Page 39 of Theirs for the Holidays

I get up to turn the lights on in the living room now that it’s getting dark outside, and I can feel Lennox watching me as I go.

“So what made you want to take a trip after graduation?” he asks.

“Don’t most people do that kind of thing?”

“Sure,” he says, shrugging. “But you’re not most people. I want to know whyyoudid it.”

I think that over for several beats, cradling my glass in my hand even though it’s mostly empty by now. “I wanted to see a bit of the world. Experience a bit of life. Pretty much all I know is Sweetwater Lake, and it’s not exactly a hopping metropolis of culture.”

Lennox laughs. “Yeah, I’ve noticed that. It always feels smaller when I come back from being deployed, but that’s not really a bad thing. It’s cozy.”

“It is,” I agree. “But I wanted to see what else was out there before I have to jump into being a real adult and all.”

“What did you see?”

I tell him about the landmarks I stopped at, showing him pictures of things that I thought were worth making memories of.

He listens intently through the whole thing, and I just feel… happy. Warm.

“Did you do everything you wanted then?”

I shake my head. Maybe it’s the alcohol or maybe it’s just me feeling so comfortable with him, but the truth comes spilling out of my mouth before I can hold it back.

“I wanted to lose my virginity, and that didn’t happen.”

As soon as the words are out of my mouth, my face flushes red and I wish I could take them back. I really didn’t mean to say that.

Something in Lennox’s expression shifts, and I can’t quite read it. “You’re a virgin?” he asks. There’s no judgement in it, no pity, but I still hide my face in my hands when I nod.

I feel flushed all over from the embarrassment of this conversation, and I only have myself to blame.

“I know that probably sounds…” I shake my head, not even sure what to say. “Naive? Sheltered? Something like that. I know how it has to sound to you. You’re older than me, and you’ve been all over, so you probably have tons of experience.”

To my surprise, a little smile curls the corner of his mouth. “Heartbreaker, you could have men tripping over themselves for you if you wanted.” I snort with disbelief, and he reaches out to poke me in the arm. “I’m serious. But you know… your first time shouldn’t have been with some random stranger in a place you might never go to again. You deserve better than that.”

My stomach flips at his words and the sincerity in them. He really does mean what he’s saying. “I didn’t exactly love the idea of it,” I admit. “I always thought my first time would be with someone I knew. Someone I trusted.”

Lennox looks at me, and our eyes catch and hold. There’s something in the moment between us, something charged and loaded that sparks as we look at each other.

I can’t read the look in Lennox’s eyes, but it’s intense as he watches me, and my heart is beating faster all of a sudden.

“You know,” he murmurs. “Your road trip technically isn’t over yet.”

I lick my lips, my mouth suddenly so dry. “What do you mean?”

“Your car hasn’t made it back yet.”

That startles a soft laugh out of me, and I nod while my stomach flutters. “I guess you’re right.”

In one smooth motion, Lennox gets to his feet. He comes closer to me, taking the glass from my hand and setting it aside on the coffee table. My heart thuds heavily in my chest as he reaches out and tips my chin up, making me meet his gaze again.

“Violet,” he murmurs, his voice deep and rough around the edges in a way that feels almost sinful. “Stop me if you don’t want this.”

I don’t stop him.

14

VIOLET