As I ran down the stairs and jumped into my car, I questioned my decision to go to Ivan before my best friend. Not that it made the slightest bit of difference because I was already driving to his apartment. My body was controlling in place of my mind.I parked outside his apartment block and took the elevator up. My heart was pounding, but I couldn’t decipher between the thump of excitement and the thump from Ivan.I thought they were one and the same.I knocked on his door three times, but when it opened, it wasn’t him.“Oh, Brenda! Hi!” Mish chirped. “If you’re looking for Ivan, he’s on an early shoot. Said he’ll be back around ten. I’m going to get breakfast since he’s left me absolutely nothing. Did you want to come?”Wow. Word vomit indeed.“Oh, it’s okay. I’ll just wait here.

He dropped his head back. “One step forward, two steps back.”“Jeez, Ivan!” I stood and walked to the window. “We’ve been dating for, like, ten days.”“And fucking for weeks.”I closed my eyes briefly. “Apparently fucking and dating are one and the same for you.”“They are where you’re concerned.”Because our relationship was primarily sex, I wanted to say. Because it followed your addiction with barely any regard for my own.“I’m not having this conversation. I’m not going to argue about this. It’s ridiculous.” I walked into his room and stuffed my feet into my boots. I grabbed my purse and headed towards the door.“What is it with you and running away?”“I’m not running away. I’m walking away from a situation

He released me and headed for my door.Panic constricted my lungs. I couldn’t breathe. He was going. Why? Why is he going? He can’t go.“Where are you going?” I almost shouted, pressing my fists into my stomach.“Somewhere other than here so you can think about what you and I really are.”'Going? No. No—he is not walking away when I’ve finally told him that there’s more than just sex. It was a totally roundabout way, but I told him. And I don’t need to think.'I knew what we were. We’re crazy and painful and consuming. We’re the rainbow through the storm and the rain on a hot summer’s day. We’re the light and dark, everything bad and everything good.“Don’t go.” The words tumbled from me. Desperately, my voice cracked and I begged. “Ivan. Don’t. Please.&

“Yeah? How long for?”“Only ‘til the end of the year. My diary doesn’t go past that yet.” He grinned and pulled me in for a kiss. He hummed against my mouth, the gentle sound vibrating his lips against mine. “Now go make up a menu. I expect a Blow Job as soon as possible.”I dropped my hand to his pants and brushed my thumb over the material covering his half-erect cock. “And I expect a Screaming Orgasm. Pencil that in.”I left the car after one final kiss. He laughed yet again, a sound I’m certain I’ll never tire of, and I waved just before stepping inside the bar.Now, the bar was a totally different place than it was the last time I was here. Downstairs was painted, the bar was completely erected, and all the necessary furniture was on the dance floor, still covered in plastic. The bar was covered with a p

Ivan laughed loudly. “And did you get that from my sister?” “Actually, no. I used this thing called a brain. You might have heard of them.” “Oh, you mean you have one, too? I thought that peculiar phenomenon only existed at the end of my cock.” I bit the inside of my cheek. “Dick.” “How apt.” “You’re such a twat.” He looked over his shoulder and winked. “I love it when you call me that. It’s kind of hot.” “Twat? Really? That’s hot?” “Oh, no, wait. That’s just me.” I covered my mouth with my hand to stop my laughter escaping and held my phone to my ear. “Hello, 911? We have a serious cause of Overgrown Ego-Itis that needs immediate attention.” Ivan leaned across the table and grabbed the phone off me, laughing to himself. “You’d be missing out if I wasn’t so cocky. Shit, Brenda. Could you im