Page 2 of Their Virgin Valentine

Sophia Porter

What just happened? Did I really just say yes to going out on a date with someone, Paul Theodopolis no less, on Valentine’s day? As far as first dates go, I guess I could do worse. He’s the captain of the soccer team here at Seattle University and is quite a looker, in a classic sort of way. I don’t pay much attention to sports, but my best friend Tessa does, constantly, and she has told me all about the guys on the soccer team. That girl is a mess, but I love her. I shake my head and pull out of the parking lot to drive home.

I should be happy that I’m going on my first date ever, but instead, I’m worried about the guys’ reaction. The day I moved into their condo flashes in my mind. They sat me down in the living room and told me how much they cared for me, that they wanted me to have everything I could ever want. The only thing they wanted in return was that I didn’t date anyone. It was crazy, these two roughed up, tatted Marines, who I’m sure had their share of women were asking me not to date. At the time it was an easy answer. If they didn’t want me to date, I wouldn’t. My brother had just died, and they had just saved me from my abusive father. I owed them everything and would do what they wanted.

My stomach tenses and I worry my bottom lip, trying to figure out how to tell them the news. I’m sure my security detail Jon, has already told them I was talking to a guy. They are going to ask me a million questions like they always do whenever a guy talks to me. I could lie, tell them he asked me out and I said no, which I did at first. That only makes me feel worse. I’ve always been honest with them and I’m not going to start lying to them today.

I first met Javier and Ryan when my brother Michael brought them around when he was home on leave from the Marines. Michael had surprised me one day by checking me out of school early to go to lunch. I didn’t even know he was coming into town. When we got to the parking lot two guys, bigger than Michael in height and muscle were leaning against his car. They looked dangerous. I remember scooting closer to Michael, worried what these guys wanted. One looked like a roughed up all-American quarterback type, with light brown hair under his Yankees ball cap. The other guy had colorful tattoos up and down his arms. His skin was the color of caramel, his eyes dark, and his hair black. When he introduced them as Ryan and Javier, his best friends he had told me about for the last couple of years, I was instantly put at ease. At almost thirteen, my cheeks burned, and my heart beat fast as I got a good look at them.

Over the next few years, whenever Michael came home to visit, Ryan and Javier were always with him. I had a terrible crush on both of them. The boys in middle and high school never compared. They were just stupid boys, but Javier and Ryan were older. They always treated me like I was their little sister and never made me feel unwelcome when I hung around.

When I got the news that my brother was killed in action I was devastated. He was the only person in my family I could rely on. My mom had died when I was three from cancer and my dad drank his pain away. As I got older, I saw how he took his anger out on Michael. When he tried turning it on me, Michael protected me, taking my beatings. One day Dad tried hurting Michael, but he wasn’t little anymore and fought back. That was the last time Dad tried to hurt us. Before Michael went away to boot camp, he made me promise to tell him if the beatings ever started again. I wouldn’t have told him if they had, he’d finally gotten away. I wasn’t going to let him throw his chance away to come back and take care of me, which I know is what he would have done. Lucky for me, Dad left me alone, for the most part. Dad wasn’t the easiest person to live with, but I could deal with his snide comments.

Everything changed at the end of my junior year of high school when Michael was killed in action. Dad wasn’t going to have a funeral for Michael, but I begged until he finally relented and planned a bare-bones funeral for him. Ryan and Javier flew in for the funeral just in time, showing up at the graveyard in their uniforms with the rest of their squad. I sat between them during the funeral and cried, holding their hands as the chaplain led the service. They along with the rest of Michael’s squad helped to lower his casket into the grave. After the flag ceremony, Ryan and Javier presented me with an American flag, representing Michael’s sacrifice for his country.

Once the funeral was over, I met the rest of Michael’s squad. They all seemed like amazing men who all cared a great deal about one another. My dad played the part of the grieving father well, but once we were home and alone, he went on a two-day bender that resulted in him blaming me for Michael’s and my mom’s deaths. No one was there to hold him back and protect me from his wrath. My protector was gone.

My father beat me with his belt over and over until he tired himself out. When he left me, I called Javier, hoping they hadn’t left yet. Javier and Ryan showed up within minutes. When they saw the condition I was in, Ryan beat the hell out of my dad and Javier picked me up and brought me out to their cab, holding me in his lap. “Oh mama,” He cooed. “I’m so sorry. Never again.”

