CHAPTER 31
Mindy kissed Vonn’s luscious lips, her neck beginning to twinge with the effort that came with being twisted around on the front seat of his truck.
She was tempted to swing a leg over his lap and settle down, but she had tried that last time and ended up with a steering wheel jammed in her back.
Parking out here by Lake Integrity had become something of a tradition, the distance from town ensuring they had privacy.
Normally the stars twinkled, creating a romantic ambiance, but the sky was overcast tonight.
The setting wouldn’t suffice much longer anyway.
Not if they wanted to take things further.
And she did! Mindy leaned back to consider Vonn’s handsome face, her eyes traveling down the strong chest that strained against his flannel shirt to the considerable bulge between his legs.
Biting her bottom lip, she ran her palm over the hard mound of denim, feeling a tingle of anticipation that what she touched would take her virginity.
Just not here, in this truck. For her first time, Mindy wanted the comfort of a bed.
“Are you old enough to get a hotel room?” Mindy asked.
Vonn raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Yes. Yes, I am.” He reached for the ignition. “Just name the place.”
“Not now!” Mindy said with a giggle. She nibbled her bottom lip again while massaging him. “Prom is coming up.”
Vonn recoiled visibly.
“You don’t like the idea?”
He shrugged. “I’ve already been. Twice.”
“Third time’s the charm,” she replied.
His smile looked a little forced.
Mindy withdrew her hand. “Who did you go with?”
“Shanika Scott junior year. Julia Preston senior year.”
Mindy didn’t know who either of them were. People his age, presumably. “Did you have sex afterwards?”
“Uh…” Vonn cleared his throat. “Does it matter?”
Mindy thought about it. She had never dreamt that he was a virgin.
In fact, she liked the idea of him knowing enough to do it right.
What bothered her was the realization that he’d already had the entire prom experience.
Twice! Which made her feel like she was competing with women she’d never met.
Had either of them been virgins at the time?
Guys always acted like that was desirable, for some reason.
Maybe that would give her the advantage. “I’m just curious,” she assured him.
“Yeah. We had sex. But not because it was prom. I was dating both of them already. I mean… Not at the same time!” He laughed nervously. “We were already sleeping together,” he clarified. “That’s all I mean.”
“I think it would be fun to wait until prom night.”
Vonn’s knee began to bounce. In nervousness or excitement? “So you want me to take you to the dance,” he stated.
“Are you asking?” she replied, feeling a warm flush.
He hesitated, his expression guarded.
Mindy shifted to see him better. “You don’t want to.”
Vonn took a deep breath. “I want to make you happy,” he said carefully, “but I’d feel weird about showing up to a high school dance.
I’m a little old for that sort of thing.
” He winced when seeing her expression. “I don’t feel that way about you,” he stressed.
“I forget sometimes how young you are. God, now I sound like a creep!”
“You’re only a couple of years older than me,” she grumbled, resenting that he needed reassurance at all. “If you don’t want to go, just say so.”
Vonn braced himself again. “What if a teacher recognizes me? It would be so awkward.” He raised a hand to stave off her reply.
“Really imagine that for a second. Pretend you met some gorgeous guy a year or two after graduating—someone intelligent and mature who was still in high school, and you really really liked him. But then he wanted you to go to prom, and when you do, Mrs. Cretcher asks what you’re doing there. You know she would too.”
“She’s so nosy!” Mindy said with a titter.
“Yeah, and maybe that’s not such a big deal, but you also wouldn’t know anyone who still goes to that school, aside from your date, and you’d have to keep explaining who you are—how you go to college but are still dating someone…”
“In high school,” she finished for him after he trailed off. “Are you ashamed of me?”
“No! You’re awesome. But if I’m being completely honest, I do wish that you were the same age as me.”
She didn’t feel that way at all. Mindy didn’t want to skip past the experiences she hadn’t had yet. Prom especially. Now if she could age Vonn down so that he was also a junior, that would be different. In fact, it would be perfect. So maybe she did understand how he felt.
“Never mind,” she said. “I don’t really want to be the third prom date that you’ve slept with. I’d feel too much like a rerun, when what I really want is for my first time to be special.”
“We can find some other way of making it that way,” he suggested.
“Sure.”
He studied her. “Are you mad at me?”
“No,” Mindy said after searching her own feelings. She was disappointed but not angry.
