Where She Least Expects It

Chapter 4

As the night wound down, the two groups merged together. Tom planned on heading to his parents tonight rather than drive home to Austin. Everyone else would be driving back, so he knew they would call it a night before long. Alli and Brandon had found a corner booth and left everyone to be by themselves.

Tripp was grumbling, "nice of us to have parties for them when they just ditch us for each other."

His mom, Janie, managed to scold him a little for it at least, "Tripp, some day you will understand. Give them a break. They are still in that honeymoon phase, don't push them apart."

"I will never understand, right Sean?"

Sean nodded and ordered another round for everyone. They were the only two men there that were still young enough to believe that they would never fall in love and become totally whipped like their dad, brother, and Dino had. Tom had been like that too, but the other side was starting to look better and better as he got older.

He had continued to watch Becky that night, no matter how hard he tried not to. There was something that kept pulling him back to her. So as they all sat together and talked, he noticed little things. She seemed nervous. It also seemed like she didn't know how to take the extra attention she was getting. One thing he knew for sure was that she had no idea how beautiful she was. She loved her family and friends. When she was talking and laughing with them, she shined. Sure the dancing was beautiful too, but it didn't hold a candle to watching her in her element.

Before long, everyone was talking about going home. They were figuring out rides and he heard Becky say, "I'll stay awhile longer and find my own ride home."

Obviously her brothers wasted no time in telling her that it was a bad idea. He didn't like the sounds of it either. Within minutes, the youngest three were arguing back and forth about Becky's plans and their parents were trying to stop it. He had planned to go to his parents, but he figured he could stay and take Becky home instead if it would make everyone calm down.

"Guys, I'll take her home."

All three turned and looked at him and said, "what?" at the same time.

"It's fine."

The guys looked at him skeptically, while Becky smirked, knowing she had won out. "Tom will take me home. Goodbye boys!"

Her parents nodded, and everyone else followed them out. Becky turned to him, "alright another round!"

"Just water for me."

"What?"

"I'm driving Becky."

She looked at him for a minute, clearly trying to decide if she should argue, but then gave up. "Fine, but you will dance with me."

And then he knew he made the wrong choice as he watched her walk to the bar and get their order. She came back, took a few sips, and pulled him to the dance floor. Her hand in his was sending sparks up his arm, and, if he didn't know any better, he would almost think his nerves were kicking in. She turned and put her other hand on his shoulder as a slow song came on. He reluctantly put his other hand that wasn't in hers on her waist.

They swayed to the music without talking for a bit, until she finally looked at him curiously, "I thought you were staying at your parents' tonight."

He made a mental note to text his mom that plans had changed then answered her, "well it was getting a little tense between you three so I thought I would help. I'm sober anyway."

She nodded and then a fast song came on and she started to move faster against him. He was worried he might lose his mind with her this close so he tried to walk a fine line between close enough to keep the other men away but not so close that he got excited...which was much easier said than done.

They danced about half an hour more, all the while Tom tried to remember that she was forbidden, and he definitely did not want to go down that road. Finally she finished her drink, and they headed home.

It was a quiet drive...he wondered a couple times if she had fallen asleep but then she would look over at him. He had a hard time not looking at her bare skin. She had never shown that much of it before, and he wanted to curse the gods for her picking a night when he was around.

After what felt like an eternity, they pulled up to her apartment. He got out and went around to open her door. She got out slowly, and they walked to her door. She unlocked it, and he turned to leave, but her voice stopped him.

"Do I look like a little kid?"

His heart sped up a little. One thing he was sure of...she definitely didn't look like a little kid tonight...if ever. "What?"

"Why do they think I can't handle myself? They try to arrange everything for me. I'm not even capable of finding my own way home or being at the bar by myself."

"They just don't want you to get taken advantage of."

"Well maybe I do!"

He heard a mixture of hurt and conviction in her voice and finally turned around and saw that she was very mad. "What?"

"Maybe for once in my life I would like to be taken advantage of!"

"Why?" He didn't understand anything that she was saying.

"Because I don't want to die a lonely spinster virgin with only her horses and cats to keep her company!"

He couldn't process what she said at that moment...if she really meant that then she had worn that damn outfit on purpose. "What did you say?"

"Well you know me so the horses are a given and you can't be a spinster without cats..."

He shook his head trying to shake the very unbrotherly thoughts away, "before that."

"What?"

"That you're a..."

She finally realized where he was stuck, "yes I'm still a damn virgin and not by choice."

He was having trouble breathing...he was also pretty sure that his blood had all drained to a certain part of his body. She was looking him right in the eye and all he could think about was what she had said and how beautiful she was tonight. The tightly wound lid that he had kept screwed on his thoughts came off and then his brain left his body...or it must have because he did exactly what he shouldn't have. He pushed her up against the doorway and smashed his lips onto hers.

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