Page 47

My eyes squeeze tight, heartbeat picking up even more, until I’m sure he can hear it through the door. If I stay quiet, will he give up and return to his room? Could I pretend like I’m not home?
“I just want to check that you’re okay.” He clears his throat, voice lowering. “I’m not sure what happened in there.”
You married a crazy lady, that’s what.
“I’m fine.” It comes out higher pitched than I’d like, but there’s nothing I can do about it.
There’s silence on the other side, long enough for the heat in my cheeks to fade, for the squeezing sensation in my chest to loosen its grip, but my reprieve doesn’t last forever.
“I think we should talk.”
Crap. What man actually wants to talk?
I turn on the lamp and open the door, turning around to sit on my bed, angled away from him. I don’t know what to say, how to explain myself, how to-
“I’m sorry.”
I look over at him, his hair disheveled, as if he’s been running his hands through it, a sober expression on his face.
“I completely overstepped the boundaries and I shouldn’t have done that.”
My lips part, unsure I’m hearing him correctly. Isheapologizing tome?
“You were right to leave,” he continues. “We never agreed on any-”
“Archer, no.” Guilt churns in my stomach. I can’t have him blaming himself, especially over something that was one hundred percent my doing. “I didn’t leave because I thought it was wrong. I left because I was… embarrassed.”
He blinks. “At what we did?”
“No, just… myself.”
“Why?”
Is he really going to make me say it?
“I haven’t- I’ve never-” I look down at my lap, stroking the silk tie of my robe that started it all. “I’ve never orgasmed from a guy before, okay? And I freaked out a little.”
There’s silence in the room, my face flooding with heat, and I let my hair fall down in a curtain to hide me from his view.
Yeah, I know how it sounds. This gorgeous, brilliant, noble man who could have any woman he wants is stuck with me - the twenty-seven year old wonder who’s been with a grand total of two guys. And I apparently didn’t inspire enough from either of them to do more than grunt on top of me for a while until they finished.
There’s a soft rustle, and then the mattress depresses down next to me, Archer filling my vision.
“Hey.” He places a finger under my chin, lifting it up. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”
My lips twist in an attempt not to cry - from his kindness or my own mortification, I’m not sure.
“I’m being serious. You were… glorious.”
My mouth dries at the earnest look on his face. What in the world is he talking about?
“Do you have, uh, any experience with guys?” he asks, then immediately shakes his head. “Wait, I shouldn’t have asked-”
“No, it’s fine. I-” I swallow, wishing I’d never started this whole thing. What did I think would happen when I played with fire? “I’ve been in two relationships. Neither lasted long. And they didn’t- Well, I guess they didn’t care enough to try-” Ugh, how do I say this?
“So you’ve just… by yourself…”
“Oh my God,” I mutter, another wave of heat washing over me. “Yes.”