(A/N-Special thanks to Bekki for beta reading this. And special thanks to all who read, review, follow, fav this story. Appreciate it!)


On Thursday evening after the adult literacy class, Tris did what she always did and went to her local gym. She didn't have time to work out as much as she had done when she was at college, but she always felt better if she got in at least two sessions a week.

She was on the treadmill, working her way up from a walk to a run, when in her peripheral vision she saw the large figure of a guy step onto the treadmill next to her. Her skin burned under his appraisal, but she ignored him.

However… her skin wouldn't stop burning because he wouldn't stop looking.

Annoyed, she chanced a scathing glance at him and nearly went flying backward off the treadmill when she realized it was Tobias.

He reached out to steady her, but she flung her hands out and caught the rails. Tris almost sighed in relief that he hadn't touched her. She quickly reduced the speed on the machine, drawing to a stop so she could turn a full-strength glare on him.

He stared back at her, not saying a word, while she tried to process what the hell was happening and the fact that he looked beyond amazing in his white T-shirt and track bottoms. He definitely visited the gym often.

But not her gym!

"What the hell are you doing here?" Tris hissed, smoothing strands of hair back into her ponytail, painfully aware of how gross she must look.

Tobias flashed her a boyish grin. "Working out."

Ignoring the flutterings caused by that grin, Tris narrowed her eyes and said through clenched teeth, "I've never seen you here before."

"That's because I've never been here before. I joined today."

"Why? And answer in full this time."

He grinned again, crossing his arms over his chest so his biceps flexed. Oh, mamma.

It was official. She hated him.

"Speak!" Tris snapped, trying to control her wandering eyes.

Chuckling, Tobias replied, "Christina told me this is your gym, so now it's my gym."

"You're stalking me?"

"I prefer to call it 'actively pursuing you.' I told you, I just want a chance to explain."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Tris asked, "Who are you?"

"I'm not the guy I used to be."

"Forget I asked, because I don't care!" she yelled, instantly regretting it when one of the trainers shot her a warning look. She didn't like the triumphant expression on Tobias' face. She was making it much too clear that he was affecting her. She sniffed haughtily and stepped off the treadmill. "I don't want an explanation and I don't care what gym you go to. I'm here to work out. You do as you please."

She wandered away from him, trying to remember if these were the shorts that made her arse look flat. She swore her butt cheeks flushed beneath the fabric at the thought of him checking her out.

Tris got on the cross trainer and attempted to put Tobias out of her mind. That wasn't so easy when he followed her and stepped up onto the cross trainer beside her. She did a valiant job of ignoring him… Ignoring him when he followed her like the stalker she'd accused him of being, around the gym so that they looked like they were working out together.

"If you want to do some weights I'll spot you." He grinned at her as she finished on the rowing machine.

Tris gave him a look of derision. "I'd rather have an elephant with a flatulence problem sit on my face."

Tobias choked on a burst of laughter, swallowing what she was sure had been a gust of amusement. Had he changed?

Hmm.

No! Not hmm. She did not give a rat's arse if he's changed!

"Descriptive," he answered, mirth in his light eyes. "You still writing?"

Tris crossed her arms over her chest, cocking her hip in attitude. "Actually, I am still writing. What do you think of my latest story? It's about this brooding, issue-riddled boy who slept with this naive girl. She told him she loved him, and it disgusted him so much he flew across an entire ocean to get away from her, leaving nothing behind but a broken-hearted girl."

All amusement fled from Tobias' face. He took an uncertain step toward her, lifting his hand as if he was going to touch her, comfort her.

Tris flinched, warding him off, all that pain and rage concealed beneath a false calm. She didn't know where she got the strength to find that calmness, but she thanked God for it. "Don't. I don't care if you've changed. I don't care who you are now. I don't need or want your explanations because what you did, you didn't do it to me, you did it to that girl you left behind. And I'm not her anymore. You made certain of that. She might have needed answers and an apology, but me… I don't know what you're talking about. You're just someone stalking me in my local gym."

With that she turned around and walked away from him, hoping he didn't see her legs trembling.

The first thing she did when she got to the locker room was to send a text to Christina, it pretty much warned her to stop giving Tobias her weekly schedule and permission to the receptionist at school to let him in. Or else.

Christina swore that she would. She told Tris that she was only trying to get two people back, who obviously cared about one another greatly. Tris told her to please stop interfering.

Even though she had time to visit the gym the following Monday, she didn't. She also hadn't received any more calls or surprise visits from Tobias, but she wasn't chancing the gym again. It didn't matter, though. He'd won. He was inside her head, just where she knew he wanted to be. She kept expecting him to appear everywhere, and she hated that she was at once relieved and disappointed whenever she got through the day without seeing him. It would seem her mind knew exactly what it wanted, but her body and her heart just wouldn't agree with it.

She was really looking forward to her book group because it was relaxing and interesting and a total escape from her real life. It was a group of eleven of them, but usually only eight or so ever turned up on the night. They were reading The Help and she knew the subject matter would make for some opinionated chat. It would take her mind off things for a while.

