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  “No, I’m totally cool with it. In fact, I think I might just keep it that way for a while longer.”

  “Roe!” Desperate, Hunter dug his fingers into my skin.

  I started laughing at his frantic expression. It felt weird to see Hunter Cox begging for sex, especially when I was sure he had plenty of stunning, sexy women throwing themselves at him on a daily basis. And here I was with brown hair, pale skin, and with a prim and proper name like Rosemary Thornton. Just the name alone made me think of a frightened little woman pulling the bedsheets up to her neck, afraid that the hulking man standing in the doorway (a.k.a. her bridegroom) was going to unleash his monstrous pecker and put it between her virginal legs.

  Well, it was high time I heeded the wise words of the great philosopher George Costanza: do the opposite.

  So I did something I’d never done before – I shrugged out of my pajama top and shyly initiated our first kiss.

  That was all the encouragement he needed. With a rough sound of relief, he pulled me closer, his mouth forcing mine to open for him. His tongue was hot and demanding, and I groaned as his mouth released me to travel down my neck. Why on earth had I waited this long to have sex? My body was on fire, my pussy throbbing to the point of pain. And to think, my first time would be with Hunter Cox. It was beyond my wildest dreams.

  I whimpered loudly when he bent down and sucked a hardened nipple into his mouth, rolling his tongue around the sensitive nub. It was a sensation I’d never felt before. Sure, I’d fantasized about it plenty of times, but the reality was far better than anything I’d imagined.

  Now I was the frantic one. Grabbing his hand, I pressed it to my other breast, desperate to feel him. I rose up awkwardly and attempted to straddle his lap.

  Shaking his head, Hunter pushed me down on the sofa and continued teasing my sensitive nipples with his experienced tongue. I mewled and pushed my breasts upward, desperate for him to take more of me in.

  “Are you sure you’re a virgin?” he asked, chuckling breathlessly. “You’re very demanding.”

  “Stop talking.” I gasped, then shuddered as he slipped his fingers down my panties. I suppose waiting this long had made me a little depraved, but any reservations I might have had flew out the window the moment Hunter Cox put his hands on me. His touch was like magic, and I simply couldn’t get enough.

  More, my body begged as his fingers massaged my clit, his gaze on me unwavering. I lifted my hips, then let out a small sound of surprise when his finger slipped inside me.

  “How’s that feel?” He murmured. “Uncomfortable?”

  “No, it’s . . .” I groaned as Hunter’s finger did a flicking motion, causing my pussy to clench. “It’s . . . it’s so . . . I can’t even . . .”

  He laughed, the sound strained to my ears. A short while later, he pulled back to remove his T-shirt and unzip his jeans. After hurriedly rolling on a condom, he balanced himself on his elbows, a sheen of perspiration covering his beautiful face.

  “I’ll try to be gentle,” he said hoarsely, and I nodded in reply, wrapping my legs around his hips. It surprised me that I wasn’t even a little nervous; if anything, I trusted that Hunter would take good care of me.

  The first thrust sent a jolt of pain through my body, causing me to cry out. Immediately, Hunter leaned down to cover my mouth with his. I felt unbearably stretched, but that discomfort gradually dissipated as he began pumping his hips, each thrust deliberately stroking my clit.

  “Come for me, baby.” He coaxed, his pace growing faster. “You’re almost there.”

  My muscles coiled and tightened, and as I arched into him, my body began shuddering with the most delicious pleasure I’d ever experienced in my life. I’d had plenty of self-induced orgasms before, but they’d never felt like this.

  So help me, but I was completely and hopelessly addicted.

  Hunter followed not long after, groaning as he collapsed on top of me, his face buried between my breasts. After what seemed like ages, I hesitantly ran my fingers through his thick hair, wondering if he minded the intimate gesture. It was a strange thought to have given that we’d just fucked; still, for some reason, a part of me feared that he would think I was overstepping the line.

  To my relief, he didn’t lean away in annoyance. If anything, he possessively cupped my left breast, running the pad of his thumb over my nipple. I continued playing with his hair, feeling emboldened.

  “Where’s your bedroom?” he asked softly.

