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I wake up with Braden's cóck deep inside me. We're still in the same position we were last night, me lying on my side with my leg wrapped around his waist and my hand still on his chest, only now he's lying on his side, too, and his hips are thrusting into my willing body with slow, lazy moves.

''Good morning,'' Braden says with his low morning voice that I adore so much. I can't help myself – I put my hand on his cheek and smile at his lustful, yet happy eyes.

''Good it is,'' I laugh softly, pushing myself even closer to him.

Braden grins deviously in return. ''I couldn't help myself,'' he says, his voice all husky and hoarse. Sweet Jesus, yes, keep talking. ''You do this to me.'' He follows his statement with a deep push of his hips, making me moan out.

I softly start grazing his chin with my teeth, but Braden stops me. ''No, that's not where I want your mouth right now.'' And he tilts my chin up, kissing me so deep, my lungs run out of all the air they had in them. Wow.

My head is spinning as he ends the kiss and I have to blink a few times to clear my vision. Wow.

''You're already so wet,'' Braden whispers against my throat, where he pushes his nose up and down, inhaling deeply. ''And you smell like sex, too. And me,'' he drawls out proudly the last part and I have to smile at that. ''I'm going to come soon,'' he growls against my throat and I feel the vibrations through my whole body.

I moan when he lifts my leg up higher and starts to move his hips harder, quicker against me, building up my own pleasure, too.

''Fuck, you feel good ...'' he chants out, his voice almost a whisper. He's visibly holding back his release. I squeeze my pússy around him, making him throw his head back and groan out so loud, I can't help but only watch mesmerised. ''That felt so good, but don't do it again ... you're going to make me ... Oh, fuck!'' he shouts as I do it again.

He puts his hand between us and starts rubbing me, now making me throw my head back in pleasure. How come he can make me come to the edge in mere seconds? It's so unfair. ''Umph,'' I groan out when he hits that spot in my body that makes me go wild.

We both come in unison, holding each other in arms, riding out our orgasms. It's pure bliss for a few moments and we both try to calm our breathing down. When I open my eyes, Braden is already staring at me with a soft smile on his face.

''Now that's what I call a good morning,'' he says, kissing me once more. He brushes my hair away, then puts his palm on the side of my face, holding my head in place. I keep my palms pressed against his muscular chest.

I graze him softly with my fingers and he breaks the kiss, looking at my hand, then at my eyes again. ''Trying to mark me again?'' he says. He's in a such a good mood again and I love to see him like that. It makes up for all his withdrawals.

''If you stayed with me in the mornings, we could wake up like this more times,'' I say, trying to sound casual, not wanting to show him that there's a plea somewhere in there in my sentence. I like waking up beside you, Braden ...

His smile momentarily falls off his face, before he replaces it with a new, fake one, least of my favourite smiles of him. He extracts himself out of me and kisses my cheek. ''And if you'd work normal hours, I wouldn't feel bad for waking you up in the morning before I go to work.''

I get completely serious, not even bothering with a fake smile like him. ''Braden ...'' I warn. We've talked about this topic before. I don't want us to destroy the beautiful morning we were just starting to have.

He sits up in bed and I see he's sulking. I have to bite down my grin. ''I'm just saying, Rory. I could give you a job or I could search for another one if you want. You just have to say so.'' He looks at me with his eyes so soft he could even change the devil's mind.

But his words don't have the effect he probably aimed for on me. I know he's trying to look out for me and do what's best for me – for us. But he can't control my life in every way. I sit up in bed, too, pulling the sheet up and turn so I'm facing Braden. ''You're not giving me a job, Braden, neither are you going to look for the job for me. I like working at the bar. The money is good and the people are great. Can we just leave it at that for now?'' I plead.

Braden sighs and puts his head against the wall, looking up at the ceiling. After moments, he looks at me. ''Okay,'' he says with a visible force. I know he's used to getting everything he asks for, but that's not the case with me. ''But if the money is ever going to be a problem for you, you come to me first. No matter what, no matter when,'' he points the last sentence out, looking at me firmly.

I know exactly what he wanted to say with that. If I decide to leave you, you can still come beg me for money. Yeah, like I'd do that.

