Lauren

 

“You shouldn’t go to school today. Just stay home and rest.” Asya poured herself a cup of coffee while I struggled to get my book back into my bag.

 

“I’ll be fine, Asya. I just need to do a few things. I’m almost done with this semester and then I can start my internship. If I miss too much work, I could lose it.”

 

She looked at me with hesitation. “Your shoulder looks like you were thrown against the wall by a gorilla. You barely slept last night; I know because I could hear you wandering around your room.”

 

She was right. I hadn’t slept well at all. Michael being thrust back into my life after seven years left me with so many more questions than answers. Where the hell had he been? Why did he feel so compelled to throw me out of his life if he didn’t blame me for what happened? How was I supposed to take his dominating concern for me?

 

The Michael I knew years ago was more than just my friend. He protected me, cared for me. When everyone at school laughed at my thrift store clothes, he took me shopping for new jeans. He spent what little money he had from his part time job at Jiffy Lube to put me in better clothes. When I promised to pay him back, he had grabbed my shoulders, squared us off, and told me in no uncertain terms that I was never to think about giving anything back to him. He liked taking care of me, and it was only my job to accept what he did and say thanks.

 

I should have seen the signs then, that he was a dominating jerk. Except he wasn’t. Back then he kept a soft side for me. The hard man I found standing in his garage yesterday, he still had that soft side; there were just a few more layers on top of it now.

 

I needed to get my head on straight. Michael didn’t want me in his life. He’d made that really clear for me. Right before I got myself plowed into. I hadn’t even heard the car coming; my mind was too busy replaying my conversation with Michael. My first conversation with him since he saved me from my stepbrother and it entailed him telling me he didn’t want me in his life. Awesome.

 

“I’m okay, Asya. Really. Thanks, but I can’t miss it.” The only thing going right had to do with school. I’d fought tooth and nail to get that internship. Getting that internship was my opportunity to get in with a good company at a competitive wage that wouldn’t short sell me.

 

“So, um, that guy who was here last night. What’s that all about?” A teasing grin slipped across her lips and she leaned against the cabinet, holding her cup up to her mouth.

 

“An old friend from a different life,” I explained, not wanting to get into the details. Even if I could describe Michael to her, what definition would he fall under at that moment? “He was there when I got hit.” Stick to small facts.

 

“He didn’t look like any old friend when I walked in,” she pushed.

 

I rolled my eyes. That near kiss experience had played over in my mind on a loop all night. I wanted so badly for him to press his lips to mine. I remembered him kissing me when we were in school, that last kiss. The power behind it had kept me up all night then, too. “He’s pushy.” I managed to zip my bag but couldn’t quite get it over my right shoulder.

 

“Let me drive you,” Asya offered for the third time.

 

“No. As it is, I’m not sure how you’re standing here after working so late last night. It’s fine. I’ve always taken the bus when my car crapped out on me. I’m not going to stop now just because I have a busted-up shoulder.”

 

“Maybe you could call your friend for a ride.” She winked at me, then laughed a throaty laugh at my discomfort.

 

“No. Thanks.” Been burned by that fire before.

 

“I’ll see you tonight?” She put her cup down on the counter and helped me get the strap over my good shoulder.

 

“Thanks. Probably, depends on how long my shift takes.” I checked my phone, no messages. I couldn’t help the twinge of disappointment at not seeing anything come from Michael since last night. He’d been so overprotective I thought he would have surely sent me a message or two in the morning. Enough already! Get him out of your head!

 

 Asya shook her head as she headed back toward her bedroom. “Don’t wait for him. Just call him.” She waved a hand in the air and disappeared into her room.

 

***

 

The air conditioner on the bus was busted. By the time I stepped off at campus, my hair had plastered itself to my forehead. Stepping into the building felt more like walking into heaven than school. My shoulder throbbed from all the jostling on the bus, but I managed to get up the flight of stairs to where my class was about to start without much trouble.

 

When I turned down the hall I saw him. Standing outside the door to my class, Michael was leaning against the wall, his hands shoved in his front pockets, and a grave look on his face. He noticed me right away, so running back down the stairs wasn’t an option. He moved away from the wall, staring me down, almost daring me to try to turn around.

