Page 36 of Unlocked

“No, I haven’t,” I admit. “You know me, Marley. When have you ever known me to go on a date?” She blinks, considering the question, shaking her head.

“I haven’t actually,” she agrees. “I’ve asked about your love life before.” I lift my brows at her. “And you always say you can’t meet a decent guy…I just never put it together. I thought you were just private about your relationships. I didn’t know you were a virgin!” My eyes drift closed at the word. It’s just a word, but yet it holds so much meaning.What will Bo think?He is going to freak. The man who doesn’t do relationships isn’t going to want to be the man who takes my virginity. Women get feelings for the man who does that. I sigh as I resign myself to the fact I’m going to lose Bo before I’ve even had him.

“It isn’t just that,” I state. It takes effort to keep my voice calm and even. “If I let him get closer to me, he will break me, Marley. You said yourself he doesn’tdorelationships. There is no way I can walk away from this without being devastated. My dad almost ended me. I’m afraid I won’t survive Bo.” The silence in the room is broken by his deep voice.

“It’s time to go, sweet girl.” I cringe, hoping against hope, he hasn’t overheard our conversation.

Chapter 22

Bo

Luke follows me out of the living room while I reluctantly leave Shelby to say her goodbyes to Marley and my sister. I don’t think she will run from me now, but it’s still a concern. I’m sure Luke is about to chew my ass over being so demanding with Shelby, but I’m not going to back down. Shelby is mine. I won’t let anyone stand in my way. Not even my brothers.

“Bo are you sure you know what you are doing?” Luke asks when we are a safe distance away. I’m annoyed by his question, but it is a valid one. One I don’t know if I can honestly answer one way or another.

“No, I don’t.” I look down at Luke, my older brother, my friend, and father figure. I won’t lie to him. He is always straight with me even when the truth hurts. He deserves my respect and honesty. His booming laugh takes me by surprise.

“At least you aren’t trying to fake it,” Luke continues to chuckle. I shake my head at him, a smile forming on my face. “You need to ask yourself some important questions, Bo.” Luke’s tone has turned fatherly like it usually does when he is trying to guide me in the right direction. “First, what are you hoping to gain by taking Shelby home with you? Is it just to fuck someone,or do you want more with her?” The callous way he speaks about Shelby and I being intimate rankles me, but I consider his questions. I trust him to be able to read me better than I can myself. He continues when I don’t answer right away.

“Don’t use her Bo. I know you feel guilty over them being taken that night but don’t think spending the night with her will take away your guilt or her pain. It will only make things worse, especially for her, unless you are willing to let her into your heart. Second, can you let her in? Is that something you want?” He gazes at me thoughtfully. “You need to be sure. I can tell you from experience, if you do, it’s the greatest and scariest thing you’ll ever do. I know I never served in combat, but I can’t imagine being any more frightened than I have been since I accepted the fact that I’m in love with Marley. Yet I’ve had the greatest joy, too. If you can’t find it in yourself to love her, don’t keep pressing her to let you in. I don’t know Shelby all that well, but I can tell she hides a lot of hurt already. From everything Marley has told me, Shelby loves fiercely when she allows herself to do so, but she doesn’t let people in very often. Don’t abuse her trust in you, because she does trust you, Bo. I can see the way she watches you. The way she has since you brought her here two weeks ago, and her intensity has only grown ten-fold. You need to think of what she needs not what you want. Be positive you can give her what she needs before you move forward.”

Rosco joins us as Luke finishes his lecture, one that I needed to hear. I already know Shelby is mine. I’m not giving her up, but Luke is right. Shelby doesn’t trust easily. I must do everything I can to never break her trust or her heart. Rosco hands me Shelby’s suitcase, which I take despite both men glaring at me to respond to Luke’s admonishment.

“We all know I haven’t been willing to let anyone get close to me other than my family.” Luke and Rosco agree with my statement. “I have earned my bad reputation where women areconcerned. I don’t do repeats, but I have always been upfront about it.” Again they agree with my words. “Shelby is the exception to the rule. She is mine, Luke, just as surely as Marley is yours. I can understand why you all don’t believe my sincerity, but I’m telling you, I will do whatever she needs. I will be whatever she needs. She will always come first.”

“She will if you aren’t a selfish lover.” Enos smirks, appearing at my side. I punch him in the shoulder, causing him to stumble. Kelvin, Dalton, and Ace have joined us was well. They all laugh at Enos’s comment.

“Luke knows what I mean, asshole,” I gripe. “I know none of us can be serious for any length of time, but all of you hear me, now. Shelby is my woman. End. Of. Story.” I walk away from them to get my girl. I’m not going to keep defending myself. I will show them and her just how serious I am about her.

As I approach the living room, the women’s voices drift down the hall to me. Something Marley just said has my steps faulting.

