"Motherfucker. What is that?" Alec screeched, leaping off my bed like he had been zapped by electricity. Now that my eyes had adjusted to the darkness, I could faintly make out Alec dancing around my room with Severus clawed to his back. I tried not to laugh, but the howling coming from both of them was too hard to resist.
"Severus, no. Come here." I patted the bed, barely able to get the words out without laughing. Thankfully, he unlatched his claws from Alec's bare back and leapt onto the bed with me. He climbed on my lap, purring like nothing had happened.
Alec fumbled along my wall for the light switch. "What the hell was that, a tiger?" He twisted his head around trying to survey the damage on his back.
"Sorry. It's my cat, Severus. Maybe he thought you were attacking me, I guess? I don't know. He's never acted like that before. I didn't realize cats were protective like that." Severus flopped over on his back, prompting me to rub his belly the way he liked. "Did he get you good?"
"Protective?" he asked incredulously, turning around so I could see the thin streaks of blood running down his back.
"Holy shit." I leapt from my bed to help him, forgetting that I was essentially topless. Despite his obvious discomfort, Alec's eyes zeroed in on my ample breasts. I was ill prepared for being so exposed in the harsh light of my room. I snatched my shirt off the bed and tried to throw it on quickly, but the sleeves had been turned inside out. Clutching it in my fist, I pulled the balled-up shirt to my chest, trying to at least make sure my boobs were covered.
Alec walked toward me. He no longer seemed concerned about Severus or the scratches on his back. He took my hands, gently tugging on them until I released my death grip on the shirt. "We should have turned the light on from the beginning," he said, sliding his hands up my ribcage until he had cupped my breasts. "You're worth being appreciated in the light. Maybe I would have seen your attack cat too."
I knew he was trying to lighten the mood, but I didn't want to laugh anymore. The way his hands stroked me reignited my passion like gas on a fire. "Sorry again about that. I guess he's not used to strangers being in my room. I think Olivia is the only person besides my family who's ever been in here."
"You don't bring guys home?" He dipped his head down and ran his tongue along my shoulder.
Momentarily distracted, it took me a second to answer him.
"Hmmm?" he prompted.
"You're the first," I admitted, trying not to blush.
He lifted his head. "First guy here?"
I swallowed hard. My virginity was my own business, but I felt he deserved to know. He would probably find out anyway. "First ever," I said, exhaling deeply. It was an embarrassing thing to admit considering we were about two minutes from changing that status anyway.
"First ever?" He pulled his hands away like I had a disease.
I wanted to tell him it was okay, that I wasn't expecting anything from him, but the words were locked in my throat. His reaction surprised me. Frankly, I didn't see the big deal. It wasn't like I was the last virgin on earth. If anything, I'd always heard guys were into being the first.
I opened my mouth to speak, but he interrupted me. "You're a virgin?"
"Yes, so what?" Until now, I had always been embarrassed and even a little ashamed for my lack of sexual experience, but his tone was making me feel more defensive than I deserved. It was almost like he was expecting an apology or something. I stepped back and snatched my shirt from the floor to cover myself. I should have known this would turn out bad. Who was he to judge me? It wasn't like I just told him I had an STD. He should be glad to know I was squeaky clean, which was more than he could probably say.
He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "A virgin? How did I miss that?" He bent over to pick up his shirt off the floor. "I know how. I let my little head out think my big head." He spoke without even looking at me, like I wasn't in the room. I fucking hated that.
As he shrugged on his shirt, I had the sudden urge to slug him in the face. It may have been a bit immature, but for a second I was glad Severus had clawed him. "What the hell is your problem?" I asked, throwing on a tee shirt I had grabbed from my dresser drawer.
He sighed again, tugging on his shoes. "Look, Nicole. You're cool. And I'm not going to lie. I wanted this. More than I'd like to admit," he said, adjusting himself. "But I don't sleep with virgins."
His words slashed through me. They shouldn't have, but even as pissed as I was becoming, my armor wasn't that strong. I crossed my arms across my chest, trying to maintain my composure. My face was sure to give away my true feelings, but I couldn't let him see my hurt. "What does that even mean? Are you really that vain?"
"It's not you. It's just a rule I have. Virgins expect more. They want more, and they're willing to do whatever's necessary to get it."
"'Get it?' Because the it you have is so desirable?"
Two minutes ago the answer to that question had been a resounding yes. There was nothing I wanted from him except his body. What else did he have to offer? Nothing that I needed. I was quite happy with the path my life had taken. His rejection had taken all the appeal from him. The desire and lust that had been dictating my emotions for the last twenty-four hours was gone. I wanted nothing except for him to leave.
Luckily, it appeared we both agreed on that point. He couldn't seem to get out of my room and apartment fast enough. I was still standing flabbergasted in the middle of my room when I heard the front door softly close. The tears of anger, mortification and hurt I had been holding back came spilling out.
I robotically made sure the front door was locked before heading to my bathroom. Peering at myself in the mirror, my hands reached out to grip the sink when the full impact of his rejection hit me. I felt stupid. Tarnished.
Turning away from my mocking reflection, I stripped out of my clothes and twisted the knob of my shower to the hot setting. The water washed over me, mixing with my tears.
I stayed in the shower until I cried myself out and my attitude had hardened. To hell with him and his no-virgin rule. He could boink as many sluts as he wanted. I had clearly dodged a bullet. I only wished I didn't feel like I was lying to myself.
Chapter Seven