 

Damn him. Until that moment, I hadn’t really taken the time to take in his appearance. The lightly muscled boy I knew had been replaced with the broad-shouldered, hard-muscled man before me. His shaved head had grown out into a shaggy style, his chestnut hair matching his dark brown eyes perfectly. The shirt he wore fit too tight, but I doubted any shirt would fit him better with the thickness of his arms. His jeans were snug in all the places I wanted jeans to hug a man. But this was Michael, and I couldn’t look at him that way, appraising the beauty of him. I needed to firm up my resolve and remember I was pissed.

 

“What are you doing here?” I hissed at him when I was within hearing range.

 

“How’s your shoulder?” He ignored my irritation and grabbed my bag from me. I would have fought him on it, but, to be truthful, it was a relief to have the weight removed.

 

“Fine. What are you doing here?”

 

He eyed me cautiously as thought he could see into my body and assess my discomfort from where he stood. “This Pierre guy, is he that little twerp in there?” He jerked his thumb in the direction of the door and I let out a low groan.

 

“You need to let this go, Michael. It was an accident.”

 

“No. It wasn’t. Whoever hit you did it on purpose.”

 

“You’re crazy. You know that?” I reached for my bag, but he moved out of my reach.

 

“Lauren, the car that hit you went from a standstill to high speed and blew right through that intersection. I’m telling you it wasn’t an accident. Whether you want to listen to me or not doesn’t matter. I know it’s true, and until I know this Pierre kid didn’t do it, or pay someone to do it, I’m going to be damn sure you’re safe.”

 

I saw it then, the determination in his eyes. He wouldn’t go away, no matter how much I assured him he worried for nothing. “Michael.” I breathed out his name. Everything inside of me just felt heavy. Too hard to carry with me anymore. Yesterday morning, I woke up and he wasn’t in my life. I didn’t know where he was or how he was doing, and within the course of twenty-four hours my entire life spiraled away from me.

 

Walking away from the door where several more students filed into the room, I leaned against the wall. He followed me with his concerned eyes and protective stance.

 

“Why are you doing this? You don’t know me anymore; I can take care of myself now. I’m not that scrawny, naïve little girl hiding under her bed every time there’s a bump in the night. You said yourself you didn’t answer any of my letters because you didn’t want to. Just because I got hit by a car outside your garage doesn’t make you responsible for me.”

 

He stepped closer, invading the small space between us until the tip of his shoes touched the front of my sandals. “I stayed away to protect you, Lauren, but never did I leave you alone.” I blinked a few times at his words. What the hell did that mean? “I’m not going to leave you alone now. That Pierre guy could be a bigger pain in your ass than you think. You may not be the scrawny girl I knew in high school anymore, but you still don’t understand the big bad world. Not the way I do.” His eyes narrowed, and he spoke so low I could barely hear him. But the menacing tone came through pretty clearly. He pressed further toward me, my back pushed back against the wall, his face lingering just over mine.

 

“I…” The fluttering in my stomach and the hitch in my breath made coherent thinking harder than usual.

 

“So you are going to stop throwing what I said to you yesterday in my face. I did that for your protection, and I’m here now for your protection. And you are going to start taking what I say seriously, because I don’t play games, Lauren. I’m not a patient man. When I want something, I take it, and when I say I’m going to do something, I do it.”

 

I swallowed hard. Our eyes were locked in a mental tug of war. I wouldn’t look away. I refused to give in to him, because if I did, I would find myself lost. “What is it you want?”

 

He didn’t answer me. Not with words. Instead, his hand snaked up my body, under my hair, and cradled my head. His lips came down hard on mine, crushing me with the force of him. His tongue lashed out against my lips, demanding entrance. No asking, no wooing, just a hard dominance, and I caved. Parting my lips, he swooped in, his tongue mingling with mine, showing me the power he held over me. A low moan escaped into the air. From me? The pad of his thumb rubbed my neck, behind my ear, drawing my attention to every tingling sensation running to my core.

 

When he finally broke the kiss, pulled back, and looked at me, his eyes were dark. Large pupils stared back at me. My breath came quicker and I tried to regain some composure. His own breath matched mine, his hand still in my hair. “That’s what I wanted,” he whispered, and kissed me again. A quick, hard kiss before he released me.

