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The other one was a dweeby, good girl who hadn’t got to first base with a guy.
    “I don’t flirt, I don’t date, I don’t have any freaking idea when a guy likes me or not,” I said, grabbing the nearest cushion and hugging it to my chest. “That’s why I wonder if I kinda brought this on myself.”
    Chantal punched me on the arm. “You’re invoking the defense of every rapist on the planet. ‘She asked for it.’ Or ‘ she dressed like a slut so she deserved it.’ ” Chantal shook her head. “It doesn’t work that way.”
    “I know, but…” Dave’s accusations echoed in my head. Had I inadvertently led him on?
    “But what?”
    “He said a bunch of stuff—”
    “That tried to lay the blame on you, right?” Chantal snorted. “Forget it, sweetie. None of this was your fault.”
    Chantal’s cell beeped and she hesitated before picking it up.
    “Go ahead.” It would give me more time to ponder what the hell I was going to do.
    I didn’t want to throw my virginity away on some lowlife, but I wasn’t holding out for the fabled knight in shining armor either. One thing I did know. Until I had sex for the first time, Dave’s ‘frigid bitch’ and ‘cockteaser’ would haunt me.
    “That was Reid,” Chantal said, waving the cell at me. “He’s coming over.”
    I sat bolt upright. “You didn’t tell him anything?”
    Chantal rolled her eyes. “Relax, I’m not a complete moron. I know your bro’s overprotective. He’d probably bash that bastard’s brains out and lose his fast track to the senate.”
    So true, and the major reason I’d already decided not to tell Reid about this. I loved my sole sibling dearly but since our dad ran out on us when he was seven Reid took his man of the house responsibilities very seriously.
    “Then what’s he doing in Vegas?”
    “To see you, apparently.” Chantal shrugged. “He said he’d been to your dorm, you weren’t there, so he checked in here to see if I’d seen you.”
    “Why didn’t he ring me?”
    “Said he did.”
    I patted down the small purse I’d taken to the party, belatedly realizing I’d left my cell in my dorm room. “Damn.”
    Chantal poked me in the arm. “Rule number one of savvy women. Keep your cell within reach at all times.”
    She was right. I was a moron for leaving my cell behind when attending a party at a new place. Pity my street smarts weren’t on par with my grades.
    “I’m an idiot.”
    “Gullible idiot,” Chantal added, with a smirk. “You need to find yourself a guy, sweetie. Pronto.”
    “Sure thing.” I wriggled on the sofa and pretended to look under it. “Let me just pull one out of my ass.”
    Chantal laughed. “Maybe you should make that your summer project. Find a hot guy and let loose.”
    I wouldn’t know where to start.
    “What are you doing for summer?”
    I grimaced. “No idea.”
    Chantal’s hand flew to her mouth. “Tell me you’re not spending it back home running around from wedding to wedding as your mom’s lackey?”
    “Are you nuts? I’m a sad case but I’m not that desperate.”
    Besides, been there, done that, ripped up the veil to prove it. Being an assistant to the most hyper wedding planner on the planet was not my idea of fun. I’d been roped into helping Mom too many times as a teenager. If I saw one more place card, garter or buttonhole rose, I’d scream.
    “Then what are you going to do?”
    A knock on the door saved me from answering. My brother always had impeccable timing. He was also incredibly astute so I better pull off the best acting of my life to fool him into believing there was nothing wrong.
    “I’m not letting you off the hook,” Chantal said, before she headed to the door.
    The moment I heard my brother’s booming voice, I wanted to cry. Stupid, but he was the one guy in this world I could count on.
    “Hey, Sis.” He strode into Chantal’s lounge room, immediately shrinking it with his presence.
    Reid had that effect everywhere he went. It