A/N: Hi everyone. I fought, fought, and fought some more with this chapter. For months. I watched the trailer for Paul's new show Tell Me a Story and well it lit a tiny spark that I used to finish this chapter. This chapter if told in dual POV's. I hope you enjoy and I especially hope you're still into this fic.

||Bonnie||

How Stefan was even alive this morning was a mystery. Or just plain rude. Last night we, well mainly he and his dudebros from college drank so much alcohol I wouldn't be surprised if they literally spent the rest of the weekend pissing beer. Everyone, and yes I'll include myself this time, partied like we were teenagers. Loud music, bodies streaming in and out of the house at regular intervals you know the energy bill was going to be a beast, laughing and carrying on until dawn. It had been fun if not a little awkward for me.

I cracked open one eye that felt like it had been glued shut. Stefan was whistling and tying the laces to his tennis shoes, preparing for a run from the looks of it. Was he serious? Blindly I searched for my phone to see what time it was, and discovered it wasn't morning. It was one in the afternoon.

Gotdamn. Shit.

Groaning, I flung my phone somewhere. My head was thick with sleep and pounded in hungover agony. I won't even describe what my mouth tasted like. Ugh. It was amazing how you could never hate alcohol when you're drinking it.

"Wakey-wakey, little Bennett."

"Oh go to hell," my words slurred together. I glared up at Stefan with the eye I persuaded to remain open. He was smirking down at me, hands on his hips.

His shirt was nowhere to be found, but not even the temptation of ogling his muscled torso was enough to convince me that moving in any direction was smart, and that I should get out of bed to enjoy a day that was already halfway over. The few inches I managed to lift my head off the pillow became a thing of the past when I smashed my face into it once more.

Stefan sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed my back. Ah, that felt nice. The air was on and kicking so the room was nice and cold, but the contrast with his big warm hand awakened my nerve endings. They responded to his ministrations sending tingles and shivers down the length of my spine that crowded at the top of my cranium and emptied out through my pointed toes.

"You know what'll make you feel better?" he attempted to coax me into having discourse with a dulcet tone.

"A redo button so I can slap that sixth shot of patron out of my hand?"

His low, rumbling laugh made my nipples pucker. "No. A run."

"Lies and deception."

"Come on, Bennett."

"N.O. Stefan. I cannot move. The world is already moving. My stomach is going to start rebelling in about five seconds, and I just, I'm tired. I need more sleep."

"You need water. I'm gonna get you a glass."

I didn't argue with that. I was in desperate need of water, aspirin, and another drink. I closed my one good eye and had almost fallen back to sleep when Stefan reappeared with a tall glass of water, ice cubes floating at the top, and yes, pills! It took careful, deliberate movement on my part to sit up, because the world really was spinning while I remained perfectly still. Colors and white balls of light floated across my field of vision, and bile-flavored saliva filled my mouth. I quickly tossed back the aspirin and gulped as much water as I could to quell the nausea.

"Why aren't you in the same condition as me or worse? I know you had more to drink."

"Maybe," Stefan plucked the glass of water from me and placed it on the bedside table. "I didn't drink as much as you think I did. I only had five beers and two shots. That's nothing compared to what I used to down back in the day. Patron is the devil. I thought you knew that, Bon."

"Whatever." A lame defense but I felt I was entitled to being crabby being I felt crappy and all. "I'll see you when you get back from your run."

I shut my eyes again but he didn't move. I knew he was staring at me like if he did it long enough I would bounce into perfect health and be ready to pound the sand or wherever he was going to go for his run. Hugging my pillow much tighter, I let the water and medicine do what it was created to do and drifted off into a fitful kind of sleep.

When I awakened an hour and a half later, I didn't feel as bad as I did but I didn't feel great either. Moving out of bed still took a considerable amount of energy and focus so I wouldn't dive head first on the floor upon standing. After voiding my bladder, I brushed my teeth twice, gargled with mouthwash, and found blessed relief under the showerhead. The next hard task to complete was digging through my luggage for clothing. I dressed by rote, stuffing arms and legs into the appropriate places, and slid my mules into a pair of Old Navy flip flops.

The good thing about the beach was it gave you an excuse to wear as little as possible. The forecast predicted sunny and clear skies. Despite feeling like muck you'd find on the side of the road, I was determined to have a good day.

