Slipping quarters into the slot in the jukebox, I leaned back on my heels as I scanned the selection. Nothing popped out at me, but I just blamed my lack of interest on the nervousness settling deep in my gut. Twisting into a grimace, my face was tight, and I stabbed a random button with my thumb before whirling around to head back to the bar. The jukebox was full of the greatest songs ever written, and the opening guitar rift of whatever song I’d mindlessly chosen eased some of the tension in my shoulders.

“Nice song choice…” Before I even had a chance to slide onto my bar stool, I was distracted, and I glanced over at the young man that had just waltzed up to me. His long, blond hair was tied into a tail at the base of his neck, and he grinned from behind wild scruff before opening his mouth again. “I’m Josh.”

Frowning under furrowed brows when the kid didn’t continue, I had to resist rolling my eyes when my gaze met his. A familiar twinkle I knew all too well shone in his dusky blues, and I hopped up onto my stool to grab my soda.

“You need to give me a little more than that, kid.” I had no doubt that Josh knew exactly who I was, and he lost his smile at my bland declaration. Lifting my drink to my lips, I took a long swig into the silence before speaking up. “I’m not on the clock right now but try to work on it. Impress me next time with something more than your name.”

The reply was cold, even for me, and I watched Josh’s expression fall before he slunk off back to his friends. He screamed old school rocker, and my gut told me to call him back and ask at least one question.

But I didn’t; tearing my eyes off him, I stared at the clock overhead over the rim of my glass. Blood pounded against my eardrums, and I licked my lips absently as my mind turned to another performer I was much more interested in seeing tonight. Even as guilt ate at me, I couldn’t help but feel a little hopeful that I could get her to work with me.

Lilly’s haunting piano score had been stuck in my head for the past week and a half. I couldn’t shake it, or her, for more than an hour- if I was lucky. Knowing I was going to meet up with her hadn’t helped at all, and I propped my chin in my hand to brood over the situation.

I paid $4.4 million for her, but I kind of hoped it wouldn’t get that far. Lilly had a plan, and nothing was going to get in the way; I understood that well enough. But to sell her virginity… She’d make a good doctor, at least. To be able to compartmentalize and sacrifice herself like that, without being a wreck, was something of biblical inspiration.

Shaking my head lightly, I glanced at the open door to the bar with a tightness in my throat. Some time within the next ten minutes, Lilly would be here- and I hoped to God that she didn’t turn and run off when she saw me. Maybe she’d chalk it up to a coincidence; she didn’t know I’d seen the e-mail on her phone that night.

The early evening rushed into the bar on a gust of wind, and I ran my hand through my hair roughly. The familiar, dense wood under my palm was dry, and I turned back to the impressive display of alcohol behind the bar even as I took a sip of my soda.

Glad couldn’t describe how I felt when Lilly had asked not to go to the Wendel; the salads were $70 and pitiful, and the atmosphere was always uncomfortable for me. It’d done its job, though; the price and stuffiness of the place had gotten her to pick somewhere herself.

“Richard?” Whipping to the right, my eyes widened, and my heart jumped in its cage in surprise. Lilly’s face was masked in confusion, and I smiled slightly as the pieces came together behind her swimming eyes. “You? H- how? How did you know?”

“I saw your e-mail before you snatched your phone off the table. I thought I could help you out.” Answering truthfully, I scanned Lilly’s form in her stunned silence, and her grungy look seemed to suit her perfectly. “Why don’t you sit, and we can talk.”

“Uh- okay…” The worn leather of the stool creaked slightly when Lilly hopped up, and I twisted to face her. The glossy waves she’d sported at the karaoke bar had tightened into corkscrew curls that devoured her shoulders, and her black shirt and dark jeans slimmed down her figure. Focusing on her face, I cleared my throat at the discomfort that had replaced her confusion before speaking up.

“I just want you to know right off the bat that I don’t intend to do anything with you, Lilly. A date is enough for me- maybe I can get you to play the piano for me again.” Lilly’s wide, dark eyes only grew wider, and I had to stifle a frown.

“Wait- you… you paid $4 million for a date?” The shock was thick in her voice, and I nodded quietly as she struggled with this revelation. “But- but… I mean… that’s- that’s just so much… are you sure?”

“Yes. I wanted to help you out, Lilly.” I paid a little more than I had been expecting, but whatever. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I kept them from spilling out of my mouth. No doubt Lilly would feel even worse than she already did. “Anyway, why did you do something like this?”

Curiosity dribbled from my voice, and I watched Lilly furrow her brows even as she propped her forearms on the bar. Even after so long, I couldn’t wrap my head around why she’d sell her virginity; college was expensive, but it wasn’t that expensive.

Then again, I didn’t go to college, so I couldn’t really understand.

“Well… I needed the money, to be honest. I figured this would be the easiest way to go. You know, my parents don’t like me hanging around guys, and I guess some guys spend a lot of money for this kind of thing. I was a little worried, but it’s like… it’s just a state of mind, I guess. I’m going to trade something with invisible value for monetary value.” Lilly sounded so inexperienced but so wise at the same time; how many young women had I even heard of that would have such an attitude towards themselves? Either they cared too much or too little, but Lilly was smack in the middle.

It’s not like she’s wrong, either. A woman’s virginity wasn’t what it used to be even when I was a teenager, and I smiled at that notion before speaking up.

“So, you were totally willing to sell yourself to get yourself through college. Where did you even get the idea?” Fiddling with a menu, Lilly shrugged at my question even as her cheeks tinged red. Affection blossomed in my chest, and I took another swig of my soda before she answered.

“I looked it up. Kayla- my friend- is the only one that knows. She always jokes that I’m doing it to get back at my parents for whatever reason… and I guess it’s true, to some degree. I was raised super religious, and I never really got to have those loving, accepting parents where even if they didn’t like it, they put up with it. I still have fights with my mom about wanting to go to college and not getting married and having kids and going to church every Sunday.” Lilly’s eyes slid behind me, and I flat out grinned before I had time to process what she’d said. Now that she’d brought it up, I could feel eyes on my back, but I kept my own on Lilly.

Slowly her words seeped into my mind, and my smile dropped to be replaced with unease.

“If you do this because of your parents, you’re going to hate yourself, Lilly. Trust me- doing anything to get revenge is going to backfire on you. I remember when I was 17, and my dad wanted me to go into the military. It took me two decades to work up the courage to go back home after running away.” Her gaze snapped to mine, and Lilly frowned slightly before shaking her head.

“No- it’s nothing like that. I just don’t see the value in saving myself for marriage. Men don’t have to, so why should I? You know? Besides, I don’t want a family right now, especially with someone my parents choose for me. I’m going to be the person that saves other people’s families eventually.” There was so much pride in Lilly’s voice, and a wiggle of reverence wormed into my chest. Pushing against her parents made her independent, and there was nothing more attractive than a woman that knew what she wanted from her life.

“I can understand that. Do you want to order some food? I’ll get your friend’s tab, too- Kayla, wasn’t it?” Bringing up the friend made Lilly turn red, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Reaching to spring one of her many, tight curls, I grinned as she studied her menu almost too intently. “She can come sit with us if you’re unsure about me. I don’t mind. I’ve never done anything like this, either.”

“Um- no… that’s okay.” Twisting to flag the bartender at Lilly’s tiny utterance, I grabbed my own menu with a lightness in my chest. My gut had never been wrong, but I was starting to get the feeling it’d been off.