The blue of his eyes darkens around the pupil, which is a clear sign he’s dead serious. Not wanting him to give Brady a hard time, I close the distance between us and take hold of his jacket. Giving him a pleading look, I say, “Let it go, please. I won’t do anything irresponsible.”
Hunter tilts his head to the left, his features not softening at all as he stares at me.
Damn, he’s just like his father.
“Trust me, Hunter,” I whisper.
He lets out a deep breath, then says, “I trust you, but I’m still going to kick his ass if he tries anything.”
Forest, Fallon’s younger brother, comes to stand by us and pats Hunter’s shoulder. Even though he’s a year younger than me, the older boys in our group never treat him like a kid. Nope, they keep the special kiddie treatment for the girls.
“Dude, chill. Brady’s the shy wimpy kind. Jade could knock him out with one punch.”
“Forest!” I chastise him. “You don’t have to be mean. Brady’s just sensitive. Unlike the lot of you.”
Deciding I’ve had enough lectures for one day, I go to greet the rest of my friends, and when I’m done, I turn to the most important people in the group.
My girls.
Smiling, I walk to where Mila, Fallon, and Hana are standing with Brady.
When I reach them, I hook my arm through Brady’s and grin at my friends. “Thank you for keeping Brady company while I did my rounds.”
“Shouldn’t I greet everyone?” Brady asks, his eyes scanning over my group of friends. Brady, being an introvert, is always anxious around my friends.
“No, it’s okay.” I glance up at him, and when we make eye contact, my stomach flips, and the sensation makes my heart beat faster. “Do you want anything to drink?”
“No, thanks. I’m good.”
More people begin to arrive, and soon music is blasting as the party gains momentum. Uncle Julian and Aunt Jamie, Jase’s parents, have gone out for dinner and will be back in a couple of hours. Knowing my time is limited, I glance up at the mansion. The house has eight bedrooms, and I intend to borrow one of them tonight. I know the east wing is quiet and that Jase’s parents only use that part of the house for guests. It’s also the furthest point from the party.
My girls said they’d cover for me if anyone asks where I am.
Turning my eyes away from the house, I look at my friends. Mila leans closer to me and whispers, “Are you sure?”
I nod and give her a reassuring smile. “Never been more sure in my life.”
When I first mentioned to the girls that I want to lose my virginity to Brady, they all protested. They thought I wanted to have sex because girls in our grade were losing their virginities like it was nobody’s business. But after I told them how much I love Brady, they supported me.
I take hold of Brady’s hand. “Do you want to take a walk with me?”
Brady grins and links our fingers together. “Yeah, sure.”
We walk back into the house, and I head in the direction of the stairs. Peeking over my shoulder, I make sure no one noticed we left the party before we take the stairs up.
“This place is huge,” Brady comments as we stop so he can peek into the rooms and satisfy his curiosity.
“Yeah. The east wing is quieter, though. Aunty Jamie only uses it for guests.”
Brady’s always been the silent and introverted type, so I know it’s up to me to start the conversation.
When the music has faded to nothing more than a thumping beat in the distance, I glance up at Brady. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Yeah? What?” Brady turns his warm brown eyes to me. I first fell in love with his soft, kind eyes. Brady’s the kind of person who wouldn’t hurt a fly.
“We’ve been dating for a year, and I was wondering whether you’re ready to take the next step in our relationship?”
A nervous look tightens his boyish features, and I almost begin to regret asking when he swallows hard and then says, “First, I need to tell you something.”
A wide smile spreads across my face. “Okay, let’s go into the room so we can have privacy.”
I shut the door behind us, and I’m about to reach for the switch against the wall to turn on the light, but Brady’s hand darts out, stopping me. “Can… can we leave the light off?”
It’s not that dark with the curtains open, and knowing how painfully self-conscious he is, I agree. “Sure.” There’s a minute's silence, then I ask, “Do you want to sit on the bed while we talk?”
Brady nods his head, and when we’re both sitting, he takes hold of my hand. His eyes shine as they slowly meet mine. “I want my first time to be with you, as well. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, Jade.”