Loud snoring summoned her from her dreams, and Blair smiled sleepily, stretching alongside the solid form of Hugh in bed beside her. He grunted in his sleep but settled when she kissed his cheek. His lips turned upwards in a smile before he relaxed. Careful not to jostle him, she slipped from between the sheets and tiptoed to the bathroom to pee.

She was sore, but it was a good sore. After their first round of sex on the floor, they had migrated to the couch, the oversized chair, and the kitchen counter before finally tumbling into bed, laughing as they became tangled in the sheets and wound up on the floor again. After the last time, they had shared a few tender moments looking into each other’s eyes with all their raw emotions laid bare. Neither had to say the words to know what the other was thinking but too hesitant to say out loud yet. Blair grimaced at the loud flushing of the toilet, but Hugh barely stirred. He rolled over, taking the sheet with him, and kept on sleeping. She picked up his t-shirt off the floor and slipped it on.

His apartment wasn’t very big, but after she grabbed a glass of water, she wandered the space again. Several pictures he hadn’t hung up yet rested against the window wall. Curious, she flipped the first one around and the glass almost tumbled from her hand in surprise.

“What?” she whispered, setting the glass down and picking up the framed photograph in both hands. “This is from last October!”

The photograph staring at her was of pumpkins beside a woman with ebony skin and long, curly black hair. Leaves scattered the ground around her, and she tossed more over her head. The photographer had caught them falling over her head. The image was beautiful and had sold the first night it appeared at the gallery. Blair knew because it was the first photograph she’d ever sold.

“He bought it.”

She set it aside and one by one, turned the other photographs around. All of them were hers. The darker, shadowy ones from January and the more recent shots she sold the night she had bumped into Hugh outside the gallery. Her lips curled to the side in a crooked grin as she set the pictures side by side until they stretched along the entire wall. The first few seemed to be random choices of ones he liked, but from the last batch, he bought the photographs pertaining to their childhood together.

In moment of nostalgia, she had taken these photos. She had wanted to remember the times spent with her best friend. Once she developed them, though, it hurt too much to keep them. The polaroid shots in her room were enough of a reminder of what she thought was lost forever.

“Blair?”

He shuffled out of the short hallway, rustling his hair and scratching at his beard stubble. When he rubbed his sleep-filled eyes and noticed the photographs, he tucked his hands in his jeans pockets and offered her a crooked grin. “Caught me.”

“You knew. All this time, you knew what I was up to. How did you find out?”

“Really? Blair, I know you probably better than you know yourself,” he said, admiring the photographs. “The ones of you are my favorite.”

She followed his gaze to the four lined up at the end, photographs of Blair looking at her reflection in a puddle, through a window, and another in a mirror. The last showed a sad face filled with pain and regret. She considered it one of her best photographs.

“What were you looking at?”

“Us,” she whispered. “A picture of us before we fell apart.”

“They’re remarkable. Why don’t you put your real name on them?”

“I can’t do that. Do you think you’re the only one who has to put up a front around your parents? Mom wants me to be just like dad, and dad was a businessman.”

“He was also a nomad before he settled down,” he reminded her.

Blair thought of her plan for escape and fiddled with his t-shirt as her toes curled on the hardwood. If she went through with this marriage, would Hugh be willing to escape with her? Get away from this predestined life of theirs?

“What is it?” He was in front of her and lifting her chin. “Blair?”

“All of this—you and me and the photographs… I keep waiting to wake up from a dream. A terribly wonderful dream.” She leaned into his hand, sighing.

“It’s not a dream,” he promised. “I’m real, this—what we have—this is real.”

Unwanted tears slipped from her eyes and she was helpless to stop them. “I love you,” she breathed and opened her eyes. “I’ve always loved you.”

His hazel eyes shown back with so much adoration and understanding it hurt. “I will always love you more,” he murmured before he kissed her. His lips barely brushed over hers, and she sighed as he enveloped her in his arms.

“Don’t let me go,” she begged.

“Never again,” he said firmly. “You’re mine, Blair, and I’m yours from now until the end.”

He pulled out of her grasp long enough to grin as he reached for his cell and turned on a song Blair hadn’t listened to since their sudden separation from each other’s lives. She used to tease him about picking it as their unofficial song, but when it played softly through the speakers and he gathered her back in his arms, no words were needed. They danced in a circle around his living room, him holding her hand against his bare chest so she felt his heartbeat, steady and sure. Katy Perry’s voice soothed her worries as the lyrics of “Unconditionally” flowed through the room. Hugh rested his cheek on her head, and Blair let him swing her around. The sweet moment grew into one of laughter and pure love as the song ended and the next one began. She smirked when “Dark Horse” came on next. She expected him to shut it off, but he twirled her away from his body and brought her back again.

