Jackson disappeared as soon as we got home. Lisa stomped up the stairs to our bedroom. Was it really ours? I didn't have a clue. But I followed. She turned and faced me as soon as I entered the room. Her expression was fierce, dark brows down and her mouth a hard line. "You call that giving us a chance?"

Whoa. I licked my lips, giving myself a moment. "I call it going out to pick up some food. The kitchen was running late so we got a beer. We liked the music so we decided to get up to dance for a couple of songs. Nothing more."

"He was all over you."

"I was about to knee him in the balls."

"You left without a fucking word!" she shouted.

"Don't yell at me," I said, searching for a calm I didn't have in me just then. "I left you a note in the kitchen."

She shoved her hands through her hair, visibly fighting for calm. "I didn't see it. Why didn't you come talk to me?"

"The red light was on. You were recording and I didn't want to disturb you. We weren't supposed to be gone for long."

Bruised face furious, she walked a few steps away then turned and marched back. No calmer from what I could tell despite the pacing. But at least she seemed to be trying. Her temper was the third person in the room and it took up all the damn space. "I was worried. You didn't even have your phone on you, I found it on the fucking table. Pam's phone kept ringing out."

"I'm sorry you were worried." I held out my hands, out of excuses for both of us. "I forgot to charge my phone. It happens sometimes. I'll try to be more careful in future. But Lisa, nothing was going on. I'm allowed to leave the house."

"Fuck. I know that. I just …"

"You're doing your thing, and that's great."

"This was some sort of fucking punishment?" She forced the hard words out through gritted teeth. "Is that it?"

"No. Of course not," I sighed. Quietly.

"So you weren't trying to get picked up?"

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that." Slapping her upside the head wasn't out of the question. I kept my clenched fists safely at my side, resisting the urge.

"Why'd you let him touch you?"

"I didn't. I asked him to move back and he refused. That's when you arrived." I rubbed at my mouth with my fingers, fast running out of patience. "We're just going around in circles here. Maybe we should talk about this later when you've had a chance to calm down."

Hands shaking, I turned toward the door.

"You're leaving? Fucking perfect." She threw herself back onto the bed. Laughter wholly lacking in humor came out of her mouth. "So much for us sticking together."

"What? No. I don't want to fight with you, Lisa. I'm going downstairs before we start saying things we don't mean. That's all."

"Go," she said, her voice harsh. "I fucking knew you would."

"God," I growled, turning back to face her. The desire to scream and shout at her, to try to make some sense of this, boiled over inside of me. "Are you even listening to me? Are you hearing me at all? I'm not leaving you. Where is this coming from?"

She didn't answer, just stared at me, eyes accusing. It made no sense.

I almost tripped getting back to her, my feet fumbling. Landing on my face would be perfect. It was exactly where this was heading. I didn't even understand what we were fighting about anymore, if I ever had.

"Who are you comparing me to here?" I asked, every bit as angry as her now. "Because I am not her."

She kept right on glaring at me.

"Well?"

Her lips stayed shut and my frustration and fury skyrocketed. I wanted to grab her and shake her apart. Make her admit to something, anything. Make her tell me what the hell was really going on.

I crawled onto the bed, getting in her face. "Lisa, talk to me!"

Nothing.

Fine.

I pushed back with trembling legs and tried to clamber off the mattress. She grabbed at my arms, trying to hold on. And like fuck she was. I pushed back hard. All brawling limbs, we tumbled off the bed and rolled onto the floor. Her back hit the hardwood floor. Immediately, she rolled us again, putting me on the bottom. My blood pounded behind my ears. I kicked and pushed and wrestled her with all the hurt she'd inspired. Before she could get her bearings I rolled us again, regaining the uppermost position. She couldn't stop me, the bastard. Escape was imminent.

But it didn't happen.

Lisa grabbed my face in both hands and mashed her lips to mine, kissing the stuffing out of me. I opened my mouth and her tongue slipped in. The kiss was rough and wet. Breathing was an issue. We both had anger management issues and neither of us entirely refrained from biting. With her bruised mouth, she definitely had the most to lose. It wasn't long before the metallic taste of blood hit my tongue.

She pulled back with a hiss, fresh blood on her swollen top lip. "Fuck."

She grabbed my hands. I didn't make it easy on her, struggling for all I was worth. But she was stronger. She pinned them to the floor above my head with relative ease. The press of her hard-on between my legs felt exquisite, insane. And the more I bucked against her the better it got. Adrenaline had already been pouring through me, amping me up. The need to have her sat just below the surface, prickling my skin, making me hyperaware of everything.

So this was angry sex. I couldn't bring myself to hurt her, not really. But there were other ways to assert myself in this situation. She came back to my mouth and I nipped her again in warning.

A mad smile appeared on her face. It probably matched my own. We were both panting, fighting for air. Both as stubborn as hell. Without another word she released my wrists and drew back. Quickly, she grabbed my waist and turned me over, pulling me up onto my elbows and knees. Arranging me how she wanted me. Rough hands tore at the button and zip on my jeans. She yanked down my denim and crazily overpriced thong, body poised over mine.

