LilMissEfronJackson- really, Beast is your fave? I so rushed that story but it's one that's kinda special to me. And thanks for the recommendation, I always worry my next story won't be as popular as the last :p

Itsi3, thank you, that made my day to know Troy did that :)

Zacefanno1- tell me more about this Vampire Acadamy- I never heard of it?

Chapter 13

Is it another day already? God, and I have to face Troy all over again, after yet another embarrassing incident, only this time I'm happy in the knowledge we both played a part in that kiss. That was not just me being…me.

He kissed me. And he knows it. He knows it and he might hate it and he might never want it to happen again but guess what? He can't take it back. It happened.

If he hadn't let me fall on my ass and then walked out, I might actually have woken up with happy little butterflies running around my stomach, but although they are there, they don't flutter. They just kind of churn.

Nothing is ever simple. I should know better than to fall in love with the one person I have no chance of being with. That's just another mark of my sucky life, I guess.

"We've been here more than three days," I tell him as I come out, as if this might cover any awkward moments that might occur.

He has his head in the fridge and I note he is wearing jeans and a long sleeve white top that is soft enough to show off all of the muscles in his torso. Or is that just me being pervy? Anyway, even from behind he looks amazing and I take a breath for courage.

"I know. I have to get supplies tomorrow." He concedes, playing along my 'business' line of conversation.

"You mean 'we'," I amend. "There's no way you're leaving me here alone."

"You'd be safer," he arches a brow.

"You don't know that! Anyone could break in while you're gone!" I gape at his suggestion.

"I have safeguards."

"You told me you wouldn't let me out of your sight." I fold my arms and he blinks, in concession.

"You're right."

"Good."

"But that doesn't mean I should take you everywhere with me. No-one knows you're here, Gabi. I'd like to keep it that way."

"And if someone breaks in while you're gone and rapes me and kills me and cuts me up into little pieces?" I question, finding a hard grimace on his face from my graphic description.

"That's not going to happen."

"You better know so," I remark, shouldering past him to get some eggs for breakfast. Only there are none, so I have to make do with cheese and salad onion on toast.

"Are you sulking?" He checks as he sits down with me, his own concoction of rice and chicken before him.

"No."

"Good. I thought we could go for a walk today, around the woods."

"I thought I wasn't allowed to be seen?" I smart.

He gives me a patient stare. "I'll take care of you."

"Oh goody."

"Look, if you really want to go with me tomorrow then I might have something to make it possible…" He hedges.

I look up, big doe-eyes. "Oh?"

"I have a blonde wig in my case. I take it for emergencies. If you can cover up your pretty face somehow then we might just get away with it."

I have a pretty face? He thinks I have a pretty face!

"That won't be hard seeing as I don't have a pretty face," I fish.

"Don't even start that," he warns knowingly and I give him props for second-guessing me. I love that he knows my games as well as he knows my strengths and weaknesses. Even though it makes me a little vulnerable in his presence.

"Fine. Blonde wig it is." I confirm.

"So will you go with me for a walk, then?" He bargains.

I shrug. "If I must."

The walk, as it turns out, is not just 'a walk'. Its actually Troy's secret code for assessing the grounds, setting up traps and noise-makers for intruders and for squinting his sexy-blue eyes to the horizon as if he can smell danger coming.

"They still haven't caught him." He tells me, once we're about a mile out and sitting against a tree, watching the trickle of a river while eating lunch.

"I know." I nod, not wanting to think about that.

"I don't think they're going to." He swallows and I realise he is being completely honest with me.

"What does that mean?"

"That he's going to track us down. That we have to be prepared for anything."

"You're telling me not to kiss you again." I guess easily.

"No," he tips his head toward me, brushing the backs of his fingers against mine where my hand sits on my knee. "I'm asking you to wait until this is over."

My breath hitches; I meet his eyes and wonder, is he for real? Does he really mean that?

"It's okay. I know the reality does not live up to the Playboy spread," I smirk to excuse him. "The image of the woman there is not even close to the real thing."

His thumb goes to my cheek, trailing down toward my chin where he pulls his hand away and clears his throat. "Actually I think it's more like the picture doesn't live up to the real thing," he adjusts, shocking me into a blinking stupor, unable to snap away from his intense gaze. "You're a beautiful woman and so much more besides."

Well, fancy that. I've finally convinced him. Only, I can't do anything about it and well, that sucks.

"I thought you never wanted to kiss me again?" I hedge, resting my head on the tree, pouting unsurely as I recalled his words.

He looked out, into the distance, breaking our moment. "I have to think like that."

I nod, not quite understanding, but accepting it all the same. "Okay."