Downstairs there was life, a hive of activity. Mostly it was Eddie's girlfriend Amara bustling around the kitchen whipping up brunch from the looks of things. I took in the scene as the acid in my stomach led a mutiny and my gag reflex fluttered. I had to concentrate on something besides the food spread across the counter so I settled on the hostess.

Amara, she had olive skin, smallish lips on an oval face that was beautiful in a timeless, old Hollywood kind of way. Not big on makeup she certainly believed in extended lashes because I certainly felt a breeze every time she blinked. Taller than me but a little shorter than Stefan, Amara had the body of a fitness instructor, and from what I was witnessing, had the energy of one.

"Oh, you're awake!" Amara waved me into the kitchen. "I hope you're hungry."

"Not really. My stomach doesn't like me very much at moment and is filing a notice for eviction."

She laughed and held up a glass, "Hair of the dog. Down this and you'll be feeling like yourself in no time."

Shuffling to the table I took the concoction and knew better than to sniff it. Psyching myself up, I downed it, gulping the briny infusion a mouthful at a time. Amara beamed when I finished and scooped the glass from my hand before it could touch the table.

More guests straggled into the kitchen, rumpled, creases on cheeks, hair sticking up in various directions. Each of us mumbled good afternoon to one another as we moved around like zombies. I observed them as they grabbed food and water.

Pax and his fiancé Giada. Pax was a set designer whereas Giada was a casting agent. Both looked like Barbie and Ken come to life.

Freya was a CPA who was into intramural roller derby and ice hockey. She had thin blond hair, blue eyes, and a slight overbite.

Vaughn who gave me major douche vibes, and not because he was part owner of a strip club, he had made a few comments I brushed off but certainly remembered. He could be Mike from Jersey Shore's twin, only his nose was smaller, less bulbous, and he was probably twenty pounds lighter with dark brown hair that was gelled back and not up.

Of course it would be Vaughn who sat next to me at the table, so close that his knee grazed my knee. He didn't offer an apology but he didn't leer at me like the cat that ate the canary either.

Just as I thought I would be spared having to talk to him, he turned toward me, chewing with his mouth wide open. "It was awfully quite in your room last night."

"Were you listening at the door?" I scooted over.

He smirked then, "No, but my room is next to yours. Guess you and Stefan are just friends. That works out for me."

"Don't get excited. You're not my type."

Vaughn barked out a laugh. "Doll face I haven't been into pussy since '98."

That certainly made me hit him with a double take. "You do know it's the other Salvatore brother that's into guys, right?"

"Yeah, but I'm waiting for the day Stefan realizes he has a bit more in common with his brother than he thought. Sure I might be waiting for an eternity and in vain, but a man can dream, can't he?"

Amara interrupted when she brought me a cup of coffee. "Thank you, but you don't have to go through all this trouble," I told her.

"It's not a bother at all. You're just so cute," and she pinched my nose before whipping around and retreating to the stove to stir the potatoes she had frying.

Vaughn leaned closer to me. "I think she's into you. You get with her that leaves Stefan free and clear. I can wear him down. What do you say? Partners?"

Head shaking, I sipped my coffee.

Damn, it was a pretty damn good. I eyed Amara speculatively. Nah.

|| Stefan||

"So you and Bonnie…" Eddie trailed off and I knew exactly what he was getting at.

Edward "Eddie" Thawne, my homeboy since freshman orientation at AU, we bonded over bongs and bimbos and started a couple of traditions that were still ongoing, last we heard, at our alma mater. Eddie came from a long line of overachievers and criminals. One of his great uncles was arrested for arson; an aunt had gone to prison for money laundering for the mob, and his oldest brother was currently on the fast track to becoming a senator. His dad had taken him aside and told Eddie he had two options: be great or be a scourge on society. Eddie dabbled a bit in both. But he was loyal, and wanted everyone he came into contact with to have a good time.

At the moment we were seated on Adirondack chairs on the wraparound porch, drinking. Our reward for running three miles. I could smell one of the neighbors down the street grilling, hear the occasional scream and laughter of children. A little above that, the waves of the ocean and the squawk of sea gulls. Domestic.

"Me and Bonnie what?" I decided to humor him. A little.

"Don't play dumb. You know what I mean. How long have y'all been—?"

"We're not."

"Bullshit."

