Chapter 4

Grace

"Grace. Seriously?" Jenna laid across her big white bed at her parent's house, giving me a look I'd seen too many times over my short life.

"What?" I twirled in front of the mirror. "I like it. It's conservative."

"It's boring and old." She rolled onto her back and climbed off the bed, walking to stand between me and the mirror. "The eighties called, and they want their tie back."

She grabbed the bright pink tie I had on and tugged on it.

"I like this." I forced a frown as she walked toward her closet.

"No. You're not wearing that out tonight. Take it off. Now."

"I don't like your tone. Reminds me of Nate." I smiled wickedly and turned to face her. "Speaking of... tell me what's been going on with you guys. You know I have to live vicariously through you."

"No. You don't." She tossed me a white top and black miniskirt that would make a whore look needy.

"Yes." I tossed it back to her. "I do. I don't have a boyfriend."

"You know what?" She lifted her eyebrows and dropped the clothes on the floor, moving back to stand in front of me. "You've never had a boyfriend. We're in our early twenties. It's time to stop letting all that bullshit from your mother stop you from being who you really are."

She reached up and undid my tie before unbuttoning the white button up I had picked with pride from my closet. There was no way in hell anyone would hit on me at Kadia if I looked like a cross dresser.

"This is hot." I gripped her hand and wagged my eyebrows. "Go slow, okay?"

She laughed. "You like dick, and so do I."

I shrugged. "I wouldn't know." I glanced down. "I've never really had it."

"What?" She moved back like I'd scalded her. "We've been best friends our whole lives. You told me you slept with Tommy Johnson and Tanner Walls."

"I lied." I shrugged and moved away from her. "I'm sorry. Honestly." I hopped up on the bed as the familiar feeling of disappointment raced through me. "I've never slept with anyone."

"That's nothing to be sorry about." She moved in front of me and pushed my shirt over my shoulders. "It's beautiful. Are you saving yourself for marriage?"

"No. Yes. I don't know." I glanced down at my hands feeling like a child all of a sudden.

"Hey." She touched my chin. "Talk to me. I'm your best friend. We're like sisters."

"I want to sleep with someone, but not just anyone. It's too intimate, too much like giving myself up for nothing." I pushed at her chest. "Back up. You're in my space."

She laughed and moved back, picking up the shirt. "And is there someone you have in mind for giving up your V-card to?"

Heat rushed up my chest and coated my neck. "Erik, of course, but he would probably be appalled by it. Guys like him like a woman who knows what they want."

"And you don't know what you want?" She handed me the shirt. "Put this on and pull your boobs up a little so they show right at the top of the shirt."

I did as she said and tried to figure out how to get myself out of the most awkward conversation we'd had to date. "I want Erik."

"Good. Nate should be here any minute. Put on that skirt, and I'll make him call Erik."

"I thought you said Erik was horrible for me." I laid back and pulled off my tights before getting off the bed.

"Wow. Your ass looks great in those panties."

I turned and put my back to the mirror. "There aren't any panties there. Hence the word string." I laughed and reached for the skirt.

"You girls in here?" Nate's voice filled up the hallway, and I yelped and ran for the bathroom to find it locked.

"Yeah. We're just changing." Jenna rolled her eyes and turned as Nate walked in.

I stood with the skirt hanging in front of my waist, not able to think clearly enough to put the damn thing on. "I'm getting dressed!"

"Good. Turn around and show Nate how good your ass looks in those panties." Jenna lifted her finger in the air and twirled it around. "Turn. Seriously. You have no clue how good you look."

"What? No. Nate! Get out." I pointed to the door as the world felt like it was closing in on me. My goodie-goodie persona was sliding fast at the thought of Nate's approval of my ass. It would boost my confidence. It would turn me on.

I was a horrible friend.

"So..." Nate glanced between the two of us, the handsome bastard obviously okay with giving me a rating while his girlfriend was standing right there.

"Turn around. Seriously." Jenna walked toward me, grabbing my shoulders and turning me around.

I focused on not clenching my ass as I dropped my forehead to her shoulder. "I hate you so much."

"Wow. I never in a million years would have thought you were hiding such a beautiful body under those clothes, Grace. I'm impressed. You're an official cock-blocker for yourself." He clapped and winked as I turned and glared at him over my shoulder.

"Now, get out!"

He turned and walked out, laughing.

"See? I told you." She walked back to the closet, tossing me a pair of sexy black heels. "Wear your hair down and put on a little bit of makeup and we're heading out."

"I'm not going home with some weirdo tonight."

"I know you're not, but I want you to notice how guys react when you're not busy covering yourself up constantly. You're stunning, Grace. You need to see that."

"What if I lie and say that I do?" I gave her an innocent smile as she scoffed and walked out, leaving me with my thoughts. Was she really going to get Nate to reach out to Erik? Did I want that? He had to be five to six years older than me, and would he really be impressed by my virginity or think it was funny?

I didn’t know him that well, but something told me he was just enough of a dick to make fun of me about it.

Only one way to find out.