We all decided to meet up at the train station early this morning, and I mean early. It was well before the sun came up. Without my coffee, I’m not someone to be around. I don’t do mornings. Okay, so I don’t do mornings that involve being up at the crack of dawn. Blame it on growing up in a clubhouse filled with men who love to party every night. I ended up becoming a night owl just like the rest of them.
Which is how I ended up waking up later than I meant to this morning. My tardiness forced me to end up rushing out the door with Cara at the last minute, barely dressed in a pair of jeans and Harley Davidson fitted tee. We caught a cab over to the train station with only minutes to spare before it took off.
Dex and Josh were already there waiting for us with their bags at their feet and each one of them holding two coffee mugs.
Josh looks down at the watch on his wrist, then to us grinning. “Good morning. Dex and I were just talking about whether you two decided to ditch us.”
“I wouldn’t do that to Dex,” I babble out before I can stop myself.
Embarrassed, I hesitantly meet Dex’s gaze to find him smiling at me.
Great.
What does that smile mean?
Ugh.
I’m so not a morning person and my head hurts from thinking too much already. I haven’t had a sip of coffee and without it, I’m a complete fool.
“Come on, let’s get on before they leave us,” Dex says, handing me one of the mugs.
“Thank you,” I murmur, taking the coffee from him. I lift it to my mouth immediately to get my first sip of caffeine for the day. Moaning at the delicious taste, I could kiss this guy right now and swear my undying love to him for getting me this. It’s the best I’ve ever tasted.
Okay, so that might be an exaggeration, but only because it’s so damn early in the morning and I need the caffeine.
Dex guides me onto the train and sits next to me while Cara takes the seat next to Josh.
The entire ride down, we talked about where we’re from. It’s crazy how Dex and I speak so easily to each other. It’s flawless, effortless, almost natural in a way. My heart wants to reach out to him like it knows I can trust him more than anyone I’ve ever met before.
A memory pops into my head of something my mom used to say to my uncle Tombstone all the time. I remember him being heartbroken after losing his wife.
“When your heart beats wildly and you find you can’t think of anyone else, you’ll know you’ve found love again. Same as the first time. You’re not doomed to live alone.”
Sighing, I hope that’s true for not only Uncle Tombstone but the rest of my uncles as well. I have to admit I do miss them all, even if they annoy the living shit out of me. Maybe when we get back from our trip, I’ll call home and talk to them.
By the time the train gets us to D.C., I’m ready to get off and go check into the hotel Dex’s dad secured for us. We have two rooms next to each other for the night. I’m sure both of the guys are hoping to get lucky tonight, but only Dex will if I let him.
I hate to break Josh’s little heart, but Cara’s not going to be letting him into her pants, even though he’s trying desperately. She’s heard about the other chicks he’s banged since school started. The most she’ll do is some heavy make-out sessions and maybe some other stuff, but she won’t go all the way to home plate. I only know this because I know where her heart truly lies, and she might say one thing, but there’s no way she’s giving up her V-card to anyone but the man she wants to give it to. Sadly for Josh, he’s not that man.
After we check-in, we all head back out to grab some lunch and then head to the Smithsonian to do what we came here to do. Once we’re done, we thought it would be fun to go check out the National Zoo as well.
I love animals. I used to go to a sanctuary zoo in Texas all the time. The sanctuary zoo was one of my favorite places on the planet, I think. They’d save tigers and lions from circus acts where they were abused, and they pulled turkeys, ducks, and geese from slaughter. Any animal you could think of, they had. Going there was such a magical experience.
The four of us spend the rest of the day walking around and finally head back to the hotel after getting some delicious cupcakes from the Red Velvet Cupcakery. Dex said his mom would come here back in the day all the time when she went out of town with his dad. All in all, I learned a lot about Dex today, and his stepmom, who he calls his mom, is the sweetest woman from what he says. After we’re done, we head back to the hotel and raid the mini-fridge to get a few drinks.
I’m on my second drink when I decide to go change into my PJ’s, only to find I forgot to pack any.
Crap.
Exiting the bathroom, I noticed Josh and Cara must’ve already gone to their room for the night.
Blushing, I pull my bottom lip nervously. I don’t have anything to put on to sleep in and I can’t sleep in jeans. That’s just uncomfortable as hell.
“Is something the matter?” Dex asks, his voice full of concern. I’m sure he can see I’m nervous. I’m not exactly the best person to hide how I’m feeling.
“I . . . um . . . well, I forgot to pack anything to sleep in,” I confess.
Chuckling, Dex strips off his tee and hands it to me. “Here, you can wear this.”
Oh. My. God.
Don’t stop breathing. Take the shirt and say thank you. I chastise myself.
“Thank you,” I murmur, giving him a smile of gratitude.
The entire day, Dex stayed close to me. The two of us touching slightly and I don’t know why but with him so close to me right now, I can’t stop myself. He’s maybe a foot away from me, if that, so I break the distance between us and be a brave bitch. Getting up on my tippy toes, I brush my lips against his.
At first, he’s shocked by my bold move and I start to pull away, thinking he’s not into it. But he is, and fuck if he doesn’t wrap both his arms around my body, pulling me closer if it’s even possible. He claims my mouth in the most seductive, hot way. God, I’ve never been kissed like this.
With his shirt still hanging in his hand around my back, I wrap my arms around his shoulders, wanting to show him how comfortable I am. Our kiss seems to last for so long, yet it stops far too soon for my liking.
“Fuck, Em’. As much as I want to take this further, I can’t,” Dex rasps.
My heart starts to deflate, only for him to grip my chin in his hands and make me meet his gaze.
“I’m not rejecting you, Ember, so don’t get this twisted. You’ve been drinking and as much as I want you, I don’t want the first time to be tainted by alcohol. Not for either of us. I already had a drink too, and you deserve more than that. If we do this, I want us both to be sober.”
Just when I thought he couldn’t get any better, my heart reaches for him once more.
11
Dex
I didn’t fuck her, but we did sleep in the same bed. Ember’s body has been lying next to mine all night long and now it’s just past four in the morning. I’ve been restless all night, knowing what I’ve craved was right in front of me. I could’ve fuckin’ taken her, but morally, my conscience was fucking with me so hard. I knew if I did, she might regret it after the fact, and if we’re doing this . . . I’m gonna do it the right way.