The mood had definitely passed though. Getting there again shouldn’t be difficult.
After some conversation perhaps. Except she couldn’t think of anything she wanted to discuss with him.
They could laugh about teachers they’d both had, but they didn’t share the same friends.
Vonn wasn’t interested in her social life any more than she wanted to learn about Shanika Skank or Julia What’s-her-stupid-face.
Mindy found herself longing for the companionship of the people she felt closest to, who were currently gathered at Cameron’s house.
He’d kept insisting it wasn’t a going-away party, but they all knew the truth.
Mindy should be there now, and would be, if she hadn’t leapt on the opportunity to sneak away with Vonn.
Which was beginning to wear thin—the covert nature of their relationship limiting what they could do together.
Intentionally wanting to test the waters, Mindy said, “My friends are throwing a party right now. If you want to go.”
Vonn licked his lips. “The same party that my sister went to?”
“Yup. We’ll have to tell her eventually. Why not tonight?”
Vonn swallowed. Then he seemed to brace himself. “All right.”
Mindy’s stomach sank. “What?”
“We can tell her now. Better we do it on our own terms.”
Now it was Mindy who hesitated. But why?
Because she knew this wouldn’t last. Galen being out of the picture hadn’t made anything easier.
Mindy had expected, free to focus on one man instead of two, that love would finally manifest. But it hadn’t.
She liked Vonn just as much as before, which was a considerable amount. But still not enough.
“I don’t really want to tell Keisha,” she admitted.
“Oh thank god.” Vonn breathed out. “I know I’m older, and have a good hundred pounds of muscle on her, but Keisha is terrifying when she’s pissed off.”
Mindy laughed before her expression became somber. “Do you love me?”
Vonn began to struggle with the question, which was all the answer she needed.
“Because I don’t think we should do this anymore,” she continued. “Not because of prom or anything else you’ve said tonight. I just think we’re on two different wavelengths.”
Vonn sighed. “That’s not what I want. But I also know that you’re right.”
Mindy felt relieved instead of upset. “So let’s end it here.”
Vonn searched her eyes. “I hope you don’t feel like I took advantage of you.”
Mindy laughed. She couldn’t help it. “Trust me, I’m not the victim here. In fact, maybe I was using you for your hot bod.”
“That keeps happening,” Vonn said, shaking his head in mock frustration.
They smiled at each other, no animosity between them.
“What now?” Vonn asked. “Do we get to be friends?”
“Friendly,” Mindy suggested. “I really don’t trust myself around you.”
He laughed. “I know the feeling.”
They talked a little longer, as if wanting to reassure themselves that there truly were no hard feelings.
Then she asked him to drive her to Cameron’s house.
As the truck idled outside, she turned to him, struck again by just how handsome he was.
And kind. He’d made her feel desired, but never disrespected.
Mindy kissed him again, not holding back.
Vonn reciprocated, no misunderstanding in his eyes when she pulled away.
“I can imagine a time when we’re both in our twenties—” he started to say.
Mindy cut him off with a smooch. “I’ll be imagining that too.” She climbed out of his truck and waved once reaching the door, because of course he’d waited to make sure she got inside okay. So silly, so noble, so sweet.
People seemed genuinely happy to see her.
Or maybe they were just wasted. Keisha certainly was!
Mindy had some catching up to do. Then again, she was already buzzing naturally.
Who would have thought that being single could feel so good?
If anything, it underscored that she’d made the right decision.
Although she did experience a pang of uncertainty when she locked eyes with Galen.
They hadn’t spoken much since he’d cut things off, Mindy wanting to give him his space.
That was about to change, apparently, since he was striding across the room toward her.
“Can we talk?” he asked.
“Sure!”
He glanced around. “Um… This way.”
He led her to the downstairs bathroom, not seeming to realize the awkwardness of this decision until he turned around to face her. “Uh…”
Mindy started laughing. She couldn’t help it. Galen relaxed visibly and smiled.
“Shut the door,” he suggested. “I don’t want to be overheard.”
He seemed reluctant to say more. Mindy complied. Then she flushed the toilet to create more noise. And to make Galen laugh, which he did.
“All right, now that we’re on a secure line…” He took a deep breath. “It’s about the dance. Prom, I mean.”
“I think I’ve heard of it before,” she said, feigning uncertainty.
He smiled again. “Are you going with anyone?”