Unwrapped (4 page)

He thought he understood. “You mean, some of you are just okay with oral, and some go all the way?”

“Yeah, like that.”

“And your experience with oral…?” He had to ask. It was in the Male Handbook, he was certain.

“Look at you, Mr. Reporter. Are you conducting an interview for one of your articles?”

He felt a passing stab of guilt in his chest. He wasn’t doing the journalism piece on her anymore, but he
had
come pretty darn close. Thank God, he’d come to his senses. Otherwise he’d be forever looking in the past with Kira and not toward the future as he was now.

Of course, she hadn’t known about the story he’d planned. She was just teasing him. “Yeah, that’s right. An exclusive tell-all interview with a princess and daughter of the President.” He waited for her to laugh. “No, I’m just curious. I lost my virginity kind of early.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“I wasn’t a slut,” he amended. “But I’ve always been active so Cherry Savers is totally out of my realm of understanding. And I’m truly interested in whether or not you give blowjobs. Because I’m totally a guy, if you haven’t noticed.”

“Oh, I noticed.” It was sexy the way her brows waggled and her voice dripped with sultry tones. “And you’ll just have to wait and find out whether I’m educated in the ways of BJs. But, chances are you won’t have to wait terribly long.”

He couldn’t stop grinning. Not just because she was suggesting she’d go down on him in the future, but because of everything she said and was. She was cute and spunky and beautiful and super sexy. She was a hundred things he always liked in a girl and another hundred things he never knew he liked. As he gazed at her, adoration likely written all over his face, he couldn’t help wonder how he’d been so fortunate to end up with her. How she’d ended up picking him, of all the guys she could pick, to be with intimately.

She blushed under his stare. “What?”

“Why me?”

“Why you, what?”

He pushed their picnic aside so he could stretch out next to her. “Why did you save yourself for me?” She hadn’t known him so maybe she hadn’t. “Or would you have hooked up with any guy that walked into that bar that night?”

She opened her mouth to say something then shut it again.

“It’s okay if that’s the answer.” He
hoped
that wasn’t the answer. “I just want to know.”

Kira looked down at her hands. “I went there to find a guy.”

“Oh.” He knew his disappointment showed in his voice.

“But…” She scooted down so they were both horizontal facing each other. “I’d been going there all summer looking for a guy.”

She’d been going there all summer.
“Really?” He was surprised. And delighted.

Or maybe he was taking it wrong. Maybe he was her only choice. “No other offers?”

Kira pushed his chest. “I had plenty of other offers, thank you very much.”

Dammit, he always said the wrong thing. “I’m sorry! I totally didn’t mean it like that. Of course you had other offers. I’m betting men were lining up for you.” How could they not? She was perfect.

He reached out to brush a strand of hair off her face. “I didn’t mean to sound surprised about that. It’s me, I’m surprised about. Why was
I
the guy?”

“Stop ragging on yourself. You’re pretty hot. You know that, right?” She pinned him with her velvet browns.

“No.” He knew he was all right looking, but
hot
? He couldn’t say that he’d ever been called that. He liked it, that was sure. Especially coming from her.

“Well, you are.” There was that blush again. “But that wasn’t why.”

“Then why?”

She shook her head. “It’s silly.”

“Tell me.” When she still protested he decided to play dirty, grabbing her wrists with one hand and tickling her.

“Stop! Stop!” She was breathless when he let up. “Okay, fine.” She took a deep breath, still recovering from his attack. “Remember when you were trying to teach me how to play pool? And you put your arms around me?”

He did remember that. He’d reached around to help her get the right action with the pole. It had been the first time he’d touched her that night and it was magic. “There were sparks. Right? Because I totally felt sparks.”

“There were sparks.” Her face sparkled with the memory. “But that wasn’t it.”

God, then what the hell was it?

“It was what you said when I missed the shot. Do you remember?”

“I’m not sure.” He remembered a lot of things he’d said that night—like, “Wanna find some place more private?” and “God, Kira, you feel good.” But nothing came to mind that was out of the ordinary or especially interesting.

“You said, ‘That’s okay. On our next date, we’ll play again and you’ll play better.’” She raised her eyes to meet his. “You talked about the future and not just hooking up for the night. You made me feel like you would have waited for me. That’s how I knew you were the one.”

Warmth spread through Chase’s body despite that he’d just been feeling a bit chilly what with no clothes on and all. He had talked to her about the future because, even early in the evening, he’d hoped he’d see her again. She’d been cool and fun and different from a lot of the girls he’d known in San Diego.

