The Virgin Bet (4 page)

Sexual frustration was a bitch. Tippy scrubbed her kitchen floor on hands and knees, because a mop simply wouldn’t expend the pent up energy. Her vibrator was laughable, what she wanted had the sexiest blue eyes she’d ever seen, and a voice that made her melt.

Her phone chirped, and her heart rate jumped. Brent? No, she chided herself, he didn’t have her number. Days had passed since their rendezvous behind the oak tree, and though she kept up her walking routine, he hadn’t made another appearance at the park. Though she’d come home from a shopping trip the day after the park make-out session to find a strawberry banana smoothie sitting by her doorstep and a brief note,
Sorry about the last one.
How could one man be so hot and cold at the same time? Yes, she
could
call Brent, but sheer ornery pride wouldn’t allow it.

She stood and grabbed her cellphone from the counter top, seeing that Nick had texted her.
Found a new job, can you give me a reference.
Tippy frowned, Nick needed a job to provide for his growing family, but if he liked this job, would he come back once her bookstore reopened?

“Don’t be so selfish,” she grumbled, typing a ‘yes’ reply. At least she had a new distraction for a few minutes. She picked up her cleaning supplies, put them away, then went to her laptop to type up Nick’s reference. Outstanding employee, always on time, etc., etc. She sighed once she finished, and forwarded it on to Nick. It felt like she’d just closed a chapter on her life she’d never get back. Rebuilding her store seemed to be slipping farther and farther away from her.

A knock on her door made her jump.
Brent!
She forced her steps to be slow as she went to answer it. She refused to look too eager. But when she opened the door, a pair of brown eyes met hers, not the blue ones she’d so desperately hoped to see.

“Uh, Jason?” Tippy said in greeting, disappointment growing.
Ugh, Jason.

“Hey,” Jason replied, shoving his hands inside his pockets in a nervous way. She’d gone on a few dates with the guy, but the chemistry sucked. She hadn’t seen him in over a month. “I was hoping to catch you at home.”

Not sure what else to do, she waved him inside, then waited.

“So anyway,” Jason continued, his cheeks taking on a ruddy hue. “I have this thing at work, and I really need a date. I know this is out of the blue, but I’m hoping you can go with me?”

Jason worked as a networking engineer at a local corporation. Incredibly dull work as far as she could gather when he’d filled her in on their first date. For hours. He obviously lived for his job.

No
hovered on her lips, but her thoughts turned to Brent. He’d be angry if she went out on a date. Maybe they weren’t even remotely close to being a couple, but she had a feeling he wouldn’t want her seeing another guy. And what claim did he have on her? Zip.

“Sure,” she said, forcing a smile onto her face. “When is it?”

Jason seemed relieved, and he matched her smile—though his looked genuine. He clapped his hands. “Wonderful! It’s this Saturday. You don’t have to dress fancy, or anything, it’s a dinner with the company’s annual awards ceremony. I’ll pick you up at seven, if that’s okay?”

“Perfect.” She saw Jason out then walked to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of wine, and a wine glass, before returning to her couch. A long boring dinner with her equally boring date—poor Jason. She should’ve said no, it seemed cruel to only go out with him to spite Brent. And who knew if indeed it’d even upset the infuriating man. For all she knew, he was out right now with some chick, showing her a good time. For all she knew, he’d forgotten all about her. Her cheeks warmed with the idea, and an unsettled feeling twisted inside her. How had she gotten so entangled with the former high school quarterback?

She shook her head, pouring a healthy dose of red wine into her glass, then taking a long swig. She’d been drinking a lot of wine lately. After-wine headaches were the worst.

“Damn it.” She carried the glass and bottle back to the kitchen, deciding a stroll around the neighborhood in the fresh air would be healthier.