They cackled as they danced, carefree in his apartment at three o’clock in the morning. Blair would have given anything for the moon to stay out longer and keep the day at bay so as not to break the magic of her rekindled love with Hugh. She bent over double, her sides aching along with her cheeks from smiling so much when he tried to dance on his toes like a ballerina and caught her around the waist, swinging them around and around.

With every step they took, every laugh escaping their lips in unison, the awkwardness caused by their time apart vanished and all that remained was Blair and Hugh, together again.

She pressed her back into his chest and he hugged her close, nuzzling her neck and nibbling her ear as the pulsing beat of the song made her blood hum with adrenaline. His hands roamed over her body, and she pushed her ass into the cradle of his hips, wanting him as much as she did the first time they made love a few hours ago.

When his hands crept lower and paused at the absence of panties, she cocked an eyebrow and glanced over her shoulder at him. Her hands found the button on his jeans and undid it, never breaking eye contact as she went for the zipper next. Keeping her back to him, she worked at his jeans. Once he was freed, he smoothed his hands up her arms so they were over her head so she could remove her shirt. The beat of the music swirled around them, locking them in a heated moment of unresolved lust and the need to touch and be touched. The back of the couch was in front of her, and she bent over to hold it. Hugh cursed, a growl deep in his throat, and she licked her lips as she wiggled her hips.

His knee spread her legs wider and his pulsing cock rubbed her cleft. She quivered with anticipation, but he teased her first by kissing her shoulders and along her upper back, shoving her hair aside impatiently to reach her neck and ear. Pressure built in her, and she clenched her thighs gently, trapping him there, and moved them so she worked effectively back and forth on his shaft.

“I never thought I could want you this much,” he said in a husky voice in her ear.

“You’re not alone there,” she replied, and this time when he spread her legs, she was graced with him angling himself so he could thrust inside her sex, crying out for him again.

He drove upward and she sighed when he stretched her, but he drew back too soon. She whined at the loss and he thrust again, and when he was seated deep within her, they both sighed at the satisfying connection. Blair closed her eyes, letting her body feel every minor sensation of his hands holding her hips, the rough palms on her skin, and the way he glided in out of her with such precision and the subtle panting as he thrust. When his hands moved forward to cup her breasts, she reached back, digging her nails into his thigh, urging him on faster. Withdrawing from her, he spun her around, picked her up, and backed her into the nearest wall.

As she latched her legs at his lower back, he filled her easily again and she cried out as he rubbed her clit. His kisses sent goosebumps shooting down her skin. The pressure built like a spring waiting to be let loose, and when it finally did, when the dam burst and she was overwhelmed with insane pleasure, she clung to him as he spilled himself into her, pouring out his heart and his soul so they mingled with hers in the moonlight streaming in through the window.

“I’ll never let you go,” he whispered again as they came down from the tremors of their coupling. “Never again.”

She believed him.

If only she could chase away the lingering doubt in the back of her mind that their dreams would come crashing down around them if they weren’t careful. Then she could give herself over completely to Hugh. Until then, she would hold onto her backup plan, and if the time came, prayed he would run with her.

* * *

The next few days passed filled with laughter and talks well into the wee hours of morning, twisted together and naked in the sheets. Hugh and Blair kept their little rendezvous secret from their parents, making up excuses for where she’d been and why he’d refused to have dinner with his family that week. They talked about their future as they had before their split, and Hugh found himself looking forward to it instead of dreading whatever horrors his mom cooked up for him. Her only thought was advancing her political career. Hugh was ready for a life filled with love and adventure.

He’d found the polaroid camera in Blair’s bag the third day she was there, and they spent the afternoon lazing in the sun and snapping photos of each other like the old days. Blair was naked in most of them, as was he, their skin flushed from bouts of laughing, tickling, and lovemaking rolled into one. When Friday morning rolled around, he lay beside her, content to watch the sun rise and move gradually across her face. Her eyes squinted and still asleep, she pulled the sheet up to cover her head.

“Morning.” He brushed his lips on her cheek.

“Hmm,” she grumbled. “Why are you always such a morning person?”

“Natural talent. I’m going to head out for a few hours and run some errands.”

“Oh? Do you want me to come?” she asked, wiping her hands down her face in an attempt to wake up.

