“Angie, you’re living in a fairy tale. Guys aren’t trying to wait around. The minute I tell them I’m saving myself for marriage, they run off as if I’d said I was a homicidal maniac.”
She heard Angie chuckle. “You’re a fool.”
“No, I’m not, I’m serious. I’m tired of the whole thing.”
“Dating?”
“No, being a virgin. I just want to get rid of it. Maybe then I can move forward with a guy without him feeling as if dating me means I expect us to get married.”
“You can’t be serious. Losing your virginity is a sacred, beautiful — ”
“Can it, Angie, Mom and Dad aren’t on the phone. Maybe it was beautiful and sacred in nineteen sixty, but today it’s a liability. I need to get rid of it.”
“You talk about it as if it were an old purse.”
Tasha frowned. “I feel as if it is an old purse. One that’s full of baggage and weighing me down.”
“You’re so dramatic.” Tasha could imagine her sister rolling her eyes.
“Well, dramatic or not, I want to lose it before my birthday.”
“Tasha, your birthday is next weekend. You’ve broken up with Charles, for a good reason, but now you’re single. How are you going to lose your virginity?”
“I can find someone to take it.”
Angie laughed. “Are you crazy? You can’t just get some random guy to sleep with you. Okay, let me rephrase that. You don’t need to find some random guy to sleep with you.”
Tasha laughed. “It won’t be random. I’ll find someone I know.”
When Angie spoke again all humor was out of her voice. “Tasha, I’m serious. Don’t even consider doing that. It’s stupid and you’re upset about Charles. You want your first time to be special. It should be with the man you marry.”
Tasha thought about her last few dates. All were smart, successful, and generally nice guys — Charles excluded. But they hadn’t been ready for the commitment that came with dating a woman who was saving herself for marriage.
“Angie, I know you’re trying to help, but I think I’m serious. I can’t have this hanging over me anymore. It’s got to go.”
There was a pause before Angie continued. “Look, it’s getting late and you’re upset. Will you promise not to do anything rash and come see me tomorrow? We can talk about it then.” The rumbling of her brother-in-law’s voice echoed in the background. It was time to end the call before he chimed in.
“I can’t come by tomorrow. The center is having its Senior Olympics. I have to be there all day.”
As the program coordinator for the Central Midlands Recreation Commission she’d be spending the day making sure the annual sporting event went off without a hitch.
“Can you come by afterwards?”
“I’ll see how I feel. It’ll be a long day. Look, Angie, I’m sorry for waking you guys up. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Okay, but I’m serious. Don’t do anything you’ll regret later. Too many of our friends regret their first time. Don’t make any quick decisions.”
“I hear you, Angie. Bye,” she said in a rush.
She tossed the phone on the couch beside her. She understood Angie’s concerns. They both had witnessed friends sleep with idiots in high school and college, mainly because they fancied themselves in love, or they thought the guy they slept with was interested in a long-term relationship. But if she took matters into her own hands and picked a guy with no foolish expectations, she wouldn’t fall into the same trap. She only wanted someone who would rid her of the nuisance, and that only required one sexual encounter.
If she did this, it would have to be someone who was good in bed. She didn’t want her first time to be with someone who didn’t know how to make it enjoyable for her — at least to some extent. It would also have to be someone she had no intention of falling in love with because emotions had no place in the situation. It would just be a simple transaction. She frowned. That made it sound horrible. It would just be casual, one-time-only sex. That’s all.
Feeling better with that clarification, she returned to her list of characteristics. He would have to be discreet. She didn’t want everyone to know she was looking for someone to take her virginity. She wasn’t ashamed of being a virgin, but she didn’t want to flaunt it either. He would also have to understand this was a one-time deal. She wasn’t trying to become some guy’s booty call. A guy who expected a steady series of hook ups was out of the question.
Tasha sighed and mentally went through the list of men she knew. Where would she find a discreet, non-committal guy who was good in bed and she respected enough to give her virginity to? Who was someone with whom she could never, ever fall in love?
She sat up suddenly. “Yes. He would be perfect!”
CHAPTER 2
Jared Patterson stepped out of his shower with a smile. He was usually antsy when he missed a morning workout, but today’s miss was for a good reason. He still couldn’t believe he’d let Tasha talk him in to serving as a celebrity judge for the Central Midlands Recreation Commission’s Senior Olympics. It would be just another day of signing autographs and dishing out fitness advice. He’d thought moving from Los Angeles to Columbia, South Carolina three years ago would give him a reprieve from the attention. Instead, people were just as anxious to work out with the guy from the infomercial who’d helped so many stars lose weight.
Not that he minded the attention. He thought about the other reason he was missing his workout — the woman lying in his bed at that very moment — and his smiled widened. His recognition kept new chicks in his bed. He grabbed a towel from the chrome rack in his bathroom and dried off. After wiping the condensation from the mirror, he grabbed his toothbrush and stepped back to check out his profile, flexing his biceps and chest. He nodded with satisfaction.
Leaning in toward the mirror, his smile faded when he saw the dark purple hickey on his neck. “What the hell?”
