Home > Keep My Heart : Top Shelf Romance #7(197)

Keep My Heart : Top Shelf Romance #7(197)
Author: Lex Martin

“Do you even know who this is?” he asks me.

“Yes. His name is Patrick. I tutored him last semester, so put back your pitchfork.” I look up at Patrick and give him an apologetic look.

“Wrong.” His voice is jolting. “He was put on probation his freshman year for sexually assaulting a girl at a frat party. She pressed charges and since Daddy’s a lawyer, he got a slap on the wrist.”

Patrick’s jaw clenches, and I can see the hardness in his eyes. I had no idea. Patrick is a year older than me, so Travis would’ve been the one in school with him back then.

“It’s time to go.” Travis links our fingers together and pulls me away. I can’t even be mad at his caveman behavior after learning about Patrick’s history.

“We were just going to share an Uber,” I start explaining although he hadn’t asked. “I wasn’t going to go home with him.”

He doesn’t say anything as he sets his mouth in a firm line.

We walk out into the parking lot of the club, and the cool night breeze begins to sober me up, although those last set of shots were really a bad idea.

“You should’ve never been drinking that much with a guy you hardly know and especially never Uber home with him. He’s dangerous.”

“Well, I didn’t know that at the time. He’s always been nice to me.”

“They’re always nice, Viola. That’s how they get girls to go back home with them.”

Clearly, I hadn’t known that.

“Well, he wouldn’t have had to try really hard. I’m practically naked already.”

He walks me to the side of the club, and as I lean up against the building, he paces in front of me, brushing his hands through his hair. “You shouldn’t say shit like that, Viola. Guys see you, and they see a good fuck. They don’t see the real you.”

“Well, you would know, right? You don’t hook up with girls to get to know them. You go for the quick fuck and kick them out before the morning coffee is done brewing.”

His head is bowed, but he looks up at me, his eyes locked on mine. “I’m only going to say this because I know you won’t remember it. Guys like him don’t want a one-night stand. They don’t find girls to hook up with just for the thrill. They want power and control. My bet is he was hoping to get you back to his place and give you his special cocktail that would make you pass out just enough so he could take full advantage. Guys like him are cowards and a pathetic excuse as a man, so don’t put me and him in the same category. I might get off on having a sexy little thing like you under me, but it’d be completely mutual. I get off on getting girls off, not on taking something they’re not willing to give.”

His breath is ragged, and I can see how tense his mouth is as he confesses that to me. I’m not sure where it came from, but it was a side of Travis that actually sounded genuine.

“So, what you’re saying is the real me isn’t good enough to be someone’s one-night stand? I’d only be good if I were unconscious…?” I know I’m testing his limits, but liquid courage is making me bolder than usual.

He mutters curse words under his breath, and I know I’ve pushed too far. I hear a car driving up behind him and look to see it’s the Uber driver.

He wraps a hand around my elbow and leads us to the back door. “Get in the car.”

I blink. “What?”

He reaches behind me and grabs the door handle. “Get in the car, Viola. We’re going home.”

I do as he says and buckle myself in. His silence is deafening, and I’m sure I’ll wake up filled with regret.

I lay my head back against the seat and close my eyes. How the hell did the night take such a turn for the worse?

“I can’t believe you drank that much,” I hear him mumble.

I turn my head and see he’s looking right at me. “Are you going to ground me now, father?” A loose laugh escapes my throat.

“I’d do a lot more than just ground you.”

“Ooh, I’m in big trouble, huh? I’m so scared.” I mock, digging the hole deeper and deeper. Apparently, word vomit is a thing. The words come out before I can filter them through my brain.

“You should be, V. You really should be,” he says, and I’m certain I see the corners of his lips tilt up.

“Don’t call me that again, Travis,” I hiccup. “I might have to show you what kind of virgin I really am,” I say as my body slides down the seat, and I rest my head in his lap because my world is shifting. I can’t be certain if it’s the alcohol or Travis King. Perhaps it’s the deadly combination of both.

 

 

Chapter 9

 

 

Travis

 

 

Goddammit.

The more she talks, the harder it becomes to hold my tongue. The moment I saw her with that piece-of-shit Patrick, I immediately sobered up. Drew’s my best friend, and he’d punch me in a heartbeat if he knew what happened. I know if I had a little sister, I'd expect him to watch out for her, too. (Minus the sultry dancing, of course).

Viola is a lot of things—a royal pain in my ass, a filthy smart-mouth, and a damn Goody Two-shoes—but she's not a girl who recklessly gets wasted and agrees to go home with a guy she hardly knows. Even after all these years of giving her shit and her giving it right back, I'd never let her leave with a guy like Patrick.

As she leans her limp body against mine, I try to find the willpower to behave myself. She might annoy the shit out of me and grate on my nerves every chance she gets, but I'm still a man. She looks fucking incredible tonight, hotter than I've ever seen her, and while on the dance floor, she was practically undressing me with her eyes.

“I sometimes don't hate you, Travis King,” she slurs, and then looks up at the sky.

“I guess I'll take that as a compliment.”

“You were so nice when I was little, but then you grew up and became a royal asshole.”

I roll my eyes, knowing she probably won't remember any of this in the morning.

“She okay?” the guy asks me, and I nod.

“Had too much to drink,” I explain. “She's my roommate for the next couple of weeks, and I wanted to make sure she got back home safely.”

“You're a good man,” he praises with a nod. “I've seen far too many dangerous things happen to women this late at night.”

I only purse my lips because if he knew the thoughts in my head right now, he wouldn't be saying that to me. Viola Fisher may be off-limits, but that doesn't stop my mind and body from reacting to her. As much as I love to drive her insane, I can't deny the way she's always made me feel, even when we were kids who knew nothing about love at all.

When we arrive to the house, I'm able to wake her long enough to get her inside. A rush of exhaustion hits, but I can't leave her alone.

“Travis…” she mumbles as I direct her down on the bed.

“What, Viola?” I kneel beside her, slipping off her heels.

“Viola?” she repeats. “Ooh, so formal,” she says in a mocking tone, laughing to herself.

“Can you undress yourself?” I ask, hopeful.

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