Forgive the long absence. It won't happen again. I was trying to find something to fill the second half of this chapter and finally the writer's block cleared. So here you have it. To all those loyal followers still out there and new ones, enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing; simply working with the idea.

"Mom, I've been asking you all day to take me to the store. I need some new notebooks." Katniss pleads with her mother.

"I told you that you can take the car." Her mother offers. But Katniss isn't too confident in her driving skills. She'd only gotten her license a few days ago but she's still a bit on edge about driving alone.

"I can take her." Mr. Mellark offers.

"Who's going to help me with dinner?" Her mother leans into Mr. Mellark flirtatiously. Katniss cringes a bit. Sure it was cute and all, and she was happy for her mother but please, not in front of her.

"If you want," Mr. Mellark clears his throat. "You can wait for Peeta to come. I'm sure he'd be happy to take you." Katniss' eyes instantly light up.

"I'd love to wait for Peeta to come."

When Peeta gets there, he happily greets his father and Ms Everdeen.

"Oh, Peeta," his father barks. "Can you take Katniss to the store? She needs some notebooks."

"Oh, and can you possibly let her drive? She got her license last week but she still doesn't trust herself behind the wheel.

"Uh..." Peeta's eyes go wide as he stares at the both of them. He was sure he could control himself around the family, but being alone with her would be his end.

"Don't worry, Peeta. She's actually a good driver."

"Right!" He closes his mouth and clears his throat. "Sure, I'll take her."

"Let's go now, then..." Peeta whips around coming face to face with Katniss.

"How are you, Katniss?"

"Fine. How are you?" She stares at him seductively.

"Well. We should get going." He quickly pushes her through the front door to his car. It's also an attempt on his part to not look at her. She'd opted on wearing a short skirt that left little to the imagination. He didn't think she was a skirt-wearing type of girl, not after seeing all those archery trophies and camping posters in her room. But damn, did she have great legs and that ass...he quickly shakes his head, trying to shake off the effect Katniss has on him.

"What's the rush, Peeta?" She asks with a laugh.

"You can't look at me like that, especially in front of our parents."

"I didn't look at you in any way." Peeta throws her his keys.

"Let's get this over with."

The ride to the store is tense and quiet.

"So how's school?" Katniss asks.

"Good. How's yours?"

"Boring." Peeta quickly looks around to their surroundings.

"Where are we?"

"Oh, I know where we're going." He eyes her suspiciously for a long time but they make their way to the store.

"What town are we in? Isn't there a store closer to the house?"

"Peeta," Katniss laughs. "There is, but I like this one better." He only shakes his head before he follows her through the store. Katniss is in and out quickly. Once outside, she throws him back his keys. "You drive this time."

"You need the practice." He throws the keys back.

"I don't want to." She throws them back before she climbs into his SUV. He sighs then follows her lead. At least with him driving, she couldn't keep him alone any longer then needed. With that thought, he throws all his suspicions out the window.

Unfortunately, he's unfamiliar with this part of town. His father had moved into the area while he was away at college and having only visited him a handful of times since then, he's not too sure where he is.

"Are you lost?" Katniss asks.

"Does it look like I'm lost?"

"Yes. You're kind of headed in the opposite direction." He turns into a deserted plot of land just off a major street.

"Why didn't you say that before?" Peeta pretty much barks.

"Because," she says while she trails a hand up his thigh. "If you just wanted to get me alone, I wasn't about to stop you." Peeta jerks his leg up, trying to jostle her hand off his leg. Katniss tightens her grip on his leg just before she undoes her seat belt and straddles his lap. "Katniss-"

"Shh." She traces his lips with her finger before she devours them with her mouth.

"Fuck, Katniss! We can't." Still he does no attempt to stop her or slow her down as she jerks his hips while she undoes his belt.

"That's not what this is telling me." She says while stroking his already rigid cock. He groans as he watches her smoothly remove her underwear. "Now, don't tell me you didn't prepare for this moment." He pats his pockets down looking for his wallet. Once he finds it, he's frantically pulling out a condom and ripping it open. He had not, in any way, planned on this but he did have a just-in-case condom in his wallet with Katniss' name written all over it.

"Ride my dick." He orders which makes Katniss chuckle softly.

"Normally, I would not respond to such a comment but for you," she says while her hands support herself on his shoulders. She lifts herself over his cock and slowly lets him enter her. "You are all I've thought about since the summer."

"Fuck!" Peeta hisses. "Why are you always so tight?" He asks mainly to himself.

"It's because you're so big." She whispers against his lips. His hands grab greedily at her ass, massaging and gripping her, helping her increase the pace. His lips crash onto hers in a sloppy but heated kiss. He doesn't understand why Katniss always make him feel like it's the first time but without the embarrassment. His first time, Peeta came undone way too quickly for his liking; he was left with the shame of coming early and leaving a girl wanting. But it had felt so good, like nothing he's ever experienced because he really never had.

With Katniss, it was similar. He always felt like he was going to lose control at any minute and it felt just as good if not better. He still had no idea why of all the girls Peeta's been with, Katniss is the only one who's ever had an effect like this on him.

