Page 23 of Only This Once
Jinx lifted his head, rubbing his knuckles against his eyes. “Report what?”
“What happened to you was a crime.”
He looked at her, his eyes a drenched blue that punched her in the stomach.
“I’m not going to the police. What would I say? That when I was seventeen, a couple of drunk college girls forced me to have a threesome?” His lips twisted.
“That’s not what it was!” she snapped, taking a breath after to suck the anger back in. “Tell me you know that.”
“Yeah. I know.” He stared down at the water. “They were really drunk, though. I don’t want to ruin their lives over drunk sex.”
Heat gathered below her ribs. Of course Jinx worried about his attackers’ lives, even after they’d damaged his own. “Did you get their names?” Maybe with their names, she could find them and go kick their asses herself.
He shook his head. “They never told me. I guess they wanted a random hookup, and names weren’t important, like you said.”
Julia flinched. “I’m nothing like them.”
Jinx grew pale. “No! That’s not what I meant. You’re all about consent. I know that. I just meant, they probably thought it was casual sex, not caring or even knowing that it was my first time and… important to me.”
“First time.” She almost choked on the words, the knot inside her growing. “And the only time? That’s your only experience with sex?”
Jinx flushed, his cheeks becoming the bright red she’d always found adorable. He seemed so shy and innocent, just like he’d been back then. And he was.
If they ever got together, she’d probably corrupt him. The twinge of interest she felt at the idea made her hate herself. Maybe she really was a sex addict, like Phoebe accused. It was wrong to think about being with him that way when he was hurting so badly.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “You probably have some stuff to work through from this, but what happened, you can’t let it take away your future happiness. You know you can date without it leading to sex right away, don’t you?”
He bit his lip, staring hard at the water. “It’s—” His voice broke, and he cleared his throat. “It’s a trust thing. I’m not sure how to trust a stranger.” He rubbed at his knees through his jeans. “Let’s stop talking about this. We should head back.”
He tucked his feet under him, and Julia rose with him. She studied his wild curly hair, the strong line of his nose, those gentle eyes. Her hand lifted to rest on his arm, and he didn’t pull away from her touch. Her hand looked right against his arm. He wasn’t muscled or bulky, but slender and toned, attractive in a way she’d never considered.
She should have bitten back the words, but they escaped instead. “You trustme.”
His eyes widened. “I—” He looked almost dazed. His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed, and her eyes traced the movement almost against her will. “Of course I trust you.”
“Then, what if I helped?” she offered, licking her suddenly dry lips. “I could teach you about sex. I’d be your real first time. If that’s something you’d want.”
His arm jerked under her touch. At first, she thought he was pulling away from her in shock, but then she realized he was moving toward her, not away. At least he was for that first moment before his foot slipped and he fell off the rock right into the lake.
Jesse inhaled water, which wasn’t a surprise since his mouth had been open in shock. For a second, he considered lying on the muddy bottom of the lake and staying there. Then he wouldn’t have to face this new disaster he’d created.
Hands locked under his arms and urged him up. His head broke the surface, and he coughed out about half the lake while the woman he’d always loved held him up and patted his back.
He really was the biggest loser around.
“I’m okay,” he choked out, shoving his wet curls from his face.
Julia’s hands slipped to his waist to grip there, her touch burning through his wet shirt and her eyes dancing as they looked into his. “You could have just said no,” she teased.
Now his cheeks burned, too, even with the water dripping down them. “That’s not—” He broke off when she laughed, feeling even more pathetic. Now he’d never be able to take her up on her offer. Not that he could have anyway. He wouldn’t do that to her.
“I know, silly. I was the one to give you your nickname. Are you okay?” Her hand shifted up to push his wet hair back again, and her thumb slid over the scar on his forehead. “At least you’re not bleeding this time.”
The small caress made him shiver. “You remember that?”
“Of course. I remember every time I rescued you.” She glanced down at where the water lapped at their waists, one of her hands still touching him there. “We’re taller now, and at least you weren’t knocked senseless this time.”
Not physically, but his mind was still whirling over her offer of sex. “Yeah,” he mumbled, wishing he could keep her touch for as long as possible. He stepped away instead. “Sorry to be such a klutz.”