And all the time he’d thought he’d been the only one feeling it, she’d felt the same way. “Then why didn’t you give me your phone number after?”

She took his hand, laced her fingers through his and squeezed. “Why didn’t you ask?”

“Because I was a chicken shit. I was afraid you’d turn me down.” He let go of her hand so he could pull her close to him. “And I didn’t want to ruin the night with a bad ending.”

“Hmm.” She closed her eyes, as if taking his words in. After a moment she said, “I like that.”

“I like you.” His body pressed flush against hers, she had to already know. The evidence was jabbing her in the thigh.

But he had more that she didn’t know. More that he wanted her to hear before he slid inside her for the second time that night. “And I would have waited for you. I’m so glad you waited for me.”

He didn’t give her much opportunity to respond with words as he rolled her underneath him and told her all the things his body could say better than his mouth.

And, with her moans and sighs and the way her body reacted to his attention, he could hear her saying, “I’m glad I waited for you, too.”

Chapter Seven

Kira and Chase had stayed up late into the night, talking and other things. So it wasn’t surprising that they slept in the next morning. Activity in the kitchen woke Chase up. He looked over at the sleeping beauty next to him and considered curling up in her warmth. But the need to pee got him out of bed and heading to his private bathroom.

As he was leaving the john, he heard the knob rattle on the bedroom door. Thank God he’d locked it. Jared had no boundaries. And if Chase didn’t address him now, he’d never leave.

Chase grabbed a towel off the bathroom rack and wrapped it around his waist. Then he opened the door, but only enough for conversation.

As he’d guessed, it was Jared standing on the other side.

“What’s up?” Chase tried to be quiet without seeming like he was being quiet. Like he’d told Kira, he wasn’t embarrassed to be seen with her, but wanted to respect her privacy.

Jared tried to peer over Chase’s shoulder, obviously curious about why he wasn’t let in the room. “Hey, I didn’t hear you come in last night.”

“I wasn’t feeling very social so I snuck in the back and went to bed early.” Well, it was somewhat true. He
had
felt social, only on a one-on-one basis. And the part about going to bed early was dead on.

“Huh. Okay.” Jared again tried to peek in. But the bed wasn’t visible from his vantage point so he seemed to zero in on what he could see instead. He nodded at Chase’s towel. “Are you getting in the shower or do you sleep naked?”

Chase wanted to say,
“None of your fucking beeswax,”
but instead settled for something more roommate-friendly. “Why? Are you trying to check out my dick?”

“Shut up. I only wondered if there was a special reason for the attire. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.”

Jesus, wasn’t it supposed to be girls who had the nosey reputation? He was not filling in Jared with his night with Kira. Especially when she was still sleeping behind him. Thinking of her still in bed, he longed to join her. “Did you need something, Jared?”

Jared leaned against the doorframe. Dammit, he was making himself comfortable. “Not really. Just checking in on you.”

“And I’m fine. So, maybe we can talk later. Like, when I’m dressed.” Chase knew he sounded snippy, but come on. They were friends, but he still deserved privacy.

“Sure. Later, then.” Except Jared made no move to leave. “Hey, are you avoiding me?”

“No!” Just what he needed—Jared to go all super sensitive.

“Then why you being all weird and shit?”

Chase sighed. Better to smooth things over. “I’m being weird? I didn’t realize. I haven’t had any coffee yet or a shower so I’m still half-asleep.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Got it. I’ll let you wake up.” Jared turned to go, then suddenly flipped back to Chase. “Oh! How did you make out with that Princess Cherry Saver?”

Chase stiffened, and not where he wanted to be stiffening. Did Jared know he’d hooked up with Kira again? He didn’t want her to think he’d only approached her with the intention of making it back to his room.

He lowered his voice. “Uh, what do you mean?”

Jared didn’t get the cue to lower his voice. “You know. The story.”

Chase wasn’t quite awake. Or he was still lost in the fog of Kira because there was some warning bell going off in the back of his head but he couldn’t seem to register what it was.

And without Chase stopping him, Jared kept on talking. “That article you were gonna write about her not being a virgin? The exposé?”

Oh, yeah.
That.

And he didn’t have to wonder long if Kira had heard the conversation.

“Exposé?” She stood behind him wrapped in his comforter.

He turned and met her eyes. In the span of a few seconds, her expression morphed through confusion, understanding, and finally settled on hurt.

God, seeing pain in Kira’s eyes was never what he’d intended.

And now her expression was changing again—to rage.

Panic ran through Chase like a wildfire. “No, Kira, it’s not what it sounds like. I mean, I was going to write about you and Cherry Savers and not having your cherry, but that was—”

“You were planning to tell everyone about what happened at the bar?” Her tone was drowning in fury.