He leaned in closer and swore under his breath. That damn Monica! It wasn’t a secret he slept around, but he also didn’t flaunt it. That hickey meant she would be crossed off his list of future hook ups. He didn’t date women who tried to mark their territory.
He brushed his teeth quickly and walked into his bedroom where a shapely brown ass awaited him, seemingly floating in mid-air. His raised bed was the focus of the room, and the sight of Monica, head down over the side of the bed, enticed him instantly. Maybe she could go on the reserve list.
He walked over to the bed and frowned. She was rummaging through his nightstand. “Are you looking for something?”
Monica froze before sliding back slowly. He had a generous view of the goodies between her legs before she turned to face him. She held up a condom. “Let’s get one more in before you leave.”
Jared walked to the other side of the bed and pushed the nightstand drawer closed. He mentally scratched her from his reserve list. Going through his things was an automatic dismissal.
Slipping the condom from her fingers, Jared said, “I don’t think so. It was fun, Monica, but I’ve got to go. The housekeeping staff will be here in twenty minutes. Make sure you’re gone before they arrive. I will ask them if you were here.”
Monica pouted prettily. “You’re not kicking me out. I thought I’d stay around until you get back.” She flipped her legs toward him and spread her knees. “It was fun.”
Jared ignored her. He didn’t have time for women who didn’t know their boundaries. He stepped away and swore as a sharp pain pierced his foot. “What the hell?” He lifted his foot and pulled out the small safety pin stuck in his heel. Snatching it out, he glared at Monica.
She blanched, guilt flashing on her face before she hid it behind a shrug and small smile. “Sorry, it must’ve come off my dress.”
Something about the way she smiled nagged at him
, but instead of arguing with her he threw the pin on the nightstand and turned away. “Just be gone, Monica.”
He ignored her angry expression as he went into his closet and slipped on a Recreation Commission t-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts before sliding his feet into a pair of sneakers. When he came out of the bedroom Monica was still sprawled across his bed.
“You can’t really want me to leave?” she said.
Jared shook his head. He picked her clothes off the floor and tossed them to her. “Just get out.” He walked out of his bedroom without a second thought. He wasn’t concerned about her staying too long. Housekeeping would arrive in fifteen minutes instead of the twenty he told her.
She would be his last quick pick up. The thrill of a new woman was easily washed away when she didn’t understand the rules of a one-night stand. To make it worse, she had his phone number — she’d insisted on having it in case she got lost when following him home the night before. A dumb excuse, but that’s what happens when he listened to the head between his legs instead of the one on his shoulders.
He called the housekeeping service as he entered his garage and got into his silver convertible BMW 650 CI. “This is Jared Patterson. If there’s a woman in my house when your crew arrives, call the police.”
The woman on the other end chuckled. “Yes, Mr. Patterson. We understand.”
Jared ended the call and sped out of his garage and down his curving driveway. Twenty-five minutes later he swung his car into the side lot of the Central Midlands Rec Commission. The building used to be a school, but was converted into the offices for the Commission. It worked well, with classrooms used for adult and child programs, a gymnasium, and an outdoor running track where the Senior Olympics were taking place.
He glanced at the clock on his dash. He was a few minutes early, which meant he’d have time to figure out where he was supposed to be. He checked his reflection in the visor mirror, scowled at the visible hickey, and got out of the car.
He smiled and nodded at the group of people who’d stopped when they recognized his car before approaching a young man directing traffic in the parking area. He asked the guy where the judges were supposed to register and was directed to the stage set up on the old playground.
People repeatedly stopped him along the way. He appreciated that people who purchased his fitness DVDs and followed his nutrition regimen saw results. Sometimes the best feedback he received came from impromptu testimonials when he was out and about. He answered questions and signed a few autographs, taking extra time to appreciate the ladies who happily flaunted new and improved figures.
Breaking away from the crowd he strode to the stage. The area was bustling with Rec Commission staff, volunteers, and seniors arriving for the games. He stopped mid-step to watch Tasha Smith tottering on a stepladder trying to hang a banner along the back of the stage, and changed direction to help her.
Back when he was starting his personal training career, he’d worked part-time at the Rec Commission while Tasha was in charge of afterschool programs. She’d never ratted him out to the administration when he sold his homemade protein bars to clients and he’d always appreciated that. Years later, after he’d returned to South Carolina, it was a shock to learn she had become the deputy director — not because she didn’t work hard, but because he’d assumed she would have already been married with dozens of babies. She had never made it a secret that she wanted a family and word on the street was she was saving herself for marriage; it was precisely how she had wound up in his “run far, far away from this chick” category in the first place.
He still couldn’t understand why some fool hadn’t married her yet. She wasn’t his type — not enough height or breasts in his opinion — but she wasn’t hard on the eyes. The Rec Commission polo shirts and khaki shorts she always wore didn’t hide her nicely shaped figure. Her hair wasn’t relaxed; instead, she pulled the curly, light brown tresses into a ponytail at the base of her neck. If she wore something other than a ponytail and showed off her figure, someone at her dad’s church was bound to take notice.