When I don't answer him, he leans in closer to my face. ''Promise me, Rory. You're going to come to me if you're ever in trouble.'' I'm still unable to give him an answer he wishes to hear, so I only bite my lip and look down at my hands. ''Promise me, Rory, dammit!'' he raises his voice and I look up in fear, my eyes round. He has his eyes narrowed on me.

''I promise,'' I mumble quietly, afraid he's going to shout at me again.

Braden exhales slowly and then he effortlessly scoops my body up in his arms, my sheet dropping along the way, and he puts me on his lap, hugging me to his warm body. ''Good.'' He brushes my hair, while my heart is still beating fast.

I hate when people yell at me. I loathe it and it's usually me who starts crying and apologising if I see someone's mad at me. And it's not even my fault, usually. I forgive and forget way too easily.

''I didn't mean to raise my voice at you, baby girl. I'm just really worried about you sometimes. God,'' he exhales and puts his head on the top of mine, closing his eyes, while still hugging my body close to his. ''You really mean a lot to me, Rory.''

My heart starts beating faster. I hold my breath and wait.

And wait.

And wait.

But nothing happens. He stays silent and I'm probably getting red in the face for holding my breath for so long. He won't say it. I'd do anything to hear those three words from his lips, but I don't think I ever will.

I'm not capable of loving anymore, Rory ...

''You really mean a lot to me, too,'' I sigh out, trying to hide my disappointment.

Braden intertwines our hands together, then brings them up and places a kiss on my knuckles. ''I know,'' he simply says.

I tense up. I know? That's his reply? What else does he know?

''What do you want to do today?'' he asks me, tracing my arm with his fingers.

I try to focus on his question and force myself to push the harmful thoughts out of my head. If he knew just how much he really means to me, he'd say something, right? He'd probably end us for good if he knew.

A yawn escapes me. ''Just lay in the bed for the whole day. You exhausted me!''

Braden laughs and his whole body vibrates against mine. Mmm, what a sound ... ''You exhausted me, too, woman,'' he replies, still laughing.

''So be a good man now and let me sleep for some hours,'' I say, trying to get away from his touch, but he locks his arms around me, not letting me go.

''What if I'm not a good man?'' Braden whispers in my ear then places a kiss behind it.

My breath catches in my throat. ''Then, I won't like you very much,'' I say, not meaning any word and he knows that, too.

He laughs. ''I'm not that concerned about that,'' he says slowly.

''But?''

He grins. ''But what if I prepare you a breakfast and then we can have a repeat performance of what we were doing just minutes ago ...'' His eyes are shining in mischief, his features are getting darker with desire.

My whole body flushes and gets warm at his words. ''I don't promise anything,'' I whisper, but my words give myself out. Damn him and the effect he has on me!

Braden places a kiss against my throat. ''I don't need your promise. Your body betrays you, Rory.''

He gently lays me on the bed, while he stands up, putting on only his boxers and, noting in surprise, his jeans. ''Braden?'' I ask, grinning as he turns to look at me.

''What?''

''You're wearing jeans,'' I point out the obvious thing.

Braden looks down at himself then up at me with a raised eyebrow and a smirk playing on his lips. ''So it appears I am.'' And he walks out of my bedroom, giving me a great chance of admiring his fine backside.

I lie down on my back and put my hands over my face, grinning like an idiot in them.

''Rory?'' I hear Braden from somewhere close, making me slightly jump up in fright.

I search for him and find him standing at the door frame, leaning on it with his arms crossed and with a big grin on his face. How long is he standing there? My cheeks flush.

''Y-yeah?'' I clear my throat.

Braden's grin turns even wider. ''What would you like to eat?''

I'm pretty sure he's seen me acting like a love-sick puppy rolling in the bed, and now he's casually asking me what I want to eat for breakfast. He's such a mean, mean creature and he's lucky he has such a lovely face that it makes it really hard to not like it. ''Uh, an omelette?'' It sounds like a question.

Braden keeps looking at me for some long moments, then with one final slow look down at my body, filled with so much promise, he turns on his heels and goes into the kitchen.

This time, I wait to make sure he's busy in the kitchen before I put my hands across my face and squeal in them in happiness. If any man can make a woman feel like on top of the world, that would be Braden Campbell.