As she walked into the room, she heard her named called out. "Oh, Tris, come meet our newest member!" Anna called.

She glanced up from pulling her copy of The Help out of her bag to look across the room at Anna. Disbelief crashed over her.

Tobias towered over her, grinning at her.

"Oh, my God," Jen murmured, devouring Tobias with her eyes. "He's totally my latest book boyfriend."

Tris shot her a dirty look before getting slowly to her feet. She walked toward Anna and Tobias, wondering how to handle this new situation, and also wondering how the hell to stop the tingling between her legs at the way Tobias was looking at her.

She felt his eyes roam over her, lingering on her breasts, following the curve of her hips and skimming her legs, before traveling back up again. When their eyes met, his were filled with the kind of blatant heat she would have done anything for five years ago.

"Tris Prior this is Four Eaton," Anna said.

"Four?" Tris asked.

"Hello, Tris," Four said as he offered her his hand with a grin.

Damn him.

"So, Four… I didn't know you liked to read." Tris puckered her brow in fake confusion.

"Yeah." he nodded innocently. "I'm a big reader."

"Or a big liar," Tris muttered under her breath.

"Sorry, what was that?" Anna leaned in to hear her better.

Tris ignored her as politely as she could, her smile directed at Four. "It's nice to welcome you aboard. How did you find out about us?"

He chuckled. "Christina. Apparently, she doesn't do well with threats. Know anything about that?"

Of course. Tris should have known better – threat tactics would make her do the opposite of what she wanted her to do. "I don't know what you're talking about," Tris lied. "And I'm going to kill her."

They took their seats and Four sat next to Anna in the chair directly opposite Tris in the circle. All eyes were on him as Anna introduced him, and not just because he was new to the group, but because he stood out in so many ways. One, he was gorgeous; two, he was English; and three, he just had that special something about him that drew people to him, four he was gorgeous.

Four. What kind of name was that? Why the change?

Fuck! Why did she care?

She'd have thrown her book at him if it wouldn't have gotten her kicked out of the group. She even seriously contemplated it for a moment and by the silent laughter parting Tobias' lips he knew exactly what she was thinking about doing.

"Have you read The Help, Four?" Anna asked him, clearly enamored with him.

"Nope, can't say I have."

"Oh, that's okay. Just follow along with our discussion."

"Sure thing."

Sure thing. Tris made a childish face in mockery and his snort brought her gaze swinging back to collide with his. He was laughing at her. He found her amusing.

He was enjoying himself!

She attempted to join the discussion, attempted to say all the intelligent things she had to say about the book, but with his blue eyes boring into her the whole time, her brain wasn't cooperating.

Thirty minutes later, Jen was shooting her concerned looks and Anna was preening because she'd brought up most of the talking points this week. She turned to Tobias. "Is there anything you might like to add, now that you've heard a little something about the book?"

Tobias didn't disappoint. He looked straight at Tris and replied, "I think it sounds like a book about determination, about pursuing what's right, what feels right, despite the odds stacked against you or the possible fallout. It sounds like my kind of book."

Tris was frozen in that moment, looking at him as he looked back at her with all the determination he had mentioned. Her palms began to sweat, she couldn't hear over the rushing of blood in her ears, and she wondered where the hell she was supposed to go from there.

He was telling her he wasn't going to give up!

She had to believe him.

Tris was standing on the back of her patio, one evening and couldn't get Four's voice out of her head, those words he'd said to her so long ago. They had meant so much to her then because she knew that he wasn't the kind of guy who expressed his emotions well, and that day he'd let himself be vulnerable with her.

Despite everything that had happened, despite him leaving her and breaking her heart, despite his leaving causing the most devastating thing to happen to her, she couldn't stop those words from haunting her.

"You'll catch a cold." Edward said as he walked up behind her.

"I'm fine," she insisted. "You? I'm thinking not so much."

It was getting harder and harder to pretend with her friends and family that she wasn't in a mood. She'd spent the last week completely discombobulated, living inside her own head. She didn't know how she felt about Four's persistence and because no one else knew the whole story she didn't even have anyone to turn to. And in the end, that was her own fault.

"Tris, seriously." Edward's smile slipped, a deep frown line appearing between his brows. "You've been quiet all week and you're out here by yourself, looking like you have the weight of the entire world on your shoulders. I'm worried. Tell me what's going on."

Tris sighed, not wanting to piss him off with an obvious lie. "Do you remember Four from the bonfire?"

He nodded and waited for her to continue.

"I used to be in love with him."

Edward's eyebrows rose at that little bomb of information. "How did I not know this?"

"You and I weren't as close back then. We met and within a few days I was mad about him. He's older, so we were just friends. Sometimes I tutored him. But I always wanted more. We kissed when I was sixteen" – She diluted the information – "and just when I thought maybe he felt the same way about me, he went back to England. The bonfire was the first time I've seen him since then and… he told me he's been back for four years."

Her friend's eyes glimmered with sympathy. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I wish I'd known. I would never have left you alone that night."