“You’ve never been with a man,” Marley states. I wait holding my breath. Somehow I know this is directed at Shelby. The silence drags on.

“No, I haven’t,” Shelby agrees. I’m floored by her answer. She’s a virgin. She’s never had sex.How is that possible?She’s thirty years old! I can’t breathe as panic begins to take over. I haven’t ever deflowered someone.What the hell am I getting into?The old me wants to step away, but I can’t. Shelby is mine. I know this as well as I know my own name. I take a second to get my bearings. A calm descends over me I never thought I’d be capable of feeling.

Shelby is a virgin. I will be the only man to have touched her body. The only one who will taste my girl’s sweet nectar. I’m no longer afraid. Smug satisfaction comes over me. She will well and truly be mine in every way. I’ll be her first and her last if I have anything to say about it.

Shelby’s voice comes to me, full of hesitation. “It isn’t just that,” Shelby states. Her voice quivers. “If I let him get closer to me, he will break me, Marley. You said it yourself; he doesn’tdorelationships. There is no way I can walk away from this without being devastated. My dad almost ended me. I’m afraid I won’t survive Bo.”

She will survive me, because I won’t accept anything less. I will be the man she wants and needs. I’ll move heaven and earth to make my girl happy. “It’s time to go, sweet girl,” I say stepping into the room. My eyes on hers. She looks positively green when she sees me. She isn’t afraid of me, but likely from what I might have overheard. That is a conversation to have in private not in front of my sister and soon to be sister-in-law.

I shift Shelby’s suitcase to my left hand as I reach for her with my right. Her eyes leave mine long enough to give a pleading look to the other two women in the room. I don’t give her time to hug them or say good-bye. Taking her hand, I pull her to her feet, dragging her toward the door. Her words are pinging around in my head. I need to get her home so we can have a heart to heart. It’s past time we laid everything out on the table.

The drive to my place is uncomfortable, to say the least. We don’t speak. Both of us lost in our own heads. I’m still processing Shelby’s virgin status. I’ll need to take my time with her, be patient, and give her the space she needs to be ready to move forward in our relationship, because while it’s true I haven’tdonerelationships in the past, that is all behind me, where she is concerned. It’s time I prove it to her. I pull into the drive at my place, pressing the remote so the garage door rises. I pull inside and lower the door, sealing us inside. I’ve held her hand the entire way home, loving how it feels in mine.

We enter my house hand in hand. I lead her to the bedroom with her suitcase in my other hand. It’s getting late. I’m sure she’s getting hungry again after everything she’s been throughtoday. I pull my phone from my back pocket after placing her suitcase on the bed. She stands beside me looking hesitant. “I’m going to order us some take out if you want to put your things away.” She gives me a harsh look that amuses me. She crosses her arms over her chest in defiance. My sweet girl doesn’t like being told what to do, it seems. “Or not, it’s up to you.”

I can see her debate whether or not it’s worth arguing with me. At long last, she unzips her suitcase and begins to remove her clothing. I’m onDoorDashordering us some grilled salmon and steamed vegetables. I keep in mind everything Daisy told me about pre-Diabetes and how to manage it. I have to make sure Shelby has healthy carbs and lean protein to keep her blood sugar level. She looks at my dresser with dismay. I stroll over to open a couple of drawers, removing the clothes inside to put them in another drawer. I motion with my hand indicating she should put her clothes in the empty drawers.

With a pout, she complies without arguing. I’m secretly enjoying seeing her put her things away in my dresser and closet. Briefly I wonder how difficult it’s going to be to convince her to move here. I may have to relocate to Maryland if she doesn’t like the idea of moving, but I’m hoping she will want to be closer to Marley. A month ago, thinking about a woman moving in with me would have had me in a panic. Panic to the point of moving out of state and changing my name, but now that I’ve accepted that Shelby is mine, I want nothing more than for her to be here in my home, always.

The food won’t be ready for a while as it’s a busy time of day. The wait is over an hour. Shelby has had a long day, considering everything she’s been through. I take the last of her clothes from her case, placing them and her empty case in the closet. I return to her side and pull her to me. She bites her lower lip but doesn’t try to resist me. I kiss her long and deep, relishing how she responds to my kiss. I restrain myself, not going too far.

“Would you like to lay down while we wait for the food?” I ask, kissing along her jaw. I can feel the tension in her body at my words. It dawns on me she might misconstrue my words. “Just to rest, Shelby. I’m not going to ravish you…not yet anyway.” I can’t keep from adding on that last part. She needs to get used to the idea. I won’t force myself on her, but I’m not above using whatever tactics I can to get us both what we want and need.

“I am tired,” she says timidly. “Will you be laying down, too?”

“Yes, if you are okay with it,” I reply. She raises her brows at me. “What?”

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