But I still haven't forgotten his mysterious absence the past week. My smile falls off my face. I really trust him too easily. Or I'm too lost in him. Too scared to lose him if I make the wrong move. I don't want to be that annoying girlfriend that wants to know everything and demands her boyfriend tells her where he is and what's he doing every second of the day. I'm not even a girlfriend to Braden, so I have even less right to act like that. But dammit, if I don't deserve to know what the man I'm sleeping with and spend some quality time with is doing that he doesn't have time to answer my calls or give me a call back. What if something really happened to him?

I try not to think about Braden being hurt and instead think about him making me breakfast. With his chest bare.

I sit up straight in bed. Why am I still in here when I could be watching the sexy, half naked man in my kitchen?

I wrap the sheet around myself, not even trying with clothes, and head out of my bedroom to the kitchen where I find Braden standing with his naked back to me, his muscles straining as he flips around a delicious smelling omelette.

And what I didn't notice at first, I notice now – Brooke, sitting in the kitchen with a mug of coffee, wrapped with both her hands, in front of her lips, trying, and failing, to hide the deep smile she has on her lips all the while looking at me.

Shit.

I grip the sheet even tighter around myself and now I really hate myself for being so stupid and not thinking that I'm not living alone, so putting clothes on would be the smartest thing I could do.

''Morning,'' I greet her with my high tone of voice that makes even me cringe.

Braden turns around as he hears me and when he sees me standing at the doorway, gripping the sheet tight around myself, his face breaks out in amusement. I only narrow my eyes at him in response.

''Good morning, Rory,'' Brooke says and I hear her voice is teasing. I turn my narrow stare at her instead. ''I'd ask you if you slept well, but from the looks of it, you didn't do much of sleeping.'' She grins widely while I blush a deep shade of red.

I hear Braden escapes a laugh and I swear, if I held any hard subject in my hand, I would throw it directly at his beautiful head. That bastard. He's surely enjoying this.

I clear my throat. ''Yeah, uhm ... I'll go put some clothes on and I'll come back.''

''Don't bother,'' Braden says before I can emerge from the kitchen as fast as I can and go feel sorry for myself because I always put myself in embarrassing situations in front of Braden.

''What?'' I say, not understanding him.

''Don't bother,'' he repeats himself, not even turning around from the stove.

''Don't bother with putting my clothes on or don't bother with coming back?'' I explain the previously said question.

He turns around this time, completely, so I can have a clear view of his defined muscles. I wonder how much he works out to have a body like that ... I also wonder how would my tongue feel against the hard, yet soft flesh, licking –

''With both,'' Braden says and I feel his answer deep in my stomach. I will my eyes to look up to his face and it takes me a lot of force. And control.

He's looking at me pointedly and I forget what we were even talking about. All I can feel, all I can see and focus on, is his dark look, his smouldering eyes watching me across the room, putting a spell on me.

I blink and what he said finally dawns on me. Oh, Jesus. My stomach clenches, but I quickly remind myself that we're not alone. I quickly look at Brooke in the corner of my eye and see her looking at Braden with her eyebrows raised, her mug lifted up in the air as if she wanted to take a sip, but suddenly stopped.

I gulp and press the sheet against my suddenly too warm body to protect myself from Braden's gaze. It seems like he doesn't even notice the sheet on my body because he's looking at me as if I was standing naked in front of him. He has the ability to undress me with only his eyes.

Braden's mouth slowly rises up in a small, all too knowing smile that pulls the strings in my chest. And I wonder one too many times – how can a living creature be so beautiful? With the sun shining from the window on him from the side, it's making him look like a living god, being highlighted and bathed in the golden sun rays. And I'm just one lucky woman who gets to see this god standing in her kitchen after spending the whole night making love to her.

No, more like fucking. We don't make love, I remind myself.

The spell is broken when I hear Brooke puts down her mug. I quickly look at her and see her watching us both, her face studying us in a deep concentration like she's trying to figure something out. By her frown, I know she's not succeeding.

Good luck with figuring Braden out, Brooke, I think to myself. And when you do, tell me the instructions on how you did it. Because I'd like to learn as well.

