Read Online The Virgin's Night Out by Shiloh Walker - Free Book Online
Authors: Shiloh Walker
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problematic.
Or it could be.
But it wasn’t like Boone ever came here. It had taken a wedding to get him here last time.
“Sloane…”
“Don’t.” She stood up and moved to the deck. Bracing her elbows on it, she stared out into the slowly spreading twilight. “We tried to be careful. Something happened. He told me he wanted to know if there was a problem .”
Scornfully, she muttered again, “A problem.”
Now she turned and looked at her brother. Chin up, she said, “I don’t have a problem. I’m pregnant . They are two very different things and I’ll be damned if I try to go through this with a man who considers a potential child as a problem .”
“That’s…” Taylor searched her face. “Look, I…” He went red and cleared his throat. “I don’t want to get personal or anything, but you said you tried to be careful so I guess…this…or the possibility of it is something that might have surprised him. Are you certain you’re giving him a fair chance?”
She looked away. “He knows where to find me. If he’s that concerned, he come and see me for himself. If not? Then I’ll be just fine.” After a moment, she added, “No. Better than fine.”
Chapter Eight
He’d known where to find her.
If he was honest with himself, Boone would have to admit, he’d thought about stopping in to see Sloane Redding every single time he came within a few hours of Alabama. Ever since she’d sent that first card—a Christmas card. The first he’d ever received.
But he hadn’t let himself do it then.
Then, there’d been no reason, other than just to meet the younger sister of his two best friends.
Now he had a reason—it had been eight weeks since the wedding. He’d just gotten back from a brief job in Beirut. He had two choices—either take some time off or talk to the boss about a proposition that had been placed before him.
Boone didn’t do so well with time off, but before he left the country, possibly for months, he had to see her.
The condo where she lived was in a nice, upper-class neighborhood. Although he’d rented a decent car, he felt like an imposter, walking toward her door, unsure of what he’d say or what he’d do when he saw her.
What if —
No.
He wasn’t here on a what if —
He was here just to make sure. It was a responsibility thing, and only that. Once he walked away this time, it would be for good. It didn’t matter that he woke up, imagining the taste of her on his lips. Didn’t matter that he’d spent more time under a cold shower trying to freeze the heat out of him and it didn’t matter that more than once, he thought about how easy it had been to just…be with her.
Laying in a bed with a woman at his side had never been a restful, easy thing for him.
That sort of connection was for one thing and one thing only.
Sex.
But he could have held her forever.
If he was the kind of guy who could believe in what-ifs .
The sun had gilded everything gold as he came to a stop in front of her door. He knocked once and turned away, his hands in his pockets. There was no answer, so he knocked again.
“She’s not home yet.”
He saw a pair of bright eyes peering at him from around the corner. Coaxing his face into his version of a polite smile, he nodded as a diminutive older woman came toward him, pushing a walker in front of her.
“Ma’am.”
She cocked her head. Eyes, bird-bright, regarded him. “Are you Sloane’s young man?”
“Ah…” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “No, ma’am. A friend. I knew her brothers.”
“Oh.” She pursed her lips and then shrugged. “It’s Thursday. On Thursday, Sloane closes the library. She won’t be home for a few more hours. If you like, I can tell her you came by.”
“No. That’s not necessary.” He nodded at her. “I’ll just come back.”
Once she made her way down the hall, he eyed the door and then jogged down the steps. He only had the night here, so he supposed
Or it could be.
But it wasn’t like Boone ever came here. It had taken a wedding to get him here last time.
“Sloane…”
“Don’t.” She stood up and moved to the deck. Bracing her elbows on it, she stared out into the slowly spreading twilight. “We tried to be careful. Something happened. He told me he wanted to know if there was a problem .”
Scornfully, she muttered again, “A problem.”
Now she turned and looked at her brother. Chin up, she said, “I don’t have a problem. I’m pregnant . They are two very different things and I’ll be damned if I try to go through this with a man who considers a potential child as a problem .”
“That’s…” Taylor searched her face. “Look, I…” He went red and cleared his throat. “I don’t want to get personal or anything, but you said you tried to be careful so I guess…this…or the possibility of it is something that might have surprised him. Are you certain you’re giving him a fair chance?”
She looked away. “He knows where to find me. If he’s that concerned, he come and see me for himself. If not? Then I’ll be just fine.” After a moment, she added, “No. Better than fine.”
Chapter Eight
He’d known where to find her.
If he was honest with himself, Boone would have to admit, he’d thought about stopping in to see Sloane Redding every single time he came within a few hours of Alabama. Ever since she’d sent that first card—a Christmas card. The first he’d ever received.
But he hadn’t let himself do it then.
Then, there’d been no reason, other than just to meet the younger sister of his two best friends.
Now he had a reason—it had been eight weeks since the wedding. He’d just gotten back from a brief job in Beirut. He had two choices—either take some time off or talk to the boss about a proposition that had been placed before him.
Boone didn’t do so well with time off, but before he left the country, possibly for months, he had to see her.
The condo where she lived was in a nice, upper-class neighborhood. Although he’d rented a decent car, he felt like an imposter, walking toward her door, unsure of what he’d say or what he’d do when he saw her.
What if —
No.
He wasn’t here on a what if —
He was here just to make sure. It was a responsibility thing, and only that. Once he walked away this time, it would be for good. It didn’t matter that he woke up, imagining the taste of her on his lips. Didn’t matter that he’d spent more time under a cold shower trying to freeze the heat out of him and it didn’t matter that more than once, he thought about how easy it had been to just…be with her.
Laying in a bed with a woman at his side had never been a restful, easy thing for him.
That sort of connection was for one thing and one thing only.
Sex.
But he could have held her forever.
If he was the kind of guy who could believe in what-ifs .
The sun had gilded everything gold as he came to a stop in front of her door. He knocked once and turned away, his hands in his pockets. There was no answer, so he knocked again.
“She’s not home yet.”
He saw a pair of bright eyes peering at him from around the corner. Coaxing his face into his version of a polite smile, he nodded as a diminutive older woman came toward him, pushing a walker in front of her.
“Ma’am.”
She cocked her head. Eyes, bird-bright, regarded him. “Are you Sloane’s young man?”
“Ah…” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “No, ma’am. A friend. I knew her brothers.”
“Oh.” She pursed her lips and then shrugged. “It’s Thursday. On Thursday, Sloane closes the library. She won’t be home for a few more hours. If you like, I can tell her you came by.”
“No. That’s not necessary.” He nodded at her. “I’ll just come back.”
Once she made her way down the hall, he eyed the door and then jogged down the steps. He only had the night here, so he supposed
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