Fate (Steel Brothers Saga #13) - Helen Hardt Page 0,42
virgin,” Rex said.
I stood. “I think I’m done here.” I threw my uneaten vanilla cone into a nearby wastebasket.
Jason stood reluctantly. “I suppose I should walk you back.”
“Please,” I said, “don’t trouble yourself.”
“It’s dark. I’d hate for something to happen to you.”
Okay, maybe my first impression of him was right. He was a nice guy after all. Why did the subject of my virginity turn a nice guy into a jerk?
“Thank you,” I said. “I appreciate it.”
“Hey, just because I’m not going to get lucky isn’t a reason to let you walk alone and get attacked.”
Right. My second impression was definitely on the money. Still, I’d take the escort back to my dorm. I took self-protection seriously after Mariel’s lecture.
He didn’t try to hold my hand or anything. We just walked back to the dorm pretty much in silence. When we got to the building, my nerves started to jump. What to say now? “Nice knowing you?”
“Nice meeting you, Daphne,” Jason said.
“Yeah. You too.”
“I have to tell you. I was thrilled when I saw you. You’re the most beautiful woman in our class.”
“You’ve actually seen all the girls in our class?”
“I’ve seen enough to know I hit the jackpot tonight. At least I thought I did.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve already met someone.”
“I kind of got that impression. He’s who you’re meeting at ten?”
“Yeah.”
He nodded. “Lucky guy. I’m…er…sorry about the shit we gave you about…”
“My virginity?”
“Yeah. That was immature. I don’t even know Rex.”
“Probably not a bad thing.”
He gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek. “If things don’t work out with your other guy, give me a call. At any rate, I’m really glad we met.”
Okay, back to first impression. Jason was a nice guy. He just acted like a jerk around Rex because that was what guys did. I still wasn’t thrilled that Patty had broadcast my virginity to our dates. Most likely she’d be out late or all night again, so our words would have to wait until tomorrow.
“Deal,” I said.
He smiled and walked away as I entered the building. It was nearly ten. I had to change into jeans before Brad arrived.
I was surprised to find him standing outside the door of my room.
He looked at his watch. “There you are. I was getting worried.”
“I still have a few minutes,” I said.
He grabbed me and planted a quick kiss on my lips. Sparks shot through me.
“Change of plans,” he said. “I have to go home to the ranch tonight.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. It’s important. Shit I have to do.”
“Oh.” I tried not to sound too disappointed, but inside I was devastated. I’d so been looking forward to more time with him.
“Hey,” he said. “Come with me.”
I widened my eyes. Had I heard him correctly?
“Yeah. Our house is huge. Plenty of room. You can meet my parents.”
“Don’t you live on…”
“The western slope, yeah. It’s a five-hour drive from here, and I have to leave now so I’m not driving all night.”
“Classes start next week.”
“It’s Friday. We’ll be back Sunday evening.”
“But there’s—”
“More orientation?”
No. Orientation was basically over. Now we had the weekend to get settled before classes began on Monday. “Not exactly.”
“Then come. Please.”
“What will I do while you’re doing whatever it is you need to go home to do?”
“You can hang out with my mom. You’ll love her.”
“Brad, no. This is too soon. It’s…weird.”
“I don’t want to be away from you.”
“It’s only two days.”
“I know.” His eyes got a far-off look. “Seems like years. But I understand. How was your evening?”
“It was okay.”
“Just okay?”
“Yeah. My date was a nice enough guy, he just wasn’t…”
“Me?”
I laughed. “Well…yeah.”
He stroked my hair. “Come with me, Daphne. I know it sounds crazy. It probably is. But I really want you to come.”
Drive off in the middle of the night with a guy I hadn’t yet known a week? Crazy. Completely crazy. I was batty to even be considering it.
But one look into his dark eyes, and I knew my answer.
“Okay.”
Chapter Thirty
Brad
Daphne fell asleep around midnight. We hadn’t talked a lot, just mundane conversation, except that nothing was mundane with Daphne. She looked like a dream in her first nighter dress. I almost begged her to keep it on, but it probably wasn’t the most comfortable thing to wear for a late-night road trip.
She wore jeans, flip-flops, and a Styx T-shirt, and she was sleeping peacefully in the reclined passenger seat of my truck.
She looked so peaceful and serene.
Had I made the right decision, asking her to join me? I had shit to do that I wasn’t