his pink cheek as he nuzzled my palm like a puppy.“Yes, before you fucked me senseless.You think I would have kicked you out of my house if you had not?”