She brings him right back into the moment with a perfectly timed roll of her hips.

"Katniss, don't stroke my ego anymore."

"Okay..." She breathlessly gets out. "I'll just stroke something else of yours." He throws his head back, enjoying the slow pace she's set for them but Katniss picks up the pace as they near their orgasms.

"Don't stop..." He reiterates with a groan. He brings a hand up her front, under her shirt to firmly caress her left breast. He can't stop himself from lifting up her shirt and bra enough to expose her. His mouth quickly finds the pebbled nub.

"Peeta..." She huffs while her hands bury themselves into his hair. His tongue swirls around her sensitive peak sending Katniss reeling into her climax. His hands grip her waist which allows him to thrust a few more times before they're both riding out their orgasms.

"Shit, Katniss." He says breathlessly into her chest.

"So good..."

"I know but this is wrong." He starts. "Our parents are about to get married and look at us! We shouldn't be doing this."

"Peeta, we're not related-"

"But our parents care about each other. What's going to happen if they find out about this?" She drops her head in thought.

Of course Katniss has thought about it but she's selfish. In her pursuit to find the best lay, Peeta's the hands-down winner. Maybe it's a bit premature to say that he's the best she'll ever have but it also has to do with how he makes her feel. He's not like some of the guys she's been with that are simply out to get theirs. He's always so aware of how she's feeling and maybe it's his age, and with that his experience, that just causes an orgasm like no other to come out of her. Just the thought of him has her borderline so having him the way she has him at the moment is mind-blowing.

"But I don't want to stop..." Katniss tells him softly.

"And that's the problem...because I don't want to stop either." She smiles against his lips before they kiss softly.

"We'll be careful." Katniss tries.

"That would mean you stop flirting with me on every occasion." She nods furiously.

"Fine but you have to stop looking at me the way you do."

"I look at you like I look at anyone else!" Katniss shakes her head.

"Do you look at everyone like you're checking them out? Like you're picturing them naked or picturing them in this very position?" He sighs. He was guilty of that but he couldn't help himself, especially when Katniss was easy on the eyes.

"Okay! We both have to change our ways if we're to continue this."

"Deal."

"Peeta, son..." His father starts as he follows Peeta to the door. He was on his way back to campus and as was the usual for Peeta, he wouldn't be back until summer break.

"It was nice spending the time with you." He says just as Katniss and her mother appear behind his father. "All of you." He says which is almost entirely aimed at Katniss. Sure he enjoyed his break but she made it all the more interesting simply because she was able to do things no one else could do for him.

"Will you come back for Christmas break?" His father practically begs. He knew that wasn't typical for him and the chances were slim for his return.

"Uh, I don't know."

"Please, Peeta?" Katniss' mother joins in. She knows what his return means to his father as well.

"I usually don't..."

"You really should, Peeta." Katniss adds. "You never know what will happen..." She hints with a wink.

"No, you're right." Peeta says with a chuckle. "I guess then alright. I'll come back for break."

"Great!" His father says excitedly. "Then we'll see you soon."

"Yep. See you for winter break." Katniss winks at him which makes Peeta chuckle softly. He's actually really looking forward to Christmas break.

"Merry Christmas!" Peeta places his gifts on the floor before he hugs both his father and Ms. Everdeen. They greet him happily while Peeta tries to look around them for Katniss. He has a special present for her and he can't wait to get a free moment to give it to her. After the initial greeting and she doesn't show, he wants to know where she is but doesn't want to ask.

"You know where you're staying by now or do you want me to show you to your room?" His father offers but Peeta waves him off.

"I got it, Dad. Don't worry about me."

"We'll be in the kitchen." He and Ms Everdeen take their leave while Peeta grabs his bags and heads towards his room. He stops short when he sees Katniss leaning in a nearby doorway.

"There you are." Peeta says with a smile.

"And you. I'm glad you came." Katniss teases with a smile of her own. He drops his bags off in his room before making his way to her. He places his hands on her hips before backing her into the doorframe.

"I've missed you." He goes in for a kiss but Katniss dodges him. "What?"

"That's probably not true."

"What are you talking about?"

"All that bullshit you fed me about true love when we first met...Were you trying to romance me? Get me into bed?"

"I don't understand. Everything I told you was true."

"Then why does your father worry that you're literally screwing the whole college?"

"He said that to you?"

"No. I overheard him talking to my mother about it." Peeta chuckles as he takes a few steps back from her.

"Are you jealous?"

"The hell I am! I just wanted to know exactly where we stand."

"And where is that? I didn't know we were in a relationship and I didn't think that you, of all people, would be upset about being free to come and go as you please."

"Peeta, you have me all wrong. I'm not upset. Like I said, I'm just glad I know where we are. While you sleep around with all the girls at your school, and possibly put me at risk to whatever you could catch from them, I can do the same."

