Chapter Twenty-Six #3
There was silence, and then the sound of his bare feet on the stairs. There was a gentle knock at her door. “Marly, I think we need to talk.”
She opened the door just a sliver, so he could only see her face. “We do?”
He looked worried. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I know it must hurt to be rejected twice. I just need you to know you mean a lot to me. I really care about you. And it doesn’t feel good hurting you.”
“I’m not hurt,” she told him calmly, although inside she felt anything but calm. Raging desire was clashing with simple rage. The look on his face brought back humiliating memories of that day on the beach after Sylvie’s wedding.
Well, she wasn’t that na?ve kid anymore. She wasn’t a child throwing herself at an inappropriate crush. She was Marly, and he was Freddie, and this was this. Lust. And lust could be slaked and satisfied. And then she could move on.
“You’re not hurt?” he seemed surprised.
“No.” And then she opened the door wider, leaning against it like a starlet in one of her mom’s movie magazines.
She saw his eyes widen, his cheeks flush, heard his breath grow shallow. Freddie’s gaze ran over her slowly, lingering on all the places she wanted it to.
“Marly,” he said in a strangled voice.
“Yes?” she said, stepping back so he could come in.
He pressed his lips together. He seemed to be warring with himself out there on the landing. He was shaking his head, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.
She did a slow turn, so he could look his fill, and gave him a cheeky wink over her shoulder. “Grown up enough for you?”
And that was the end of him.
“I’ll do the right thing,” the idiot said, straight afterward. They were tangled in the sheets, and she was sprawled half on top of him. She still had the button-up pajama shirt on, but it was completely unbuttoned.
“The right thing?” Marly had propped herself up. “What do you mean, the right thing?”
“We can tell our parents before I ship.”
“Tell our parents what?” She frowned at him.
“I’m a good guy,” he said fiercely. “I’m not the type to use a girl and leave her.”
“Yes, you are,” she said, confused. What had gotten into him? Marly sat up. “Wait. What do you think happened here?”
“I… despoiled you,” he said grimly.
Marly couldn’t help it. She laughed. “Oh Freddie, get over yourself.” She slid out of bed and grabbed her shorts. She was aware his gaze was trailing her every move.
“I mean it, pixie stick, consider yourself engaged.”
“How romantic,” she said dryly, rolling her eyes.
“Jesus, Marly. What else is a guy to do when he takes a girl’s virginity like that?” Freddie was sitting up against the headboard. He was beating himself up something fierce.
“Oh Freddie, you’re not the first,” she scoffed, annoyed.
That got him to shut up. For a minute anyway.
“What do you mean, I’m not the first?” He hauled a sheet around himself and followed her to the bathroom, where she grabbed her toothbrush and started scrubbing.
He stood there the whole time she brushed, waiting for an answer.
She spat. “You’re not the first,” she said matter-of-factly. “Or even the second. And frankly I’m a little insulted you thought I came across as virginal.” She reached out and pinched his nipple.
He yelped. “Hold on. Back up. How many have there been?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“I think you just made it my business.”
“No, I think I just made it not your business when I told you that you don’t have to marry me out of some misguided sense of honor.” She headed downstairs.
He followed, dragging his sheet with him. “You seduced me,” he accused.
“Yes,” she agreed.
He didn’t know what to say to that. He sputtered a bit.
She reached the kitchen and put the coffee on, giving him time to have his sputter.
“Well,” he finally demanded, when he was articulate again, “why?”
“What do you mean why?”
“I mean why? If you don’t want to get married.”
She turned and considered him. He really was gorgeous there, with her sheet wrapped around his waist. “Why, Freddie?” She approached him and put her hands against his chest. She could feel his heart cannonballing against his ribs. “Because I wanted to. Because when I look at you, I get hot.”
His gaze grew hazy, but Marly wasn’t done yet.
“Because I like the way you look,” she said, running her hands down him.
“And I like the way you taste.” She inched closer until her lips were a hair’s breadth from his.
“And I think, if you can just get over thinking of me as a little kid, you’ll realize how ridiculous you’re being.
” She could hear his breath hitching. “Freddie, I don’t want anything from you.
No marriage proposals. No declarations of love.
The kid I was at seventeen thought she wanted all that and you told her she’d grow out of it.
Well, she did. I did. Now all I want is to enjoy the next few days.
” She hadn’t buttoned her pajama top, and she let it slide open as she stepped back.
He made a soft, uncontrolled noise. “What do you say, Freddie? Shall we enjoy the next few days?”
He didn’t say anything. He was too busy kissing her.