Charmed by the Billionaire (Blue Collar Billionaires #2) - Lemmon, Jessica Page 0,22

me was not the smartest, best design for our future. I was so sure that when I visited Vivian and Nate on Sunday, I was singing the same tune. She argued, saying I was crazy not to take you up on the offer, but I stayed firm.” She makes a fist to illustrate. Damn, she’s cute. Even while turning me down. I fight a smile.

“All the way up to the point I left their house, I was certain. Hell, all the way up until I walked into this room, I was certain. My plan was to come here with my coffee already made”—she holds up her travel mug—“and walk directly to my office, not bother you, and then keep busy enough so you’d be discouraged to bother me. Not that you bother me.” A pleat appears between her eyebrows. “What I mean is, I was planning to avoid you. In the hopes you would forget we kissed. And then we could pretend I never said I’d pay a thousand dollars for”—she motions with her hand—“you know.”

I open my mouth again, but she holds up a hand to silence me. I press my lips together.

“The thing is, I’m tired of sex being this big taboo issue. I never meant for it to be! I never meant to preserve my virginity in a jar of formaldehyde. I told myself I was too busy to think about it, which was sort of the truth. But it was also sort of a lie because I’ve thought about it, Benji. Especially lately. My house is boy-free for the first time in twelve years. I’m practically an old maid at age thirty. And if that’s the wrong word, then I am at least out of touch with reality. I was never waiting for marriage. I was never waiting for anyone.” She mumbles the next part under her breath. “Or so I told myself.”

My mind is stuck on one word in particular, like tires in the mud. Did she say she was a virgin? Cris Gilbert, adorable, petite, fit, cute, funny, smart Cris Gilbert has never had sex? Like ever? I can’t wrap my head around it. The video call on my screen blurs into the background, Josie’s voice in my ear nothing but white noise. The only thing I can focus on is that Cris is a virgin and I recently offered her a free-of-charge orgasm.

I swipe my forehead. I’m overly warm. More than a little confused. A tad regretful I offered so callously. I should apologize, at the very least.

“I had no idea—”

“Save it.” She stop-signs me again and continues. “I don’t want to be treated like I’m precious or clueless. I want to be treated the way you promised. Like a woman who needs what you have to give. You did say you were very good.”

I stare at her and imagine crickets sawing away inside my ears. Or a high-pitched hum when a loud sound renders you temporarily deaf.

“I did say that,” I admit.

She walks toward me, cup of coffee and her bag in hand, the fiery determination in her eyes appearing hotter than when she first stopped at my desk. I thought she was going to tell me we were not going to do what I offered. I’m not sure that’s the case anymore.

“You don’t have to have sex with me, Benji.” She says it so earnestly, I choke on a sound that might be a plea in the making. “But I would like to have some experience before I do it for the first time with someone. If—” She points at me, scarily serious before qualifying, “If you keep your word that things will not be weird between us. And if they do, promise you’ll let me off the hook and we’ll go back to being best friends and coworkers. I need to move on to the next stage of my life. I’m stuck. Maybe this will loosen me up.”

“Oh, I guarantee it,” I murmur, still in awe.

While she’s been talking she’s walked closer and closer. Now that she’s next to my chair, her eyes snap to the screen where four of our company’s team members are partitioned into squares. Josie notices Cris standing there and waves. In my ear I hear, “Hi, Cris!”

Cris doesn’t wave back. She turns ghost-white, her gray eyes growing wider. I stand from my chair as she backs toward the door.

“Cris, wait—”

“Seriously?” she hisses before she runs from my office. By the sounds of the footsteps growing