Music of the Heart (Runaway Train, #1)(19)

Bray winked at Abby. “But I’m probably not the best person to ask. I’ve always been an old soul. Lily and I married when we were your age, and Jude came a year later.” A genuine smiled formed on his lips. “I wouldn’t take anything—not the stardom, the fan adulation, or the money—for what my family means to me.”

Abby’s expression melted at his words, and she practically puddled at his feet. “Aw, that’s so sweet.” She reached over and patted his arm. “I sure hope I have what you do some day.”

“You will. Just be patient. The right guy will come along—one who accepts everything about you and respects your boundaries and your character.”

Abby gave Bray a beaming smile. “Thank you.”

At the mention of her ‘boundaries’, there was a question I had to ask. “So Angel—”

She huffed out an exaggerated breath. “Do you all really have to keep calling me that?”

“Fine. Abby,” I began with a grin. “Is what you claimed earlier really true? You know, about being a virgin, or were you just shitting us to try and steer us from getting in your pants?”

“Jake,” Brayden warned.

I held my hands up. “What’s wrong with asking a simple question for clarification?”

“Because part of your bet with Abby entailed you being a gentleman, and last time I checked, a gentleman doesn’t question a woman’s past or lack thereof.”

Abby shook her head. “It’s okay, Brayden. I don’t mind answering the question.” She stared straight into my eyes. “Yes, it’s true that I’m a virgin.”

“Damn,” AJ muttered.

“But how is that humanly possible?” Rhys questioned.

Abby laughed. “Mainly because I have a strong belief system, but I also have pretty high standards.”

I glanced down at her hand. “So where’s your purity ring then?”

Her cheeks flushed a little. “Well, I don’t wear one because they mean you’re waiting for marriage, and I don’t necessarily believe in that.”

“You don’t?” I pressed.

“I did when I was younger, but for now, it’s more about me waiting until I’m in love.”

I furrowed my brows. “So all it’ll take is for you to fall in love with some dude, and you’ll give it up? Just like that?” I snapped my fingers for effect.

“You say that like it’s something easy. To fall in love with someone deeply and then have them love you back is truly a miracle.”

“Then it sounds like you’ll be holding on to your V-card for a while, Angel.”

She shrugged. “We’ll see. I just know it’ll all be worth the wait.”

“Good for you, Abby,” Brayden said, through a mouthful of steak.

With a disgusted grunt, I replied, “That’s all peachy for you, but I gotta say more power to the guy. Me, I could never get it up for a virgin.”

Abby gasped and dropped her hamburger. “You liar!”

“Excuse me?”

“Y-You totally were…well, you know, this morning in bed with me,” she sputtered.

Swallowing a mouthful of my chili dog, I rolled my eyes. “That’s because at first I thought you were Bree who is always showing up to bang me when we’re on the road.”

Poking her finger in my chest, she countered, “Oh no, you kept coming on to me when you turned on the light and saw it wasn’t Bree.” She pursed her lips. “I may not know a lot, but I do know what that was.”

The guys snickered to which I shook my head. “Sorry, Angel, but it’s still a void point. At the time, I had no idea you were a virgin. Had I known then what I know now, my hard-on would’ve been withering fast.”

AJ snorted. “Oh come on, Jake. That’s a bunch of bullshit. Any guy that looks at Abby, virgin or not, would totally get a boner.”

“Um, thanks…I think,” Abby replied.

With a wink, AJ said, “Just know I would have no problem, mi amor. Any time or any place.”

“Or me either,” Rhys added. He licked his lips suggestively at Abby.

She let out a frustrated puff of breath. “I cannot believe we’re discussing this least of all that I’m about to say thank you, AJ and Rhys, for admitting you could…well, you know, even for a virgin.” She glanced at Brayden who widened his eyes.

Holding his hands up defensively, he quickly argued, “I can’t comment on this conversation.”

Abby’s cheeks reddened at his comment. “Oh no, I didn’t mean for you to!” She then buried her head in her hands. “This is so mortifying.”

Bray shifted in his seat and cleared his throat. “I will say this though.” Abby tentatively raised her head to peek at him. “My wife, Lily, was a virgin.” He gave a sheepish grin. “We both were.”

“Really?” Abby questioned.

He nodded. “It never bothered me that she hadn’t been with anyone else.”

I grunted. “Yeah, because you were a horny sixteen-year-old dude who didn’t know any better.”

Bray narrowed his eyes at me. “Yeah, well, there was that year we broke up right when the band hit, and I banged everything that moved, trying to forget how much I loved and needed Lily.” A fierce expression spread over his face. “But none of those experiences hold a candle to making love to Lily, and she’s only ever been with me. Yeah we might’ve been two fumbling teenagers back in the day, but nothing was f*cking sexier than us discovering it all together.”