"I'm serious. It hasn't gotten that far."

"Yet."

I didn't bother to hide my smirk.

"Cocky little shit," Eddie grumbled.

"Have you seen her ass?"

"I have."

"Then you know why I can be."

"I can't say I blame you. I've thought about asking her out a couple of times just never worked up the nerve. You're brave I can tell you that. Don't know if I could date someone I'm already living with. If things go south…you're stuck looking at that person, hearing and seeing them date other people until the lease is up. I don't think I can do it, bro. My masculinity is fragile like that," he grinned.

"You're an idiot but I get your point." I pushed my Rayban's up on the bridge of my nose, "Could things blow up in our faces one day? Of course. But I'm not focusing on what could go wrong but on the fact we like each other as more than friends. We want to see where things can go."

"Nothing wrong with that, but you're not delusional. Things are always good in the beginning. You gel, you click, you're addicted to one another. But that shit wears off and with some it wears off fast. The only woman I plan to live with is my wife whoever she might be. You sure you just haven't gotten your wires mixed up because you live with Bonnie?"

Even I could say when it came to my roommate it was easy to misconstrue her friendliness with something else. I've seen her smile at total strangers and watched them stare at her in awe. An innocuous touch and you're ready to propose. Were there moments before things came to a head where I wanted to press my luck, test some boundaries and see what I could get away with? Hell fuckin yeah. But it was respect for her and our friendship that stayed more than just my hand but my dick as well. Living together just kind of solidified how I always felt about Bonnie. She was the one who knew me best, that I trusted the most. Us being mutually attracted to one another was icing on the cake.

"Nah, my wiring is up to code," I finished off the last of my beer.

Eddie shrugged and swallowed more beer. "Well, if it makes you happy then even better."

"What about you and Amara. She's…" my lips twitched as I held in my laughter. Eddie had a type. Serious but spontaneous. From what I had seen and experienced Amara kind of reminded me of that lame Bonnie dated. Godric. "Nice."

He guffawed. "She's an investment."

"You hired her?"

He threw his bottle cap at me. "No, asshole," he leaned his elbow on the arm of the chair, lowered his voice, "she's the cousin of one of the partners at my firm. Rebekah Mikaelson thought we'd hit it off and who I am to turn down the opportunity. Can she be a bit neurotic? Yeah. But Amara knows what she wants and she knows what this is. Takes the pressure off."

"That sounds so cold and clinical."

"At least I know she's not with me because of my money. We're helping each other. If you don't have some of the same goals how can you expect things to last? Besides," he leaned back like a king holding court, tipping his chin up to the sun, "she has a world class mouth."

Chortling, I shook my head, but who was I to judge.

Bonnie joined us on the porch and I perked up, casting a sidelong glance at Eddie. She still looked green and like she was struggling to keep even her saliva down, but she was beautiful nonetheless. I couldn't see what bathing suit she donned since she was wearing a zip up hoodie, but it left plenty of leg bare.

"Hey, did you eat something?"

She closed her eyes and waved her hand. "Don't talk to me about food. Derek and Braeden are here, ready to hit the beach. You coming?"

"Yeah," I hefted my weight up. "Eddie?"

"I'll be there in a little while. You lovebirds go ahead."

Bonnie frowned and I shot my mouthy friend a glare to which he ignored. Grabbing Bonnie by the hips I guided her back inside and pushed her up against a wall.

"You sure you're up for going to the beach?"

Her tiny hands took the scenic route to wrap around my neck, starting with making their way up my arms and across my shoulders. "Yeah. I need to get out of the house and get some fresh air. Amara made some hair of the dog and thankfully the dizziness has gone away. I still feel drained and a little like if I stare too long at a toilet…it just won't be pretty."

I dropped a kiss on her forehead, the tip of her nose, her carotid artery. "The beach then."

"Had a good run?" she sighed and craned her neck offering me more of her to devour.

"Would have been better if you had been there beside me."

"Maybe one day I'll join you."

"I'm holding you to that." Shit her hands were in my hair now and I fucking loved when my scalp is lightly scratched.

Our lips grazed and I pantomimed biting her bottom lip. Now that I was hard up going to the beach was fast losing its appeal. The house would be empty. We could make good use of it. From the darkening of Bonnie's eyes she was on the same wavelength.