"You think I have something? If anything I should be worried about you. You came after me! You wanted me just as much as I wanted you! Now you want to call me easy?! If that's not calling the kettle black then I don't know what is!" Peeta walks away, angrier then he thought he'd be at Christmas. He can't believe his luck or Katniss' accusations. It's true that he had a history but that was in the past. He came home for break to see his family but mostly to spend it with her. Sure she was an easy mark but isn't that what they both wanted? Peeta couldn't leave things like that between them. He grabs his keys and heads out leaving his father standing there completely baffled.

"What happened?"

"Don't know." Katniss tells him. "Maybe we should just start with dinner..." Ms Everdeen leads her husband to the table. He's visibly upset as he thinks about Peeta and where he might have gone. He doesn't get to worry too long though because the front door slams closed signaling Peeta's return. He enters the dining room looking angrier than he was before he left.

"What's going on, son?"

"Nothing. I'll be in my room."

"We're having dinner-"

"Thanks Ms. E. but I'm not very hungry." He gives Katniss the dirtiest look before he finally dismisses himself.

"I have to go to the bathroom." Katniss says but instead of going there, she goes to Peeta's bedroom where he's waiting for her. "Good job today. You're ruining Christmas for everybody."

"I got tested by the way..." He reveals.

"Really? How'd that go?"

"Great until they told me I wouldn't get the results for a week but that's okay. When they get here, I want you to read them."

"Thanks but I don't really care."

"I would appreciate the same courtesy, Katniss." Peeta tells her.

"What?" She asks mid-laugh. "You think I have something?"

"I mean if you're going to accuse me, I only think it's fair that I question where you've been as well."

"I haven't been with anyone else. Why would I when my step-brother is actually pretty good?"

"Because I'm not around all the time and a girl like you would be the type to need it every chance she gets."

"You're calling me a whore now?!" Katniss barks.

"Well if it quacks like a duck and waddles like one-" He barely has time to dodge the ball she throws at his head before she storms out. She stomps past the dining room where her family is waiting. They barely have time to question anything as she continues through until she's outside. Peeta pops in with a sly grin and apologizes to them.

"What was that noise? And what's going with Katniss?"

"I hit her in the head with my basketball by accident. I'm just going to apologize-"

"Peeta, tell me I don't have to have a don't throw balls in the house discussion with you?" His father questions.

"No, no. It was an accident. I was reorganizing, the ball slipped, she just happened to walk by and now she's pissed. I'm sorry but I should be going after her." He runs off in search of Katniss who's angrily power walking as far away from the house as possible. "Will you wait up?!"

"Screw you, Peeta!" He jogs up to her and grabs her hand which she promptly rips her hand free from his grasp. "What do you want?"

"I'm sorry but I don't think it's fair that you accuse me of things and I can't do the same."

"You have a history!"

"And you don't? So you just became a sex fiend out of thin air?" Katniss crosses her arms and huffs.

"I've had a lot of sex, yes, but it was with my then boyfriend. Since then, I've had sex with three other guys, you being one of them."

"Oh. Well that's not too bad."

"You, on the other hand, according to your father have slept with most of your school." Peeta hides his head in his hands and groans loudly. "You deny it?"

"No. It's true." He admits. "I was heartbroken out of high school. The girl I loved-the girl I thought I would spend the rest of my life with, ruined me. So, yes, I slept around. A lot. Then I thought I got a girl pregnant and it scared the crap out of me. I thought that I was going to have a baby with a girl I barely knew; a girl I didn't love and barely liked. So I stopped literally fucking around and I don't want to do it anymore."

"What happened to the girl?" Katniss asks.

"She was sleeping around with a lot of guys and the baby wasn't mine. It was enough to turn me around."

"The first day we met, you talked about love and commitment..." Peeta nods.

"I do want to fall in love," he admits and her eyes widen. "Not that what we're doing is that! But I'm comfortable with what we're doing. I'm okay sleeping with you and I guess I'm okay if you want to be with other guys-"

"But I'm not sleeping around. I like this too and I guess I just got a little bit jealous that you were hooking up with girls while I was basically being loyal to you." Katniss looks at Peeta who wears a smug grin on his face. "What?!"

"You were jealous..."

"I don't know if college girls are better than me! For all I know, they-" But she doesn't get to finish because Peeta pulls her into him and kisses her passionately.

"No one compares to you. I've never met a girl like you and, as you know, I've been with a lot."

"So then we agree that it will just be you and me? Exclusive?"

"For now, at least until we want out of this."

"Okay." Katniss smiles as she disengages from his arms only to be stopped by him once again.

"Where are you going?" He asks.

"Home. Our parents are probably worried." He pulls her into him again then shoves her up against a tree.

"Let them worry."

"Peeta-" He kisses her hard then trails his hands down her body, into her pants, and slowly starts to inch them down. "What are you doing?" She moans.

"What does it look like?"

"Here? Right now?!" He nods as he continues to kiss her passionately. "But we're outside!"

"So?"

"It's cold!" But he doesn't answer. Instead, he undoes his pants and exposes himself to her. He quickly puts on a condom before he lifts her up and lines himself with her entrance. "What if someone sees?!"

"Then you better orgasm quickly."