Princess Next Door

Chapter Three

On the way back to the dance floor from visiting the ladies room, Wynter hit a hard, muscular chest, and when she looked up, she saw that she’d bumped into her very hot, very delicious neighbor.

“You know, I really need to bake you a pie.”

“You’re not the first person to mention this to me.”

She smiled. “Did Tammy tell you I was going to bake you a pie? I’ve been thinking about it all week, you know, to say thank you, and now I don’t know if I should bake you a pie or not. What do you think?”

“How much have you had to drink?” he asked.

“Three beers, and Marshall seems to think they make me very, very talkative. I don’t know. Do you think I seem talkative to you?” She tilted her head to the side to watch him.

“Just a smidge.”

“Well, I guess in a way they’re working then.”

She went to brush past him, but Zane stopped her.

“Why is it working?”

She crooked her finger for him to move closer to her. He leaned in, and when she was near his ear she whispered. “I’m a virgin and I struggle to talk to guys, so I’m here to pick one up to show me a good time. You can’t say anything though because it’s all very quiet. Tammy and Marshall are here to point out the good guys, and the ones they don’t like. The preppy guy already got a thumbs-down.”

“You’re a virgin?” he asked, lifting his head up.

Covering his mouth with her hand, she told him to hush. “You can’t say that out loud.”

“Why not?”

“It’s like totally illegal, and besides, I don’t intend to stay a virgin all that much longer. I’ve got a cunning plan.”

She moved past him, and this time, he didn’t stop her. With every step she took, she knew she shouldn’t have spoken, and that beer had that effect on her. Dropping down in the booth, she was there in time to see Tammy and Marshall making out.

What she found so incredibly sweet was that even after over twenty years of marriage, they were still very much in love.

Tammy pulled away, and Wynter saw the flush in her cheeks, and in that moment, she wished she was her friend. Not for Marshall or anything, but just to know what it felt like to be so loved that she couldn’t imagine being with anyone else.

“Do I talk more after a couple of beers?” Wynter asked. “I think I do because I’ve just bumped into Zane.” She turned to Marshall. “The guy at the bar you met. He’s my neighbor.”

“You already introduced us.”

“Yeah, and I just told him why I’m here, and that I’m a virgin.” Marshall choked on his beer, but she kept on going. “And that you guys are here to help me pick the perfect guy.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Marshall said, turning to Tammy. “You didn’t tell me I was here for this.”

“We’re not. We’re here to keep an eye on Wynter while she has a good time because she doesn’t trust her taste in men.”

“That’s the truth. I wanted to meet people, but I was too scared that I’d judge them all wrong, and before we knew where we were, I’d be like totally in the wrong place at the wrong time. This is easy for you guys, and it’s so not for me.”

“Wynter, hunting for a guy in a bar to lose your virginity to is not the way to go,” Marshall said. “No one, and I mean no one, should do that, and especially someone like you.”

She pouted. “What’s wrong with me?”

“You’re twenty-five years old, and the last thing any of us want is for you to be filled with regret. It’s not fair to you or anyone else. You’ve saved it.”

She shook her head. “No, that’s the thing. I didn’t save it. I just wasn’t going to give it to Carey.” She shivered, recalling his hands all over her body.

“Wynter…”

“I just want to have some fun, and I know you and Tammy care about me. I know you think this is a mistake, Marshall, but I really don’t think it is.”

“Come on, honey, we’ll dance, only this time no one will intervene.” Tammy took her hand and led her onto the dance floor.

“Do you think I’m making a big mistake?” she asked, wrapping her arms around her friend.

“Yes, I do.”

She pulled back a little, shocked with her answer.

“What? You think I agree to you picking up some random guy. I lost my V-card to the love of my life, and that night still fucking sucked, and Marshall hated it. It’s a … vulnerable time in a woman’s life. For some it can be over, and they’re happy with that. With me, I was emotional.”

“You were?”

“Yes, I had tears, and I was scared. I didn’t see what the big deal was with the whole sex thing because it wasn’t that good. The first time, it’s never good, honey. No matter who you pick, do you really want to risk losing a part of yourself to some stranger?”