I don't say anything to anyone, just make a quick escape out of the kitchen and I know that Braden's eyes never leave my form. It's unnerving.

I can finally breathe normally after I close the door and lean with my back against it. I look at the ceiling.

Stupid, stupid, stupid ...

But hey, let's look on the bright side – at least I haven't gone out naked. God, if I did, I'd probably go straight to the kitchen window and throw myself out of it, without even opening it at first.

I'm in a debate if I listen to Braden and wait for him here – on the bed, naked, or if I go put on some clothes and go out.

At the end, I choose to do neither and just go sit down on the bed, still wrapped in the comfort of my sheet.

It's not so much that Brooke knows what we were doing before I paraded in there, wrapped only in a sheet and clueless, but the shock what just happened between me and Braden in the kitchen.

He has some kind of a magnetic pull to him and I can't resist it. I realise I already fell too deep for him and it's only a matter of time before I crash and break into pieces.

I put my elbows on my knees and lean my head on my palms. I have a feeling that this is not going to end well. This relationship me and Braden have will end sometime and I'd be delusional if I'd kid myself that I could make him love me back.

I'm really afraid how this will end. But what I fear more than that, is that he's going to find out about my feelings and he'll reject me. And then leave me. It'd kill me, slowly and painfully, but it'd totally destroy me.

This is the fear of falling in love. No – this is the fear of falling in love with Braden. It was bound to happen. I was so naïve for thinking that I'm strong enough to do this, that I can keep my feelings at bay and I can have a relationship, based only on sex, with a man I was – am crazily attracted to.

Do I really have so much luck that I always fall in love with the wrong men?

Braden walks in the room in that moment, shirtless, holding a tray filled with food and delicious smelling coffee. What a sight! Too bad I don't have a camera on me right now.

He frowns as he sees me with a sheet still wrapped around me, sitting at the edge of the bed, thinking silly thoughts.

''What are you thinking so deeply about?'' he asks as he puts the tray on my nightstand and sits beside me.

Obviously, I won't tell him my real thoughts. ''Just about what happened in the kitchen,'' I mumble out lamely.

Braden's eyebrows quirk up. ''Which part?''

I flush at his hot stare. ''The one I completely embarrassed myself in front of Brooke. And you didn't quite help me,'' I accuse him, playfully staring him down.

He leans closer to me. ''She's not stupid, Rory. She knows what we've been doing the whole night and all the nights before that. And she doesn't mind a bit.''

I'm surprised. ''Have you talked to her about this?''

He just nods.

''Well, okay ... But what will happen when we break off this arrangement? How is it going to be from there on?'' My voice sounds involuntary sad.

Braden leans back a bit, his face becoming darker. ''I don't plan on breaking off this arrangement any soon. Are you?'' He looks at me with hard features, his words holding a double meaning. When I don't respond him, he narrows his eyes. ''You know what happens if you fall in love with me, don't you?''

I hold my breath, blinking three times. I suddenly feel a panic rising inside of me. Oh, God. Does he know? How could he know? Fuck. Damn. Shit.

Braden answers the question for me, ''This arrangement is over, Rory. If love gets involved, it ends. Just. Like. That.'' His words are crucial, merciless.

They hurt. Oh, they hurt so much. Because it seems like for me, there is already an end for this arrangement. And it's going to be me who'll destroy it.

Only if ... How long can a person pretend? How long can someone fake their feelings? I could keep quiet about it. He doesn't have to know. If I don't say a word to him, we'll both end up happy, right? We'll both get what we want.

I can't think straight with him staring so pointedly at me, waiting for my reaction. I wait a few mere seconds so I can compose myself together before I utter out in my most calm and even voice I can muster, ''Of course I know that. We agreed on a relationship based only on sex, nothing more. Nothing less.'' I add a smile after that feels like it takes all my energy to force it.

Braden looks at me for some moments longer, trying to gauge my reaction, but then he sighs in relief and says, ''That's good. I was afraid we'll need to end it sooner than I thought,'' breaking my heart in half with his insensible words.

I wince as he says that, but he seems not to notice it, too lost in his own thoughts. ''What makes you think that it's going to be me who'd fall in love?'' I speak out boldly, wanting to bite my tongue off right after.

