The guy with a broken arm, Jack or something, originally pressed charges. Leela and I arrived as Cale called to say Dane was being kept overnight. I wasn’t sure what exactly happened, but Cale talked to Jack and he dropped the charges by the next morning. Dane was a mess, unshaven and pissed off when I tried to see him. His anger at Jack surfaced and exploded all around us. Leela and I left before I spoke to him.

Lying in bed, snuggled close with Elle, I watched the sunrise outside my window. The brilliant colors painted the sky as the minutes passed, each stroke of sunlight giving me hope for a better day. Every morning, every hour, and every minute were the start of the new beginning. A better life, day, relationship, or even mood, were seconds away, barely out of reach.

The rational part of me knew Dane was embarrassed and didn’t want me seeing him like that. The other emotional part of me was hurt he treated me that way. I, Korah Daniels, wasn’t going to sit around feeling sorry for myself because a boy was mean to me yet again. The day was new and full of potential. I stumbled around as I got ready, hoping Leela would be game for my crazy idea. I showered, dressed, and even made breakfast for us before I decided to wake her up.

Standing outside her door, I knocked once and peeled it open. To my surprise, Leela wasn’t alone. I heard her gasp as Cale hurried to cover himself. I flung my hands to my eyes and scream
ed sorry before slamming the door closed. My face warmed as heat spread, embarrassment flooding my body. When Leela and I got home, we went our separate ways, and I never heard the door open again. Seeing Cale naked beside my best friend was a shock.

Once I was safely in my room, I closed the door and hid in my bed. Awkward situations were uncomfortable and made me feel bad. Leela and I always came and went from each other’s rooms freely, but it was clear we needed to revise the policy.

Not 10 minutes later, there was a knock at my door. “Sorry!” I called again, burying my head under the pillow.

“Cale left, can I come in?” Leela said as she turned the knob. “Korah?”

I peeked through the bedding, giving her my best apologetic expression. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t hear him come by last night. In fact, I didn’t know you two have gotten to that level…”

Her eyes brightened and she gave a coy smirk. “Last night was the first time,” she squealed.

I unburied myself and patted the spot in front of me. “Sit,” I demanded. “Tell me all the details.”

“It was amazing, Korah. I’ve never…,” She paused, fiddling with her hands.

“You never what? I know you aren’t a virgin,” I giggled.

“Duh,” she chuckled. “I don’t know how to explain it. He was so attentive, kind. It wasn’t only sex… It was so much more.”

I smiled, nodding my understanding. “You made love.”

She gave a little grin, tucking her blond locks behind her ear. “I guess so,” she sighed whimsically. Focusing her attention back on me, she asked, “Have you and Dane, you know… Made love?”

I sighed, crossing my legs and sitting on my hands. “I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like maybe we have, the other times I don’t know what he wants from me. He hasn’t even spoken to me since we saw him yesterday.” Sadness seeped from me. Dane got to me more than I wanted to admit.

“Cale said that he was really upset about what happened,” Leela said, reaching out and rubbing my arm in a comforting manner. “You and Dane both have your issues, and they’re both warranted, but I think that’s what keeps you both from admitting how deeply you care. I can see that you that to you this isn’t just some fling. I also know he’s wormed his way into your heart. I believe the only way things will get easier and clearer for the two of you is if you both sit down and are completely honest with each other.”

Falling in love was often what I imagined getting hit by a car would be like. The impact is a shock, you’re frozen as everything seeps in, and by the time you realize what’s happening, it’s too late. Leela’s words resonated with me, as they usually do, and reality slowly sunk in. I did care about Dane, I might even love him.

The thought was absolutely and completely terrifying.

“I guess I should call him,” I admitted.

All Leela did was nod and give me a hug. She knew how difficult this would be for me, and got up to leave me with my thoughts.

“Hey, the reason I interrupted your sex session is because I wanted us to sign up for the self-defense class tonight. There’s one at 6 PM.”

Looking over her shoulder, she smiled widely, “I’m in, babe. Good luck with Dane-y boy.”

I shook my head at her cheesiness as she slipped out the door. I definitely needed luck. I paced my room as I went over a million different scenarios for our conversation. Things would either go wonderfully or end disastrously.

Both outcomes made me nauseous.

I finally grabbed Elle, squeezing her to my stomach, and dialed his number. After five torturous rings, his voicemail picked up. I hung up and flung the phone down in frustration. The man drove me insane and in the moment I wondered what the hell I was thinking, but I stopped myself, knowing too many thoughts would suppress my bravery. I would end up masking my feelings, and Dane would never know how I really felt.

I threw on some cuter clothes, pulled my hair away from my face, and went in search of Leela.

If Dane wanted rid of me, he would have to tell me to my face. Showing up unexpectedly wasn’t something I was accustomed to doing, but considering Dane’s behavior, I figured it was my only choice. I found Leela in the kitchen snacking on the breakfast I made.

She looked up, surprised, and said, “That was quick.”

I huffed in annoyance and explained the situation. She quickly agreed to accompany me, and rushed to finish dressing. I bounced back and forth, shifting my weight from one foot to another, as I waited. Patience wasn’t my strongest suit, and I knew it would only get worse. What if he wasn’t home? What if he didn’t want to see me? What if he told me to leave? The what if’s flew through my brain, clouding my thoughts and causing doubt to spread deeper.

