Page 38 of Between Never and Forever

“It was until I fucked you and figured out that I was taking your virginity.”

“I don’t need special treatment because of it! I’ve been wanting to get rid of it—”

“Why me?” He threw up his hands.

“Because I still trust you!”

“Well, you shouldn’t,” he ground out and then commanded, “Now lie down.”

I crossed my arms and threw myself onto the bed. “You’re infuriating. Why even do this?”

“Because I’m not having regrets once these six months are over, Keelani. You might, but I won’t.” He dragged the warm cloth up my thigh, and I bit my lip at the sensation. Then he smoothed it softly over the middle of me and I whimpered. “You’re going to be sore for a few days. Don’t walk around much. I’ll cater in food for you if need be. And—”

“I have rehearsals starting on Monday, Dex.” I reminded him. “In a month, I need to be ready to perform multiple nights a week. Tomorrow, I’ll have to do mic checks and—”

“Tomorrow you’re off,” he interrupted and then hummed. “So, it’ll be the perfect time to move all your things here.”

“I’m not moving in with you.” His only response to that was to brush his hand softly over my pussy with the cloth, like he cared, but he rubbed a thumb over my clit too and I hissed, “Dex!”

It was the first time I saw a genuine smile whip across his face in years. His eyes sparkled, his dimples showed, and then he bit the corner of his lip like he didn’t want me to see happiness at all between us. “Just reminding you who’s in charge. You’re moving in.”

“I’m not. I’m going to go home after…” I waved down. “Are you done? I’ll clean up and leave—” He didn’t let me finish. He stood and scooped me up fast after he threw down the washcloth. “What the hell, Dex!”

“You’ll stay in the guest room.” He glanced back at the sheets, and I did too. I saw blood where I’d laid, evidence of what we’d done together bright red against the white sheets and shut my eyes in embarrassment.

“I’ll replace those,” I whispered out.

“Kee, look at me.” He was walking now, cradling me like a baby on the way to his spare room, and there was no way for me to fight him, so I gave in and peeked open an eye. “Those sheets are now a prized possession of mine. They have your innocence all over them. I might even frame them.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. At least let me take them home and wash—”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“You don’t have to take care of it. I can do it myself,” I told him.

“You could, but you’re my fiancée now.” He frowned like he wasn’t sure of our status all of a sudden but he still said the label with conviction. “You won’t take care of anything.”

I knew my stomach shouldn’t have erupted with butterflies, but it did anyway. The problem with what I’d just done was that I didn’t know if it was going to ruin me to have him be my first. I had now etched him into my memories, the man who not only stole my heart but now my virginity.

I did know, though, that it would probably ruin me if he wasn’t my last.

ChapterFifteen

KEELANI

I wassnuggling into his scent under the weight of his arm curled around me the next morning until I realized what the hell I was doing. He’d laid me down in the spare bed last night, and I’d fallen off to sleep quickly. I tried to shoot out of bed, but he cranked his arm tighter and grunted before pulling me back down.

“Shit.” I shoved at him. “Dex, are you kidding? Wake up.”

He rolled over and stared at me for a second, hazy with an old look that reminded me a lot of the boy he used to be. The fog eventually cleared from his eyes though, and he lifted his arm away. His tone had no emotion as he asked, “You in a hurry to get somewhere?”

“What time is it?” I tried to jump out of bed again but winced from the ache of the night before.

“Sore?” he murmured in my ear.

I chewed my cheek and nodded.

“Good.” The word rumbled out of him as he dragged a finger along my bare arm with a look of damn pride across his features.