"Do you want to get some air?"

She nodded.

"Good. We can talk then too."

She stiffened up and I smiled. I didn't care if Tabby wanted to act like nothing had happened last night. Or was happening between us. She could try and hide, but I wasn't going to let her.

I was not fooled by the tough act anymore.

Last night, when I'd seen her in that hallway... something had changed. I hated seeing her hurt. And she was hurt by those jerks, even though she was good at hiding it.

She was good at hiding everything.

But last night, I had seen her.

For the first damn time, I'd actually seen her.

I'd watched her working her fanny off, doing her job, barely talking to anyone. She didn't stick around or flirt with the customers like most waitresses. She kept her head down, just doing her best.

And yet, she attracted attention anyway.

Every man in the place had his eyes on her. I could tell what most of them were thinking too. I cringed, wondering what it must be like to get hit on by everyone, all the time.

I always thought women liked attention from guys. But what Tabitha went through on a daily basis... just because of the way she looked... well, it fucking pissed me off.

Especially after one of those cretins had laid hands on her.

I wondered how many times that had happened to her. Probably more times than she could count. I started to understand why she'd turned me down on the beach all those years ago.

She'd thought I was one of them. Just out to score. To get a chance to brag to my friends that I'd had a piece of her.

Well, I wasn't like them and I would prove it to her. Yeah, I wanted to touch her. So bad it hurt. But I wanted to protect her too.

And when I touched her, she wouldn't have that hunted look in her eyes. No, I'd take my time. I'd wait until she was sweet and soft and willing in my arms.

I grit my teeth and wheeled myself out the back.

"Don't you want a jacket?"

I shook my head, and grabbed the scarf and hat she tossed at me. I grinned as she tugged on her jacket. She looked so cute today, with her soft curls and button nose. I could tell she was trying to downplay her curves with yet another oversized shirt, but it wasn't working.

I'd like to see her in something pretty. Feminine. Something soft that I could rub up against. I grinned at her and winked.

"I give off heat like a furnace, babe."

She gave me a look as she shut the door behind me, following me down the path to the sidewalk. She caught the handles to the chair and held on. I was about to protest when I realized I could smell her when she was this close. I took a deep breath. She smelled like cookies.

"You don't have to do that."

She clucked her tongue.

"Just on hills. The breaks on these chairs are notoriously bad."

I twisted my neck to look up at her. She looked good from this angle. Hell, the woman looked good from all angles. I couldn't wait to try a few of them out.

"No shit?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, it's bad. Once you are rolling you can really pick up speed. Promise me you'll be careful."

She frowned at me, utterly serious. She looked worried. I felt a warm flush spread through me.

Tabby was worried about me.

She did like me. I knew I wasn't imagining it.

"I will."

We didn't talk the rest of the way to the water. It was only a few blocks but in the chair, it felt much longer. A few of our neighbors waved and I realized I didn't feel self-conscious about the chair for the first time.

How could I with this gorgeous woman with me?

I pictured us taking the same walk, but hand in hand. I would pull her into my arms and steal a kiss whenever I wanted to. She'd sigh and smile and curl into my chest.

Then we'd go home and cook together. Or shower. And make the bed bounce.

Hell, I had a feeling we would break the bed.

I decided I'd buy extra mattresses if that was what it took. That would be a small price to pay for having Tabby in my life.

I just had to get her on board with sticking around once I was out of the chair.

She pushed me down to the bottom of the hill and up the slight incline to the edge of the parking lot. The sand started there, so I was stuck in the parking lot. But the air was clean and salty and there was a low fence for Tabitha to perch that juicy butt of hers on.

"Take a load off Tabby."

She shrugged and sat on the edge of the wooden fence. She stared out at the water. I stared at her.

It was... nice.

Finally I took a deep breath and dove in.

"They won't bother you again."

"What?"

"Those idiots last night at Garrity's."

She was looking at me now, not the waves. The look on her face was heartbreaking. She was surprised enough to let her guard down and I could see it all- every bit of pain those jerks had caused her.

