It wasn't until I was cursing the morning sun as it came streaming in through the open curtains that it all came flooding back to me. I glanced down at the sleeping Frankie resting across my chest.

She was gorgeous. Disheveled and worn out. The fact that I played a large part in wearing her out made me smile. I wanted to stand on the top of the hotel, beating on my chest and shouting it from the rooftops. Frankie was mine.

I brushed some of the hair off her face, and she murmured, burrowing deeper into my side. Without thinking, I traced my fingers along her back, dancing down her spine. She glanced up sleepily before closing her eyes, then tensing up and staring at me with her eyes wide.

Did she regret it?

"Morning, Frankie," I said, trying to keep things casual. Keep her calm.

"Morning, John," she said, pushing off my chest as her cheeks pinked up. Her hand froze there as my heart hammered against my ribcage.

"Interesting night, huh?"

"You could say that," she said, wrapping the sheet around herself and sitting with her back pressed up against the headboard. I slid up the bed to sit beside her.

"Are you okay?" I asked, my voice tight. What happened last night was beyond anything I could have imagined, but I wanted to make sure she was okay with it.

"I'm definitely okay. It...I had a great night, John," she said, running her hands over the cuffs on her wrists. They were similar to mine, but hers were delicate and intricate. Mine were leather and rope. Hers were meant to cover something she didn't want others to see. Mine were a display of what I liked.

"Thank you," she said, peering over at me.

"No thanks needed or wanted. I had a great time," I said, running my hand along her leg under the covers.

"Are you sure, because—" I pressed my finger to her lips to stop her.

“Don't even think about it. It was amazing. You're amazing, and don't go into analytical mode trying to pick things apart.” She blushed some more, the pink turning to red in her cheeks with the flush creeping down her chest.

"Frankie—," I was cut off by the shrill ring of the bedside phone. Frankie rolled to the side, taking the sheet with her, reaching for it. She may have had the bright white sheet clutched against her chest, but that didn't mean I didn't get a peek at her delectable ass as she leaned over.

"Okay, no problem. I don't need to. We'll be down in a little bit." She hung up the receiver and settled back in beside me. "It's almost time to check out. The front desk wanted to know if I wanted to extend my stay.” Her knee bounced up and down under the sheets. “I should be getting back to the city."

"Right, of course," I said, sliding out of the bed, my feet thudding to the plush carpeted floor. I glanced around looking for my boxers.

"Maybe--" I’d spotted them and picked them up when I realized she'd stopped talking. I looked over my shoulder to see Frankie's eyes zeroed in on my ass. Glad to see I wasn't the only one appreciating my partner from last night. She shook her head and slid out the other side of the bed, taking the sheet with her.

"I'm going to take a shower," she said, backing up with the doorjamb right behind her. I reached out as a warning, but she bumped right into the doorframe, thumping her head. I winced vicariously, feeling the pain. She rubbed the spot and scurried into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. That could have gone better.

I gathered my clothes off the floor in the living room, each piece helping me relive our previous night. That's when my morning wood transformed into something wholly other. I shoved everything into my bag and tried to get myself under control. When I stood up, the bedroom door was closed. Quiet as a mouse, she must have crept out and closed it.

What the hell did that say? I threw on some clothes, and the bedroom door opened slowly. Frankie poked her head out and spotted me. She snapped up straight and strode out of the room, wheeling her bag behind her, looking everywhere but at me.

"I called for a car to take me back to the city. I didn't know if you were hanging around here for a bit or leaving, but I didn't want you to be stuck with me." If she nibbled on her lower lip any more, there'd be nothing left.

Stuck with her?

"That's crazy. Call them back and cancel. I'm ready whenever you are. I can give you a ride back." I zipped up my suitcase and stood.

"Really. It's fine. You'll have to drive all the way across down to my place." She picked at the handle of her suitcase. I stepped in front of her until she couldn't avoid my eyes any longer. That zap of energy from last night was still there. It hadn't just been the drinks or the dancing. It was something I knew we still had, but I hadn't let myself dwell on it for too long, since she pretty much hated me.

"I'm taking you home, Frankie. Do you want breakfast here or on the road?"

She didn't pull away or step back. I didn't see any anger in her eyes, but I didn't see anything else I could put my finger on. She licked her lips, and it took everything in me not to follow right behind her and have my breakfast treat right then.

"We can eat on the road," she said, keeping her eyes on mine.

They pulled my car around to the front of the hotel, and I loaded our bags in the back. We drove in companionable silence for a while, and I hated the fact that traffic was so light. A trip that took over three hours a couple nights ago would be over in less than forty-five minutes.

I pulled up to the drive-through at a fast-food place. Frankie leaned over me to check out the menu. She still smelled like the lilac from the night before. Even after her shower. The late afternoon sun filtered through her hair as she concentrated on getting her food. It was a replay of the same scene from our way up, but it didn't feel awkward this time. She drummed her fingers on my thigh as she practically leaned out of the car to see the whole menu. I'd never been so happy she couldn't remember what was on the menu at a fast-food place that almost never changed.

I wanted to run my fingers through her hair and pull her into my lap, showing her that this wasn't a weekend-wedding thing. This was going to be so much more.

