Sweet Billionaire Stepbrother(7)

Yeah, it was cliché to give it up on prom night, but since I’d missed that opportunity four years ago at high school, I wanted it over and done with this time. This ball was my chance to finally get rid of my virginity—I was going into it with eyes wide open.

Up until this point I’d ‘saved’ myself for the right guy. Problem was, I’d turned twenty-one a few weeks ago and not yet met a single male who was even remotely right for me. Maybe it was because I set my damn standards so high. Henry Cavil . . . or Grayson Forbes. In my eyes they were the only two men I really thought were worthy. For obvious reasons neither were exactly available as husband material.

Logically—and I was as logical and rational a thinker as any woman could be—Seth was the perfect candidate. He’d know what to do.

Yet a tiny part of me was scared. Scared that it would be a disaster.

Grayson’s inquiring gaze searched my face. His jaw locked as a small vein ticked in his neck. “Don’t become a notch on his belt, Lala. You’re better than that.”

Holy hell. He can read my mind?

And when he called me Lala, his special name for me, I just melted. Every. Single. Time.

I quickly looked away, trying to save face as warmth crept over my chest and neck. I willed it to stop spreading to my cheeks, but of course, I failed dismally. Grayson, my best friend besides Sloane, knew what my plans were without me saying a word and he clearly didn’t approve.

Sloane on the other hand thought it was a brilliant idea. For her first time having sex, she’d been mauled by a horny boy who had no f*cking idea how to use his tools properly and she swore it was one of the worst experiences of her life. I was determined to not go down the same route as her.

“Um . . . I don’t think I should be discussing my date with my stepbrother. I know you just want what’s best for me, Grayson, but you have to let me make my own decisions. Same for Taylor. You’re so damn overprotective sometimes it can be—”

“Annoying?” A frown formed between his lush eyebrows. “I care about you. I don’t want you to get hurt by some lame jock who only wants bragging rights. Your first time . . . it should be so much more.”

“How do you know I’m still a virgin?” I shrieked.

God, was it that damn obvious?

“You told me you’d never been kissed before. Remember the night we talked till three am and then fell asleep in front of the fireplace?”

“Yeah, but that was ages ago. What makes you think it hasn’t changed by now? You’ve been away for a whole semester you know. I could’ve—”

He pressed his fingertips to my lips. “Don’t.”

Still frowning, he peered down at me through thick black lashes, the blue around his eyes nearly black.

“Don’t what?” I asked as I drew in a shaky breath. Why was the way he was looking at me making my stomach twist in a way I’d never felt before?

Dropping his fingers from my mouth, he picked up my hand from my lap and squeezed it.

Sweet Jesus, this is intense.

My heart beat so loudly I wondered if he could hear it.

“Don’t throw yourself at a boy who doesn’t deserve you. Promise me.”

Squirming under his penetrating gaze, I cast my eyes down while thinking of an answer. No way in hell would I lie to Grayson, yet I couldn’t tell him the truth either. The warmth of my cheeks turned into a raging fire. I could probably fry eggs on them, they were that hot.

“Henry Cavil isn’t available.” I smiled sheepishly, trying to make light of the tingling in my veins. “And Seth really is very nice to me. You have nothing to worry about.”

He cleared his throat and let go of my hand. I felt the loss of his closeness, it was as if he was not only taking a step backward physically, but also mentally.

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt. What I’ve seen of Seth is different to how you’ve seen him. At the time I just ignored him because he was so much younger than me . . . and I had no idea he was going to target you. If I’d known then, I would’ve smashed his balls in.”

My eyes widened. I'd never heard Grayson speak like that about anyone. Staring at him wide eyed and with my mouth gaping, I wasn’t sure what to make of it.

“Um, I’m pretty sure I’m capable of looking after myself. And I’m not discussing my sex life with you either. That’s just wrong on so many levels, eww.” I wrinkled my nose at him. “You’ve never said one single thing about a girl to me . . . ever. So why don’t we just keep that part to ourselves, huh?”

He grabbed me by the shoulders, pressing hard into my skin. “That’s because there aren’t any girls to talk about. I've not met a single one at school or uni who does it for me.”

My hand flew to cover my mouth. “God. You’re not telling me you’re gay, are you?” What a waste. Grayson was such a beautiful man—he should have at least half a dozen babies, cloned to perfection.

Laughing straight from his belly, he shook his head. “Fuck, no. Not that I have anything against homosexuality at all. Some of my best friends are gay. They make damn good doctors.”

I sucked in a breath. Was Grayson pining for a lost love? Why was I burning to know? Why had a sudden pang of jealousy speared my heart?

“It's complicated. You wouldn’t understand.” He reached out and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind my ear with a melancholic smile twisting his lips.