“Nah, you sleep in. Spring break’s about over.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me. That means I have to go back to Mom’s.”

“Does it?” he asked.

Her brow crinkling, she sat up and his gaze was drawn to her exposed flesh begging to be kissed. “What are you asking me?”

“I said I would give you a key,” he reminded her, “and I wouldn’t mind the company.”

“You want me to move in with you?”

“Why not?”

For a split second, he saw doubt creep into her eyes. He waited for her to say no, but she tackled him to the bed, smothering him in kisses as she hugged him. “Yes. Hell yes.”

“Good. Then, on that note, I’ll pick up a few extra things to celebrate. How about tomorrow night, I cook you something fancy?”

“God, please don’t,” she jested. “We can get takeout or I’ll cook.”

The gears turning in his mind, Hugh shook his head, sending his messy hair flying. “No, tomorrow night needs to be special. We’ll get takeout, whatever you want. Your favorite.”

“You already know what that is.” She eyed him curiously. “What are you up to?”

He held up his hands and tried to look innocent. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Go shopping with Jesse and find something fancy to wear. Something easy to take off,” he added as an afterthought and climbed out of bed.

Blair propped her head up in her hand and watched him, licking her lips as he strolled across his room, searching through the mess of clothes on the floor. She’d worn nothing but his t-shirts and boxers since arriving Tuesday night. He took his time picking up his jeans and shaking them out, fishing out a fresh pair of boxers and picking a random t-shirt from his open closet.

She sighed. “I will never get tired of watching you.”

His lips lifted in a lopsided grin. “Never?”

“Nope, never. Are you going to let your stubble grow back out? I still vote beard.”

He rubbed his jaw and cheeks, glancing in the mirror at his more rugged look. “It would certainly be different. You don’t think I’d look too caveman?”

“Who cares? You’d be my caveman.”

He finished dressing, splashed water on his face, and breathed her in one more time before he kissed her and set the spare key on the nightstand. “I’ll be back later. Text me if you need anything.”

“I will.”

He held her hand as he stepped away, and when hers fell out of his, the strangest sensation of waking from a dream washed over him. Blair was in his bed, though, smiling at him as she hunkered down under the covers and closed her eyes to go back to sleep. She wouldn’t disappear in the few hours he would be gone. He watched her for a few more seconds, then told himself to get going. He needed to run by the store and swing by the local Italian restaurant where they got takeout back in their early college days so he could put in an order to get them through the rest of the weekend.

The last place he had to go was special and he would save it for last. He texted Justin as he stepped out of his apartment but jumped when he ran into the man himself.

“Where’s the fire?” Justin asked, laughing.

“I was texting you.” He tucked his cell in his pocket and hid his suspicious frown with a hurried smile. “What are you doing here?”

“I haven’t heard from you in days, man. I wanted to make sure you were alive.”

“I’m alive—more alive than I’ve been in a long time.”

Was it his imagination or did Justin’s jaw clench? The muscles strained in his neck and his hands curled into loose fists before he clapped Hugh on the shoulder. “And why is that? Don’t tell me you found religion or some crazy shit like that?”

“Close enough. Blair and I are back together.” They walked down the hall as the silence stretched between them. “You can say something,” Hugh told his friend. “Anything, really.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Justin said finally, and Hugh paused. “After what she did to you, you’re going to take her back and not worry she might break your heart again?”

Hugh fiddled with his car keys. “I trust her.”

“Uh huh, and why do you suddenly trust her?”

“Look, we had a falling out, but the love never left us. I messed up and so did she, but she never actually slept with anyone. She made it all up because she held onto the chance we’d make it work again and we are,” he explained firmly. “We’re doing this and I’m going out to find a ring today.”

“A ring?” Justin choked on the words. “You’ve got to be shitting me! How do you know she’s telling you the truth?”

Hugh’s eyes narrowed. “What’s gotten into you?”

“I’m worried you’re getting used. I can be worried.”

“Not like this.” Justin paced away from him and back again. “You don’t even know Blair.”

“I know everything I’ve heard around campus, and I know what you vented to me for nearly a year,” he corrected. “She’s bad news. One week around her and look what’s happening.” He grabbed Hugh’s shoulders and gave him a sudden shake. “Don’t you see? She’s getting you to do exactly what your parents want. Isn’t that what you were rebelling against?”

He pried his friend’s hands off and stepped away. “What I want is to be with Blair. We’re making our own plans now, and when the time is right, our parents will have no say in what we do or how we live.” Justin ground his teeth and opened his mouth, but Hugh held up his hand.

