Reckless by Maya Banks

would you call a quick fuck?”
    J.T.’s face darkened in fury. He spun her around and all but shoved her out of the kitchen and back into the living room. He sat her on the couch and plopped down beside her.
    “Cut the crap, Nikki. You were a virgin. I was your first.”
    She couldn’t breathe. It hurt too much. She hadn’t wanted him to know, hadn’t wanted him to have that kind of power over her.
    Then he cupped her cheek, his touch so gentle, she wanted to cry. He nudged at her chin until she was forced to meet his gaze.
    “I hurt you, honey, and I’m so damn sorry. It shouldn’t have been like that. It should have been special, not a quickie on my office desk.”
    “It was my choice,” she said defiantly.
    “But why was I your choice?”
    She refused to look at him even though he held her chin as he stared at her.
    “Nikki, look at me,” he ordered.
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    Reckless
    She let her gaze flicker back to him. “Does it matter? I didn’t even think you’d know. And who would believe I was a virgin anyway?”
    “I would,” he said quietly. “And damn it, Nikki, you should have told me. I could have hurt you badly. If it had been someone else, someone who didn’t have your pleasure or best interests at heart, it could have been a lot worse.”
    “But it wasn’t,” she said. “Everything was just fine. My first time was all I could hope for, and now I no longer have my pesky virginity to worry about. I can lose the hang-ups over who the first guy will be and go out and have fun.”
    J.T. frowned, and he gripped her shoulders and shook her slightly. “Can you be serious for two seconds here? This isn’t a game. I know damn well you don’t take sex that lightly. Why are you acting so goddamn flip?”
    Pain centered in her chest and spread at an alarming rate. Rose up her throat until she couldn’t breathe. “I was being serious,” she whispered. “There was only one man I wanted. I thought…I thought he would be different than all the others. I thought he could see past who my mother was and see me . But in the end, I was just another quick fuck.
    Nobody important. Certainly no one he’d ever settle down with.”
    J.T. looked as though she’d just slapped him. He released her chin and stared at her with a combination of shock and horror. And she hadn’t thought she could hurt any more than she already did.
    She rose abruptly from the couch, folding her arms protectively across her middle.
    “I want you to leave, J.T. We have nothing more to say to each other. You won’t have to worry. I’ve gotten the message. I won’t be stalking you anymore.”
    He was on his feet in two seconds, pressing into her space. She backed warily away.
    “Now you wait just a damn minute, Nikki,” he growled.
    They were interrupted by the doorbell. She turned swiftly to answer it, relieved to be saved the confrontation. What else was there to be said? He’d made his point. She got it.
    No need to beat her over the head.
    She yanked open the front door to see Zane standing there, hands shoved into his pockets.

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    Maya Banks
    “Hey, Nikki,” he said in a gentle voice. “I heard you had a rough night.”
    To her eternal disgust, she burst into tears.
    Zane pulled her into his arms. “Hey now, it’s okay. I’ll take you out to the ranch.
    Jasmine was worried about you.”
    She nodded against his chest.
    “J.T. still here?” he asked.
    She pulled away and scrubbed at her face. She started to ask how he knew J.T. was here, but then she looked beyond him to see the squad car in her drive. Great. Now the whole damn town would know he’d stayed over. Not that she gave a shit, but J.T.’s reputation would suffer, no doubt.
    She turned in time to see J.T. walk up behind her. “You should get your car out of my driveway,” she said acidly. “Whatever will people think? You can’t have everyone thinking you’ve been a round with the town whore.”
    J.T.’s