Next Man Up (Making the Score #2) - Tawdra Kandle Page 0,9

me with a long exhale. His arm was still over me, heavy and warm. My heart was beating so fast that I was sure he had to feel it shaking the bed.

Gradually, lying there, reality crashed in over me. I had just had sex. Me, Zelda Porter, who had never done more than kiss a boy until now, had given a guy a blow job, let him kiss me in my most private spot and had had full-on intercourse. I wasn’t a virgin anymore.

The part of me that had always assumed I would do as my grandparents had taught and treasure my virginity until marriage died right there. I couldn’t do anything about this; I couldn’t turn back time, and no amount of regret was going to make me innocent again. I had to deal with the situation as the person I was now, not as I had been an hour ago.

Between my legs, I felt sticky and sore. I wondered if Eli had realized that this was my first time. He hadn’t said anything, but maybe I should now, I thought. Then again, if he didn’t know it, there wasn’t any point in saying something that might make him feel bad.

The adrenaline that had flooded my veins subsided, leaving me exhausted. I knew I should get up and find a bathroom where I could clean myself. I should put my dress back on and go find Hannah and Becca. But maybe Eli wanted me to stay here with him. He wasn’t saying anything—his eyes were still closed, and it seemed maybe he’d dozed off—but I didn’t want to leave before we talked about what had just happened.

But not yet. Right now, I couldn’t make myself move. The minute I did, all of this became real, and I wasn’t ready for that yet. So instead of speaking, I closed my eyes, too.

I concentrated on Eli’s breathing as it slowed to a normal rate, and the hypnotic rhythm of it, helped along by the rum in my system, lured me into a deep sleep.

I wasn’t sure how long I’d stayed asleep. When I opened my eyes, the bed was empty. My dress and my panties were next to me, tossed up there carelessly. The rum and the cola were both gone from the night table. Eli was nowhere to be seen.

I sat up, hugging my arms around my naked body, shivering. I could hear music coming from downstairs, which told me the party was still going on. I wondered if Hannah and Becca had been looking for me. Maybe Eli had just gone downstairs to tell them that I was okay. Maybe he was getting me a bottle of water. He was going to be right back, I was sure of it. He wouldn’t just leave me here. Not after what we’d just done together.

Meanwhile, though, I knew I had to get dressed. I didn’t really fancy the idea of him coming back and finding me still naked. Moving slowly and wincing at the twinges of discomfort between my legs, I managed to tug on my underwear and wriggle into the dress. It was sadly wrinkled now, an absolute mess. It looked the same way I felt.

I slid to the edge of the bed, only then noticing the splotch of pink-smeared wet on the pretty flowered quilt. Guilt and remorse gripped me at the sight of the tangible evidence of what I’d done. I wanted to fix it, to make it go away, but I wasn’t sure what to do.

There had to be a bathroom up here somewhere. Opening the door a crack, I peeked out into the hallway. A dim light burned, but I didn’t see anyone—it seemed the coast was clear. I slipped out and ventured a few feet. A closed door with a line of light beneath it seemed to be a good candidate for the bathroom; I hesitated, wondering if I should wait here or go back to the bedroom until I heard someone come out.

The decision was taken from my hands seconds later when the door flew open and two people stumbled into the hall, laughing. The girl, who was closely followed by a guy with his hand on her backside, caught sight of me and winked. I didn’t miss the way the boy paused to zip up his pants.

Now I wasn’t sure I wanted to use the bathroom they’d just vacated, but I didn’t have much choice. I crept inside, locking the door behind me,