I pack up and swiftly make my way to the elevator, and ride it down to the lobby. Pushing through the revolving door, I stop and a smile grows on my face when I see a midnight black, Dodge Challenger, idling in the circular drive. The driver door opens and he strides over to me, gathering me up in his arms and landing his mouth firmly over mine. My mouth opens for him automatically, our tongues twisting together in a slow dance.

I unseal our lips and look at him a little sheepishly. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t watching the time. Have you been here long? You should have texted me.” He raises an eyebrow and stares. “Okay, you should have called Stacey and had her tell me I had a text.” He throws his head back and laughs, the sound setting off those butterflies again.

We pick up Chinese on our way to my apartment, demolishing it when we get there, both of us starving. After we clean up, it’s late and I have an early appointment, so I announce that it’s time for bed. Chase stands and narrows his brown eyes at me, a determined glint in their depths. I don’t have the strength to kick him out again, so I hold out my hand. Relief floods his features and he laces our fingers together and leads the way to my bedroom.

He makes love to me with tenderness, worshiping my body, and making me feel like I am precious to him. We are snuggled in post-coital bliss when he whispers to me, “Baby?”

“Yeah?” I yawn, barely able to stay awake for this conversation.

“What’s your schedule like on Sunday? Can I take you somewhere special? Somewhere fun?” His voice is quiet, but there is the slightest undercurrent of excitement. I lean up on my elbow and just barely make out his smile in the dark.

“Where?” I hate surprises.

“You’ll see.” Ugh. Did I mention I hate surprises?

“No hints?”

He shakes his head and pulls me back down to rest on his chest. My cheek warming the inked skin over his heart, the dancing angel from his past. Maybe he’ll open up to me there, and let me carry some of his burden too. I try not to let it, but it bothers me that he has cracked me open so wide, and yet, he doesn’t talk to me about his loss. I want us to be on equal footing.

“Okay,” I whisper.

He hugs me close and kisses the top of my head. “Thank you, Tori. I promise, you’ll love it.”

I’m almost asleep again when a thought occurs to me, I’m about to ask him why we can’t go on Saturday, then I remember. Group. I groan and bury my head in his chest, ignoring the unhappy reminder and fall asleep.

I’m supposed to be working on my graduation speech for the Class of 2015. Instead, my notebook remains white and unmarred, yet my attention remains affixed on the wall in front of me.

Nearly two weeks ago, it seemed as if it were the perfect color. Especially with Tori standing in front of it. But now, I see that I was distracted by her. Now, it’s evident that it is not the right fucking color.

I run a frustrated hand through my hair and clench my eyes closed in a desperate manner to recall the exact shade. My memory of her fades with each passing day and the color in my head dims.

Anger swims through my veins like hungry sharks in the shallow end of the ocean. I’m desperate to remember the color that somehow haunts my dreams yet alludes my consciousness. Standing abruptly, I then stalk over to my bookcase and haul out the paint swatch book. With my pen, I cross out the seventeenth color and peruse the shades until I’m pretty sure which one will be the eighteenth coat. I circle it and toss it back on the shelf.

I’m tempted to call Tori and invite her for another painting session. But I remember her questioning eyes. She saw through my playful façade and into the dark, twisted part of me that I attempt to keep locked away. If she knew I painted this fucking wall more than most people change their underwear, I’m sure she’d be running for the goddamned hills.

Dragging my eyes back over to the wall, I glare at it.

Fuck the stupid wall and its never-ending taunting.

The way it teases me into thinking the color is right, only to somehow morph and transform into something ugly and wrong.

My phone chimes and I tear myself from obsessing over the wall. Today was the last day of class for the semester. Everyone flew through their exams and by mid-afternoon, I was done. Waiting for Tori, with nothing else on my agenda, only serves to cause me to obsess over shit like the damn wall.

Tori: I’m done.

Scrunching my brows together, I reply back to her message.

Me: Like for the day? You do realize it’s only 4:45.

I stalk past the stupid wall and make my way into my bedroom. For two weeks now, we’ve spent nearly every day together and tonight won’t be any different. Besides, I want to make sure she goes to group in the morning and spending the night with her will insure that I get to drag her unwilling ass with me.

Tori: This case is pissing me off. I’ve done all I can do for the day. I thought maybe we could…

She’s so damn cute. I’m usually the one coming up with all the plans and carting her around the city all the time. So, the fact that she’s attempting a suggestion has me grinning like an idiot for the first time today.

Me: Fuck on my car? Make a sex tape? Let you give me a blowjob on your white couch?

Her reply is immediate.

Tori: No, you ass. I was thinking food. Jesus, you’re insane!!

I laugh out loud.

Me: Insane for you, baby. Pick you up in fifteen.

Not waiting for a response, I tear off the clothes I wore to class and dress in a pair of jeans and a black, fitted T-shirt. I slip on a pair of black Chucks and brush my teeth before heading her way.

The drive is short and the valet attendants wave at me when I pull into the bay. Tori is already waiting outside, looking beautiful in a crisp, navy pantsuit and spiked cream-colored stilettoes that match her blouse underneath. A smile tugs at my lips when I see her overnight bag hanging from her arm.

I roll down the window as she strides my way, a breathtaking smile upon her lips.

“Heaven’s that way, angel,” I flirt and point up.

Her cheeks turn pink and she rolls her eyes at me. “Did those lines ever get you anywhere before me?”

I laugh as she heaves her bag into the backseat and climbs in. “You’re the only one who falls for them,” I admit with a wink.

“Who says I fall for them?” she pouts.

I slide a hand around her neck and clutch the back of her skull, drawing her to me. Our mouths meet without hesitation and I kiss her deeply. When we finally pull apart, I grin at her. “You fall every damn time, baby. That’s what makes you so cute.”

She huffs as I put the car into gear and cruise out of the parking lot. Even though she pretends to be annoyed, she’s happy. It fucking radiates from her and fills my soul. These last two weeks truly have been bliss for me.

Meeting Tori and falling for her wasn’t something I expected to happen. My life has been one unsuccessful relationship after another—always missing an important deep element. With her, she’s the whole damn ocean. Her depths are still unchartered and I crave to explore every deep, dark corner of her. I could spend my life with a woman like her. The thought of giving her more children—children she deserves more than anything on this earth—threatens to make my heart combust.

I want to give it all to her one day.

Children.

Marital bliss.

A happily ever after.

And nobody will take that away from her. I’ll protect her future with my life and make deals with the devil if that is what it takes. Tori deserves the best and I want to be the man to give it to her.