Freedom (Billionaire Secrets 2)

“Don’t think I didn’t notice how quickly you changed the subject,” she said.

“About being careful?” His grip around her waist tightened. “You know me. I’m always careful.”

The sensation of his big, strong hands on her was so delicious she was almost at a complete loss for words. Almost. “I don’t believe you.”

“Why not?”

“You told Dannicka we were together,” she said. “How is that being careful?”

“I don’t want to spend the night talking about that irritating woman,” he muttered.

“Fine,” she said. “I can’t argue with you there. Let’s just remember why we’re here.”

His blue eyes pierced right through her, darkening with some inscrutable emotion. “I thought a dance would relax you. Are you at least having a good time?”

“At a high school reunion   with everyone I went to school silently judging me?” She smiled ruefully. “Yes. As long as I have to suffer through this with you, I’m having a good time.”

He laughed. “I like your honesty.”

“I’m amazed you of all people would think a dance was relaxing,” she said.

“It’s better than having to talk to these people,” he said. “Besides, I like talking to you.”

“Simon, don’t you think you’re missing out on so much if I’m the only person you like talking to?”

He shook his head vigorously. “Nope.”

“Don’t you want more? A girlfriend or something?” she asked. “Don’t you want to settle down?”

“You’re the only person I like spending a lot of time with, so I’d say the odds of me settling down are slim,” he said.

She ignored the implication of his words. The weight of what he meant.

“You can’t be so fixated on our past that you don’t try to get to know people,” she insisted. “I mean, was prom night the last time you enjoyed yourself?”

“Possibly.” His lips twitched into the ghost of a smile. “I mean, it was my first time after all.”

“What?” Her feet froze a moment before she tried to keep up with his.

“Prom night.” He frowned. “We... uh... slept together. For the first time.”

“Yes, I know it was our first time, but are you seriously saying that,” she dropped her voice to a barely audible whisper, “that was the night you lost your virginity?” She searched her memories, trying to recall something about that night that hinted at Simon’s inexperience.

They had rented a limo and, somehow, he’d managed to get them a hotel room. It was crazy since they had been so young, but Simon had a little of his own money stashed by then. Money he’d made from coding websites for people.

He had brought a whole bunch of condoms and piled them on the bed. More than they would ever need for one night. That should probably have clued her in to his inexperience, but at the time she thought he was just being attentive. Which he was. He had been so patient and gentle. And so good. It was her first time, but she’d never considered it was his.

“Well... yes. I thought you knew.”

“Are you serious?” Her eyes widened again. “I thought you’d lost your virginity to someone before we started dating. The girls at school were all crazy about you.”

“Yeah, but I was crazy about you, Heather,” he said.

Her legs turned to jelly, and she held on to him for dear life, hoping he wouldn’t notice how tightly she was gripping him. She smiled weakly. “Well, at least you knew I was a virgin that night.”

“I didn’t.”

“Seriously?” she whispered loudly, and then forced herself to lower the volume. “You couldn’t tell?”

“Heather, I was sweating bullets and fumbling the entire time.” He laughed. “Nothing you did that night was as awkward as me breaking three condoms and trying to figure out how to get you out of that huge dress.”

A high-pitched laugh escaped her throat at the memory. Her prom gown had been enormous. At the time she had been convinced she looked like a fairytale princess, but with the distance of time she realized how impossible that dress must have been for Simon. She had looked like a meringue or French pastry, dressed head to toe in cotton-candy pink complete with everything from gigantic sleeves to sparkling rhinestones. “That dress must have been torture for you.”