Braden looks at me in pure surprise. Then he laughs a bitter laugh. ''Sweetheart, it sure as hell won't be me.'' He says this so sure, it makes my heart hurt even more.

''But why?'' I ask brokenly, but also eagerly to find out why would he avoid love so much.

''I already told you, Rory. Do I have to repeat myself? I'm not capable of loving anymore.''

''Yes, I remember. But why?'' I push.

''Rory,'' he warns. He avoids my gaze, looking at the wall behind my head.

''I just want to know some basic information, Braden,'' I say in frustration. Why does he always have to be so closed off with me?

He looks at me sharply. ''That's not some basic information, Rory. That's some deep stuff neither of us is prepared for. Trust me, you're not ready to hear that. And I'm not ready to share it, either.''

I'm taken aback by his harsh response. I turn my head away from him so he doesn't see my hurtful expression. How can he expect me that I get to know him when he never wants to tell me anything? How can he expect me to be his friend? I mean, friends share stuff with each other, don't they? Unless Braden has some other definition of friends.

I briefly wonder if the girl he said he was in love with is responsible for this 'new' Braden, not capable of loving anymore. I wonder what she did to him that he turned out this way.

''Can I ask you something else?'' I blurt out before I change my mind.

Braden just looks at me blankly.

''Why didn't you answer my calls or called me back this past week?'' I twiddle my thumbs, suddenly nervous what his answer will be.

A surprise flashes in his eyes once again, before he masks it carefully with his blank look he's mastered at. I hate how quickly he can hide his feelings or how controlled he can be, not showing what he feels sometimes. ''I told you, Rory, I had business to do,'' he says in his even tone, not giving anything away.

I want to scream at him, just to get some reaction out of him. But I don't, of course. I force myself to stay calm and sit up straighter, not allowing him to affect me with anything that will come out of his mouth. ''And you couldn't even take a few minutes to call me?'' I ask, desperately trying to mask the hurt in my voice. ''I heard you talking with Brooke over the phone, so you obviously had a few minutes to spare.''

Braden looks dishevelled for a moment. He goes with his hand through his hair, showing his distress. ''Rory, I ...'' He closes his mouth as if he's at loss with words. I wait patiently for him to give me the answer I want to hear, not even blinking once. It won't be me who'll back down this time. ''I needed some time away from you,'' he finally finishes.

As his words progress in my brain, my shoulders slump a bit. ''Oh.'' I look down at my hands, not having it in me to ask why would he need to do that.

''It's not what you think, Rory,'' Braden says softly. I still don't look at him and he sighs. ''You just ... You completely overwhelm me and all my senses and it's something ... new for me,'' he admits, his voice sounds strained as if it's painful for him to say this out loud.

I lift my head up and look at him, now it's me being at loss with words. A hope blossoms in my chest, but I don't let myself think too highly about his statement.

''Let's leave it that for now, okay? But I promise you, it wasn't because I didn't want to talk to you ... It took me every ounce of energy, every drop of my self-restraint that I didn't run to my car and drive straight to you.'' He closes his eyes and balls his hands into fists like he was remembering how he felt back then. ''But I couldn't,'' he breathes out, opening his eyes that are glistening with so much honesty, it grips my heart. ''I needed to have my head clear and I needed to think straight and be focused mainly on the project I'm working on.''

My body is frozen completely, I can't even move a muscle. He's just so sweet and nice to me all the time and I hate that he made me fall in love with him so much. I hate him for making me so weak, for making me forgive him so fast. ''It's okay,'' I finally say when I find my voice and my mushy brain finally starts working again. ''I understand.''

Braden presses his lips together. ''I really am sorry. I can promise this won't happen again because it seems like I hurt both of us by denying us what we both wanted.''

''I wanted to visit you to check if you're still alive, but then I remembered you don't know where you live,'' I joke, smiling to myself.

But when his body tenses up and his eyes become wild, I realise I made a terrible mistake. ''You know why you don't know where I live, Rory. I've told you. Need I remind you again?'' He sounds slightly angry and I feel like a child being scolded by saying a curse word.

I lower my eyes. ''No, you don't. I remind it very well,'' I mutter quietly, then as if I feel the need, I add, ''You don't bring women you sleep with to your home.''

