Releasing a sigh of relief to be home, I dropped my purse on the bench next to the door and wiggled out of my heels. The entire day had been a disaster. I hadn’t been able to get my mind far enough away from Brandon to get anything finished. My meeting with the event coordinator about the success of the run had been a total flop. My boss had to call my name twice when my mind wandered. She’d even remarked on my inattention. Luckily, she was the forgiving sort.

Still, I was thankful the day was over. It had only been two days since my coffee date with Brandon. Surely by tomorrow, I’d be over his rejection. I laughed to myself and set the flowers I was carrying onto the counter. Oh, yes, I’d almost forgotten about the flowers sent to my work. A dozen roses with a note reading only, xx.

Were they apology flowers? Brandon hated hurting people’s feelings, even with the truth. I rubbed a petal between my fingers, wincing at the sudden ache in my chest. It was like getting rejected a second time.

I needed calories and a good cry. Which was why, after I threw on my PJs, I would watch the saddest movie I could find. While eating a gigantic bowl of Mocha Almond Fudge. It was my go-to ritual for getting over shit.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. My phone rang, interrupting my pity-party for one. I would have let it go to voicemail, but when I saw Sherri’s number, I gave up.

“Have you made it to the ice cream yet?” she asked as soon as I answered. She’d been at the meeting and, noticing my odd behavior, had quizzed me at lunch. Her advice about Brandon was to try again. But I was hesitant to make contact with him. For multiple reasons, the least of which that I’d broken his heart and didn’t deserve his forgiveness.

“No. You interrupted me. Now, do you mind? I have a sad movie to watch and calories to consume.”

“So, what is it tonight? Bambi or The Lion King?”

Yes, my go-to cry movies were both Disney films. Don’t judge. “You know me too well. Why don’t you come over? We can cry together. Then I won’t feel so guilty about finishing off an entire container of Mocha Almond Fudge.”

“Oh, hell no. The last thing I need is a cry-headache in the morning. And neither do you. At least wait until the weekend. Who knows what could happen in five days. Maybe this guy will come begging for a second chance.”

I snorted at that. “I’m the one who should be begging for a second chance.”

“Whatever, Lin. He sent you flowers. That means something.”

“You think?”

“Yeah, I think,” she said. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

“I don’t know.”

“You have to contact him.” Sherri’s voice held hope I didn’t feel.

“These are goodbye flowers, not call me flowers,” I told her.

“Didn’t you say he signed them with xx? Get on that computer of yours and contact him. He at least deserves a thank you.”

“You’re right.”

“I know I am.” Her smug tone made me laugh.

With a promise that I would call her with the details tomorrow, I ended the call and turned toward my bedroom. Looking back at the flowers, I bit my lip. Did he really mean the xx? Or did he not realize how that would look? Only one way to find out.

But as it turned out, fate had other plans. After logging in, I signed into my Alpha Singles account, surprised to see a message waiting.

Username: RealBrandonS

Lin, this is Brandon, in case you didn’t know that from my username. ;) I’m sorry for how awkward things got on our coffee date. I really enjoyed seeing you. Can we talk again sometime? I hope you don’t think I’m a total asshole.

A smile spread across my face. He wanted to talk again. It was more than I could hope for.

According to the time stamp, the message had come in only minutes before, so I quickly replied, hoping he was still online. He was.

Username: LunaLin

Hi, Brandon. No need to apologize. It wasn’t that awkward, was it? I’d like to talk again too. And the Brandon I know has never been an asshole a day in his life.

Username: RealBrandonS

The things you say! Anytime you want to boost my ego, go ahead. How about we start with my looks. I’m afraid I’ve let myself go these last few months at school. Eating nothing but Cup a Noodles and PB&J hasn’t been kind to my waistline.

Username: LunaLin

Oh, please! I am not going to inflate that ego of yours by telling you how hot you are, lol

Username: RealBrandonS

:o Hot you say? I’m flexing my muscles right now. Just for you.

Username: LunaLin

*Sigh

Username: RealBrandonS

Oh, man, my pecks look so big right now. Want a pic?

Username: LunaLin

OMG! NO! haha You’re a nut!

Username: RealBrandonS

A nut for you.