  My eyes widened in shock. He’s going to stay, I thought wildly. He’s actually going to spend the rest of the morning with me. In my fricking bed.

  “Upstairs, third door on the right.” My voice wobbled a little.

  “Let’s go, then. I don’t know about you, but this sofa’s way too uncomfortable. Besides” – his green eyes narrowed – “I’m not done with you yet.”

  My mouth went dry with disbelief. Was this what hook-ups usually entailed? I’d thought he would jump off the sofa, hurriedly pull his jeans back on, throw me a halfhearted “I’ll call you tomorrow” speech, and then disappear from my sight. I had to admit, I was heaps confused.

  When I didn’t move, Hunter swooped down, picking me up in his arms and carrying me up the stairs. I let out a surprised squeak and tightened my hold on him.

  “Do you have clean towels in your bedroom?”

  “Yes, why?”

  He paused briefly. “It’s nothing to worry about, but you’re bleeding slightly.”

  “Oh.” My voice was small.

  “Like I said, it’s nothing to worry about.” His smile was tender as he gazed down at me. “Don’t worry, geek. I’ll take care of you.”

  I kept silent as turmoil surged through me, but I think it was at this very moment that I fell head over heels for Hunter Cox.

  Chapter 4

  Late in the morning, I awoke to bright sunlight streaming through the window blinds. Smiling contentedly, I rolled to the left and patted the bed, hoping to find Hunter’s warm, naked body next to mine.

  My body was the only one tangled in the bedsheets. I was all alone.

  Slowly, I opened my eyes, trying to ignore the dull ache spreading across my chest. Honestly, what had I expected? Breakfast in bed? Another repeat of this morning’s amazing session?

  A note to say he was leaving would have been nice.

  But there was nothing. Not even a short text message on my cell phone.

  I winced as I sat up, feeling sore between the legs. Maybe a hot shower might help.

  Minutes later, as I stood before the shower stall, I found myself hesitating. I didn’t want to wash off Hunter’s scent lingering on my skin. In fact, I revolted at the idea of it. The whole thing was laughable, really. I was behaving like some emotional tween who’d come into contact with her heartthrob, vowing never to wash her hand ever again.

  Shuddering at the very thought, I reached over and blasted the hot water on.

  By the time I stepped out of the shower and trod downstairs to the kitchen, it was 11:30 a.m. I was deciding whether I should have cereal or pancakes when my phone buzzed on the island counter.

  My heart lurched. It was Hunter.

  I waited for another five seconds before picking it up. “Hello?” I said, trying to sound unimpressed.

  “Good morning, geek.” Hunter’s deep laugh felt like a sensual caress. “Did you miss me?”

  “And why would I?”

  “Well, let’s see. Early this morning, I made you moan and squirm beneath me. And when I went down on you for the first time, you screamed and nearly burst my eardrums. Remember that bit?”

  My cheeks burned with embarrassment. Our second time around, Hunter had introduced me to the delights of oral by licking and sucking my pussy, his wicked tongue toying with my clit. Just thinking about it made me break out in gooseflesh.

  Hunter’s voice grew softer. “You tasted so good, Roe. I wanted to stay there all morning, just buried between your creamy thighs.”

  I au
tomatically crossed my legs. Damn him, but I was getting aroused again! If he kept talking like this, I would have to go upstairs to relieve the tension building inside me.

  “Why did you leave so early?” I asked, hesitant.

  “I play rugby with my mates every Saturday morning, even when it rains. It’s an iron-clad tradition.” He paused, clearing his throat. “Hey, you want to have lunch? I know a place that serves Sydney’s best doner kebab.”

  Was this a date? Was Hunter Cox actually asking me out?

  “Sure,” I said quickly before either one of us could change our minds. “Where do I meet you?”

  It was a takeaway shop near the uni campus, a five-minute trip by bus. I told him I knew where it was.

  “A lot of the uni students hang out there.” I added slowly. The restaurants along that street served cheap, delicious food, and it was a favorite lunch spot for students and office workers alike. The bigger issue, however, was that a lot of his friends hung out there as well.