"We should get back…" He launches to his feet and wipes his hand down his shorts, reaching out to help me up. I smile thankfully at him and follow him back walking beside him like two friends might. Like two lovers might.

I don't want to ask him if I can hold his hand, but it's swinging beside me, sometimes brushing mine and as I pause to soak in the beauty of the land the cabin has to offer, I find him pacing ahead without me.

"Hey, wait up," I run over and slide my palm into his, looking up as he stops and looks down.

"Keep up," he tells me shortly, surprising me with his command, but his fingers tighten around mine anyway, filling me with comfort.

It's a good job I did take his hand because he's practically having to drag me the way back. It's a lot longer than I remembered and we're moving west, edging around the woods rather than right through them.

"Where are we going?" I wonder confusedly.

"There's a barn, on the West side, over the fence that the farmer owns. I want to check it out." He explains.

"And drag me along?" I whine.

"I don't have a choice." He reminds me.

"I'll wait here."

"You didn't want to be alone earlier!" He laughs incredulously.

"That was before you route marched me around the whole five hundred acres." I mumble.

He turns and gives me a soft look. "Sorry," he presses his lips in. "I'll go slower."

"The sun's getting low," I grab his wrist with my other hand, staying close.

"I know, won't be long," he assures, stalking up to the fence where the barn is in clear view, only fifty feet from the fence. "Climb under," he holds the barbed wire open for me and I comply, watching as he steps back to vault over the entire thing, leaving me gaping.

"Wow, who knew?" I murmur and he grins confidently.

"I try to keep it hidden," he admits.

"Well, don't. That's kinda sexy…"

"Stay here," he drops my hand and presses his fingers very gently to my tummy to pause me outside the barn door, slipping inside to investigate for possible stowaways. My heart is beating so hard I don't even hear him slide back out.

"It's empty." He confirms.

I squint. Should I check, too? What if he's lying?

"You want to see for yourself?" He asks me knowingly and goes over to hold the door open. I peer inside, afraid even of crossing the threshold in case the darkened inside holds a surprise to draw me in.

"Fine." I swallow and meet his eyes. "Sorry."

"You've been through a lot." He nods, and then takes my hand again without me asking as we make our way back home.

It doesn't take long, it's not far at all and I wonder if there's anywhere else someone could be hiding, ready in wait for me. It's all that fills my mind as I stand on the veranda while Troy checks inside the cabin.

What if he's out here, somewhere? What if he's right here creeping around? What if he's right behind me?

"Aieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!" A hand touches my shoulder and I jump a mile high, my heart stopping for five seconds with the fright.

"Gabi, are you okay?" Troy looks at me worriedly.

"Why are you behind me?" I gasp, bending over as my heart thunders wildly in my chest.

"I came out the back…to check the veranda…I thought you saw me." He frowns.

"I guess I scared myself into thinking the stalker was here. Behind me." I sigh, standing again.

"Hey," He touches my arm. "Did you feel something?"

I twist my lips and turn to hug my arms around his neck, suddenly grateful to have him by my side. "Just fear," I confirm, laying my cheek to his shoulder as his arms slowly wrap around me.

"Don't be afraid, Gabi," I feel his lips brush my hair. "I keep telling you I'll protect you."

I sigh, sink into his warmth, and fall sleepy against his strong form. "I know…"

He scoops me up, into his arms and carries me, all the way inside, where he lays me on the bed and tips his head. "I'm here." He reminds me, his voice a mumble through the fog.

"Stay…" I grasp for his hand and pull him back, feeling him comply, just like he had all those nights ago when he spooned me and dried my tears. God, so much has happened since then. So much has changed.

"Just sleep, beautiful, okay?" He husks as I feel my eyes growing heavier.

"You too," I urge before I nod off.

/

I realise it's not actually night-time when I wake. It must have been all of six o'clock when I zonked out, tired from the walk and the adrenaline coursing through me from every eerie minute we stay here.

I raise my head from the bed, seeking reassurance of my surroundings, finding I am exactly where Troy left me- on my bed. For a moment, I think he has gone and I twist over to confirm my fear but then he is there, laid flat like a starfish, sleeping soundly with his little snore.

His adorable snore I could fall in love with.

But even though he has told me to wait, even though he has kissed me- and branded my lips like no other- I also know that falling in love with him has to be the worst thing I could do. One minute he wants me, the next he doesn't; everything is so confusing right now and whatever it is we have- whatever it is that's changed- is only making things worse.

And I can't help thinking its all my fault.

I let my eyes travel down his strong, pumped body, falling on his shorts waist band where his tee has ridden up, baring the trail of hair down his tummy. God, I ache to kiss him there and feel those hairs against my fingers, delve them lower into those soft shorts and see what he is hiding in there.

