A.N - Hey guys, hope you're still with me. I'm sorry for the delay, it may be like this for a while until I can settle a routine around my homework. At the moment I'm trying to update as much as possible on the weekends.

Look out for A Pirate's Life For Her sometime soon. I know I kinda left you guys hanging on that one.

Five

"I think I want to borrow this dictionary of yours."

Okay, I'm woman enough to admit it. My date sucked. Jesse's ruled. End of.

I mean, when a guy shows up ten minutes early he's a bit too eager. On time and he's punctual and boring. Five minutes late and he couldn't care less about taking you anywhere.

But two minutes early – knowing this because I was ready a full ten minutes ago, a feat I'm actually quite proud of – holding a trio of pink roses and with a massive smile spread across his face, bouncing on his toes excitedly. That's when you know a guy likes you.

"Hey," I greeted him, stepping out the apartment and closing the door quietly to not wake up my roommate. "How's it going?"

"Better now." He murmured, a blush lightly tingeing his cheeks as he realised what he said. He handed over the flowers and kissed my cheek lightly. "Ready to go?"

Nodding quickly, I reached out my hand to entwine with his and smiled up at him.

He smiled back, his white teeth gleaming in the shoddy apartment lighting, making him look gorgeous. Like he ever didn't.

Yeah, three minutes in and Jesse's date has well surpassed my own. I should let him do this more often.

"Jesse!" I complained, stumbling in the darkness and feeling a thrill of something rush through me when he reached a hand out to my hip to steady me. "Are we there yet?"

His deep chuckle somewhere behind me forced a smile to break out across my face as his fingers lightly trailed my stomach. "Almost, querida." And damn if him saying that word didn't make my heart jump.

I heard the heavy creak of a door screeching open and the whip of cool air in my hair and on my face. Turning to look at him, I felt his strong fingers grasp my chin and push my face back in its original direction.

"Jesse," I warned, crossing my arms expectantly. He laughed again and removed the blindfold – seriously, a blindfold, Happy Second Date Suze, let's take away your vision! – before covering up my eyes with his hand instead. He froze in anticipation for my response; I refused to give him what he expected.

Instead of yelling, whining or complaining, I turned my head to the left so my lips were level with the inside of his wrist, and placed an intimate kiss on his pulse point. In response, he twisted me towards him, removing his hand from my eyes and placing it on my waist before leaning in and languidly kissing me; my legs felt unstable and I leaned into him for support.

"Jesse?" I whispered to him, my lips against his own whilst my breath visibly remained between us.

"Yes, querida?"

Cue the jumping heart.

"Can I please see now?"

He nodded, kissing me quickly again before spinning me around, directing my attention to the breathtaking sight in front of me.

I swear I could see the whole of New York. There was a glitter of apartment lights, little golden squares settled in amongst big, dark looming buildings that fought with each other to be the centre of attention.

"Wow." The word left my lips without my realising it.

"There's more." Jesse tugged my hand and led me to another area of the roof we were stood on.

He was right. In front of me now was a large red-and-white checked blanket, a few large candles set delicately in the middle, atop a mirror that reflected the dancing flames, and a picnic hamper set off to the side, practically bulging with its contents.

"Jesse!" I exclaimed, running up to him and wrapping my arms tightly around his neck. "This is … perfect!"

He smiled at me and sat down on the blanket, gesturing with a quirk of his eyebrow for me to join him. I wasted absolutely no time whatsoever in sitting down and snuggling up to his side. Cold New York night; warm, cuddly potential boyfriend; one girl without a jacket. Do the math.

His arm came to wrap possessively around my shoulders and pull me into him, placing a kiss on my temple as he offered me a drink. Closing my eyes, I nodded and accepted the glass from him.

"So," he began deeply, his voice rumbling in his chest and sending shivers through me. To which, of course, he pulled me towards him even more, figuring I was cold. "This is a re-date, huh?"

"Mmhmm," I mumbled, too content to form proper sentences. "In the dictionary." I repeated, opening my eyes and smiling at him, staring into his dark brown eyes. " 'The best second date ever with the best, most gorgeous guy'."

"You know what? I think I want to borrow this dictionary of yours."

Giggling, I slapped him lightly on his chest. "Nuh-uh." I teased. "It's mine. The only way you get it is if you can convince me that you really, really want it."

"Convince you?" His eyebrow twitched again in that ever-so adorable way. "And how do you propose I go about that?"

I twisted my face into a serious thinking expression before kissing his nose and jumping up. "Surprise me."

A girl could become seriously addicted to his kisses. Not that I was willing to let any other girl come close to them within the next few months or so, but still. Just thought I'd share. As it was, we were having an unbelievably difficult time trying to say goodnight.

Each time I began to turn and go into my apartment, he'd pull me back to him and each time he began to leave, he only got a few steps before I ran after him.

I don't know what it is about him, but he's changed me. Susannah Simon never acts like this around a guy. Not even if he's the underwear-model, Orlando Bloom kind of hot. Which Jesse so surpassed.

"Really," I muttered, not meaning a word. "We should go. It's after midnight."

"I know," he nodded, sighed and pulled back, only our hands remaining in contact. "I know." He stared down at our entwined fingers and smiled wryly. "We should really say goodnight."

Smiling, I kissed his lips affectionately and whispered "goodnight" before jerking my hands away from him whilst he was still dazed.

"Sorry," I shrugged. "The only way I could do it."

"Well," his smile turned into a smirk. "This is how I say goodbye …"

He leaned in, shortening the distance between our lips as his hands came up to wrap in my hair.

"No touching." I told him as he came closer.

"Alright."

His hands lay flat on the door behind me as his lips crashed against my own. My fingers furled and unfurled themselves at my side, itching to touch him but knowing it wouldn't help. We were both breathless when we pulled apart.

"Goodnight." He whispered.

Laughing again, I gently pushed him away and opened my door, looking over my shoulder quickly to see him stop and look over his shoulder at me. Waving, I blushed as he blew me a kiss and ducked into my apartment.

He had to be some sort of voodoo witch doctor. He'd changed me completely. And I wasn't entirely sure I hated it.

"When you're done sucking face, Suze," a masculine voice interrupted my thoughts and I recognised it instantly, following the source of the sound to clash with the crystal clear cerulean eyes of Paul Slater. "There's someone in there asking for you."

Rolling my eyes, I crossed the floor quickly and entered the kitchen, expecting … Well, I wasn't sure whom I was expecting. Either way, I couldn't have been further from the truth.

A teenaged boy stood in front of me. He looked about nineteen with dark messy blonde hair and the look of a guy who had a serious attitude problem. He was also glowing.

"Are you sure he asked for me?" I asked Paul exasperatedly.

Paul smirked. "He asked for the mediator." He shrugged and leant in the doorway, crossing his arms. "I'm the shifter. You know that."