"I needed to be alone," she reassured him.

"His reappearance is obviously messing with your head."

"No, actually he is."

Edward's face instantly darkened. "What does that mean?"

"It means he wants a chance to explain why he left the way he left, and he's been turning up everywhere I go in an attempt to get me to listen." Tris went on to tell him about the school, the gym, and the book club encounter.

His glower cleared. Now he just looked amused. "So, listen."

Tris jerked back in anger. "No. He doesn't deserve it."

"Tris, you were kids. If he's taking the time to pursue you, then he clearly feels bad and wants a second chance."

"He's had that chance for the last four years."

"Maybe he didn't know what to say."

"Whose side are you on?"

"Yours," he said with a laugh. "But, Christ, you're working yourself into knots over him when all it might take to give you a little closure is a better understanding of where his head was at. He's offering you that chance."

Tris gave him a low-lidded look of displeasure. "If I wanted a voice of reason I would have asked for it."

Edward chuckled. "I'm just saying, unless there's more to this than you're telling me, I think he deserves a chance to explain." Some dark suspicion suddenly entered his gaze. "There isn't more to this, is there?"

Tris shook her head with faux calm. "No… but he is the reason I made a stupid decision back then. So… there's that."

Understanding settled over Edward's features and he replied kindly, "You can't hold your own actions against him."

Feeling guilty for lying to Edward and angry at Four and herself for the predicament she found herself in with her family, she nodded glumly. There was no way she'd get the right advice without her friends and family having the full story, and she had no intention of rewriting the history she had given them with the truth. "Let's stop talking about me." She waved the subject away. "How's you? How's Elena?"

He made a face. "Elena and I ended it last night."

Her lips parted in surprise. "And you're only just telling me this?"

He shrugged. "There's not much to tell. We were out after work last night and we bumped into some of my friends from school and she started a catfight with one of the girls."

"Catfight?"

"Her jealousy is ridiculous. She has major trust issues. It was time to end it."

"We all have issues, Edward. Relationships aren't easy. Sometimes you have to work at it."

"Agreed. But I didn't want to work at it, so what does that tell you?"

"She's not the one for you."

"Exactly." He turned and opened the door. "Now that we've beat our relationship issues out for the day, let's get fed."

"You're sure you're okay?" Tris asked, following him inside.

"I'm fine," he promised. "I'm relieved, actually. Elena's problems were exhausting."

That night, Tris was reading, and she couldn't concentrate. She had been on the same page for the last hour. Knowing what she needed to do, she grabbed her phone and pressed the CALL button.

It rang three times before… "Tris?" Four answered, pleasant surprise in his deep voice.

"Hi," She replied quietly, willing her heart to slow. "I…"

His voice was filled with a concern she remembered all too well as he asked, "Are you okay?"

Tris exhaled slowly. "I've decided I do want to know why you left me that night."

He was quiet for a moment and she was just about to break the silence when he said, "I want to ask why the sudden change of heart, but I'm not going to in case I scare you off. I'm glad you called, but I'd rather discuss it in person. Would that be okay with you?"

"If I say no you're only going to turn up at my next dental appointment, right?"

He laughed quietly, a seriously delicious sound that made her scalp tingle. "Whatever it takes."

"I still can't believe you came to my book group," she muttered.

"It got you to call me, didn't it?"

"Tread carefully," she warned.

He chuckled. "Fine. I'll be good… if you invite me over to your place tomorrow night to talk."

Trepidation shot through her at the thought of them being alone in her flat. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Tris, what we have to discuss is personal. What I have to tell you is personal and I don't particularly feel comfortable with the stranger behind us in a café listening in."

She processed that, and unfortunately had to admit that he was right. She didn't want a stranger listening in on them either. "Fine," she grumbled, giving him her address. "Six o'clock."

"Does it include dinner?" he asked hopefully, a boyish cheekiness in the question that surprised her.

"We'll see." She hung up without saying good-bye.

She felt much too hot all over and suddenly restless as adrenaline pumped through her body. She hadn't felt this awake in a long, long time.

School was a blur. She was so preoccupied with the thought of Four being at her place that night that she didn't even know how she got through the lessons. Somehow, she made it, and with her stomach a jumpy, jittery mess, she hurried home after work and began preparing dinner. She didn't know what to cook because she didn't want Four to think she was trying to impress him, but she also didn't want to poison him with something he was allergic to.

She settled on pasta and salad. Surely you couldn't go wrong with pasta and salad. She had just finished when her door buzzer sounded, drawing her to a halt.

She was going to throw up. She was going to upchuck all over her nice hardwood floors.

"Deep breaths," She coached herself, turning back toward the door.

"Hello?" Tris asked.

"It's Four."

Yup, definitely going to upchuck. She pressed the entrance door key, letting him into the building.

With blood rushing in her ears, she attempted to prepare herself to see him again, and drew on her powers of indifference. Opening her door, she listened to his footsteps as he climbed the stairs to her flat.