 

My skin became electrified under his gaze. He released my neck, but he didn’t move back. His body pressed still me against the wall. If I had thought what my stomach felt before was fluttering, it had quickly turned into full on twists and jumps at the way he looked at me—as though he had only had a taste of what he wanted. An appetizer to satisfy him until the big meal. In that moment, I could have easily given myself to him. I could feel the strength of him just through is his gaze.

 

“Now, we’re going to go back to your class and you are going to point this Pierre asshole out to me.”

 

“What are you going to do, Michael? Threaten him? I have to work with these people. This is my last semester. Please don’t do anything to make my life harder here.”

 

He let out a short burst of air and stepped back. “That’s the last thing I want to do, Lauren. But your safety comes first. Now let’s go.” He held out his arm, directing me to go ahead of him. When I tried to grab my bag from him, he shook his head and raised his eyebrow.

 

“Fine.” I tossed my hair over my shoulder and walked ahead of him, making sure not to look back at him. No need to encourage his Neanderthal behavior, or to let him see how much his kiss affected me.

 

I walked into the room, hoping he’d just stay outside, but I should have known better. He followed me to my seat and put my bag on the table for me. “Where is he?” he asked, looking around the room. I wanted to stomp my foot. The foolish man actually thought Pierre would do something to hurt me just because he didn’t get his first pick internship? His second pick nabbed him, he had a solid future ahead of him. It wasn’t like I’d stolen away his only chance.

 

Sweeping my gaze around the room, I found the twerp in the corner talking with his current crush. Aside from considering himself the brightest in the class, he also believed himself to be the Casanova of our group. Brittany wanted nothing to do with him. Her eyes wandered over his shoulder as he talked, and every so often she checked her phone. The blatant dismissal was lost on him, however.

 

“There. In the corner.” I thrust my chin in his direction. A few of the girls in the class started casting glances our way, letting their eyes linger longer on Michael than made me comfortable. I took a small step closer to him.

 

“That little guy?” He did a pretty good job at holding back his laughter. Pierre stood only half an inch taller than me, and probably only carried an extra twenty pounds than myself. I could have easily tackled him to the ground.

 

“You see, nothing to worry about.” I shook my head and unzipped my bag, pulling out my book for my Case Studies of City Form class. “Class is going to start, so unless you have the sudden urge to learn about Milwaukee’s city structure, I suggest you get out.”

 

“Where’s your sling?” Damn. So close.

 

“I left it at home. It was too hard to use my hand with it tied up like that.” His eyes darkened but he looked away before I could determine what set off the change.

 

“That’s the point, Lauren.” He picked up my bag once I had my stuff out, and hung it over my chair. “I’ll go get it. Is Asya home?”

 

“You are not going to go get it. My shoulder feels a lot better this morning. I’m fine. Please. Just go.”

 

He looked over at Pierre again then back at me. “What time does your class end?”

 

“Mike…”

 

“Either you tell me, or I’ll just sit out there until it’s over.”

 

Of course he would. “Ten.” I threw myself into my chair, ignoring the shot of pain the movement caused in my shoulder.

 

“I’ll be here. Don’t talk to him.” He pointed a finger at Pierre. I rolled my eyes and nodded. I didn’t remember him being so damn pushy and controlling. I felt his presence before I realized he’d leaned over me. “I’m serious, Lauren. Stay away from him.”

 

“I heard you.” I wanted to turn and glare at him, but he was too close. His lips hovered to close to me for me to trust myself.

 

My professor walked in, saving me from having to endure another moment of the heat of Michael’s company. He pressed his lips to my temple and then was gone. From the corner of my eye, I watched him saunter from the room. His hands shoved in his pockets as he made his way out, the muscles in his back tight, and the manly sway of his hips displayed his ass well enough to catch the attention of most of the girls in the class.

 

Once he was out of sight the appreciative eyes moved from the empty doorway to where I sat. Heat crept up my neck and over my cheeks. I ignored the surprised looks and the jealous glares and opened my book, getting ready to make it through another lecture. If I could keep the image of Michael DiMarco out of my damn mind.