“I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but I’m happy, Justin. Neither you nor anyone else can get in the way of what I should have had with her a long time ago.” He unlocked his Corvette and walked around the front to sit behind the wheel. His mind raced with the implications Justin threw at Blair. Why would she lie about lying?

Why does he care so much about her is the better question, he argued with himself.

Justin stood outside his car, his arms crossed, and glared furiously at Hugh through the passenger window. He wasn’t leaving until his friend walked away. All he needed was for Blair to step outside and be confronted by that man when he was pissed off at her for imagined slights. He knew Blair well enough to know her tells when she lied, and she was not lying anymore. Five more minutes passed and Justin finally stalked away. Hugh waited for him to get in his car, a few behind the Corvette, and squealed his tires as he peeled away from the curb.

Hugh hadn’t realized he’d gripped the steering wheel so hard until he started the engine and his fingers ached. He stretched out his hands and told himself to keep it together. If Justin wanted to act like an idiot, that was his prerogative. Hugh had what he wanted back in his life, and his friend could either accept it or get out of the way.

* * *

The coffee burned when she drank it too fast. Blair cursed, pushing her burnt tongue to the roof of her mouth. Jesse giggled next to her as she accepted her coffee next. “It’s not funny.”

“Which part?” her friend asked. “You failing to see the irony in your situation or you burning your tongue?”

“Both,” she muttered as they left the coffee stand in the mall and wandered around.

“You’re back with Hugh. This is good, right? This isn’t some guilt shit from your mom or his parents? This is you two getting back together because you want to?”

Blair bobbed her head for the tenth time. “Yes. I went over there Tuesday and we talked.”

“And you haven’t left his apartment since.” Jesse whistled. “Wait, did you two…oh, my God, you did. You’re all grown up and finally having sex.”

“Jesus, woman,” Blair snapped and blushed when several older ladies glowered at Jesse’s outburst. “You’re going to have the blue hairs coming after me if you keep that up. Yes, we had sex,” she added quietly. “A few times.”

“A few times? Oh, honey, that glow in your cheeks says it was more than a few times.”

Blair couldn’t keep the grin from stretching across her face. “It’s telling the truth.”

She tried to keep smiling, but a nagging voice in the back of her mind told her to be honest with her friend. Grabbing Jesse’s arm, she pulled her into a small alcove between two department stores as her gaze danced around as if her mom, or Hugh’s, would suddenly appear out of nowhere.

“I think I messed up, though,” she whispered.

“What are you talking about? You’re not happy to be with him?”

“No, no, I am, and we’re working things out for ourselves, but…I was distracted this week and I might have, you know…missed a few things, if you catch my drift.”

Jesse tilted her head as her brow furrowed. Blair helped her by placing a hand on her stomach and arching her brows. “Oh…oh. How many days did you forget?”

“Two. Do I need to go get that plan B thing or whatever?” She twisted a curl around her finger, shaking with the anxiety she’d fought all morning after she realized what had happened. Hugh was gone when she found her pack of pills in her bag and cursed herself for missing the last two days. “Jesse, I’m freaking out and your silence is not helping.”

“Sorry, but no, you should be fine. I’ve missed before, too, and no babies here.”

“You think?”

“Yeah, I’m sure you’re fine. Just don’t forget any more, all right?”

“You’re probably right. It took Mom years to get pregnant with me,” she said, more to reassure herself than Jesse, though it didn’t work. “Can we go back to shopping? I like shopping and not worrying about the future.”

“The future nine months out you mean?”

“Jesse!”

“Right, you’re right, sorry. Too soon.” She latched arms with Blair and guided her towards a dress shop across the way. “He said special occasion?”

“To celebrate me moving in, but it’s more than that.”

“Then we need to find you something fitting for celebrating plus some.”

They laughed as they entered the shop and browsed the racks of long dresses and short dresses, ranging in colors all across the spectrum. She leaned towards something blue to bring out her eyes and because it was her preferred color. Blues had so many shades and depths that sometimes, it seemed never ending.

“This one,” Jesse said and handed her a dress on a hanger. “Go.”

“All right, pushy,” she teased and walked into the dressing room.

The dress was a deep shade of sapphire that ended at her knees. The skirt was flowing, but the bodice was corseted, lacing up the back and showing plenty of skin. Two off-the-shoulder sleeves along with a plunging neckline completed the look. If she was looking for a dress to knock Hugh off his feet, this was it. After a few curses and finally pleading for Jesse to stop laughing and help her into the laces, she stepped out to view herself in the three-way mirror.

