I woke up to hear Gemma twitching and mumbling in her sleep. I couldn’t make out what she was saying, but I could swear I heard her mumble Steve. My gut tightened when I thought about that night from so long ago. If I hadn’t seen all those football players congregated outside of the bathroom door, making bets about what was happening inside the small room, I wouldn’t have even thought about stopping. But, I heard the things they were saying about Steve and Gemma. I knew my best friend well enough to know she wouldn’t like what was happening outside of the door, so I pretended to need the john.

When I heard her cry out to me for help, I saw red. Initially the jocks outside the door blocked me from busting in and I walked away, but I wasn’t leaving. My blood was pounding with rage. I grabbed a few of my wrestling buddies and went back knowing the footballers wouldn’t be able to stop me now. When I busted that door in and saw Gemma bawling, I knew I’d made the right choice. Words can’t express the immense satisfaction I felt when my fist connected with his jaw and he fell on his ass.

I’ll never forget the look of hurt and disgust on her face when he proudly told her about screwing Trisha, and it made me want to strangle him even more. I was so proud of her for standing up for herself though. Telling him to fuck off and spitting in his face was exactly what he deserved after she had given him two years of her young life.

Whispering to him to say goodnight and then leaving him exposed on the floor was his just desserts. I still chuckled when I thought about it. He was henceforth known as “Pinky” among the female population at our school until after graduation. I even heard a few bring it up at our five-year reunion. He didn’t actually show for the reunion, but people don’t forget.

I looked over at Gemma, still stunned about everything that had transpired between us. I had promised her that night I would always protect her. I intended to always stand by that promise. I reached out and stroked her silky hair. It felt damp by her temples, and that’s when I noticed there were tears on her cheeks. My brow creased in concern. I pulled her close to me and gently brushed them away. I kissed her cheek softly to wake her up.

“Wake up, precious,” I whispered. “Wake up.”

I watched as her lashes slowly fluttered opened. Her gaze was hazy with sleep and her eyes glassy and momentarily confused.

“Baz,” she sighed and snuggled closer when the sleep cleared from her mind.

“You ok?” I prodded.

“Yeah, I was having a dream…” she trailed off, blinking. “I haven’t dreamt about that night in so long.” She looked to me certain I would know exactly which night she was talking about, and she was right.

“It was just a dream, you’re safe, I’ve got you,” I wrapped her tighter in my arms.

“You said the exact same thing that night. I know I’m safe with you,” she sighed and kissed my chest. “Thank you for always being a man of your word. Do you remember what you told me you said to that asshole that night?” She looked up at me.

“Yep.” I smiled thinking about it again.

“Did you really say it?” She was smirking now.

“Sure did,” I nodded.

“Tell me again,” she whispered, biting her bottom lip as her eyes searched mine.

“Hmmm, basically I told him not forget that I had enough money to make him disappear without a trace. And that if he came near you again, I’d make sure he knew exactly what it felt like to be forced into unwanted sex.” I couldn’t stop the smirk that rose to my lips, “Then I told him to say goodnight because his ass was going to sleep. And I meant that shit.” She laughed and I joined in.

“My hero,” pure gratitude was evident in her face.

“My pleasure,” I said seriously. I kissed her full lips softly and when I pulled back I felt things I had never felt before. If I believed in there being such a thing as a soulmate, I would almost swear that she was mine. But I didn’t believe in things like that. “Should we get up and get dressed? Maybe grab a bite to eat?”

“Well, I would like to say yes, but someone destroyed the only pair of underwear I had with me,” she looked pointedly at me, “And, sadly, I didn’t prepare for a sleepover. I assumed we’d go back to my place last night.”

“We would have if someone hadn’t started things while I was driving. All I was concerned with was getting us someplace fast. My place was closer, and now here we are.” I gave her pointed look right back to her.

“Uh huh, here we are…” she purred as she rolled on top of me and looked at me like I was breakfast.

“Slow down, tigress.” I flipped her to her back. “Certain parts of your body need a little more recovery time. As you stated earlier you’re a little tender.” I arched a brow in challenge.

“I am a little sore,” she conceded on a sigh.

I kissed her lips, then the tip of her nose, then her forehead before I forced myself to get out of bed, which was no easy feat when she looked so damn fuckable. Her hair was all tousled and she was naked in my bed. I held out my hand to her. She took it and I tugged her to her feet and into my arms. I hummed a made-up tune and swayed with her for a few seconds, then spun her outward and released her. She twirled a few feet away and peered at me over her shoulder with fuck me eyes, and I’ll be damned if I wasn’t ready to drag her right back to the same bed I had just yanked her out of.

“You’re asking for it, precious,” I warned.

“What?” She batted her eyes and played innocent. “I have no idea what you could possibly be talking about.” She stretched like a cat, long and leisurely, jutting out her breasts and arching her back.

“Get dressed,” I issued the order as I swatted her ass on my way to the bathroom. I was rewarded with a slight yelp. “We’ll swing by your house so you can shower and get clean clothes if you want. But if you don’t put something on right now we won’t be leaving here anytime soon.”

I used the bathroom, took a quick shower and when I emerged from the bathroom the only evidence of her presence was the scrap of lace that used to be her panties. I smirked as I snatched them off the floor. I brought them to my nose and inhaled her scent, then chucked them into my nightstand and got dressed.

I found her in the living room, wearing her outfit from last night, minus the thong, staring out over the city, and the thought of fucking her against the glass careened through my mind again. That might actually become a reality now. I wrapped my arms around her from behind and kissed her temple, as she leaned into me.

“I love the view from here. You have it all, mountains and city,” she glanced up at me, before looking back out the window. “You almost feel like you’re on top of the world.”

“I have a fantasy about fucking you from behind, pressed against this glass, overlooking the city lights.” I whispered the words to her, as I dragged my lips over the soft flesh of her ear. “Is that something you might entertain fulfilling?” She moaned softly and leaned into me more, her ass tipping up into my groin.

“Mmmm hmmm,” she wiggled against me and my cock jerked inside my boxer briefs.

“Keep that up and it’ll happen right now. In broad day light,” I growled as I pulled her closer and ground my hips into her.

She spun in my arms and tipped her face up for a kiss. It was chaste at first, but rapidly deteriorated into something a lot more frenzied. Lips clashing, tongues warring, hands roaming, moans filling the room. I couldn’t stop myself from imbibing. Her kisses had become addictive, and I was like a junkie, unable to stop myself from needing my next fix. She had quickly become my drug of choice.

When we finally came up for air, I was hard as a rock but heard the good angel remind me why we were leaving. She’s new to this and needs a little more time for recovery. I adjusted myself as I noted the desire reflected back in her blue eyes and took in her pink lips swollen from our kisses. She doesn’t look like she needs more time though, the dark angel added in my other ear.

“You’re gonna have to help me out here. Are we going out so your lady bits can have some downtime, or are we staying in so I can violate you in the most delicious sorts of ways?” I watched her eyes darken as she licked her lips.

“Can I choose option A now and option B for later?” Her voice was throaty and brow quirked up in question.

I groaned and adjusted myself again. “You’re killing me here, you have absolutely no idea how sexy you are. Let’s go, before I change my mind, strip you bare again right here and bury myself deep inside of you.”

I firmly grasped her hand and led her from the condo. I knew she needed a little break, but I definitely planned on fulfilling option B later tonight.