Page 20 of The Virgin Clause (Caprice Langden)

Dante reached over, adjusted the heat and turned one of his vents in my direction. It was the nicest thing he’d done for me all evening.

Was I crazy or had the alcohol affected me more than I thought? He had done plenty of nice things for me this evening even if his attitude stunk. One, he stayed away from me during the party when he could have chatted me up. Two, he scared away creepy bartender man, even though I still maintain that I had the situation under control. Three, he drove me home so I wouldn’t have to wait for my ride.

The cliché came to mind. Who was this man and what had he done with Dante Calegari? The Dante Calegari who never spoke to me, never noticed me and never went out of his way for me. The Dante Calegari whose mysterious hotness I’d had a crush on all through my teenage and college years.

I was so confused. I needed to get away from him. I went to the party to spend time with Lilly. I had too much to drink after Dante’s presence caught me off guard. After that, the rest of the night became a disaster. That’s why I rarely drink. It just wasn’t as much fun as everyone made it out to be.

I sighed, rubbed a tired hand over my eyes, then started feeling the door for the unlock button. When I finally found it, I turned back to Dante. Darkness covered the car. The dashboard lighting wasn’t strong enough for me to read his expression, but judging by his demeanor all night, I’m sure he was not amused.

But he knew I wanted to leave. “Stay there. I’ll walk you to your door.”

Without waiting for me to agree, he got out of the car and walked to my side.

“Thank you,” I murmured. I stood up quickly when Dante opened my door. He reached behind me to close it. As he did so, I took a step to move out of his way. Thanks to my high heels, my foot slid on the accumulating snow which wasn’t deep but had become slick with the cold night air.

Dante’s arm gripped me around the middle, keeping me from falling. Startled, I grasped his forearm and held on until my feet were stable again. He only held me for a few seconds, but it was the beginning of every fantasy I’d ever had about him.

In my dreams there was always some reason for him to put his arms around me. A fall. A dance. A hug. We’d stay in each other’s arms for a while, then he’d lean down and kiss me, taking my breath away with the pressure of his mouth. Usually the fantasy ended somewhere after that. I was a virgin. I could imagine sex all I wanted, but I had no real experience with what came after kissing beyond what I saw in movies or read in books. In my personal life, what few relationships I’d had never went beyond a kiss or second base, as Dante put it. I’ve dated but I’ve never had a serious boyfriend. I hadn’t met anyone I wanted to become that intimate with. I was an anomaly, having reached the age of twenty-six with my virginity intact, but that’s how my life unfolded and I had to believe there was a reason for that. I always knew that the right person would come along, and I would know him when I met him.

But part of me was getting sick of waiting for Mr. Right. Especially when every man I’d ever dated didn’t measure up to Dante Calegari.

“Noemi?”

I blinked. Dante stared down at me with an amused expression on his face. The temperature was below freezing. I could see Dante’s breath in the air between us, but my cheeks heated instantaneously from my blush.

“Sorry,” I muttered, looking down at the ground and letting go of his arms.

He ignored my apology and slipped his arm around to the middle of my back. “Watch your step.”

I could feel the heat of him against my body as he effortlessly steered me with the palm of his hand against the small of my back. The heat radiated from him, and Heaven help me, I wanted more of it. I didn’t care how the evening started, but if it ended with Dante walking me to my door, then I was okay with that. More than okay, since our closeness meant I could smell him again, inhale that woodsy, citrusy scent that was signature Dante.

God, I’d missed his scent. I didn’t realize how much until just then. Whenever I was at the Calegari home, I could always tell when Dante was near because the gentle fragrance of his cologne would linger in the air. It somehow made me feel better to know that he was around, even when I couldn’t see him.

And tonight, that soothing scent wrapped itself around me again, making me feel safe as he walked me to my door. He bypassed the front door and walked me to the side of the house. Our family had always used the door that opened into the mudroom rather than the front door that opened into a formal entryway. Had he known that? To my recollection, Dante had never been inside our house before. The backyard, maybe, for a barbeque or something like that?

When we reached the stoop, I turned to say ‘goodnight’, but Dante stuck his hand out.

“Keys.”

“Oh.” I fumbled around in my clutch until I found them, not expecting so much chivalry from someone who had just a half-hour ago called me a “frigid bitch.”

He put the key in the lock, and I couldn’t resist. “So gentlemanly all of a sudden.” I hoped the smile on my face would convince him that I really wasn’t as bitchy as I’d been acting.

He didn’t smile back but pushed the door open and stepped out of my way. “Just trying to meet expectations.”

I smirked as I stepped over the threshold. “But I’m not supposed to have any, remember?”

“Then I am sure I have exceeded them.”

He didn’t even crack a smile when he added. “Good night, Noemi.”

I stood in the doorway, more confused than ever as I watched Dante walk away just as he’d done at the airport the morning I left; back straight, head high, never looking back

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