Her hands smoothed over my ass. Teeth dragged over the sensitive skin of one cheek, just above the tattoo of her name. A hand slipped beneath to cup my sex. The press of her fingers against me had me seeing stars. When they started stroking me, working me higher, I couldn't hold back my moan. She nipped me on the rump, a sharp sting of sensation. Then she pressed kisses up my spine.

The lack of words, the absolute silence apart from our heavy breathing made it more. It made it different.

One finger slid inside me. Not nearly enough, damn it. She slid in a second finger, stretching me a little. Once, twice she slowly pumped it into me. I pushed back against her hand, needing more. Next came the sound of the bedside drawer sliding open as she searched for a condom. Her fingers slid out of me and the loss was excruciating. I heard her zipper being lowered, the rustle of clothes and the crinkle of a condom wrapper. Then her cock pressed against me, rubbing over my opening. She pushed in slow and steady, filling me up until there was nothing left that wasn't me and her. For a moment she stopped, letting me adjust.

But not for long.

Hands gripped my hips and she began to move. Each thrust was a little faster and harder than the last. Labored breathing and the slap of skin against skin swallowed the silence. The scent of sex hung heavy in the air. I pushed back against her, meeting her thrust for thrust, spurring her on. It was nothing like the sweet and slow of this morning. Neither of us was tender. My jeans shackled me at the knees, making me slip forward a little with each thrust. Her fingers dug into my hips, holding me in place. She stroked over something inside me and I gave a startled gasp. Again and again she concentrated on that spot, making me mindless. I felt superheated. Like fire burned through me. Sweat dripped off my skin. I hung my head, closed my eyes and held onto the floor with all my might. My voice called out without my consent, saying her name. Damn it. My body wasn't my own. I came hard, awash with sensation. My back bowed, every muscle drawn tight.

Lisa pounded into me, hands slipping over my slick skin. She came a moment later in silence, holding herself deep. Her face rested against my back, arms wrapped around my body, which was lucky. I'd lost all traction. Slowly I slid to the floor. If she hadn't been holding me I'd have face-planted. I doubt I'd have even cared.

In silence, she picked me up and carried me into the bathroom, sat me on the sink. Without fuss she dealt with the condom, started running a bath, holding a hand beneath the faucet to check the temperature. She undressed me like I was a child, pulling off my sneakers and socks, my jeans and panties. She tugged off my shirt and unclipped my bra. Her own clothes were ripped off with far less care. I felt curiously naked with her now, the way she was treating me. Being so careful with me despite my biting and big boned unwieldiness. She treated me like I was precious. Like I was a china doll. One she could apparently have rough sex with upon occasion. Once more, she checked the water, then she picked me up again and into the bath we went.

I huddled against her, my skin cooling off fast. My teeth chattered. She held me tighter, resting her cheek against the top of my head.

"I'm sorry if I was too rough," she said finally. "I didn't mean it, accusing you of shit like that. I just … fuck. I'm sorry."

"Rough wasn't a problem, but the trust issue … we're going to need to talk about it sometime." I rested my head against her shoulder, stared up into her troubled eyes.

Her chin jerked as she gave me a tight nod.

"But right now, I'd like to talk about Vegas."

The arms around me tensed. "What about Vegas?"

I stared back at her, still trying to think everything through. Not wanting to get this wrong, whatever this was.

Marriage, that's what it was.

Shit.

"We've covered a lot of ground in the last twenty-four hours," I said.

"Yeah, I guess we have."

I held up my hand, my sparkly ring. The size of the diamond didn't matter. That Lisa had put it on me was what made it important. "We talked about lots of things. We slept together, and we made promises to each other, important ones."

"You regretting any of it?"

My hand slid around the back of her neck. "No. Absolutely not. But if you woke up tomorrow, and you'd somehow forgotten all of this. If it was all gone for you, like it had never happened, I would be furious at you."

Her forehead wrinkled.

"I'd hate you for forgetting all this when it's meant everything to me."

She licked her lips and turned off the tap with a foot. Without the water gushing out the room quieted instantly.

"Yeah," she said. "I was angry."

"I'm not going to let you down like that again."

Beneath me her chest rose and fell heavily. "Okay."

"I know it takes time to learn to trust someone. But in the meantime, I need you to at least give me the benefit of the doubt."

"I know." Wary blue eyes watched me.

I sat up and reached for the washcloth on the edge of the bath. "Let me clean you up a little."

A dark lump sat on her jaw. Blood lingered beneath her nose and near her mouth. She was a mess. A big red mark was on her ribs.

"You should see a doctor," I said.

"Nothing's broken."

Carefully, I wiped the blood from the side of her mouth and beneath her nose. Seeing her in pain was horrible. Knowing I was the cause made my stomach twist and turn. "Tell me if I press too hard."

"You're fine."

"I'm sorry you got hurt. In the bar tonight, and in Vegas. I didn't mean for that to happen."

Her eyes softened and her hands slid over me. "I want you to come back to LA with me. I want you with me. I know school will start back eventually and we're gonna have to work something out. But whatever happens, I don't want us apart."

"We're not going to be."

"Promise?"

"Promise."