Unfortunately before we could make any shoddy excuses for bowing out, we were discovered by a smiling Giada.

"Sorry for cockblocking but we're packed and ready to go. Move it, people!"

Yeahhh, we really should have stayed in DC.

||Bonnie||

I was channeling Robin Fenty owning the fast-paced gritty streets of New York with a style often imitated but never duplicated. At least in my mind I was. Realistically my legs felt like ten pound weights were strapped to them. Yet I was determined to beat this hangover into submission.

Shades on, I pointed one manicured finger to a vacant spot on the beach, "What about over there?"

"How do you not see the five screaming kids running around in that area?"

"There're kids all over this place if you haven't noticed."

"Two of them are armed with super-soakers, and the parents look like they could give a damn if their brats start spraying total strangers in the face. I fight kids. I told you this."

I snickered at my complaining acquaintance and fellow beach bunny Braeden Turner. She was a US Marshal and had been dating Derek Hale, a friend of Stefan's for the last three and a half years. Braeden and I met officially at a graduation party for Derek's little sister Cora. So we've known each other for the length of time she and Derek have been together. She and I had been a handful of black people at the backyard soiree that lasted practically until dawn, and had gravitated toward one another as those who shared similar melanin were wont to do.

Braeden's model pretty with a hard-nosed exterior, but it didn't subtract from her femininity or her beauty. Eyes the color of cognac, eyebrows that stayed impeccably arched, mid-length black hair and a sultry, raspy voice she could volley between being a contestant in a pageant to disarming perps a hundred different ways. A dry wit and sometimes a forked tongue, Braeden was that bitch.

Stefan and Derek were lagging behind. Gossiping though neither would admit that they whispered under the blankets trading secrets like baseball cards because of the adage of men don't share. Please.

"I don't think we're going to find a better spot, and I don't want to walk anymore."

"We haven't even walked a mile," Braeden argued incredulously.

"Look, just because you run five miles for fun," I purposely said in a falsetto, "doesn't mean walking a mile is nothing to the rest of us."

"I run twelve thank you very much, and if you get tired I will lend you my boyfriend to tote you back. We can go a bit farther up the beach. Just take in the ocean air, let it cleanse those city pollutants out of you. That's the problem."

"Please, cut the lecture I feel coming."

We walked a bit farther up the beach. The hard wet sand was beginning to hurt my feet because there was little difference between it and concrete. The salty sweetness of the air, the cooling breeze, I tilted my head back to soak as much of it into my skin. I may have been annoyed by the over-crowdedness of the beach, but it failed to override the level of tranquility I was ascending to. Out here I didn't think about my book, or the undercover assignment I was going to have to engage in for research, or the unfinished articles waiting in my queue. I could just finally…relax.

"Here is good," Braeden announced, breaking me out of my reverie.

The area she selected was less crowded—if you squinted. There were less kids around, and it was kind of quieter, but there was still plenty of activity happening. A few people were flying kites, tossing Frisbees, frolicking around. I dropped my tote bag, unfurled my towel, and plopped down. Derek and Stefan caught up with us, and right there a few feet from the edge of the water, we set up camp.

Derek stripped off his shirt. He stared at his girlfriend and without uttering a single word she pulled off her knit cover up. The two joined hands and ran toward the Atlantic. It hadn't escaped my attention those two hardly used words to communicate. They weren't the most talkative couple, had developed their own language that's kept them together for this long. With Braedon otherwise occupied, I couldn't get the tea. Couldn't question if she and Derek had the talk about marriage, babies, where their relationship was going. There'd be time for that later, I suppose. Plus, I knew being hitched was the least interesting thing going on in her life. She had stories about her exploits as a US Marshal.

Stefan joined me on the sand. He had lost his shirt too. His swim trunks were gray and rode low on his hips giving anyone who was into muscle a chance to ogle his chest, abs, and that sculpted V. In his hands he rotated a bottle of sunscreen. Waggling his thickly arched brows, he flicked open the top with his thumb.

"You should be SPF protected," he swiped his tongue across his bottom lip.

"Yeah, I do but I feel like you're using that as an excuse to put your hands on me."

"Do I need a reason?"

"Not really. Go ahead. Knock yourself out." I rolled on my stomach and waited for him to get to work.

