The scent of the man was the first thing she noticed. Then strong arms held her against his chest, making her feel safe for the first time since … ever.
She felt like she was going in and out of consciousness. Different voices and sounds came but her focus stayed on the man and trying to remain on her feet.
Finally, she was able to sit down, or rather lay, in the back seat of a large vehicle.
Larkin cuddled up against the hardest but warmest thing she'd ever felt. She knew it was a man, one she didn't know. While she should have felt some concern over the fact they were alone, she'd never felt safer in her life.
She was jostled a bit when he lifted her out of the car and into his arms. Her head twirled and her stomach twisted. Resting against him and curling her around his neck, she knew instinctively he'd take care of her.
****
"Where are we?" she murmured against his neck. "Mmmm, you smell good."
Darian rolled his eyes as he got them on the elevator and put in his code for the penthouse. "You smell good too, baby."
She tilted her limp head back to look up at him. "Do I smell like sex?"
Darian's head jerked back, and he frowned. "What?" he barked.
"The girls put some perfume on me and said now I'd smell like sex and finally get a man to pop my cherry."
Darian wanted to roar as a streak of anger raced through him. He hated that her friends would make so little of her virginity. He closed his eyes for a moment to calm down, so he wouldn't scare her. "Why do they want you to get rid of your virginity?"
"Because I'm twenty-three, and I've got to open myself up to new experiences, even if I don't want too, they said."
Darian stepped into the foyer of his condo and made his way to his bedroom. "Why do you have to change yourself? I think you're perfect just the way you are."
A sleepy grin crossed her face. "You don't know me yet. I'm a hot mess."
Darian placed her on her back on the bed and slid off her shoes. "Who told you that?"
Larkin threw her arms out to her sides. "So many people, I can't remember all of them."
"Why, love?" he asked.
"Because I seem to be unable to grow up."
He saw the tears in her eyes.
"How did you determine what a grown-up is?"
Larkin reached for him and just about smacked him in the face.
Darian jerked his head back and grabbed onto her hand. "Answer me," he said gently.
I can't…"
"Why the hell not?" he asked.
She struggled to sit up and then stand, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Shit, baby." He raced her into the bathroom, thankful they'd just made it. He pulled back her hair to keep it out of the toilet and reached for a washcloth.
Larkin sagged against the toilet when her bout of vomiting was over. "I don't like this," she confessed.
Darian smiled sympathetically. "I know, baby. It won't happen again if I have anything to say about it."
She nodded tiredly with her eyes closed.