Braden doesn't say anything for a moment. Then he simply replies with, ''That's right. And I don't do exceptions.''

Tears well up in my eyes so fast that I have to blink rapidly so they don't start falling down my cheeks. His words feel like he stabbed me in my heart and twisted his knife around, making the hole impossibly big and impossibly aching with hurt.

I don't reply him and I don't think he even expects an answer for that. I instead change the subject. ''Was this project you were working on about the bar?''

''Yes,'' he says, his tone careful.

I purse my lips. ''But you won't tell me what you're going to do with it,'' I state.

Braden sighs. ''I can't, Rory. This information is confidential.''

I look at him. ''And you don't trust me enough to share it with me,'' I say, not bothering with masking my hurt.

He sighs again, this time deeper and longer. ''It's not that I don't trust you, it's basically me asking you to trust me. Yeah?'' I only blink at him, not answering. ''Talking about trust, Rory, I want to talk about last night with you,'' Braden surprises me by suddenly saying.

My body unwillingly tenses up. ''What about last night?'' My voice is hoarse. It heats up, remembering the things he did to me last night. The things I enjoyed immensely.

''Look at me.''

I oblige, looking him into his eyes.

''Why did you react the way you did when I blindfolded you?''

I inhale sharply, not expecting his question. I subconsciously look away from him, but he puts his fingers under my chin and makes me look back at him. He's looking straight at me, not even blinking.

There's a lump in my throat suddenly and my body starts shaking under his gaze. I really don't want to talk about this. Not so soon at least. I'm afraid how would he react. Would he be disgusted? Probably.

''I don't want to talk about this now,'' I say the same words I said last night because I don't know what else to say.

Braden's nostrils flare slightly and I see he's trying to stay in control, stay calm. His reaction makes me shiver – in a bad way. ''Rory,'' he says in what I presume is his business tone. ''I'm not letting this drop. I want you to tell me why you reacted the way you did. No, listen to me, Rory,'' he says when he sees me open my mouth, ready to protest. ''It's important for me to know where I can go with you and how hard I can push you, seeing that this between us is based purely on sex.''

I hate that he's right. I turn my eyes away from his studying eyes and this time he lets me. I feel a panic rising inside of me again because I'm not ready to share this with him, or anyone. No one but Lily knows what really happened that one night and I made sure no one found out.

I find Braden's eyes again. ''You don't have to worry about me, Braden. You surprised me last night and I got a bit scared, that's all, really ...'' I mutter, bending the truth.

Judging by Braden's change of expression, he doesn't believe my words and he isn't entirely sure I'm telling him the complete truth.

''I know you're hiding something and you don't want to tell me, and that's okay. For now. But, I promise you, Rory, now and here that I'll find out the truth behind your actions and I'll destroy the people who dared to hurt you. I'll destroy them – slowly and painfully,'' he swears solemnly, his face dark, his tone even, but I can hear all the truth behind his words, all the perseverance.

His words overwhelm me. I rest my head on his shoulder, smiling to myself. ''You're a good man, Braden,'' I can't help myself saying. His words calm me because I know if he wanted to, he could make me spill out the truth to him. I know he knows that, as well. He knows what effect he has on me and he also knows that he could make me go walk on the roof if he wanted to. But he didn't persuade me and for that, I'm so thankful.

Braden's body is tense and I only now notice that. I perk up at him, but he has his head up high, his eyes looking straight forward. ''I'm not. I'm really not,'' he says, awfully serious. It makes my chest tighten.

I press my lips on his jaw and wrap my arms around him. He doesn't move and his body stays tense in my arms. ''You are, Braden. You're an amazing, honest and trustworthy man. You're golden in my eyes,'' I admit to him, not even feeling ashamed for saying those words. It's only the truth he deserves to know.

His eyes now look down at me and I see all the insecurities there with a mix of raw vulnerability. ''You think too highly of me,'' he whispers tenderly, putting a string of my messy hair away from my face.

I hate how he can be so confident on the outside but he's really so insecure on the inside, while he literally has no reason to be insecure about anything. He's perfect. In my eyes, he's perfect. ''That's only the truth, Braden,'' I tell him honestly.

