Fate (Steel Brothers Saga #13) - Helen Hardt Page 0,17

were as thick as yours, though.” She looked in the mirror, and then she turned to face me. “I slept with Sean.”

“I figured as much, since you didn’t get home until six a.m.”

“I know, but I want you to know that I don’t normally do stuff like that.”

“Was that…your first time?”

“No. I had a boyfriend in high school, and we did it a couple times. I didn’t expect it to happen with Sean last night, but…one thing led to another.”

“And…?”

“It was amazing. So much better than with the first guy.”

“He’s older and more experienced, probably.”

“Definitely.” Patty turned back to the mirror and applied some lip gloss. “I’m not sure where it’s headed, though. College guys are different. They’re just looking for sex, you know?”

I didn’t know, actually. Brad Steel had been a perfect gentleman—to me, at least. Punching Ennis hadn’t been very gentlemanly. Ennis had been kind as well. Even Dirk the jerk hadn’t come on to either Patty or me. Mariel’s rape speech crossed my mind once more.

“Maybe Sean’s different.”

“I doubt it. His roommate isn’t.”

My heart dropped to my stomach. “What do you mean?” Though I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

“He had a woman at the condo last night.”

The words sliced into me. But how? He’d been with me last night until one a.m. “He did?”

“Yeah.”

No. Couldn’t be. “Oh.”

“So… I mean, pizza’s still on tonight. I just don’t want you to go in with any expectations, you know? I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Yeah,” I said softly. “Thanks for telling me. But I hardly know the guy. I don’t have any expectations yet.”

Except that I did.

And now they’d been dashed.

Chapter Twelve

Brad

Daphne Wade looked even more beautiful than she had last night.

Hell, even in a bathrobe with knotted hair and nausea, the woman had been a goddess. Of course, I’d seen beautiful women before. It wasn’t her beauty that attracted me so much. It was something else. Something I still couldn’t quite put my finger on.

She was quiet tonight. She sat beside me in the passenger seat of my truck, and once we got to Westminster, she guided me to the pizza place.

Murphy and Patty sat in the back seat, talking about nothing in particular and making out a little.

“Are you still mad about me decking that guy last night?” I finally asked.

“No.”

Okay, then what was the problem?

We pulled into Rosetti’s Pizza and Pasta, and I parked the car.

“It’s a weeknight,” Daphne said, “so we should be able to get right in.”

True to her word, we were soon seated in a booth opposite Murph and Patty. I ordered a pitcher of Coke and then cleared my throat. “This was your idea,” I said to Daphne, “so what do you recommend?”

“The New York–style pizza, with whatever toppings you want. I’m having mushroom and black olive.”

“What about pepperoni?” I asked. “You ate it last night.”

“I’ve decided to stop eating meat.”

I lifted my eyebrows. “Oh?”

“Well, not all meat. Only meat that’s not humanely raised.”

“Yeah,” Patty piped in. “I’m going to have my family send us some pork from Iowa. We just need a place to store and cook it. Hint. Hint.”

Daphne’s cheeks blushed a beautiful pink.

“Sure, you can keep it at our place,” Sean said. “We have a huge freezer. Brad keeps us stocked with great beef. Right, Brad?”

“Not a problem,” I said.

“Thanks,” Daphne murmured.

The server came by and took our order. Daphne and Patty ordered pizza with mushrooms and black olives. I wasn’t sure I could be a vegetarian, even for a night, so Murph and I ordered the supreme. A man needed his protein. There were limits to what I’d do for a woman, even one as beautiful and interesting as Daphne Wade.

Patty was a chatterbox and engaged Sean and me most of the evening. Daphne stayed quiet. Although she hadn’t been overly talkative last night, this was a definite difference.

The server laid the check down and I grabbed it. I had unlimited funds, and I enjoyed treating my friends. They were always very appreciative.

“Thanks, dude,” Murph said.

“Yeah, thanks so much,” Patty said. “I have to agree with you, Daph. This pizza was spectacular.”

Daphne smiled at her roommate and nodded. “Told you.”

How I wished that smile had been for me.

“It was pretty damned good,” Murph agreed. “You ladies up for a nightcap back at our place?”

“Sounds great to me,” Patty said.

I turned to Daphne. “You don’t have to drink, but I hope you’ll come.”

“No thank you,” she said.

“Come on, Daph,” Patty urged. “It’ll be fun.”

Daphne arched her eyebrows at