Page 79 of Rebel Romeo

Another pause. “Because I’m a virgin?”

“Partially, yeah.”

“What’s the other reason?”

“You need to go slow physically. And I need to go slow… emotionally.”

We needed to take it slowly. Not only for her…

But for me, too.

“Oh. I see.”

Did she? Did she really see? Did she truly understand how fucking monumental it was that I was even considering letting her breach the walls of my heart?

I had so much to tell her. So much to admit.

I raked my hands through my hair and blew out a tight breath. “Katherine, your first time needs to be after some nice night out to dinner. Where the guy brings you flowers and picks you up at your dorm first. Not after a dirty bus ride in the rain and shitty microwave popcorn.”

She pointed a finger at the coffee table. “There’s a cheese plate, too. Don’t forget that.”

“You know what I mean.”

Her jaw ticked. Rain hit the roof and the window panes in rhythmic taps that echoed the thrum of my heart.

“And when you say, ‘the guy brings you flowers,’ does that mean a guy who isn’t you?” She gulps, pausing for only a breath before she asks more bluntly. “Are you running from me again?”

My inhale pinched sharply at my lungs. “No,” I whispered. “No more running.”

A blindingly beautiful smile spread along her face, and she launched at me, kissing me deeply.

I thought I would feel panicked, finally giving myself over to her. Giving into these intense feelings I had for Kate—my Katherine. But instead, I felt strangely free. Like I’d had a glimpse at allowing myself that same vulnerability I’d witnessed in Katherine all these weeks. I’d been making the claim that I was staying away for her own protection, but the truth was, I was guarding my own heart just as much as I was guarding hers.

A knock at the door interrupted us, mid-kiss. I groaned and stood up to answer it.

“Who’s that?” Kate asked.

“Duncan probably forgot his keys.” He did that all the time.

I unlocked the deadbolt and swung the door open. “Dad?”

My father was standing there with a massive black umbrella covering him, a curtain of rainwater running off the edge.

And he looked pissed.

His voice boomed over the loud, ambient noise of the rain. “You should answer your phone more, son.”

Then, his icy gaze shifted over my shoulder to where Katherine was sitting, peeking over the back of the couch at him. She looked terrified, blue eyes wide with fright. Or embarrassment. Maybe both.

“And this must be the Juliet I’ve heard so much about.”

Shit. It was menacing the way he said Juliet and without realizing I was doing it at first, I instinctively, I stepped in front of Katherine to shield her from my father.

Her smile was weak, but she gave a little wave, hopping to her feet and coming up behind me. “H-hi. Mr. Dorsey, it’s nice to meet you.”

He didn’t wait for an invitation before stepping inside, shutting the sopping umbrella. “Likewise,” he said, smiling at her.

But he didn’t mean it.

---