I tilt my head, seeing his arousal against the soft cotton of his sports shorts and I feel a blush rise up from my chest, scorching my cheeks.

I shouldn't even be looking! But somehow, I can't look away. It's there, in front of me and it's a sign he is sexually awake, if not physically. If we were anywhere else, I would crawl over there and kiss him awake, and not by his mouth, I smirk.

But we aren't anywhere else. We're here. In purgatory.

I shift over toward the edge of the bed and hear a moan, finding Troy's arms capturing me in his sleep and he rubs against me as he pulls my soft body backwards, against his chest. His hard-on rubs me too, reminding me of what we can't have. Yet. Maybe ever.

I can just see my dad's face now if I went back and told him I'd fallen in love with my bodyguard. But then where was he? I began to worry again, relaxing back into the bed while Troy used me as his teddy bear and I secretly enjoyed every second of it.

"Where are you dad?" I whisper. "Please be ok."

/

"Can I call Taylor from your phone?"

Okay, we're out of bed. I had to block the whole incident from my mind because nothing will get done otherwise and god knows I'm under strict orders already not to seduce the man standing at the counter, making us dinner from our meagre supplies.

He turns to me, all blue eyes and messy hair. Does he even know what his hair does to my tummy I wonder?

"It's probably not a good idea."

"She might know where my parents are…" I suggest.

"If she knows about the stalker, or suspects anything unusual, it might compromise your safety." He informed.

"How?"

"What if she tells someone and they tip off the press? The guy following you would hear about it. He'd have more ammunition."

"She might be worrying about me." I bite my lip.

"I made sure your friends wouldn't be suspicious of your disappearance." He admits then and I am really confused by this.

"You told them I wasn't going to be around?" I question. "Why?"

"So we wouldn't have them calling the cops and causing more trouble."

"You thought of everything," I muse.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to overwhelm you." He throws me an apologetic look.

"Okay," I nod, wondering again if this is true, or just another thing he could be hiding from me.

"Look," he comes around the big table, nervously licking his lips as he twists a seat to sit on it backwards. "There's some things I don't always tell you. Sometimes you don't always need to know. But if you do- or when you do- I tell you, okay?"

"Is there anything else I don't know, Troy?" I wonder. "Because right now, I think I'd prefer to know everything."

Another lick. How I remember that tongue flicking against mine, so strongly. "I found something. Outside. Might be nothing. But someone's been here."

"What?" I stand, gaping and he stands too, cupping my arms.

"You don't have to worry. My noisemaker scared them off. I don't even know if it's an intruder or just a nosey neighbour."

"A neighbour?" I snort. "There's not many of those round here…"

"Do you see why I don't tell you?" He pleads and I take a breath, realising I do this a lot. Over react. Throw a hissy fit. Make him worry.

"Yeah, I do." I concede, sitting down again.

He rises again to finish dinner- some kind of fried potato hash thing with lots of leftovers in it that actually tastes divine.

"So who taught you to cook?" I ask.

"My mom." He smiles back, a surprisingly cute, boyish smile.

"You're pretty good…"

"Just think how you'll starve when this is over." He smirks.

When this is over. Oh, god I hadn't even thought about that. Would dad get rid of Troy, then? Would I be left to fend alone? How would I ever survive every day without his smug, annoying, handsome-beyond-reason face? How would I ever feel this way again?

"Yeah," I smile tightly, frightened at the thought of being alone again. And for the first time, I wonder if I shouldn't just give it all up. Sure, I love it. But is it worth this? This hole of loneliness? This broken relationship with my distracted parents? A loveless existence?

Why am I even thinking about love, I scold myself. I'm nineteen years old and able to sleep with whoever I want, whenever I want. Only there's one man I really want to sleep with and I can't. So what now? Find the next best thing?

A twinkle appears in my eye as an idea plops in, one that is very dangerous, very risky but altogether genius.

"So what time are we going to town tomorrow?" I ask innocently, rolling his delicious food around my mouth.

"Early. I'll wake you." He assures.

"Really, you're up at dawn every day I suppose?"

"I work out before you get up." He affirms with a dry smile.

"Fine."

"Good."

/

"I look like Dolly Parton…" I turn and give him a petulant stare, the blonde wig looking freaking ridiculous on me, against my naturally brown skin and dark lashes.

"Well," he tips his head, eyeing my boobs and causing me to press my lips in.

"I never said I had her assets," I retort.

He twists his lips so as not to laugh at me and then goes about helping me to tame the mass of blonde, surprisingly doing a good job, leaving me with a smooth bob.

"You should wear something you wouldn't normally." He suggests and I smirk at him.

"My underwear?"

"Ha-ha. Erm…" he thinks aloud, going through his mind, then into my room, going through my suitcase.