She saw his head appear as he ascended the staircase and her stomach dropped. His eyes lifted from his feet to her face as he climbed higher, and he gave her a small smile in greeting. Damn it. Why did she have to be so attracted to him? Why did she have to have so many good memories of him?

His gaze drifted down her body and back up again. Pretending she didn't give a crap, she stepped back. "Come in."

He moved inside, making her feel tiny, and despite his defection, safe. "Did you get taller?" Tris grumbled, moving away from him and the attractive cologne he was wearing.

He shut the front door behind him and shook his head. "Not that I'm aware of."

As her eyes took him in, it occurred to her that it had nothing to do with his height. It was his muscles. She gulped at the sight of his biceps, nicely displayed in the form-fitting hooded Henley he was wearing. "This way," she almost wheezed, abruptly turning her back at the sight of his amusement.

He followed her into the sitting room, where she'd set the dining table at the back of the room. "Nice place." His eyes hit the piles of books that she had in nearly every corner, and he gave her that familiar half smile that made her feel things that she didn't want to feel. "You need bookshelves, though."

Ignoring that comment, she gestured to the table. "Take a seat. I'll get dinner."

Four raised an eyebrow. "You cooked after all?"

"Only because I'm hungry."

"Of course."

Pissed that she was doing a very shitty job of coming across as being unaffected by his presence, she marched out of the room and into her kitchen, where she clutched the edge of her countertop, taking in a deep breath.

"This looks great," Four said after she strode back into the sitting room to dump the food on the table.

"Beer?"

His lips quirked up at the corners and she could see the laughter dancing in his stunning eyes. "Sure."

She returned with the beer, slammed it down in front of him, and then shoved herself ungracefully into her seat opposite him. She gestured to the bowls. "Eat."

Not hiding his amusement any longer, Four grinned as he reached for the salad bowl. "You seem agitated."

"Well, I'm fine."

His look said he didn't believe her for a second. She took the salad bowl from him, dumping vegetables onto her plate as he scooped up some lasagna onto his own. They were silent as they served themselves and started eating.

She kept waiting on him to say something, anything. Finally, she'd had enough of his seemingly comfortable silence. "Four years?" She snapped, glaring at him.

Four contemplated her, appearing to memorize every inch of her face in a way that made her skin feel hot and tingly. He laid his fork down and sat back, twisting the cap off his beer with little effort. He took a sip, his eyes never leaving her. "Maybe we should start with the night at the boathouse."

Unexpected pain shot across her chest at the mention of that night. It stole her breath, that pain. Ever since she'd lost her virginity to him, the pain and humiliation of that night had really only ever belonged to her, because he hadn't been around to face afterward and no one else knew about it.

Discussing it with him for the first time made it feel like it had just happened.

She must not have been able to keep that pain out of her expression, because Four tensed, and something like regret flickered in his gaze.

He set the beer down, his entire focus on her. "I want you to know that being with you that night was one of the best nights of my life."

Tris froze at that shocking confession, only for anger to quickly unfreeze her. "Don't you dare try to sweet-talk me with bullshit and pretty words. I just want the truth, Four."

His features hardened. "That is the truth. You can be pissed off at me all you want, but don't question what I tell you tonight because I've never lied to you."

"For all I know."

"No, you do know. I've never lied to you, Tris. Not once."

"Well, if that night was so amazing how come you couldn't get out of there fast enough afterward? How come you left me lying there, feeling used and absolutely worthless?"

Looking pained by her questions, Four suddenly drew a hand down his face.

She waited.

"I hate myself for making you feel that way," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

Her heart was beating so hard against her chest it hurt. "Why, then?"

Understanding her question, he sat back in his chair, his jaw taut. "You were Tris. You were this great girl who made me laugh and looked at me like I was worth something, and every year you got more beautiful."

His words made her heart flip over in her chest.

"You were too good for me. I knew that the first time I walked you home. Pure class from the tips of your fingers to the tips of your toes. Not for me."

"I don't understand."

Four exhaled heavily. "I told you I didn't get along with dad. And what I meant was that I really didn't get along with him. From the moment my mother left, my dad made sure I thought I was a piece of scum, worthless. He told me I was nothing and that I would never amount to anything. He drilled that into me."

She couldn't help herself. Even after everything, she was hurt and angry on his behalf when he said those things. "He sounds like a bitter old bastard."

"He was the worst." He sighed, leaning forward again.

"That's why you left?"

"Yes, he was abusive towards my mother before she left and then me and I knew I couldn't do anything to stop it."

"I understand all that, Four. But that doesn't explain why you left me in that room after I gave you my virginity and told you I loved you. It doesn't explain why you never tried to look me up since coming back."

The sudden intensity in Four's gaze captured her. His voice sounded even rougher than usual as he replied, "I left you because I thought I didn't deserve to touch you. I felt like a selfish bastard for having sex with you because… I felt like I was nothing because he told me I was nothing, and scum like me didn't deserve to touch you, let alone take what you gave me. But I got so caught up in you and how much I wanted you I forgot all that… until you told me you loved me."

She felt cold, remembering the moment well.

