The Dangerous Curves Series

Chapter 21

He stared at her, blinked a few times. “I – I don’t understand.”

“I haven’t had s*x with anybody.” She swallowed hard. “Ever.”

He stared some more. “But – but you’re what? Twenty-five?”

“Almost twenty-six.”

“And – and you look like this!” He gestured at her lush, amazing body, her sexy curls and beautiful eyes. “I mean… how? How are you still a virgin?”

Sarah looked down.

“And what about Dave?” Jax said. “You never – you didn’t…”

She shook her head, still not meeting his eyes.

“Oh, baby.” He gently lifted her chin and saw her tears. “I’m sorry… I was just surprised. Don’t be upset, OK?”

“OK,” she whispered.

“Let’s start again, alright?”

She nodded.

“So.” Jax gathered his thoughts. “Are you saving yourself for marriage?”

“No,” Sarah said. “I’m not religious.”

“Did – did you have a bad experience? Something that scared you off s*x?” His eyes darkened. “Somebody hurt you?”

“No.”

“OK. So…” Jax’s voice trailed off. He waited.

“It’s mostly because of – of Noah.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “It’s been… hard to have any kind of social life.”

“Tell me.”

“We’ve always been close, me and Noah. Maybe because we’re twins, maybe because we were the only kids around when we were growing up. But from the time we were small, Mom and Dad really struggled with Noah. They couldn’t understand him, or communicate with him, at all. When he was about four, he stopped letting anyone touch him except me. If he had to go to the doctor, I went too, and talked Noah into an examination. If he needed new clothes, I went with him and Mom to the store and held shirts up against him for him to see and choose. Lots of stuff just – fell on me, I guess. And it started so long ago, I never really knew anything different.”

Jax nodded.

“When it came time to go to school, Noah had babysitters and special programs, and I went to regular school. The separation was really bad for him, so my parents would get me home right after school, just to calm him down. And – and that was how it was. I’d go to school, then rush home to help with Noah.” She shrugged. “I never joined a club, never went to a school dance, never met friends for shopping or a movie. No social life at all – so how was I supposed to have a boyfriend?”

“I can see that,” Jax said gently.

“Then about eight years ago, right after I graduated from high school, my Dad left. He just disappeared and we have no idea where he is, so we can’t go after him for any kind of financial help. Since we lost his income, we can’t afford to send Noah to his special assistance care during the day anymore. We get help twice a week on a government program, so that’s free. But Mom had to take extra shifts at the diner, and I had to figure out a way to work from home.”

“s**t,” Jax muttered, thinking how much pressure that must have been on a teenager.

“Anyway, I took night courses at a local community college – marketing, web and print design, computer programming – and started my own business. Freelancing works for me in most ways, but again, it doesn’t leave lots of time for dating. And I hardly ever meet anyone, since I’m alone with Noah most of the time.”

“So how did you meet the dickhead? Your ex?”

“Through Ellen.” Sarah sighed. “Ellen, Dave and Richard all did their MBA’s together. Ellen and Rich graduated and work now, but Dave is doing a PhD in Economics. He was – he was my first boyfriend ever, and I was so flattered that he’d actually want to be with me. Nobody had ever been willing to work around my crazy life before, you see.”

“And how long did you two date?”

“Almost six months.”

Jax paused. “And you never slept together?”

She shook her head, tracing a pattern over and over again on the leather seat.

He took her hand. “How come?”

“I just – I don’t know. He pushed me so hard to have s*x, and I wanted to, I guess. I mean, I was curious, and he’s a good-looking guy, and he really wanted to be my first. But… something was off about him. I just didn’t trust him.”

Good call, doll. The guy is an abusive f**k.



“And so that’s why I’m not going to see you again, Jax.”