He smiles, but his smile seems distant and bitter. ''You're only going to be disappointed in the end.''

My heart kicks in my chest. ''I doubt. But if I will, it'll all be very worth it.''

Braden suddenly sits up straighter and my arms fall away from his body. He moves a bit away from me and clears the throat. ''We should eat before the food gets cold.'' He already picks up a tray with the food, while I frown at his back because of his sudden change of behaviour.

''Yeah. Food. Let's eat,'' I murmur, but in all honesty, I don't feel any hunger anymore. At all.

***

After we finished eating, Braden cleaned up, as much as I protested I want to do it, but he didn't let me, instead telling me that I don't even move an inch from the bed today.

When he came back, we finished what we started in the morning. Two times. After that, he borrowed me his shirt so I could put it on me, without any underwear. He stayed shirtless, only wearing his jeans. I wasn't complaining, though.

We moved to the living room where we stayed cuddled for the good half of the day, falling asleep on each other somewhere in the middle of the film we were watching.

Brooke joined us later when we were both awake and it was nearing the evening. She ordered a takeout and that's what we're doing now – me and Braden on the couch together with a blanket wrapped around us, and Brooke in the armchair, all of us having food in our hands.

''I just don't get it,'' Braden says again, making Brooke roll her eyes in frustration. ''Wasn't Elena with Stefan at first? And now she's with his brother?''

''Yes, she was. But she fell in love with Damon and she's with him now,'' I explain patiently. Yes, we were watching The Vampire Diaries, much to Brooke's and my excitement. For Braden? He just casts me some looks everytime Damon took off his shirt or made his bedroom eyes at the camera.

Oh, come one, which sane girl wouldn't look at that?

''That's kind of stupid. And just wrong on many levels,'' Braden says again, frowning.

I huff the air out of my mouth, quietly. ''It's not a real life, Braden. It's a fiction, okay?''

''But—''

''Oh, shut up or I'll make you! For fuck's sake,'' Brooke grumbles suddenly, having enough of Braden interrupting every 30 seconds.

Braden narrows his eyes at Brooke. ''Language, Brooke,'' he warns.

Brooke narrows her eyes back. ''I'm not five. You can't command me.'' They have a stare down for a while until Brooke finally looks away.

I smile to myself. He even makes his sister feel intimidated, imagine how I must feel.

''Just – stay quiet from now on, okay?'' Brooke mutters, putting chips in her mouth and chews it angrily.

I have to roll my bottom lip in my mouth to stop the laugh when Braden turns his eyes, being all grumpy, back to the TV screen.

***

When the clock nears 10 pm, Braden suddenly makes a move to stand up, stirring me awake when I almost fell asleep on him again.

''I have to go,'' he suddenly announces.

I sit up straight, blinking a few times to get rid of the sleep from my eyes. ''Where are you going?'' I mutter with my groggy, sleepy voice.

Braden smiles softly down at me and kisses my forehead before replying, ''I need to wake up early tomorrow.''

I pout. ''You're not going to stay?'' I ask, suddenly feeling all lonely because of him leaving. I don't want him to go.

He seems stricken with my question. ''No, I'm not.''

I scramble up on my legs. I realise I'm only wearing his T-shirt when his gaze falls on my legs and his eyes darken. ''Wait, I'll walk you to the door,'' I say, not wanting to let him go – not now, not ever.

He looks away, balling his hands into fists, trying to take control over himself.

We stop in my bedroom at first and Braden looks for a new shirt to wear. It expands my chest that he doesn't say to change out of his T-shirt and give it back to him.

We walk to the door and he puts on his coat, then stops just before opening the door and turns around. He looks over my head for a second, then leans down, puts his hand on my middle back and kisses me on my mouth with so much passion, my legs start to sway.

When he pulls away, his eyes are glazed over with lust and I what he sees in my eyes, makes them darken even more.

''When will I see you again?'' I clutch his shirt in my hands like a clinging girlfriend I became.

Braden shakes his head as if to clear it. ''I don't know.'' He kisses me briefly on my lips, holding me to him for mere seconds, before he releases me, turns around and walks right out of the door, leaving me cold, alone, and wrapped in his T-shirt so his scent fills my whole body.