"I didn't want you to love me, Tris, because I was terrified I'd hurt you, and, yeah, I know that sounds fucked up now since I hurt you by walking out on you, but at the time I thought I was doing you a favor."

"A favor?" Tris guffawed. "I thought I was in love with you. I let myself be vulnerable with you in every way I could, and you scrambled off me as if you couldn't bear to be near me. You broke my heart."

Four clasped his hands into a fist, resting his chin on them. "I know," he whispered back. "I've never regretted anything more in my life. It was fucked up and stupid and if I could take that moment back I would."

"All of it?" She found herself asking.

His eyes drifted to her lips and then back up to her eyes again. "No," he replied, his voice thick. "Just the part where I left you."

"If you feel that way, why didn't you come back to me when you returned?"

"Because I didn't feel that way then. Nothing magically changed when I left. I still felt worthless for a very long time."

"When did it change? Why?"

Four's gaze lowered, and he gave a tiny shake of his head. "I don't know. It was nothing. Everything. I grew up, I worked hard, and I began to find value in myself. Somewhere, bit by bit, day by day, I found self-worth. I found it by proving that bastard wrong."

"I'm glad you found that," She told him honestly. "But that still doesn't tell me why after that you didn't come find me."

"Because by then years had passed, Tris. I didn't know what to say and I didn't know if I could stand to have you look at me like I was nothing after it took me so long to feel about myself the way you used to look at me."

"Until the bonfire?"

"Until the bonfire," he agreed, heat entering his eyes now. "It was a shock to see you there, but seeing you again… God, I thought I knew how much I missed you until I saw you again. I know I came on strong trying to get you to talk to me, and I'm sorry if I freaked you out… but you didn't look at me like I was worthless at the bonfire. You looked pissed, but it wasn't this fucking awful thing I'd built up in my head. With that fear gone, I just really needed the chance to apologize and I was willing to do anything I could to get that chance."

Something inside her, something she wanted desperately to ignore, exalted at his confession. "And now that you've explained everything… what do you want from me?"

"Forgiveness," he answered sincerely. The sincerity quickly dissipated under the weight of the intensity that entered his expression. That look filled the whole room until she felt stifled by it. "And a second chance to get to know you."

With her body physically responding to him, she narrowed her eyes and fought to ignore that response. "In what way?"

"Not just as friends, if that's what you're thinking."

Tris jerked back in her seat at his blunt reply. "You're not even going to pretend to want to be just friends, so you can try a sneak attack for more?"

Four stared at her with serious determination. "I'm not going to hide that I want to get to know who you are now. I'm also not going to hide the fact that I think you're still the classiest, most fucking beautiful woman I've ever seen, or the fact that I remember the taste of you and it still makes me hard."

She couldn't breathe.

"Tris?" He frowned at her silence.

She reached for her beer and took a long swallow, trying to collect herself.

"Tris?"

Her eyes clashed with his. "What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to say 'Tobias, I forgive you and, yes, I want to get to know you again.'"

"I don't know if I can do that," She admitted. "And you're not Tobias to me now, you're Four."

For a minute she thought he wasn't going to say anything, but suddenly he stood up. She tilted her head back, watching warily as he strode around the table to tower over her. She sucked in her breath as he leaned down, his heat hitting her, his cologne wafting over her, and she couldn't suppress the shiver that cascaded down her spine when he pressed his warm lips to her cheek. Her eyes round with surprise, she gaped at him as he straightened and said, "I'll give you a couple of days to think about it."

She was sitting across from Edward, enjoying a coffee break with him.

She could feel his eyes burning into her.

Giving in to his silent question, she turned to meet his gaze.

He sipped his coffee and continued to stare at her without saying anything.

"What?" She shrugged before biting into her sandwich.

"As grateful as I am for you bringing me lunch, I am wondering if I should count on silence from you from now on?"

Swallowing her food, she rolled her eyes. "What, we can't just sit in comfortable silence?"

"You didn't come here to sit in comfortable silence." Edward relaxed into his seat. "So talk."

"But that would make me the whiniest best friend on the planet."

"I'll take whiny over mute."

Tris snorted, and turned slightly to face him. "You know exactly what I'm going to say."

"Hmm." He crossed his arms over his chest with a mock pensive look on his face. "Is it Four in the drawing room with the candlestick?"

"Har-de-har-har." She made a face at him.

Edward grinned unrepentantly.

"I had dinner with Four a week ago."

Her friend's eyebrows rose. "And I'm just hearing about this now?"

"Well, I've been taking some time, going over and over everything he said. He wants a second chance. At everything."

"Everything as in… a relationship, not just friendship?"

"Yes."

"Did he explain why he left?"

"It's complicated, but short story he was in an abusive household and had to get out."

"So why the change of heart now?"

"He's changed, Edward. He's not the guy he was back then, and he says he misses me."

It was Edward's turn to sigh. "I'm just going to say to you what I said before. Everyone deserves a second chance. It's not like what he did was so awful. He left without saying good-bye, but you weren't together. I think you're making this more complicated than it is."

They bloody well had sex!