Stefan moved into position, straddling me just a little beneath my ass. The lotion was cold against my skin that was quickly heating. "Are you having a good time so far?"

"I am…although I don't remember much from last night," I replied, propping my chin on my crossed arms.

"I made sure you kept your clothes on. I know how you love stripping when you're overheated."

"Good looking out."

"You know I always have your back."

We fist bumped.

"So…what were you and Eddie talking about on the porch?"

"Man things."

"Un-hun."

Stefan worked the lotion into my legs, his fingers brushing my inner thighs that had me clenching muscles only my gyno got see.

"I didn't tell him we were bumping uglies or anything of the sort if that's what you're worried about," he reassured me. "Although I'm sure Giada has blabbed about what she saw to Pax who is going to add his twisted yet colorful spin on things."

"It's not a big deal. We weren't trying to hide anything anyways."

Stefan capped the sunscreen and stretched out on the blanket next to me. "It was really hard for me last night not to jump on a table and yell to the ceiling that you were off limits. If you knew the number of people that was trying to hook up with you…I like to think I'm slow to anger, but after last night I'm not so sure. I got into it with a couple of guys before their asses were ejected."

"You were fighting last night?"

"No, just heavily suggesting they go about their business or leave with a broken neck. What's with that look?"

"What look?" I blinked innocently.

"You're looking a bit flushed." Stefan eyed me shrewdly. "Does the idea of my brawling with opportunistic assholes over you turn you on?"

I turned my head away from him. "No."

"Liar. I bet your nipples are rock hard right now."

"Shut up, Stefan!"

He mocked me with that rumbling laughter that I usually couldn't resist soaking in. "I'm always going to do what I can to protect you, Bon."

Facing Stefan once more, I leaned up and kissed his forehead. "That goes both ways." Pause. "But you should know the number of times I've sharpened my claws when I've overheard the lecherous comments women have made about you. I'm surprised I'm not in jail."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right."

"You have seen your face and your…well body right?"

He was turning bashful which I found adorably cute. The dork. "I know I'm not ugly but growing up with Damon as your brother, let's just say I've been made to feel like the least attractive brother occasionally. It doesn't bother me anymore."

"But it used to bother you?"

Absently Stefan's thick fingers drew designs in the sand. "Don't we all go through a phase where we put our worth into our looks and how many people we can attract? I wanted girls to like me and they did. But it's like once they met Damon it was 'Stefan who?' Then of course they'd come crawling back."

"To which I'm sure you told them to take a long walk on a short pier."

"After."

"After what?"

"Come on, Bon," Stefan rolled on his back, crossed his arms behind his head. "You're a smart girl. You can figure out what I did. I needed someone to practice seduction on. Now you know why it takes so long for me to shake my exes."

"Wow…that does explain so much."

"Exactly."

"You know you don't have to worry about that from me," I said. "There is no part of me that's attracted to Damon in any way, shape, or form."

"I know."

I felt a subject change was in order. "This date you want to take me on…"

"Yeah?"

"Where are we going go and what are we going to do?"

"Why don't you let me worry about the particulars? Just know you're going to thoroughly enjoy yourself. There's nothing I like more than pleasing a woman."

Be still my heart. Not gonna lie. I liked how he emphasized the word thoroughly, and I especially liked that fact he was all about bringing pleasure. "You believe in kissing on the first date?"

Sand had gotten on Stefan's belly that he brushed away momentarily directing my gaze to his abs. "If the chemistry is right and we both want to, why not? You?"

"I guess you'll find out on our date," I grinned.

Our interlude was disturbed with the arrival of the rest of the group. Derek and Braeden had returned sopping wet but making goo-goo eyes at one another. Lawn chairs were planted into the sand, umbrellas put up, coolers cracked open. Amara donned her mistress of activities robes and coaxed us to play a few games. I had to admit they were silly and fun. We had an egg race with a twist where the guys had to balance a lady of their choosing on their shoulders while trying to balance an egg on a kiddie spoon while running across uneven sand. We played charades and had drone races. The drones were provided by Pax.

We stayed at the beach until dusk. Packed up our belongings and hooved it back to the house getting ready for yet another party. Sitting next to Stefan in the backseat of Derek's Charger, fingers laced together I had a feeling that tonight would be a good, good night.

||Stefan||

Night had fallen.