The sunny day eased her anxiety some as she waved at neighbors she’d never talked to. Everyone seemed to be out, enjoying the warming weather. Days like this made her wish she was more extroverted. Having a group of friends to hang out with and vent to, sounded like heaven, but at the same time she knew she couldn’t have shared her frustrations over Brent that easily.
Yeah, he spanked me, kissed me, made me orgasm in the park, but I have no idea what we are.
She seemed a fool when she tried to look at it from the outside. And looking a fool didn’t sit well.

Tippy stopped by a coffee shop, and grabbed a Frappuccino before heading home. When she turned onto her block, she saw a police cruiser sitting outside her home. Her heart lurched.
Be cool, Tippy. Don’t get sucked any further into this game he’s playing with you.
But when she saw a tall figure walk away from her home and pause by the cruiser, facing her direction, it took all of her self-control not to break into a run. She lifted her hand in a wave, and the figure waved back. She casually sipped her Frappuccino, pretending she wasn’t suddenly speed walking.

Brent walked toward her, meeting her halfway. “Hey,” he said.

She grinned, and sipped her drink, making a show of her trembling casualness.

“Hey yourself,” she said after swallowing the now tasteless beverage. Neighbors gave her curious looks as a police officer escorted her back to her house.

“I came by to see if you were free this Saturday.”

Tippy filled her lungs with air, wanting more than anything to blurt out a big
yes
. But she’d made plans with Jason, so tough cookies Mr. Can’t Make Up His Mind.

“I have plans,” she said.

They turned up her driveway, and paused outside her door. She didn’t miss the annoyed slant to his eyebrows.

“Plans you can’t break?” he asked.

“Nope, sorry.” She couldn’t meet his eyes, so she stared at her cup.

He placed a hand on the doorframe next to her head, blocking her in. A possessive move. One that left her heart palpating, and her knees weak. “Liar,” he said.

She stood her ground, she would
not
be at his beck and call whenever he wanted. She forced her eyes to his. They glittered in the sunlight, and his lips were drawn into a tight line.

“Look,” she pressed on. “I’m not going to break my plans, just because you show up unannounced.”

He growled low in his throat, and she gasped at the erotic sound. “I bought two tickets for a local concert.”

“Would you want me dumping you if some other guy showed up at my door?” she asked, her ire rising.

His eyebrows shot up. “So you’re going out with another man?”

“And why not? You haven’t made any kind of claim.”

His hand shot out, his fingers shoving between her thighs. Shocked, the cup dropped to the ground, the coffee drink splattering all over their pants. He pressed against her, and she prayed her neighbors across the street weren’t watching.

“Then I’m making my claim now,” he said, rubbing her clit through her pants. “Dump this guy tonight.”

She swam in sensation as a tight ache pooled low in her belly. She wanted to come, but it’d come with a price. “No,” she said, reaching down and pushing his hand away. “I made a commitment for Saturday. I’m going to see it through. You’re playing games with me, Brent. I don’t like games.”

She grabbed the doorknob behind her, twisting it, and back-stepping inside. Brent’s dark flush told her he still wasn’t used to rejection.
Tough.
“If you want a proper date, then ask me
after
Saturday.”

She closed the door, closed her eyes, and sank to the floor. Her legs had turned to jelly. The police cruiser started up and she heard Brent pull from the curb, rev the engine, then fade away down the street. The bravest moment of Tippy’s life, so why did she feel so much regret.
You chose Jason The Snore over Brent The Sex God you dweeb!
The reasonable side to her mind congratulated her, while her horny side raged against her poor judgement.

Maybe Saturday would’ve been the night she lost her cherry. Then again, how would she feel when he didn’t call her or see her maybe never again? The virgin bet popped to her mind, and suspicion nibbled away at her thoughts. Had Brent changed since high school? He seemed more mature, but he also still seemed to be the jock who didn’t know how to take ‘no’. The guy who always got the girl he wanted. She didn’t want to be just another girl he scored. She deserved better.

Tippy got to her feet. She had stuff to do.

