Page 9 of To Win a Rebel

Molly didn’t want to panic because she’d come to answer the door, intent on giving whoever it was a piece of her mind. Not to face the guy who’d made her feel so embarrassed last night.

There was so much wrong about last night, she didn’t know which part was more mortifying—where he told her he knew she was an erotic author, or the virgin thing. Either one was bad.

“Yeah, I brought you breakfast. Coffee, with a small dash of cream, no sugar. By the way, Mandy told me to tell you thepumpkin special will be coming at the end of September.”

Molly groaned. She loved the pumpkin specials at the local coffee shop. She loved a good coffee, and they also did amazing baked goods. It was why she had refused to diet. Every time she promised herself she would diet and stick to it, it never happened. She always found a reason or excuse not to. That was a good coffee with cream, or a beautiful cinnamon swirled pastry, or anything with cinnamon on it. She wasn’t picky about what she liked, and right now she needed the distraction.

Nate held out the coffee to her. She tried to keep her distance because she’d not brushed her teeth. Opening the lid, she took a quick inhale and breathed a sigh of relief. It smelled so good. Better than good. It was amazing. Putting the lid back on, she took a sip, and yeah, it was a good coffee, and reminded her that dieting was a terrible idea.

“I also got you your favorite, or at least this is what Mandy said you loved while waiting for all her pumpkin treats.”

Molly knew it was rude not to invite him.

After enjoying a second sip and hoping it would hide her morning breath, she pointed toward her sitting room.

“Do you, uh, want to come and sit down?” She was very much aware of her lack of clothes as well. Today was not going well for her, not even a little bit.

“Yeah, I do. I think you and I need to talk.”

She didn’t see how talking could make any of this better, but she also wasn’t going to complain about the delicious coffee he’d gotten her. It was really good. Better than good.

So, she sat down in her living room and waited for more of the mortification to begin.

****

Nate knew he didn’t handle last night quite as well as he hoped.

Randy hadn’t been anywhere to hear them, and in fact, his best friend had texted him this morning and asked him how the night went. He’d always been a morning person, and one glance over at Molly, he wasn’t sure if she was.

In fact, Mandy at the coffee shop had been surprised she hadn’t seen Molly in quite some time.

He glanced over at her bed hair, and the cute pajamas she wore. She still looked sexy, and he couldn’t believe the truth she’d fired at him last night. It had been so unexpected, he’d not reacted in the right way. She was a grown woman, working for herself, and he knew she’d been on many disastrous dates.

“Just say what you’ve got to say and then leave,” Molly said. “I think you and I have said enough to each other to last a year.”

“What are you more pissed at?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Me knowing you’re an author who writes erotic fiction, or the fact you’re a virgin?”

He glanced over to see her cringe.

“I don’t think any of it is a good thing.” She pressed her lips together, and he reached out, putting a hand on her knee. She tensed up, but didn’t attempt to push him away.

“You’ve got to stop,” he said.

She looked up at him. “I … do you have any idea how embarrassing this is?”

He knew she was about to try and make some escape and he couldn’t allow her to do that, so he quickly presented her with a cinnamon swirl. “Why don’t you take yours first?”

“Nate, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“How about this, I’m not leaving without us talking this shit through first. You can hate me all you want, or whatever it is you’re feeling. I’m not going.”

“I don’t hate you. I … this is … do you have any idea whatthis is like?” she asked. He didn’t get chance to answer. “I know you’ve been with lots of women. They are always fawning all over you, and after you offered what you did last night, I panicked.”

“Why did you tell me you’re a virgin?” he asked.

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