"I'll have the sausage, egg, and cheese croissant, French toast sticks, and an orange juice," she yelled to the static-filled speaker stuck in the center of the menu board.

"I'll have the same," I said. Frankie buckled herself back into her seat. Her stomach growled from the passenger seat, and she wrapped her arms around it.

"I guess I'm hungrier than I thought. Maybe I should get some hash browns too?"

"Can we also get two orders of hash browns?"

"Thanks," she said, tucking her hands under her legs. I pulled up to the drive through window and paid for our food, ignoring the twenty she'd taken out and waved under my nose, trying to give it to the woman at the window.

"You picked me up and you're driving me back, the least you can do is let me pay for breakfast."

"You can get it next time," I said, grabbing the bags and handing them over to her. She checked to make sure all the food was there, and we were back out on the road.

She handed me my food while I drove, even popping a few of the bite-sized hash browns into my mouth. The entire time, I had no idea what the hell any of this meant. One minute she's chatty and happy and the next, staring out the window and distracted. So many questions raced through my head, but I was afraid to know the answers.

Did she regret last night? Was there some shit I was supposed to do as the devirginator? Does she want to talk about this? Have it all out? Should we have done it at all? And what now?

It wasn't until we crossed the bridge that I finally worked up the nerve. Not to talk about last night, but to try to figure out where things all started. Where everything changed between us and then imploded in our faces.

"Frankie?"

"Hmm," she turned to me in the seat, sliding her phone back into her bag. She'd only powered it up a little while ago, which was progress, I guessed.

My mouth was so dry. I tried to form the words, but they kept getting stuck.

"Spit it out," she said, laughing.

"It's not something we ever got to talk about, but right after the dance...." Her face immediately slackened, and she faced straight forward. There was a shift in the car, like all the air had been sucked out.

She turned back to me, but the easygoing look was replaced by one similar to her usual face whenever she was around me.

"It was a long time ago. Why don't we just enjoy the rest of the weekend and leave that alone before we ruin the truce we've got going?"

Was that all it was? A truce? Should I be ready to pick up arms against her come Monday? Because I really didn't have the heart or desire to do any of that ever again.

"You're right. What else do you have planned for the rest of the weekend?" I asked, trying to get back to casual, safe territory.

"I have to go into work tonight, so I'll get some groceries, take a nap and then head in. What about you?"

"I have some paperwork and stuff to finish up. With Kill gone on his honeymoon it will be hectic in the office, so I'll have a lot to get done."

"I can't believe he convinced you to come work for him. I'd probably strangle him within the first twenty minutes."

"He's not that bad, especially since Rachel. She's mellowed him out. There are only whispers of him being the Boardroom Bastard anymore."

"I still can't believe he got married. Man, it's insane how the world works sometimes."

"It really is." I parked on the curb outside Frankie's brownstone and took her luggage out. She opened the door and let me carry her bag inside. It was moments when I was alone with her that I completely forget that a huge part of her life was lived in places like these.

"Amazing place," I said, letting out a low whistle. The walls were a warm white accented by dark cherrywood baseboards, banisters and window frames. Her furniture was an eclectic mix of gaming chairs and pale blue couches and chairs. I wonder if her mom forced her to buy non-computer-based furniture.

"Thanks. Did you want something to drink?" she asked, opening the massive Viking fridge.

"Some water would be great."

"One water coming up." She grabbed it out of the fridge and chucked it to me. Her audiovisual setup was second-to-none and rivaled most movie theaters.

I chugged the water as Frankie gulped down her own bottle.

"Thanks for the ride. I appreciate it, and you didn't have to do it," she said, picking at the wrapper on her bottle.

"I know I didn't. I wanted to." Things were winding down, but I didn't want this to be over. I didn't want things to reset at midnight and have to go back to how things were.

"Go on a date with me." I blurted out, so abruptly, and right as she took a drink of her water, that she jumped, sloshing water all over herself, and started choking all at the same time.

"What?" she wheezed, wiping her wet face with the back of her hand. I thumped her on the back as she tried to catch her breath.

"Go out on a date with me. Five dates with me. I want to see if we can keep this armistice going after this weekend." I rubbed my hand along her back.

"Why five?"

"Five seems like as good a number as any. It will give us a chance to really get to know each other again. Who we are now."

She eyed me warily.

"We can catch up over one date, just as easily as five. How about one?"

"Four."

"Two," she said, smiling.

"Three and that's my final offer," I said, like I had any leverage in this situation at all. She put her hard negotiator face back on.

"Fine, three dates." She said it like it was a major inconvenience, but I saw the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Perfect. Three dates and then we can renegotiate. I should get going. Thanks for the water. I'll text you, and we can decide on our first one," I said, closing the door behind me, so she didn't even have a chance to reply. Less of a chance for her to change her mind.

I got in my car and stared up at her place. I made good money before I started working for Killian and even more in my new position. Most people would kill to have an apartment like mine, but sitting on the curb outside her brownstone, I couldn't help but feel like that kid who drove up to the mansion in his beater wondering if he was out of his depth with a girl who might one day realize she deserved a hell of a lot more.