****

Saturday rolled around too quickly, finding Tippy standing in her bedroom, dressed in her bookstore business casual. She didn’t have much else to choose from for a date, but she didn’t want to look particularly stunning for Jason either. She piled her hair into a high ponytail, slicked some lip gloss on her lips, and called it good. Ten minutes before seven she heard a knock on the door. She answered, finding Jason standing outside. He shoved a bouquet of flowers her direction. Pretty colorful daisies. She smiled, and waved him in, taking the flowers to the kitchen.

“You look nice,” Jason said.

“Thank you,” Tippy replied, arranging the flowers in a drinking glass. She never got flowers so didn’t have a use for a vase.

“I’m getting an award for employee of the year,” Jason said proudly.

“Yay! Good for you.” Tippy cringed, hoping she hadn’t sounded condescending. She looked Jason over. He’d dressed in black slacks, a dark blue button up shirt with a black and blue striped tie. It hit her his mother must’ve dressed him. A mean thought that she squelched. It wasn’t his fault she’d shot down Brent.

Jason offered her his elbow in a gentlemanly fashion, and she took it, locking up behind them. As soon as they’d settled in his car he started telling her about his latest promotion, spouting off computer and networking jargon she neither understood, nor had a use for. She grinned, nodding when it felt appropriate to do so. Luckily, he didn’t seem to need anything else from her.

They pulled up outside of a local hotel, the dinner and awards being held in its conference room. When Jason rounded the car to meet her, Tippy made a show of stuffing her hands inside her pockets in case he had the idea they should hold hands. The smile on his face said he was delighted she’d gone with him, and Tippy felt worse and worse for agreeing to go. Actually she felt like an outright jerk, at the moment, as they walked side by side into the building.

The evening dragged by, and Tippy did her best to be supportive in the most platonic way she could manage. Jason’s friends and coworkers took some of the stress off, keeping him occupied. They gave her only cursory looks when he introduced her, it seemed they were very cliquish, and didn’t find her a suitable fit in. After all, she knew
nothing
about computers, which she made a point of bringing up whenever possible. Wanting to distance herself that much more from Jason.

By the time the night wrapped up, she had a headache, and wanted nothing more than to crawl home, and climb into bed. Being around crowds was exhausting.
This is why I don’t have friends; people drive me bananas!
The drive home proved more awkward. Jason seemed tired, and maybe a bit annoyed with her aloofness. Not that she could blame him, she’d barely made eye contact with him the whole evening.

“Thank you for going with me tonight,” he said as he pulled into her driveway.

“Sure,” she replied. “No problem.” As soon as the car stopped, she bailed out. “Have a good night.”

He didn’t take the hint. Jason caught her while she fumbled for her house key.

“I had a really good time,” he said. His breath smelled like chocolate cake, and he had a smudge of frosting on his chin.

“Congratulations on your award, but I’m really tired.” She followed up with a yawn, not knowing what else to say to politely cut the evening short.

Then the worst happened, he leaned in, his thin lips on a bull’s eye course for hers.

She ducked, and stepped away. “Look, Jason, I’m sorry, but it can’t be that way between us.”

His shoulders slumped, and his face fell. “Okay,” he said without any fight, his lack of bravery a total turnoff.

She’d hurt his feelings, and she hoped he didn’t cry on the way home. She shouldn’t have gone on this date tonight, she was a jerk and a half. He shuffled to his car, climbed in, and she walked into her house, shutting the door behind her. She let out a huge breath, the anxiety of the evening leaving her drained.

Before she made it one step toward her bedroom, there was a knock on the door. Frowning, she turned, and opened it, hoping Jason hadn’t returned for seconds. Her eyes popped wide. “Brent?”

“You need to check before you open your door this late at night,” he scolded.

“I thought you were….” She trailed off.

“The poor bastard that just left?” he finished for her.

Annoyance left a warm flush in her cheeks. “It’s none of your business,” she shot back.