Fate (Steel Brothers Saga #13) - Helen Hardt Page 0,35
weren’t a virgin, I’d have fucked her six ways by now.
Or would I have?
It wasn’t just her virginity that made me want to protect her. It was a sweet vulnerability. I could see it in her eyes. She’d been through something—something she hadn’t told me about. Perhaps something had scarred her during her childhood. Perhaps she’d lost a loved one and hadn’t told me. Perhaps she’d been bullied as a kid.
Something.
Something she’d have to tell me before we went any further.
I picked up her bra and handed it to her. “Put this back on.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
I shook my head, chuckling again. “Do it, because if you don’t, I’m going to fuck you so hard you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”
That got her. She quickly snapped her bra into place. What a shame to cover up such perfection. Then she adjusted her dress back in place.
“Is this it, then?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t want to see me anymore?”
“God, no. I want to see you. I just don’t want to do this with you yet.” That was a damned, damned lie. I wanted to sink into her soft body more than I wanted my next breath of air.
“Um…okay.”
“I don’t think you’re ready, and I’d never forgive myself if I did anything to hurt you.”
“I told you I was ready.”
“You’re not, baby. I can see it in your eyes. I see something that…”
“What?”
“I don’t know. Something you’re going to have to tell me before we have sex.”
“There’s nothing,” she said.
“Daphne…”
“I mean it. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Okay. I’d play it her way for now. It was probably something that she considered nothing. Something she thought she was over. She didn’t have to be over it for me to fuck her. I just had to know what I was dealing with.
She meant too much to me to be a quick fuck.
Damn.
What had I gotten myself into?
This woman had crept under my skin.
Into my heart.
And I hardly knew her.
Fate had brought us together. She was my destiny.
I’d do anything for her.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Daphne
My body was in flames.
And Brad Steel just doused a bucket of water on them.
I wanted him. I wanted him in a way I didn’t fully understand.
Which was why he’d stopped.
I should have thanked him, really. But I didn’t want to thank him. I wanted to punch him and force him to make love to me.
“I’ll drive you home,” he said softly.
I nodded. “Thanks for dinner.”
“You’re welcome. Thank you for spending time with me.” Then he laughed. “I’ve never said that to anyone before. But I mean it. Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I’m glad I met you. I just wish…”
“Wish what?”
“I wish it didn’t have to be over.”
He took my hand. “Who says it’s over?”
“I know you say it’s not, but come on. I may be a virgin, but I’m not a moron.”
“It’s over because we didn’t have sex? Daphne, what makes you think all I want is sex?”
“You’re a college guy, and Patty says—”
“Patty’s right about most college guys. Even about me, for that matter. But it’s not that way with you. You said it yourself. It’s destiny.”
“You believe that?”
“I do until something happens that makes me not believe it anymore.”
“You think that will happen?”
“Anything can happen, baby, but I can tell you honestly, right now, I don’t want that to happen.”
Warmth bubbled through me. “I wasn’t teasing you,” I said. “I really did want to make love. I wanted it to be you, Brad.”
“It will be me. Just not tonight.” He pulled me close.
We stood, embracing, for several moments. I never wanted to let go.
“I should get you back,” he said.
I nodded. “Okay.”
“I want to see you tomorrow night, okay?”
“Yeah, o— Oh! No. It’s first nighter.”
“Shit, really? First nighter is a pain in the ass. Skip it and go out with me instead.”
“I want to, but I can’t. All the girls on the floor made plans to go together. Patty would be upset.”
“Patty will be fine.”
My mother and I had talked endlessly about college. I’d spoken to Dr. Payne as well. We all agreed that I should have the normal college experience—which included orientation…and first nighter.
“I should go.”
“You realize they pair you off like ducks in a row, right?”
“I know what it is, but everyone says you don’t have to spend the evening with your date.”
“Whoever is lucky enough to be paired off with you will want to spend the evening with you,” he said. “I guarantee it.”
His words warmed me.