He couldn’t deny it. Jared was right behind him and had already spilled the truth. No, he’d have to be honest and hope for the best. “Yes, but not after—“

Honesty seemed to not have been the most successful course of action. Kira was already gathering her clothes off the floor.

“Stop. Talk to me.” His pleading didn’t halt her in the least. He stepped in front of her, one hand on her shoulder, the other still gripping the towel at his waist. “Come on, Kira. I can explain.”

She met his eyes and he almost wished she hadn’t. It wasn’t just rage he saw there, but pain. “Were you or were you not going to expose a very private thing about me—a thing that would hurt and embarrass me—to the entire school?”

With all his heart he wanted to say he wouldn’t have done it. But at one point, for at least an hour of his day, he had planned on it. Sincerely planned on doing the awful thing. He lowered his eyes. “Yes. I was.”

Kira brushed past him into the bathroom.

He followed after her. “But I changed my mind.” She slammed the door in his face, nearly hitting him in the nose.

Jared chuckled behind him reminding Chase of their audience. He turned and glared at his roommate, but that’s all the energy he had to expend on Jared for the moment. His concern was Kira.

Speaking at the door between them, Chase continued to beg for forgiveness. “I’m sorry, Kira. It was a stupid lack of judgment on my part. But I didn’t do it. I wouldn’t have done it.” God, he hoped she believed him when he wasn’t so sure that was the truth. If they hadn’t gone out to coffee, if she hadn’t been so charming and fun, would he have still abandoned his quest?

He wasn’t sure.

The door opened and for a moment Chase’s spirits rose.

But Kira wasn’t coming out to talk to him. She was dressed and ready to leave.

“Kira, wait.” While she looked for her keys and shoes, Chase scrambled to find a pair of jeans. “Let me explain. Or make it up to you. I’m sorry!”

Without so much as a goodbye, she brushed past Jared and was out the door.

Fuck! He didn’t bother to do up his pants as he followed after her. “Goddammit, Jared,” he said as he passed his roommate.

“Hey. I didn’t know anyone was here. Maybe you should have told me.” Jared obviously found the whole thing entertaining.

“Jesus.” Chase cursed under his breath, running out the back door after the girl he’d become pretty attached to. “Kira, wait!”

But she was already peeling out of the driveway.

“Damn, that girl drives fast.” Jared had apparently followed Chase outside. “In more ways than one.” He laughed.

“Shut up, Jared.”

“Sorry, man.”

Even though Jared’s apology didn’t sound all that sincere, Chase felt bad for snapping at him. After all, Jared hadn’t said anything not true. It was himself he should be mad at.

He sat on the back step, and shook his head. “It’s not your fault. I should have come clean earlier. I shouldn’t have even planned it in the first place.” It would have been a really shitty thing to do. He saw that now. Even if he hadn’t expected to get with Kira again, how could he have done that to anyone, let alone a girl he’d gotten it on with?

Yeah, he’d fucked up. Fucked up bad. “Now what do I do?” he asked, more to himself than Jared.

But Jared had an answer. “Um, say farewell and bang one of the fifty other hotties that hit on you this week. I can still get you Wanna Blow’s number.”

Chase shot Jared a glare that he hoped read,
Die now
.

Instead, it must have read,
Lovesick
, because Jared said, “Shit, you like this one.”

Chase ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah. I really do.” God, he was pathetic. He’d only known the chick for a week and was already this into her—major pathetic. He didn’t even know how to find her again. Despite their wonderful day together, they hadn’t gotten around to exchanging phone numbers. Except for knowing that it wasn’t at home, Chase had no idea where she lived. He didn’t know the classes she was taking and, at the rally, the next Cherry Saver’s meeting had been announced for a whole month in the future.

And even if he did find her, how could he make up for his colossal blunder?

With no one else around, he looked up at Jared, as if he’d have a solution to the problem.

“Hey, I can’t help you on this one. I’m a player, dude. I don’t do any of that romance stuff.” Jared sat on the step next to his roommate. “But my grandma used to always say that whatever the thing was that got you into the trouble in the first place is also a thing that is often the solution.”

Chase started to ask what the fuck that was supposed to mean, but then he got it—an idea to reach out to Kira and apologize at the same time. “Jared, that’s brilliant.”

“It is?” Jared probably hadn’t been called brilliant too often. He seemed to adjust to the title fast. “Of course it is. My grandma was one smart lady.”

“I’ll be in my room the rest of the day,” Chase said, eager to start on his plan. “I have an article to write.”