He sprinted up the few stairs onto the stage and sauntered over. Her back was to him and he smiled when she cursed after one side of the banner fell. Who’d have thought Tasha had a potty mouth? She stood on her tiptoes and the edges of her khaki shorts rose up to reveal a smooth expanse of toned, caramel thighs. He whistled in his head. Tasha did have some nice legs.
Shaking that thought out of his head, he reached around her to help with the banner. “It looks as if you could use a hand.”
She squealed before falling. Jared easily caught her in his arms. As a man used to holding women, he couldn’t help but notice she weighed next to nothing. He also realized he’d never been so close to her before. She smelled good. Not like flowers or perfume, but a clean, soapy smell. Her honey-colored eyes were wide with surprise, and her lips formed a delicate “O.” Just the perfect shape to wrap around his … Damn, where the hell did that come from?
Annoyed that she’d enticed him, even if unwittingly, he lashed out, “Tasha, what the hell are you doing?”
She scowled. “Why are you yelling at me? If you wouldn’t have scared the crap out of me I wouldn’t have tripped.”
“I didn’t mean to scare you, I only wanted to help.”
“Well, announce yourself the next time.” There was a breathless quality to her voice. It would sound delicious after a round of sex.
He cleared his throat. “Get someone else to hang the banners next time.”
“I’m sorry, in the future I’ll put you on the banner hanging committee. Then maybe you’d show up at the same time as the other judges instead of waltzing in late.”
He raised a brow. “Are you trying to be funny?”
She tilted her head to the side. “Did I say something funny?”
He considered his response before glaring at her. She glared back, before smiling. Damn, she was beautiful when she smiled. Why hadn’t he noticed that before? His gaze fell to her mouth. Maybe he’d overlooked a lot of good things about Tasha. Like how juicy her lower lip was. She gasped once again, her lips parting to reveal the pink tip of her tongue. His eyes met hers and damn if she didn’t have the “kiss me” look. His lips curled into a smile as he wondered what kissing her might be like?
Her eyes widened as if she’d read his thoughts. “Are you going to hold me all day?” Her voice trembled.
The hunter in him took notice. She was aroused. He winked as he put her down. “I’ll finish hanging the banner.”
She took a few steps backward and watched as it only took a few minutes for him to finish the job. When he stepped down she appeared calm. Too bad. He liked her breathless, kissable look.
“Thanks for doing that. Is there anything I can do for you?” She held her arms behind her back, causing her breasts to press against her shirt.
Hell yeah, you can help me, he wanted to say. Instead, he shook his head. She was a good girl. “Nah, I just need to register.”
Another volunteer called her name and Tasha turned and motioned that she heard and was coming before turning back to Jared. “I have to go get things started. You’ll be judging the hammer throw. Register over at that table.” She pointed to a table beside the stage.
“Cool, thanks,” he said flatly, fighting the urge to call her back as she turned toward the volunteer.
She paused at the top of the stairs and turned, as if she’d read his mind again. “Can you stick around until the end of the day? I need to ask you for a favor.”
“What kind of favor?”
“Something I think you’ll enjoy.” She frowned. “Or at least I hope you’ll enjoy.”
He watched her walk away and reminded himself that despite the moment of attraction, she wasn’t his type of girl. Unfortunately, the switch in his brain that caused his dick to get hard was fi
rmly flipped in the “on” position. He knew she was still looking for a husband, and he’d rather break both legs than get married — he had enough proof marriage was a fool’s contract — but there was no reason why he couldn’t enjoy a quick fantasy of her mouth on his body. With a smile, he strolled toward the register.
CHAPTER 3
By the end of the Olympics Tasha was a ball of nerves. She decided against watching any of the interviews she’d done for the local news later that night. She’d floundered like an idiot with simple questions every time she’d noticed Jared watching her, and he’d only made it worse by smiling like he knew some secret. It was sexy and distracting.
Just that morning she’d realized she was making a knee-jerk decision to ask Jared to take her virginity after her bad date with Charles. But a few seconds in Jared’s arms proved her idea had its merits. He had held her as if she weighed nothing. She’d known he was strong, but his body was as solid as a rock. When he looked at her as if he wanted to kiss her, it ignited something within her so hot and delicious it was almost scary.
Her stomach tied in knots and she secretly hoped he would forget her impulsive request for a favor. But he helped break down equipment after the Olympics and waited patiently for her to finish. Two hours after the official ending of the games, she walked over to him and the handful of volunteers remaining at the registration table.
“Do you need us to do anything else?” one of the volunteers asked.
She set a box of equipment on the table and looked around. “No, most of the items I brought I’ve gotten back and the rental company should be here in a few minutes with the truck for the larger items.” Just as she said that, the truck pulled up behind the stage.
“There they are. They’ll handle the rest. Thanks, everybody.”
The guys in the truck walked over and Tasha gave them directions for packing up the bigger equipment. As they left to begin she turned to Jared. “I didn’t realize it would take so long to break down this year. You didn’t have to wait.”
Southern Love Page 26