Tris frowned. "We were friends, and he knew I cared about him."

"And he explained his reasons. You may not like them, but that's the way it is sometimes. We all do stupid things. Four is trying to make up for his mistakes. He's been pulling out all the stops to see you. Surely that counts for something."

Yes – she wanted it to count for something.

She needed it to count for something.

"I just don't want to get hurt again."

Edward surprised her with a warm smile as he placed his hand on top of hers. "Then just try the whole friends thing first. It's not like anyone is forcing you to offer him more than that."

"Tris."

She shivered involuntarily at the rich sound of Four's voice in her ear. Her hand tightened around her phone. "Hi."

"I'm glad you called. I was beginning to think I'd need to go to Plan B."

"Plan B?"

"Much like Plan A but with increased work hours."

Tris smiled despite herself. "Well, no need. Your stalking days are over."

"That sounds like good news." He practically purred it, and her eyelashes fluttered closed before she could stop them.

Damn him!

"Just as friends!" She found herself blurting out.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm willing to try to be friends again."

He was silent a moment.

"Four?"

"Friends," he finally answered. "But with the hope of becoming more."

The butterflies were back in her belly. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no."

"Fine. Friends will do for now."

"Four —"

"You can't take it back. We're friends. We're officially spending time together."

Tris sighed, willing the crazy fluttering inside her to die down. "How does next weekend sound?"

He hesitated. "I can't do next weekend, I'm sorry. How about this Tuesday, after work, for drinks? I swapped shifts with a colleague. He's doing my Wednesday shift if I do tomorrow for him."

"That's good for you. You can have a drink and not have to worry about work the next day. However, a weeknight doesn't really work for me."

"Oh, come on, it's not like you're surrounded by heavy machinery. We'll have one drink. Or are you too old to go out on a weeknight?" he teased.

She grimaced. "You're such a child. Fine, Tuesday night. One drink."

Walking into the bar on Tavern Street on Tuesday evening, she almost tripped over her own feet at the expression on Four's face when he saw her.

He stood up from the small booth he was sitting at, his eyes moving from her face, slowly down her body and back up again. The funny thing was there was nothing much to see except for her legs ending in a pair of fur-trimmed ankle boots. She was wearing her favorite green military-style winter coat with fur-trim cuffs. It fitted her body well, but it wasn't exactly sexy.

Four's gaze made her feel sexy.

Damn him.

When she reached him, he surprised her by bending slightly to press a kiss to her cheek. Her cheek was rosy and cold from the freezing wind outside, but as soon as his lips touched her skin a blaze of heat radiated out from the spot. She must have looked befuddled because he seemed amused and pleased with himself.

Self-consciously she shrugged out of her coat, glad she was wearing a conservative navy wool dress underneath. However, she might as well have been wearing a nightdress for how hot she felt in close quarters with him.

Sliding into the booth beside him, her whole body hyper-aware of his, she knew she had to at least be honest with herself: She had never stopped being attracted to Four and she'd once been in love with him. Despite the complicated past between them, despite the truths she was withholding, she knew that she could never just be friends with him on the inside whenever she was around Four.

She'd missed it.

"How are you?" Tris gave him a small, hopefully platonic smile.

"I'm good." His gaze was intense on her, his eyes deliberately trying to hook hers.

For the first time ever with him, she felt shy. She glanced away quickly, searching the bar.

"Can I get you a drink?" he asked.

"Sure. I'll have a glass of red wine, please."

As soon as he slid out of the booth her breathing steadied.

Her eyes followed him as he strode up to the quiet bar, powerful, graceful. He wore a dark blue knit sweater with a shawl collar and a pair of dark blue jeans. He was effortlessly stylish and comfortable with himself in a way he hadn't been when they were at school.

Momentarily sidetracked from her study of him, she picked up on the lust aimed at Four emanating from the other end of the bar. Two women sat on barstools, speaking quietly to each other as they watched him with hungry eyes and come-hither smiles.

Four wasn't even paying attention.

She relaxed somewhat at his utter lack of interest, jealousy slowly seeping out of her.

Yup. Definitely not just friends.

Damn him.

"So," he said as he slipped back into the booth beside her, putting her wineglass gently down in front of her as he lightly gripped his pint of lager, "How was work?"

Small talk. Yes, she could do small talk.

She opened her mouth to speak but was immediately distracted by the arm he slid along the back of the booth they were sitting in.

What the hell did he just ask?

Work! Right, work. "Good." She took a quick sip of her wine, hoping the alcohol would help her relax a little. "It's busy and stressful, but I love teaching."

"And you were always good at it."

Not wanting to take another trip down memory lane so soon after their last one, she shrugged and then smiled coaxingly into his handsome face. "You seem to be doing well. Zeke speaks highly of you. Says you'll be a site manager one day."

"That's the goal. You work hard, you learn, you get there."

Tris smiled softly. "You say you've changed, but you had that attitude when we were kids. You took those classes when you didn't need to. You were always challenging yourself to be better." Except when it came to her.