  “Yeah, so?”

  I didn’t know what to make of it. “And you want to do this?”

  This time he paused, and I could picture him frowning in that sexy way of his. “Listen, Roe, I don’t know what you’re thinking . . . but it’s just lunch, yeah?”

  Seriously, I was so stupid. All he wanted was lunch, yet here I was, imagining scenarios that involved him introducing me to his uni mates. Why would I do that?

  Because you want to be more than his hook-up. You want to matter to him.

  When I delayed in replying, Hunter cleared his throat. “Roe? Are you going to come or not?”

  I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling like a total loser. “Sure, I’ll be there.” I tried to affect a bored tone. “That kebab better be worth it. I was about to make my world-class pancakes for brunch.”

  Hunter laughed, and my heart leaped at the carefree sound. “You’ll love it, I promise. Now get your lovely arse here right now.”

  When we hung up, I went upstairs to change into khaki shorts and a white T-shirt. As I grabbed my keys and went out the door, I sternly reminded myself that I was leaving for the States in less than a week. There would never be an “us.”

  And I had to make myself accept that.

  When I got off the bus, Hunter was sitting in front of the takeaway shop, dressed in faded jeans and a blue flannel shirt. Women walking along the street slowed their steps as they went past him, and their facial expressions were all similar – they looked as if they’d just been walloped over the head with something heavy.

  But Hunter remained oblivious to all the female attention. If anything, he was probably used to it. Jealousy coursed through me when a pretty blonde stopped to talk to him, bending low so he could get an unrestricted view of her perky breasts. He glanced up, flashed her a panty-melting grin, and then noticed me standing on the other side of the street.

  He stood up and waved me over.

  As I reached them, the woman shot me a you’ve-got-to-be-kidding look, as if she couldn’t believe that Hunter and I knew each other. Her reaction seriously pissed me off. Who was she, anyway? And why the bloody hell was she staring at me like that – like a bug she would dearly love to stomp on?

  Hunter pulled me closer and forcibly sat me down. “You’re late.” He admonished, before tossing his female admirer a cursory glance. “We’ll see you around then, yeah?” Before she could respond, he turned his full attention back to me.

  For a split second, I almost felt sorry for the woman. Almost.

  “I bet you’re hungry. Do you want the lamb, beef, or chicken?”

  “Lamb,” I replied, smiling at him. “With lots of chili sauce.”

  For the next hour or so, we ate and talked, and I was surprised by how easy and comfortable it was. I’d always been so intimidated by him, even during our tutoring lessons. Not to mention he’d been such a jerk to me the whole time.

  He placed his hand on my thigh, causing me to jump. “It’s too bad you’re leaving, geek. We could have had a beautiful thing together.”

  I wiped the chili sauce from my mouth and glanced up, wondering if he was teasing me again. Deciding to play it cool, I shrugged at him before biting down on my kebab.

  “I thought we were just hooking up. You know, a one-time thing,” I said, chewing voraciously. He stiffened beside me, his sharp gaze reducing me to a quiver. Before more words could be exchanged, a male voice shouted over the street noise.

  “Oi, mate! So this is where you ran off to!”

  The male voice belonged to none other than Wally Henderson, my drug lord neighbor. He was crossing the street with two females on either side of him.

  Hunter let out a sigh before standing up to embrace the two enthusiastic women. “Looking good, girls. Where you off to?”

  “We’re going to the beach,” said the statuesque brunette. She cast me a friendly but openly curious glance. “Well, don’t be rude, Hunter. Are you going to introduce us?”

  “Oh, that’s Rosemary Thornton,” Wally interrupted. “She used to tutor Hunter.” Frowning at his friend, he added, “But I thought you quit, mate. Why are you still hanging around with her?”

  Hunter’s expression grew cold. “That’s none of your business –”

  “Fuuuuuck! I get it now!” Wally’s eyes widened in shocked delight. “So that’s why you left the party early last night. And why you were late to this morning’s game.” He started guffawing like a maniac. “Mate! Good one. You finally fucked a virgin. Shit, you’re in the lead now!”