Leela emerged and wagged her finger at me. “Don’t do what I think you’re doing, Korah,” she scolded. “I know how you get. This is a good idea. The only reason he’s acting this way is because he’s embarrassed. You march right up to his room and set his ass straight.”

I nodded and she grabbed her keys. Fear paralyzed me. I stood in my kitchen, my chest rising quickly as my breathing became heavier. I licked my lips and gulped a few times. In true Leela fashion, she rolled her eyes, grabbed me by the wrist, and dragged me along.

###

The frat house looked different without the abundance of decorations and empty liquor bottles all over the yard. Leela ushered me out of the vehicle, giving words of wisdom and good luck wishes as I moved as slowly as a turtle to get out. I dragged my feet to the door, longing to go back in time and change my mind, but knowing it was impossible.

Lifting my fist to knock, I was startled when the door flew open and a crowd of brothers came tumbling out. Gasping, I stepped back, barely removing myself from their path. They called sorries and instructed me on in, one of them eyeing me and giving a suggestive smile and wink before dashing away.

Why did I come here?

The inside was as massive as I recalled. No one was around, so I inched my way up the staircase, stopping to inspect the spot where the root of Dane’s, and in consequence my, problems took place. The splintered wood had rained down over the steps, flakes still stuck to them, while the rest was showered along the floor directly beneath. I imagined how the scene played out, my heart hammering at the thought of Dane purposely doing something so violent.

Cale reassured me countless times Jack was a liar, but did I really know Cale well enough to trust him? Anger flowed through my veins, warming me as I thought of Christopher. He ruined everything; my trust, my life, my safety.

I couldn’t trust a friend for the demons he’d possessed me with.

I hated it.

I continued on, my mind playing the memories of Halloween through my mind like a movie. An insanely sexy and hot, but tragically confusing, movie. I recalled Dane’s warm hand pulling me along, his seductive smirk as he flirted with me, the confidence I felt for the first time in my life.

His hands on me for the first time.

His kiss. His touch. His lips.

My body reacted to my brain, the heat spreading all over. Finally to his door, I stalled, going over my list of do’s and don’t’s before knocking. I wouldn’t accuse, I wouldn’t be upset. I would tell him I cared for him, that I wanted him. I would do my damnedest to be sultry and inviting. I’d dim my feelings to him, not revealing how deep they ran, how strongly they dominated me.

I could do this.

Biting my lip, I exhaled once, knocked, and inhaled until my lungs felt like they would burst and held it. If he didn’t answer, maybe I would pass out from lack of oxygen and wouldn’t remember how idiotic I’d been.

It finally opened, revealing his unshaven face, messed do, and hard body in nothing but his boxers. I released the immense amount of air I was holding in and broke into a fit of coughs.

“Korah? Are you ok?” he asked, reaching forward and patting me on the back.

I internally kicked myself for my stupidity and nodded. “I wanted to talk,” I croaked as the last of the coughs faded. A blush crept up my neck, settling all over my skin.

“Ok. If you think it’s a good idea,” he sighed, stepping back and sweeping his arm forward, motioning me to enter.

His appearance was haggard, his expression depressed and forlorn. He leaned against the now closed door and peered at me through his thick lashes. “What do you want to talk about?”

I licked my lips, my mouth going dry as I fought to find my words. I blinked several times, twisted my hands in every direction before finally settling on sticking them in my pockets. Leaning on my heels, I allowed my eyes to study his body, starting at his lean, muscular legs and slowly, deliberately, moving up to his crotch, his waist, his chest, then finally settling on his widened eyes. “I want to talk about you and me, Dane. There are a few things you need to know and a few things I’d like to know.”

His mouth fell open and he nodded.

Here goes nothing.

Chapter Two-Dane

Korah Daniels would be the death of me. Every inch of her oozed sex appeal yet vulnerability. Her body made me hard, her eyes made me feel, her lips made me dizzy, and her mind…good grief, she did things to me no woman ever had before.

I was beginning to kind of like it.

She was brilliant, a smart and sensual combo that was kryptonite to men. Or maybe it was me she was kryptonite for. Either way, things were changing, and it was time I got on board with it. Jack dropping the charges was unexpected, but convenient. Still, Korah saw me coming out of a jail cell.

She deserved better.

So I pushed her away, I didn’t call when all I wanted to was ravage her, but yet, here she stood. Her large brown eyes watching me carefully, her stance nervous as she twitched about searching for her words. She wanted to talk. About what I couldn’t say, but the sinking in my gut told me she was done.

Her beautiful face, still slightly scarred from her run in with Christopher, but still the most gorgeous I’d ever seen, studied me. She finally found her voice, back to normal now, and spoke.

“Dane, I have to tell you something. I…” she paused. A hand ran through her hair as she began pacing, her lithe body tense and rigid. “I care about you,” she finally spat out. Her brows furrowed as she glanced at me, then down at her feet. Her uneasiness filled the room, engulfing us both.

Her words hit me hard. No one had cared about me in years…well, not that I knew of. Women wanted me, longed for me, but have feelings from the heart? It was something I didn’t expect. Part of me knew I would never be good enough to earn her affections, to hold such a special place in her heart, but the other part of me didn’t give a damn. I wanted her. Sometimes, I thought I needed her. I was being selfish knowing the depths of my insecurity and commitment issues. And I was an asshole for not caring.

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