Me and the guys gathered, shot glasses filled to the brim. Eddie gave a little speech about how it was good for all of us to come together and that we should do it often because it would get more difficult to have these moments before marriage, wives, and babies started picking is off one by one.

"Swap out that wife for a husband for me," Vaughn winked and tapped his glass with mine.

"Anyways," Eddie kept the ball rolling. "You guys are my brothers and I'm glad every last one of you could be here this weekend. Let's keep this tradition going. To the brotherhood!"

"To the brotherhood!" the rest of us cheered, tapped our glasses together, then the table and tossed them back.

"Guys," Derek said before looking over both shoulders and leaning forward to say conspiratorially, "I know we just drank to keeping the tradition going to trying to stay connected as friends and all that jazz but um…I'm thinking…I'm thinking about popping the question to Braeden."

"What?" that was Pax.

"You're kidding," Eddie's eyebrows lifted clear off his forehead.

"Are you fuckin' serious," was Vaughn's retort of disbelief whereas I said,

"It's about damn time."

Derek scrubbed a hand across the back of his neck, sheepish but uncharacteristically happy. For him. Damon might accuse me of having the patent down on brooding but Derek could surpass the heaviest of thinkers.

"Yeah," he lowered his hand.

"When were you planning on doing it?" I asked.

"That's just the thing. I'm not sure when. Braeden's job has her traveling all over the place at a moment's notice, and I'm not the most romantic guy so if I take her to a nice restaurant she's gonna know something's up and I want it to be a surprise. Catch her completely off guard."

Eddie raised the next important item on the list. "Do you have ring?" Derek nodded. "Is it with you?" Again Derek nodded. "Then pop the question to her here. Go for a midnight stroll on the beach."

"I was thinking about that. I…just…what if she says no?"

"Then she says no," Pax answered with a shrug. "Have you two talked about making it legally binding? If not I say wait until you do. If you have then do as Eddie suggested. Take her for a walk, get down on one knee, and ask her."

"We have talked about it in a fleeting way, but…okay. I'll do it. Tonight."

So naturally we all gave Derek slaps of encouragement on the back, which called for another round of shots.

"Oh are you having a bit of male bonding time? Sorry, not sorry for interrupting," Giada sauntered into the room and over to Pax wrapping her arms around his waist.

He kissed her forehead. "In a few minutes we're gonna drop trou and have a circle jerk."

Vaughn's eyes lit up.

Shaking my head I excused myself from the room just in time to hear Bonnie come down the stairs. She paused on the next to the last step so I could get a good look at her dressed as she was in an army green romper. Her skin was dewy and made my mouth water because I wanted to get more than just my hands on her. Sometimes I really wished she'd stop being so fucking sexy for five seconds to give my brain and libido a break.

Wordlessly she came to me, the nude heels on her feet giving her a boost in height, bringing her right in kissing range. She smelled like dessert, looked like a wet dream, and she wanted me.

I cupped her cheek. "You look thirsty. Let me make you a drink."

Bonnie took me by the hand and led the way to the booze stacked in the kitchen. As I put my amateur bartending skills to use—I could only successfully pour a bourbon neat because it didn't require ice—the music was kicked on and the front door thrown wide open.

For about an hour me and my girl were inseparable, and when I could, I had her hemmed up in a corner doing my damned best to mark her neck with a hickie.

Leave it up to someone to take issue with it. Someone tapped me, which felt more a like a stab on my shoulder making me shoot the interloper a glare.

It was Braeden. The soon-to-be-Missus Hale if everything went according to plan.

"If you haven't noticed this a party and the two of you are being shamelessly antisocial. You've hogged her long enough, Stefan. Let the girl breathe. We have girl shit to talk about it."

Before I could throw out a defense or tell Braeden to mind her business she reached in between me and Bonnie extracting the latter and quickly disappearing in the thicket of the crowd. It was there I became aware of how packed the house had gotten. Just went to show my mind was a single-minded track.

With no distraction of my own, I got another drink. Scotch this time. Found a place to hole up, nodding occasionally to whoever nodded at me, sipped, and let the liquid preferred by those who considered themselves intellectuals, sludge through my veins. In no time at all I was feeling good.

