For a moment, I'm not sure what to think and I settle on the insecurity that maybe I came off too strong and he doesn't know how to let me down easily. Or maybe he thinks this is crazy since our families go way back. My thoughts come to a halt when he takes a step closer to me. He brings a hand up and clasps the back of my neck, pulling me toward him. My heart stops beating as our lips meet in the softest kiss. My lips part when his tongue touches the seam of my mouth and I gasp against him when it meets my tongue, dancing to a beat of a sensual song I've never quite felt before. His hand cups my breast over my shirt and I groan, feeling that action between my legs. I pull away, breaking the kiss, vision spotty as I look up at him.
"Do you . . . can we go to a room?"
He bites his lip and pulls me into the room behind him, shutting the door and locking it. It's a guy's room, but the bed is perfectly made and it looks more organized than my room has ever been. It's weird and surprising. He lets me look around for a second before he's on me again, his lips on my neck, sucking as he explores. I shut my eyes and throw my head back, gripping his t-shirt tightly for a second before tucking my hands underneath his shirt and running my fingers along with his rock-hard abs.
He brings his mouth to mine again and kisses me like he's dreamed of this moment. I wonder, for a moment, if I should tell him that I'm a virgin. I decide against it. It's not like I have an STD that I need to disclose. On that note, when he pulls back from the kiss and begins to undress me, I shut my brain off and go with it.
Chapter One
Jo
“Josephine.” My father’s voice roars through his private practice.
“Uh-oh,” Donna says, shooting me a sympathetic glance. “Better leave that broom right where it is and go find out what he’s hollerin’ about.”
“Or I can leave out the back door and you can tell him I had an emergency.” I shoot her a wide grin.
“Right.” Donna huffs out a laugh. “One of us actually needs to keep this job.”
“You’ve been working for him for twenty years. I think if anyone’s job is in jeopardy, it’s mine.” I try pouting my lip, but Donna simply smiles.
I grab the broom, take a deep breath, and head in the direction of my father’s office. It’s slightly open when I reach it, and he’s going over paperwork on his desk. I keep my eyes on the gold plaque on his desk that reads Dr. Henry Canó just for a second before I make myself look at him.
“You called?”
“You dropped Finite Math?” He raises his brown eyes to mine. “Why on earth would you do that? Do you want to stay in school forever? Is that it?”
“No.” I bite my lip, looking down at the floor.
“You’re already on thin ice. You do know that, right?”
I nod, staying quiet, mostly because the knot in my throat won’t let me get words out, and also because I’ve learned that when speaking to my parents sometimes the best thing to do is not speak at all. My silence is what they want anyway. That way they can have the satisfaction of ridding themselves of all of their accusations.
“What class did you pick up?”
“None yet,” I mumble.
“I cannot hear you or see your eyes,” Dad snaps.
“None yet.” I raise my eyes to his and straighten my posture. “I was going to take college algebra, but the class is full.”
“Why’d you drop this one?” he asks again. This time, I don’t even bother with excuses, even if any excuse I come up with would certainly be more credible than the reality.
“There’s a boy in the class that I would rather avoid.” I bite my lip as my father’s eyes turn from fury to incredible as he stares at me. I do my best not to flinch as I wait for the onslaught of words, but they never come.
“Come here.” He sighs deeply and shakes his head. I walk over to his desk tentatively, dragging the broom behind me. He turns his chair toward me. “Is it Lawrence?”
“No.” My face pulls. “Lawrence and I are over and he goes to Duke, remember?”
Even as I say this, dad’s face pinches into a disgusted look. My parents are hardcore UNC alumni, so when I met and started dating Lawrence, Duke’s star quarterback, they both had a lot to say, all in good fun, of course, though times like these, when dad lets his feelings on the matter show, are more telling than any joke he’d ever make.