“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. She was just as much of a tech junkie as Meynard. And she did well. Patents. That kind of thing. All of that money was put in a trust, and Meynard is the executor. He used the money to pay for me to stay where we lived and finish high school. And then drew out money for college.
“I’ve been doing a few things here and there, trying to figure out what I really want to do, when he offered me the internship. I like Core Tech. I always have, so I said yes.”
“Have you figured out what you want to do?”
“Not fully. I know I want it to be in this field, so I’m hoping over the next few months I can shadow people at the company. Maybe in R&D. See if there’s anything that sparks my interest.”
I nod slowly, pushing down the sudden excitement about the idea. “And what has your uncle told you about all these new proposals?”
“Nothing much. He hides it from me like it’s the key to heaven or something.”
Chuckling, I finish the last of my drink. “Core Tech is expanding into Europe. The person whose proposal is chosen will be the new VP of that division.”
“Oh shit.” It slips out of her and then she covers her mouth. “Sorry. I just didn’t realize that it was that huge.”
“Yeah. And if you haven’t gathered, everyone basically assumes that will either be Meynard or me.”
She nods. “That, I got.”
“Thought you might. You don’t miss much.” I watch her smirk. “Honestly, I think your innocence has been because someone else has been holding the leash on your life.”
“I wanted to focus on school and work instead of relationships. Didn’t want to be derailed.”
Leaning forward, I lock eyes with her. “I think that’s what you tell yourself. I think that you’ve been holding yourself back because you knew deep down that you wouldn’t be able to do whatever the hell you wanted and that you had to wait. There’s no fucking way that you would have lasted this long otherwise.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you almost let me finger fuck you in the middle of the Core Tech cafeteria. And eat you out in a gym. You let me tell you not to come just because I wanted to.” She blushes. “You, Chianna Brack, are a horny freak, just like me.”
“No, I’m—” her voice cuts off mid-sentence like she can’t fully get the lie out. Picking up her glass, Chianna downs the rest of her wine in three swallows. Swallows that have me thinking about other, entirely different things to swallow. The glass hits the table with a thudding finality. “You might be right.”
“I know I am.”
“Want to help me find out?”
I stare at her, gauging if she’s serious. There’s nothing about her that looks like she’s remotely kidding. “Right now?”
“Right now.”
Standing up from my chair, I signal the waiter with one hand. He comes over. “Bill me, please.” I come here enough that they know I pay my bills and allow me to keep a tab. Which at the moment I’m fucking grateful for.
I pull Chianna up and out of the chair, covering her mouth with mine in one movement. She tastes like wine and that crisp sweetness. “Let’s go.”
Her laugh fills the air with joy, and I wish that our apartments were a hell of a lot closer than they are.
10
Chianna
This is it. This is the moment that I’ve been waiting for. I’m losing my virginity, and I have absolutely zero regrets about how or with whom. That’s all that I can ask for.
We can’t keep our hands off each other in the back of the car. It’s all I can do to give in and start moaning the way that Kris keeps kissing my neck and stroking his thumbs down my sides and over my nipples. He’s barely holding himself back too.
If he had his way, I’d already be naked. His hands have already wandered up under my skirt, and he’s pulled the neck of my shirt as far as it will go trying to access my skin.
I fucking love it.
We can’t get home fast enough. I want to be in his bed and not in this car. My entire body is pulsing with need, especially after being denied for more than a day. But I can already tell that he was right. It’s going to make it so much better and for my first time, that’s exactly what I want.
Desperate, fiery passion.
Something that will overcome the pain fast.
Kris doesn’t let go of my hand as we walk to the elevator. I practically expect him to strip me as soon as the doors close, but he doesn’t. Not even once he opens the door to his apartment and ushers me inside. I know that everything is lurking under the surface, ready to be unleashed, but he’s calm.