"Not always," he replied pointedly, as if he'd just read her mind. "In that way I've changed. I go after what I want now, no matter what."

She looked away before they ventured into dangerous topics.

"And your parents? How are they?"

"They're well."

Four tensed suddenly. "And Edward?"

Tris glanced up at him in confusion. "Edward?"

"The guy you were at the bonfire with." Four shrugged. "Christina told me who he was."

"You certainly did your homework," Tris murmured, taking another sip of wine. "Edward is my friend Heather's older brother. He's my best friend. He's… been there for me…when I really needed him."

Four frowned at her answer, not seeming to like it much. "But you're not together."

"No, it's not like that between us." Tris put her glass down, her gaze on the table. "Maybe we should steer clear of relationship talk."

"That's fine with me." He tilted his head to the side, eyeing her through his narrowed gaze. "Is the Princess Bride still your favorite movie?"

Tris laughed at the randomness of the question, relieved by the subject change. "You remember that?"

"Of course."

Tris shook her head. "I don't know what my favorite movie is anymore."

"We'll need to do something about that."

"I don't know. I quite like not having an exact favorite. Is the Untouchables still yours?"

"Nah, that movie The Godfather. Now that is a fucking movie."

"I don't think I've seen it."

He smiled and even before he said the words Tris knew she'd just fallen right into his agenda. "Thursday night, your place, me, you and The Godfather."

Tris opened her mouth to shoot him down, but stalled when she saw the glimmer in his eyes. He was expecting her to say no, and it suddenly occurred to her that her refusal might reinforce the idea that she was scared of spending time with him. And he could only assume that her fear of spending time with him stemmed from her attraction to him.

She jutted her chin out defiantly. "It'll need to be later on in the evening. I teach an adult literacy class on Thursday after school."

Four chuckled. "I know that. And there's no need to sound so excited about spending time with me, by the way."

"Spending time with you doing what?" a familiar voice asked.

Tris whipped her head around, tilting it back to stare up at Molly. She hadn't seen her since their last night out together, but she wasn't surprised to bump into her out on the town on a work night.

She raised an eyebrow. "Hi, stranger." Her eyes moved quickly to Four and lit up. "So, who's this then?"

"Molly." Tris hurried to think of something to get her to leave. She was the last person she wanted around Four. She had no filter whatsoever. "Uh… aren't you with someone?"

"Date." She jerked her head in the direction of the bar and Tris saw another man watching them. Her gaze was still fixed on Four as she leaned across the table, deliberately showing off as much of her cleavage as possible. Holding out a hand for him to shake, she said in a faux husky voice, "I'm Molly."

Four quickly shook her proffered hand. "Four Eaton. I'm an old friend of Tris'."

Tris stiffened as Molly froze at the name.

"Eaton? Not Tobias Eaton?" Molly asked.

"That's right," Four answered.

Right then Tris cursed their nights at college together, especially the night that they got rip-roaring drunk and Molly asked Tris if she was a virgin because she hadn't slept with any boys at college yet. Drunk and overly emotional she told her about her night with Four and how she never wanted to let herself be vulnerable with the wrong guy again.

Molly's gaze swung back to her, surprise in her pretty eyes. "No fucking way."

"Molly." Tris pleaded silently for her to shut the hell up.

She shot Four a dirty look. "You've got a lot to answer for. My girl has so many issues because of you."

Floor, open up and swallow her. Please.

"Molly," Tris leaned forward, her voice thick. "Now's not —"

"No, he should know." Her eyes widened. "Oh, my God, is he the reason you've been such a complete and utter boring bitch lately?"

"Watch it," Four growled, and Molly and Tris both snapped to attention as if they'd been bitten by the crack of a whip. Four's eyes had darkened. She could feel the irritation vibrating from him. "We're in the middle of a private conversation. You should leave."

"I'll speak with you later, Molly."

She made a small harrumph sound, then turned sharply on her heels and marched toward her date, grabbing his arm and hauling him out of the bar.

"She's a friend?" Four asked quietly, incredulously.

"We met at college. I grew up. She didn't."

He pushed his half-empty pint absentmindedly away from him. "Issues?"

Tris shrugged. "I honestly don't know what she's talking about."

"Christina told me she didn't think there was a guy in your life and that you haven't spoken about any from the past. Maybe that's what she was talking about?"

Her blood was suddenly hot with anger. She took a moment to calm. The last thing she wanted him to believe was that he'd done such a number on her that she hadn't been able to move on. She hadn't been with anyone else by choice.

Sort of.

Tris exhaled slowly. "No guy at the moment."

He appeared to relax at her reply.

Tris stared at him, letting her eyes connect with his and she felt the power of her attraction to him take hold. He was beautiful in a masculine way, sexy, charismatic. There had to have been many women in his life these last five years. The thought depressed her. "I'm guessing with the way you've been with me these last few weeks that there's no one special in your life at the moment, right?"

Still holding her gaze, Four's lips turned up at the corner and she realized that she wanted to kiss them right there on that seductive spot. "There's someone. I just have to convince her of that."

Yup. Definitely wanted to kiss him.