"Help yourself," I smart, silently laughing as he finds some panties and blushes.

"I never saw you wear this," he pulls out a long, strapless dress which has a purple bust and a black, long skirt.

"Oh I don't even know why I bought it, I never wear dresses." I dismiss.

"Then this is the one," he hands it to me and I balk, but change into the damn thing anyway, surprised at how different I look, especially when I add flicks of eyeliner and purple lipstick.

"Wow," his eyes brows launch upwards as I come out, feigning ignorance.

"Do I look ok?"

"I always did like playing dress-up," he smiles and I roll my eyes, knowing full well there's only one place he is looking- at the cleavage exposed by the bandeau top. Not that I have much. But enough to keep him interested it seems.

I head for the truck, throwing open the door and sliding in, slipping on some large, sixties style sunglasses to complete my disguise.

"I wouldn't know it was you." He tells me honestly.

"Which look do you prefer?" I wonder and he shrugs, reticent to say. So it's like that now, is it?

"When we get there, we just fill the basket, like any other couple on a cabin break." He instructs.

"Mm-mm," I nod, smiling secretly and covering my lips with my fingers as I lean my elbow on the open window.

"And then we pay and then we come back."

"Got it."

Got it, my ass. As soon as he parks up, I make a beeline for the nearest hardware shop and pray there is at least one cute guy working there because I need to test out my theory and it's the only way I know how.

"Good mornin'," A suitable young- maybe early twenties?- guy calls out, fulfilling my hope.

"Hi," I smile back girlishly. "Can you help me?"

"It would be my pleasure, ma'am," he grins back.

"Oh, I'm a miss not a ma'am," I giggle. "I need a wrought iron spanner to fix my shelves you see…"

"Wrought iron?" His brows raise as he recognises I know what I'm talking about. "Right this way, pretty lady," he leads me to the shelf and I hear the tinkle of the bell, notifying of another customer. That must be Troy now, I smirk.

"Oh, can you tell me what size I might need?" I look up and smile, removing my glasses to add a flutter of my lashes into my seduction.

"You have the most beautiful eyes…" The clerk tells me, falling for my game hook line and sinker.

"Gabi, what are you playing at?" Troy asks me gruffly coming down the aisle, seemingly peeved that I have managed to escape him for all of mmm, ten seconds.

"I need a spanner," I smile sweetly, and then look to 'Doug', the shop guy. "Don't mind my brother; he's a little moody before lunchtime."

"Ah, your brother," Doug nods and smiles at me. "So, do you need any help fixing your shelves or will your brother do it?"

"Her brother will do it," Troy supplies tersely, lifting his brows as I frown at him.

"You know what?" I tell Doug. "I'll come back when my brother decides to stop being a jerk," and with that, I push Troy until he turns and leaves the shop, his whole body tense with anger when we get outside.

"What the hell are you trying to pull?" He glares at me.

"Nothing. I'm just fed up of being indoors with no-one to talk to," I lie.

"No-one to flirt with more like!" He throws his hands up in exasperation.

"Are you jealous, Troy?" I tip my head, secretly getting what I wanted all along.

His jaw twitches where he grinds his teeth. "I'm more concerned about your safety, actually."

"Right," I smile. "Then you won't mind if I go back in there and get his number?" I turn to do just that.

"Gabi…" He warns from behind me.

"Yes, Troy?"

He presses his lips together and his gaze is heavy with intense silence. "Nothing."

/

Okay, so shopping after that little escapade is awkward. It's my own fault. I decided to play this stupid, silly game of making Troy jealous and I still don't even know if it worked, because he is still mad at me.

"Come on," I lean into his arm, breasts too, peering up onto his face as he frowns at a tin of beans he has in his hand, pretending to read the label.

"Go away, Gabi," he tells me, making me blink and step back.

Fine, I will.

The cake aisle is comforting. I select a Battenberg and a boxed chocolate creation, twisting with them both and crashing into another customer.

"Whoa!" A really tall, really hot guy grins at me, saving my cakes and holding me, too.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I blush, gathering my wits and stepping back a little as he tilts his head.

"You have beautiful eyes," he remarks bemusedly, echoing 'Doug' from the hardware store.

"Oh, thank you," I blush harder and swallow. "And thanks for saving my cake."

I go to pass him and he twists. "You look familiar…"

"Oh, I'm always popping in for groceries," I guffaw fakely, panicking that he may have recognised me, even under this disguise.

"Ah," he nods and I turn away with a sigh, seeing Troy waiting at the end of the aisle.

"There you are," he says tersely.

"You told me to get lost, Troy," I snap back. "I was just complying with your request."

And with that I turn with a flourish and leave him behind.