Chapter Seven
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Milly
I come down to a full kitchen. I think I might be the last person up this morning. I can't believe I slept at all last night but once I went, I must have slept hard because I don't remember Jag getting out of bed at any time during the rest of the night. I love this kitchen. I'm not much of a cook but this is just pretty. It has an island that curves and seats ten. The top of the island is wood but right under that is a marble counter. The island offers space in the kitchen while still keeping everything open and airy.
All conversation stops when I walk in. I find the plates and start heaping one of them with food before my nerves get the better of me. Conversation has returned to the room but only in hushed whispers it seems. I turn back to the island just as I catch something Tinsley is whispering to three guys I haven't talked to just yet.
"What kind of whore fucks a guy she's barely spent two hours with?"
Oh my God! Is she talking about me? The plate in my hand begins shaking and I have to fight not to drop the thing and embarrass myself even more.
"I mean she practically threw herself at him and fucked a stranger. Who does that?"
"I would say she’s a damned lucky woman if you ask me." Betsy finally speaks up and shoots Tinsley a go-to-hell look. "And smart too. Smart enough to go for the hunk before anyone else gets a chance. So, let's do the math," she holds up her fingers one after the other, "we've got a girl who is lucky and smart. Seems like a hell of a woman to me."
"No one likes a slut shamer, Tinsley. Not that Milly is a slut." Rumer jumps in and now I have no doubt about who they are talking about since she used my name. Slut? People think I'm a slut? Who do they think I slept with? "I mean Jag would be her first so...,"
I turn mortified eyes to Rani sitting at the end of the counter. Rani was the only person who knew I’m a virgin. ‘Was’ being the key word apparently. Rani looks at me with an apologetic smile and mouths the word sorry.
Sorry? She told the whole house I was a virgin! I set my plate down on the edge of the counter in order not to drop it from my numb fingers. How did this happen?
Before I can say a word, arms come around me and make me very thankful I have my plate propped against something solid, "Who are we talking about?"
Everyone is quiet for a little while and for just a moment, I don't think anyone is going to tell him. Then Rumer starts to explain, and I want to die.
"Tinsley is telling everyone who’ll listen that the two of you slept together last night and that Milly is a slut because of how quick she fucked you, but you can't be a slut when you've only ever fucked one guy."
Oh! My! GOD! My morning just got worse.
Rumer looks at me with sympathy in her eyes, "Rani told me you were a virgin when I told her what Tinsley was saying. She said you wouldn't go sleeping around with just anyone because you were...yeah, I'm going to shut up now so I'm not the asshole who is talking about your newly found sex life and spreading your laundry around so to speak."
Too late Rumer!
The plate in my hand rattles and I realize I might drop it anyway. It's not like I can feel anything, all of the blood has rushed to my face - my cheeks to be precise leaving everything else numb. Jag reaches out to take the plate from me. He takes my hand in his too. He's pulled me to the big, long wooden table and has my plate sat down before anyone can say anything else.
Thankfully the rest of the room seems to want to go back to their own conversations and not the discussion of my virginity. He pulls us both down into chairs and then leans in close to me.
"Did you sleep alright?"
What? How can he act so normal? Oh yeah, it wasn't his hymen that was being discussed over breakfast like it was a new movie everyone was just dying to see.
"God, I don't know."
"Hey," He ducks his head so he can meet my eyes easier leaving me very little option but to look at him, "Hey, look at me."
I take a calming breath before giving him my attention. The quicker we can get this over with the better. I'm sure he's going to tell me he doesn't see me like that and all he wants to be is friends - which means sister/brother in this case.
"No one has to know what goes on in our room."
That...I was not expecting.
"Oh my God, that does not make it better. Everyone thinks we've.... we've....," Maybe I was wrong, and he somehow missed what was being said about the two of us. I realize they kind of focused on me there at the end, but I have to be able to sleep with someone to be the slut everyone thinks I am. "And we haven't.... we didn't."
He leans closer to me, "I know. You're still safely a virgin." Kill me now! I didn't think I could be any more embarrassed but hearing Jag talk about it goes to show me things can always get worse. I blush so hard I think my hair is going to catch on fire. My face certainly feels hot enough to start a spark on.
"Don't let her bother you." He reaches for my fork and brings a bite of egg to my mouth. Without really thinking I take it because wouldn't it be rude not to? Another bite is quickly offered to me before he takes one for himself, off my fork...the fork that was just in my mouth. Is this a brother/sister thing I don't know about? I don't have siblings so I'm not sure, but I've never heard of one wanting to share a fork with the other. Most of the time Rani and her brother are trying to stab each other with their forks fighting over the last piece of bacon.