Tris narrowed her eyes on him, doing unimpressed convincingly. "I thought I told you we're just friends."

His eyes dropped to her mouth in a way that made her squirm. "I heard you." His heated gaze returned to meet hers. "But I don't think you heard me."

That Thursday evening Four did come over to her flat with takeout and the film The Godfather and they did sit and watch the film together and it was brilliant, and Four's company was fantastic, and Tris was already weakening in her resolve to keep him at arm's length.

Breathe, Tris.

That following Saturday Tris went to her friend's house. And she'd pretty much been ambushed with questions about Four as soon as she walked in the door.

"I'm guessing you're on Team Four?" Tris asked Christina who had come over as well.

"I think we all are." Christina handed her a cup of tea. "We haven't heard you talking about a guy like this since… well, since Four. That's got to mean something."

"He's been back in my life three weeks. I can't just give it to him."

"No one is saying you have to," Heather assured her. "But at least admit to us that you're considering it."

"Am I?" Tris argued. "Does my weakening of resolve mean that I'm considering it? No. It means I'm horny."

"Well, at least he could knock the cobwebs off." Christina said.

"Seriously," Tris continued, "I've worn out, like, three vibrators."

"I've already admitted to myself I would. But I'd be plagued with doubt every step of the way, so… it would be doomed from the start." Tris admitted.

"You don't know that," Angela replied quietly. "You'll never know that until you take the chance. I've seen the two of you together, the sex appeal between them is like nothing you have ever seen. You need love, Tris. You should take the chance with him."

"At least make him earn it, hold out and see if he's still chasing after you," Christina said.

From the expression on her friend's faces Tris could tell they agreed with one another. But still the doubts remained in her mind.

Hours later, unmarked essays were piled on her coffee table while she sat on the floor beside her stack of marked ones. Every now and then she'd reach for her cooling mug of coffee and glance over at Four, who was stretched out on her couch, dozing.

Dark and cold outside, it was warm inside her flat as the fire crackled in her grate. She couldn't believe it was almost December. It had been a crazy few weeks. A crazy few weeks of hanging around Four. A lot.

After thinking over Christina's advice Tris decided that holding out on Four longer was the only way she'd know for certain if he was genuinely interested in her and not just in sleeping with her again. Her gut told her that wasn't the type of person he was. Not with her anyway, but that nagging doubt, that memory of him leaving her alone on that fateful night, held her back from believing in him all the way.

Only time would tell.

The following Monday he turned up at her door after work, carrying a bag of groceries and film rentals. He quickly set himself up in her kitchen and she watched in bemusement as he threw together homemade meatballs and spaghetti.

They had fun that night, keeping it friendly, although Fiyr couldn't help himself – he tried to flirt a little despite her lack of any outward response. He called her on his lunch break that week, he texted her a lot, and tried to tempt her to meet him for drinks on the Friday. It was a busy week, so she told him that she had too much work to do. Not to be rebuffed, he asked her what she was doing that weekend and she explained that she was going Christmas shopping.

To her utter surprise, Four invited himself along.

That Saturday they met at the Train Station and boarded together. For fifty minutes they sat across from each other and barely said a word. He caught her studying him, and he smiled at her scrutiny. "What?"

"You've changed, but you haven't."

There was recognition, an understanding, in his eyes that told her he knew what she meant. "You too."

"We always had this, though. Being able to just be quiet and not have it feel awkward. Not needing to feel like we had to fill the silence. I have that with Edward, but… I mean, he's like a brother, so… but other guys, we've never had…" Tris trailed off, realizing she was perhaps giving him more than she'd meant to.

Tris looked over at him when he didn't reply, and tensed at the sudden stillness around him.

He leaned toward her. "I know I asked if there had been anyone special in your life but, honestly, Tris, I don't want to hear about other guys." His jaw hardened and he looked out of the window.

That pissed her off. She was definitely not impressed with his display of alpha man possessiveness. But not wanting to have a fight in public, she stayed quiet, slowly allowing the burn of anger to dissipate. After ten minutes of now awkward silence, she replied quietly, "You and I are just friends." And if he continued to be a possessive idiot, that's the way they'd remain.

Four looked at her sharply. "But you know I want more," he answered. "So, you also must understand why I don't want to hear shit about other guys you've been with. Guys that got all that I've wanted since I fucked it all up."

The weight of their history, of their feelings and confusion, wrapped around her with a sense of longing then, and she felt fearful. Of them. Without thinking, she whispered, "Maybe we shouldn't hang out anymore."

"You can handle it," he said stonily, his tone brooking no argument.

Tris forced herself to meet his hard gaze. "But can you?"

"As long as you don't talk about the guys that have had you in their bed, or Edward too much, then, yeah, I can handle it."

She narrowed her eyes. "Edward's my best friend."

He ducked his head, bringing them closer. "I'm your best friend," he answered roughly. "You've just forgotten. My fault, I know. I can help you remember."

Honestly, she didn't know how to reply to that. It made her ache so much for what they had been and for what she was terrified to have again with him.