I shake my head, clearing the memories from my mind. Those were dark days and life is so much better now. Better but not perfect. Things were great in the beginning. Javier and Ryan were there for me and it was like we were this perfect trio of sorts. As I got older though they withdrew and became stricter if that’s possible. Don’t get me wrong, if I need them, they are there, but the relationship we once had has changed. I miss them. Even worse, I want them. I want them so bad it hurts sometimes. Maybe they aren’t the only ones that have pulled away.

I pull up to the home we all share and park behind Ryan’s black Escalade and roll my eyes. He’s parked next to Javier’s Audi R8. Boys and their toys, I guess. The guys invested well when they were in the Marines and by the time they got out, right after Michael died, they were sitting comfortably. They used what they had learned working in Special Forces as well as their computer science degrees to become consultants for the US government. They ended up opening their own security firm a year later. I don’t know specifics about what they do, but I’m pretty sure they’re still consulting for the government since they are often leaving on spur of the moment business trips. It seems like they’re gone more than they’re home. When they are home things are surface level at best.

I look down at the rose sitting on my passenger seat and cringe. I should be flattered that a cute boy because there is no way I’m calling him a man, gave me a rose. Instead, I wish it was someone else that had given me flowers or asked me out on a date. I take a deep breath and turn off my car. I can’t believe they left work early to come home and talk to me about this. I honestly don’t think it is that big a deal, especially now that I’m twenty-one. I understood they were being protective when I was still a teenager, but now? I don’t get it. What am I supposed to say to them? Hey, I’m in love with you, both of you. I know it’s never going to happen, so I thought hey, why not give this dating thing a try? Yeah, that’s not going to happen. Who even wants to be with two men? Something must be wrong with me. It doesn’t help that I read romance books, featuring couples with two guys and a girl. I always picture it’s me in those books and the guys are Ryan and Javier.

I walk into our home and set my backpack down on the bench in the foyer. It’s silent which is weird because usually there is music playing or television on in the background when the guys are home. When I walk into the kitchen, I find Javier sitting at the island, a glass of scotch in his hand. His white button-up oxford shirt is rolled up to his elbows, showing off the ink I find incredibly sexy with his suit jacket slung on the back of his chair. Ryan is standing, staring out the window at our backyard, holding a bottle of beer, looking delicious in his dark gray slacks and light blue oxford. These aren’t the guys I met when I was twelve and nursing a huge crush. No, they’ve grown up into men. Men I crave. Men I want more than my next breath.

Javier clears his throat and my eyes fly to him as Ryan turns to look at me. I’m caught between them and I can’t help imagining what it would be like if they made love to me just like in the books I read. My cheeks redden even as I think about it.

“Soph, we need to talk.” Javier starts, his dark eyes locked on mine.

“Okay V,” I answer, my stomach sinking as I get closer to him.

Ryan walks over to stand next to him, his arms crossed at his chest.

“Why do I feel like I’m about to get in trouble?” I laugh awkwardly but stop when they don’t smile back.

“I don’t know Soph, what do you think?” Ryan asks, irritation lacing his words.

I roll my eyes. “This is completely ridiculous. I’m twenty-one, I should be allowed to go out on dates if I want to! I shouldn’t even have rules.” I burst out unexpectedly. I don’t know where that came from, but now that I’ve said it, I don’t regret the words.

“Is that what you think? Just because you’re an adult, you don’t need any guidance?” Javier asks in a tone that makes me nervous and turned on at the same time.

“We’re only looking out for you Soph,” Ryan says in a much softer tone than I’m expecting. “If Mike were here, he wouldn’t want you dating either. You need to focus on your studies.”

“He isn’t here, and you two aren’t my brothers. What is it? I’m not allowed to have a life? Is that what you’re saying?” I ask, anger burning up the back of my neck.

“Not if we’re spending thirty thousand a year on school. You’re going to do what we say!” Javier shouts.

Never, have either of them yelled at me before and it shocks me to my core. But then I’ve never gone against them either, always listening to them, and doing what they want. I’ve always been a good girl, never wanting to disappoint the two men who took me in when they didn’t have to.

I straighten my spine and cross my arms over my chest then glare at Javier. “I’m not sixteen anymore V. I get to decide when I go on a date and who I go on a date with, not you! You can’t tell me not to date.”

“Who even is this kid, some punk soccer player? Do you even know him?” Ryan tries reasoning with me.

“It doesn’t matter who he is. A cute guy that’s been in a few of my classes asked me out to dinner. He even gave me a rose. I said yes, is that so bad?”

“If he has Mercedes money, he should have bought you a bouquet.” Javier scoffs.

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