My heart thumped as I reread his last message. A nut for you. Was he really?

Username: RealBrandonS

Want to take this conversation to the phone? I need to hear your voice.

And he thought I said the nicest things. My stomach fluttered with hope. Which was why I resorted to banter instead. Though I did program the number he’d left at the end of his message into my phone. Just in case.

Username: LunaLin

Hmmm… How do I know you’re the real Brandon S, tho? And not the fake Brandon S? I was told not to talk to strangers.

Username: RealBrandonS

Good question…

Username: RealBrandonS

You have the tiniest freckle on your left breast that tastes like cotton candy.

Username: RealBrandonS

Does that convince you? If not, I could tell you about the dimple on your lower back. The one right above your exceptionally tight ass. It tastes just as sweet.

Flushed hot, my entire body tingled because I remembered each and every time he’d tasted me in those very spots.

Username: RealBrandonS

Not convinced yet? How about your inner thigh? I remember—

Clamping my thighs together, I turned away from the computer to dial his phone number. I couldn’t read anymore. If I did, I’d combust.

“Lin?”

At the sound of his voice, something inside of me relaxed. He’d always been my home. Until the day I died, I would never understand how I’d been able to leave him. If I ever got a second chance, I never would again.

“Lin?” Brandon asked again, his voice less sure.

“Hi,” I whispered.

“Hi.”

The silence that settled immediately after was heavy, filled with an electric current. Even over the phone, the crackling energy between us left me breathless.

Brandon was the first to speak. “There’s so much I want to say. At the café, you asked me if you could come home and I didn’t— shit, Lin,” he sighed. “I’m sorry. I fucked up.”

“It’s okay,” I interrupted. “Really. I fucked up first, remember? I’m not sure I deserve a second chance. That’s why I stayed away so long.”

“No, Lin. That’s not what I’m saying. Ugh! I can’t— I don’t want to do this on the phone. Can I come over? Please? I thought I needed to hear your voice, and I do. But I need to see you too. I need—

“Yes,” I agreed. How could I not? I needed to see him just as much. “By the way, Brandon, thank you for the flowers. They’re lovely. See you soon.”

I hung up the phone and sent him a text with my address and received an immediate reply.

Brandon: I didn’t send flowers.

That was strange. Who else could it have been? As I changed out of my work clothes, I thought of everyone I knew, but I hadn’t dated anyone recently. At work, there’d been no-one interested in anything more than friends.

If I hadn’t been so tired, I would have spent more time worrying about it. Instead, I focused on finding something to wear, settling on a pair of yoga pants, a tank top, and a baggy sweater. The thought of Brandon coming over had me feeling excited, but also a little scared. And getting dressed up would have only added to my anxiety.

Once comfortable, I was able to handle the nervous energy better. And a sudden feeling of not being alone had me cursing under my breath. I’d let myself get too distracted over Brandon and put my safety at risk.

Stepping out of the closet, a familiar scent made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Dale stepped through the doorway and into my bedroom, blocking the only escape I had. “Ready for our date?”

“Dale, what are you doing here? How did you get in?” Fear had my voice raising in pitch, and from the smug look on his face, Dale knew he’d scared me and liked it.

“We had a date. And you stood me up,” he said.

My fear gave way to a surge of anger. This loser had broken into my home claiming some mythical date, as if that was a good enough reason. He had some nerve. And damn it, I wanted my Mocha Almond Fudge. Was that too much to ask?

“We did not have a date, Dale. I told you no. Now, how did you get in here?” I demanded. Without waiting for an answer, I pointed toward the living room behind him. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave. Now.”

His brows bunched together as though thinking about what I’d said, then suddenly he was right in front of me. He grabbed my wrist in a bruising grip, his eyes dark as coal as he glared down at me.

“Think you’re too good for me?” he sneered. “Don’t play games. I saw you with that guy. I’m better than that piece of shit.”

He yanked me against him, smashing our bodies together and my vision went red. I could feel my body preparing for a fast change, my voice sounding deep and contorted as I spoke. “I. Said. No.” I growled, wrenching my arm away from his grasp.

When his eyes widened in alarm, I smiled darkly. He’d messed with the wrong wolf.