“Where’s your camera now?” Jesse mused beside her. “You look perfect.”

Blair spun around, giggling when the dress spun out around her legs. “You don’t think this is too much?”

“Hell no. Hold that thought,” she said and hurried back into the shop. She returned with a pair of matching, strappy blue heels, earrings that dangled low to her shoulders, and a bracelet resting loose on her wrist. “Now, you’re perfect.”

“Did you ever consider going into fashion?” Blair asked as she admired her reflection, smoothing her hands down the soft fabric hugging her body. Her hands lingered on her belly, but Jesse grabbed them and stared sternly at her.

“What do we say? We don’t worry until there’s reason to worry.” She kissed Blair on the cheek. “It’ll all work out for the best. I feel it.”

“You said that about you and Mark twenty times, you know that, right?”

“And look what happened? Mark and I are back together and this time it’s official.”

“Official as in...” She trailed off and picked up her friend’s left hand. “Oh, my God. I didn’t even see it. Congratulations.” She hugged Jesse as they bounced in the dressing room. Blair moved Jesse’s left ring finger so the heart-shaped diamond glittered in the light. “Wow, you’ll have me as your photographer, right?”

“Who else could catch my good side?” She stared at her ring and sighed. “I can’t believe our luck. I’m getting what I want out of life and you have Hugh back in yours. It’s been a good week for once.”

“That means it can only get better, right?”

“Right. Now change out of that outfit so we can grab some lunch. I’m starving.”

Blair hopped off the small platform and closed the curtain on her dressing room. Her happiness at being with Hugh was amplified by her joy over her friend’s engagement, finally, to a man so devoted to her he never gave up. Hugh and Mark had quite a few things in common. As Blair slipped out of the dress, she remembered the mischievous look in Hugh’s eyes that morning and her fingers stilled. Slowly, her gaze slipped to her empty left ring finger and her toes curled. Was he buying a ring today? What if he proposed tomorrow?

Excitement bubbled over and she covered her mouth to stop herself from squealing in bliss. They already knew they were getting married, but he was a romantic at heart and so was she.

After her outfit was purchased, Blair let her mind wander over the days to come as she caught up with her friend. They talked about Jesse’s wedding and when she thought they would have it. She told Blair about them wanting to finish grad school first, but the more her friend talked, the more Jesse seemed to want to get married sooner rather than later. By the time Blair dropped her off at campus, Jesse was ready to set a summer date so she could get started on her life.

Blair texted Hugh when she returned to the apartment to find him still gone. He said he would be back in an hour and to make herself at home. Blair hung up her dress in the guest room closet to hide it from Hugh and decided a bath was in order. She filled the tub with steaming hot water and bubbles made out of Hugh’s body wash, and sank into the tub. Her eyes were closed and she drifted between sleep and simply being content when she heard the apartment door open and Hugh called her name.

“Bathroom!” she responded.

His steps sounded in the living room and kitchen and she wondered what he was up to before he finally appeared in the doorway. His shoulder rested on the doorframe and he crossed his arms, his muscles tense as he gave her an appreciative smile.

“How was your day?” he asked. “Find something to wear tomorrow night?”

“I did. And you? Did you find whatever you needed?” she pushed. His smile widened, telling her she wasn’t about to get anything out of him.

“I did. How’s Jesse?”

“Engaged, finally. I think we should do a double date with her and Mark one night.”

“Sounds like fun.” He kicked out of his shoes and socks, and padded barefoot to sit on the edge of the tub. “You hungry for dinner? I bought takeout so we could enjoy the rest of our carefree weekend.”

“I need to do homework at some point,” she groused.

“That’s what Sunday night cram nights are for, remember?”

His cell dinged and he reached for it, but whoever it was made his hand clench. He set the phone on the counter without replying.

“Everything all right?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said, but his nostrils flared, and Blair bit the inside of her cheek. You can’t call him out on it when you haven’t told him you missed two days of birth control. “Blair?”

“Sorry, just thinking about this week.”

“All good thoughts, I hope.”

“You tell me.” She reached out of the water, grabbed him by his shirt, and pulled him into the tub with her. He sputtered as water splashed into his face and she laughed hysterically as he shoved his wet hair out of his face. “Sorry, you looked dirty,” she gasped between bouts of laughter.

Hugh laughed with her, pulled her into his lap, and kissed her hotly. He showed her all through the night just how dirty he could be.