I thought about my friend making the ultimate commitment and wondering how it would change our group dynamic. All it took was for one to settle down before the rest began to fall like dominos; everyone seemingly making that mad dash to the altar before middle age settled in. None of us had vowed to be consummate bachelors, but we certainly hadn't cried into our drinks about not finding the perfect mate before a certain age. I was happy for Derek and Braeden if not a little jealous.

I drank some more. Tried to catch Bonnie's eye to no avail.

We're in the midst of having another all-night fest. The house is teeming with people, neighbors, friends of those neighbors. Eddie pretty much opened the doors to anyone who wanted to have a good time. He could host a Tupperware party and folks would come in droves. He's always been like that, and one of the main reasons I opted not to be his roommate in college because I wouldn't have gotten any sleep or fucking work done. Social mogul was his creed and vocation, and his gift of gab rivaled Damon's. People loved Eddie and he loved people.

Which led to complications.

One particular complication just walked through the door, in a skintight outfit that exposed her lean torso and paid homage to her big tits and firm, perky ass. Her black hair was a curtain that fell almost to her waist. Her lips were obscenely full, eyes sensuously dark, and her skin was of the deepest copper…she was too sublime to be real. She was the kind of woman who inspired hard cocks and premature ejaculation. For two weeks the summer after my college graduation I was a welcomed inmate in her bed.

It was the kind of affair that burned hot and fast. My time with her was like that LL Cool J song "Control Myself". We did our thing, parted with no ill-will or feelings, and never uttered any promises to remain in touch. Although we did kind of agree that if we were in the same city, at the same time, unattached, and if the energy was still there, we'd rekindle things for old times' sake.

Things were different now, obviously. But that didn't account for my pulse turning into a battering ram and my cock jumping just at the sight of her.

She found me and for a minute nothing registered on her face. She didn't recognize me and yeah, my ego kind of winced. Being cheated on could be a blow to your self-confidence and esteem and lead to internalizing a lot of shit, however, what Valerie pulled never once made me think I sucked as a lover. But seeing the blank look on Lourdes Addario's face made me question the proficiency of my stroke game.

Hadn't I just been moping to Bonnie earlier about girls not finding me attractive or not as attractive as my brother? Shit, Bonnie.

With that reminder I wasn't here alone and not looking to dip my wick into a field I already plowed, I craned my neck searching for Bonnie. I spotted her talking to Braeden and some other chick I didn't know having a very animated debate from the looks of things.

Just as I decided to shuffle outside for some fresh air, I saw it. The flare of recognition, the darkening of eyes that were already so deep a brown they appeared black, yet emitted so much heat sweat broke out across my forehead. I could blame that on the number of bodies crammed in the living room, but I knew better. It was her.

Her lips lifted in a smile lethal enough to send any heart into cardiac arrest. I ordered my damn feet to move, but they remained planted like the roots of palm trees to the floor. Lourdes weaved her way through the horde, most taking note of her, tossing approval or disapproval at her back. She wouldn't care either way. If I was remembering correctly she had said when we took a break to eat and take care of personal hygiene that she had divorced herself from peoples' opinions.

Lourdes, damn even saying her name in my head conjured memories of moaning it like a bitch when her pussy milked me for all I was worth. I heard myself swallowing my saliva although my mouth had dried out.

"I know you. Stefan, right?"

If seeing her from far away made me jittery like a prepubescent boy, seeing her up close transformed me into a stuttering fool. "Y-yeah. Yes, I'm Stefan."

Lourdes brandished those perfect white teeth. She was art. Fluid. Tanned all over and smelling like she was fresh out of the shower.

"Do you remember me?"

"Of course, Lourdes." I ignored the fact I kind of breathed her name like I was trying to seduce her. "You're a hard one to forget."

She beamed, immensely pleased by that, but was she serious? Did she honestly think any lover would ever forget her?

"I'm glad to run into a familiar face," her mouth said whereas her eyes were busy roaming me from head to toe. I didn't miss the fact she paused on my crotch. "I'm here with my girl. She's around here somewhere." Neither one of us bothered with the pretense of trying to locate her friend. "Are you here by yourself?"

"Nah, this is my friend Eddie's timeshare. He and a few other of my friends from college are…around here somewhere." We both shared a quiet laugh. It only vaguely occurred to me that I had lumped Bonnie in with my friends. "I see you don't have a drink."

Her eyes, they twinkled at me. "We should fix that."

A/N: Thank you for reading. Please let a gal know what you think.