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"But?" I heard the unspoken word in my own voice. It's not a surprise she did as well.
"But I think we should wait. Not because I don't want you, or this. I don't want it to be a secret. I'm not ashamed of you, Evie. Hell, I want to scream from the rooftops that you and I are together, but since I can't yet, I think we should wait."
Evie slowly nods, her eyes focused on the petals in her hand.
The tension between us grows, the air becoming thick with everything I've left unsaid. Things I don't want to say to her yet. Things that might scare her away considering the thought alone scares the shit out of me.
Unable to take the silence anymore, I sit next to her and take her free hand in mine. "Say something," I beg, needing to hear that she's okay.
"What do you want me to say?"
Her voice tells me more than her words ever will. It's small and unsure.
"That you understand why I want to wait. That you're not upset at me, or that you are. Just be honest with me."
"Leo," she says, lifting her head and looking me in the eyes. "I understand. I'm not mad. In fact, I'm a little relieved."
"Relieved?" I didn't mean to question her aloud. It's the last response I thought I'd get from her.
Does that mean she didn't want to do this? That she isn't as sure about me as I am about her?
"Yeah. There's something I need to tell you. I've been trying to find a way for the last few weeks, but I keep chickening out." Worry weaves its way through my body. There are a million ways this conversation could go and none of them feel good. "I don't want you to think this isn't what I want either, but I think I may have been rushing into it. I mean, well, we're good together, and I like you, and I don't want to ruin anything between us, and I won't let Max ruin it, but there's something I haven't told you about me, and it's hard to say the words out loud, so I'm just going to say it."
I wait for her to say whatever it is that she's holding on to, but she remains silent.
"Angel, whatever it is, it's fine. I promise. Just be honest with me."
Inhaling a deep breath, Evie lets it out slowly as she brings me to my knees with her words.
She's a virgin.
And she was going to give her virginity to me. Tonight. If I hadn't stopped it from happening.
"That's a pretty big gift," I say after collecting my thoughts.
"It's not like I haven't tried to get rid of it; it just never worked out. Max has always found a way to scare the hell out of any guy who comes near me, ruining my chances. And here he is again, getting in the way. I shouldn't be surprised."
Well, shit. I didn't see that turn coming.
"Listen, as much as you don't want to hear this, I'm going to say it anyway." Kneeling in front of her, I tilt her chin so she's looking at me. "Your brother is a scary motherfucker, but so is every other older brother out there. It's because he loves you that he acts this way. If I had a little sister, I imagine I would act the same way. Maybe not to the degree he does, but I’d be a protective big brother. I get where he's coming from, and I should respect his wishes, but he doesn't understand the level of obsession I have with you."
"Obsession?"
"Maybe that's the wrong word. All I know is that when you walk into a room, my heart rate spikes, my hands get clammy, and the urge to touch you is overwhelming. Why do you think I'm always finding ways to hold your hand or put my hand on your leg? It's not because I want to seduce you, Evie. It's because I can't help myself. I'm drawn to you in a way that scares the hell out of me."
"It scares me too," she confesses as I attempt to catch my breath.
"I like you, a lot. You're my angel. And whether Max gives us his blessing or not next week, you'll still be mine. I don't plan on walking away. He can beat me up if he wants. Threaten to kill me. None of that scares me half as much as the way I feel about you."
Tears glisten in the corner of Evie's eyes. "So what do we do now?"
Wiping away the one stray tear with my thumb, I lean in and press my lips to hers. Once. Twice. The third time, I don't pull back. Instead, I press her back against the mattress and cover her body with mine, my hand snaking beneath the hem of her dress.
"Now, I show you how much I care about you."
"But you said—"
"I'm going to show you what it means to be worshiped, angel. With my hands. With my mouth. But we aren't going to cross that line tonight. When I look your brother in the eye and tell him we're together, I want our relationship to still be as pure as it is right now. Well…" I smirk at her as she squirms beneath me. "Almost as pure. There are a few naughty things I want to do to you if you'll let me."