Then she looked away and the shutters closed again.

"I don't need your help."

I stared at her. She did need me dammit. She was just going to have to come to terms with it.

"Tabby... don't be like that."

She refused to look at me, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why bother? Both of us will be out of this stupid town soon enough. It's better not to make waves."

"I wanted to beat the hell out of them."

She looked at me with her eyebrows raised. I could tell she didn't believe me.

"I thought those guys were your buddies. You were always eating with them at school."

I grinned at her. I felt like the sun had just come out.

"You noticed who I ate lunch with?"

She blushed furiously and stood up.

"We should go back."

I caught her hand and squeezed it.

"I noticed where you sat too."

"Gabe- don't."

Her voice was soft and pleading. If I hadn't been in the damn chair I would have kissed her then and there. As it was, I was going to need to spell it out for her.

"Come here."

Her eyes were wide as I tugged her closer.

"What?"

"You know what."

She was being difficult. To hell with it. I yanked her hand and she stumbled into me, landing on my lap. I held her firmly as she tried to extricate herself.

If I didn't know she liked me, I wouldn't have done it. I didn't want to harass the girl. But I knew she felt the same way. She wanted me back.

And I was tired of waiting.

So I lied.

"Gabe!"

"Don't move- you're hurting me!"

She froze immediately, her eyes searching my face.

"Are you alright?"

I smiled at her stupidly, overwhelmed by the feeling of her in my arms. She was so petite. And soft. And squishy.

In a ridiculously delicious way.

"No."

"If you aren't alright, why are you smiling?"

I just smiled at her some more.

"This is nice."

"What is nice? I'm crushing you!"

I nodded.

"That's the nice part."

She rolled her eyes.

"Okay Gabe, this is silly. I'm your nurse, remember?"

I rested my chin on her shoulder.

"Do you really want to get up?"

She hesitated and I had my answer.

I let my hands slide up her back to her face and turned her head just so. Then I swooped in, kissing her hard. She let out a startled squeak but didn't move.

After a second, she started kissing me back.

Hmmm... delicious. Tabitha's lips were soft, her breath sweet. Her skin felt like silk under my hands. I tasted her with my tongue, just a little bit and was rewarded when she sighed again.

I was breathing heavily when we stopped a few minutes later.

She looked startled and confused. I smiled at her.

"I've been wanting to do that since the eighth grade."

"You have?"

"You know I have."

She blinked and I kissed her again. This time she didn't relax. She was stiff in my arms. I leaned back to look at her and she jumped up like a jack in the box. I reached for her hand but she wouldn't look at me.

"Hey, don't go."

"We need to- get back. It's almost time for your meds and-"

"I don't want any pain meds."

She glanced at me, pushing her hair back where I'd messed it up. She looked fucking gorgeous standing there with her cheeks pink and her lips bruised from my kisses.

"You know, kissing releases endorphins. Nature's pain medicine."

She shot me a startled look. She probably thought I was a dumb jock. But I'd been looking things up online all week.

Especially things that might be good arguments for getting her into bed with me.

Endorphins, man. Got to love them.

"See? You healed me."

She rolled her eyes but she was smiling.

"Come on, let's go."

I was grinning as I rolled myself back up the hill to my mom's house. Tabby held on the whole time, but I used my arms too. I needed the work out.

I was feeling pent up, and the day had just started.

I pulled my scarf into my lap to cover the bulge there. It didn't work. I shrugged. My cock was just too big.

I was surprised she hadn't said something when she was on my lap. I'd done my best not to poke her with the beast, but it was kind of hard to ignore.

I was known for my massive unit. And at the moment it was hard as a damn rocket. In fact, the guys in basic had called me Torpedo after seeing me in the showers. The nickname had stuck with me as I climbed the ranks, though I tried to discourage it.

Tabby ran off to get my lunch and pills ready and I was able to cover my hard on with a blanket. I was wondering if she would massage me again. I hoped so, even if it was excruciating.

Maybe if I was lucky, she'd let me give her a massage.

I closed my eyes and let myself imagine that.