He frowned and shook his head as if I was speaking gibberish. “What’s the point in that?”
“The concept exists for a lot of people…especially those that date.”
“The windows were all fogged up, the car was bouncing…how was I supposed to know?” he said, waving his arms in the direction of the empty parking slot.
“Maybe you shouldn’t spy on me!”
He rubbed his face and shook his head. “I can’t stand this, Pigeon. I feel like I’m going crazy.”
I threw out my hands and let them hit my thighs. “You can’t stand what?”
“If you sleep with him, I don’t wanna know about it. I’ll go to prison for a long time if I find out he...just don’t tell me.”
“Travis,” I seethed. “I can’t believe you just said that! That’s a big step for me!”
“That’s what all girls say!”
“I don’t mean the sluts you deal with! I mean me!” I said, holding my hand to my chest. “I haven’t…ugh! Never mind.” I walked away from him, but he grabbed my arm, twirling me around to face him.
“You haven’t what?” he asked, weaving a bit. I didn’t answer—I didn’t have to. I could see the recognition light up his face and he laughed once. “You’re a virgin?”
“So what?” I said, the blood under my cheeks igniting.
His eyes drifted from mine, in and out of focus as he tried to think through the whisky. “That’s why America was so sure it wouldn’t get too far.”
“I had the same boyfriend all four years of high school. He was an aspiring Baptist youth minister! It never came up!”
Travis’ anger vanished, and relief was apparent in his eyes. “A youth minister? What happened after all that hard-earned abstinence?”
“He wanted to get married and stay in…Kansas. I didn’t.” I was desperate to change the subject. The amusement in Travis’ eyes was humiliating enough. I didn’t want him digging further into my past.
He took a step toward me and held each side of my face. “A virgin,” he said, shaking his head. “I would have never guessed with the way you danced at the Red.”
“Very funny,” I said, stomping up the stairs.
Travis attempted to follow me, but tripped and fell, rolling onto his back and laughing hysterically.
“What are you doing? Get up!” I said, helping him to his feet.
He hooked his arm around my neck, and I helped him up the stairs. Shepley and America were already in bed, so with no help in sight, I kicked off my heels to avoid breaking my ankles while walking Travis to the bedroom. He fell on his back to the bed, pulling me with him.
When we landed, my face was just inches from his. His expression was suddenly serious. He leaned up, nearly kissing me, but I pushed him away. Travis’ eyebrows pulled in.
“Knock it off, Trav,” I said.
He held me tight against him until I quit struggling, and then he flicked the strap of my dress, causing it to hang off my shoulder. “Since the word virgin came out of those beautiful lips of yours…I have a sudden urge to help you out of that dress.”
“Well, that’s too bad. You were ready to kill Parker for the same thing twenty minutes ago, so don’t be a hypocrite.”
“Fuck Parker. He doesn’t know you like I do.”
“Trav, c’mon. Let’s get your clothes off and get you in bed.”
“That’s what I’m talkin’ about,” he chuckled.
“How much did you drink?” I asked, finally getting my footing between his legs.
“Enough,” he smiled, pulling at the hem of my dress.
“You probably surpassed enough a gallon ago,” I said, slapping his hand away. I planted my knee on the mattress beside him, and pulled his shirt over his head. He reached for me again and I grabbed his wrist, sniffing at the pungent stench in the air. “God, Trav, you reek of Jack Daniels.”
“Jim Beam,” he corrected with a drunken nod.