  Hunter’s arm whipped out, bunching Wally’s T-shirt in his fist and pulling him close. “Stop. Talking.” He gritted out.

  The two females appeared deathly uncomfortable, shooting sympathetic glances at me. But all I could focus on was Wally’s last sentence.

  You’re in the lead now.

  Like a bet. Or a fucking contest.

  “Is it true?” I lifted my head to stare at Hunter. His jaw tightened, then he roughly pushed Wally away to face me.

  “It’s not like that.”

  “Were you having a bet with your friends? To see how many virgins you could fuck? And I was the first one on your list?”

  “That’s pretty much the idea,” Wally interrupted again. “But virgins are really hard to find these days –”

  “Just shut up, will you?” the other female cried out, exasperated. She was of East-Asian descent, lovely and petite. I remembered that she was in a couple of my first-year classes.

  “We’re going. Now.” The brunette grabbed Wally’s collar and dragged him away, her friend trailing behind them. The last thing I heard was, “You’ve got shit for brains, Wally,” before they turned the corner and disappeared from my sight.

  My half-eaten kebab lay before me, its contents slowly spilling out.

  “Hey.” Hunter sat down and gently held my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Roe, it’s really not what you think.”

  I pushed his hand away. “Just answer me this, and be honest. Did you and your friends have a bet to see who could fuck the most virgins?”

  He studied me carefully, as if weighing his options. Then he sighed tiredly and rubbed his face.

  “It was Wally’s idea. I told him I wasn’t interested, that it was stupid, but he kept keeping tabs on us. A couple of guys were really into the bet, so I guess they continued playing.”

  “But not you?”

  He nodded. “But not me.”

  I snorted in disbelief. “And yet here you are, ‘in the lead’ as Wally so eloquently put it.” Hunter reached for me again, but I abruptly stood up. “You’re a selfish bastard, Hunter Cox. You took advantage of my time, you made me write your stupid essays, and now, you took my virginity under false pretenses.” Warm tears spilled down my cheeks, and I angrily wiped them away. “Well, good for you. At least your idiotic friends can appreciate what you just did.”

  “Roe . . .”

  I didn’t want to look at him anymore. Humiliated and broken, I walked away from him as fast
as I could.

  The worst part of it, you selfish bastard, is that you took my heart. And I will never forgive you for that.

  Chapter 5

  My parents returned on Sunday night to find me packing the last of the boxes. I was only going to be gone for six months, but books were another matter altogether. Mum hugged me from behind as I finished taping up the box.

  “Oh, I’m going to miss you, darling,” she whispered sadly, kissing my head. “Must you go?”

  “Mum . . .” I turned around to give her a proper hug. “I want to talk about something. Can we sit for a bit?”

  She looked nervous at what I was going to say. I didn’t blame her.

  After taking a deep breath, I said carefully, “I want to transfer to UCLA. For good.” When her hands flew to her face in dismay, I hurried to explain myself. “An exchange program is great, but it’s not enough for me. I want to have a proper experience over there. I know I’m asking for a lot, especially when their tuition fees are so expensive.” I pulled her hands toward me, begging. “Mum, I’ll pay it back as soon as I get a job after graduation.”

  Truth was, I didn’t want to come back, especially after yesterday afternoon’s humiliation. I wanted a new life with new people, the chance to start over. And most of all, I wanted an ocean between Hunter Cox and me, where I would never have to see that gorgeous face with the perpetual smirk ever again.

  Mum sighed, looking defeated. “I’ll talk to your dad, but no promises.” She stood up and headed toward the kitchen. “I think I need a glass of wine. What about you, Rosemary?”

  “Yeah, that sounds great.” I joined her and grabbed an extra wine glass for Dad. “Try to get Dad drunk, all right? After the both of you have a night of uninhibited, alcohol-fueled sex, he might be more receptive to the idea of paying for my expensive tuition fees.”

  “Rosemary Thornton!” Mum spluttered, flushing a deep shade of crimson. She took a big gulp of wine, listening to Dad puttering around upstairs as he sang in his off-key baritone. “The . . . the things I do for my only child.” She finished weakly.