Author Note: Thanks goes to Levesque-Rollins823, rkosgirl1 and calwitch for the wonderful reviews. Thanks also goes to MrsAnniething for becoming a follower to this story. This chapter is going to feature Becky's POV. I hope you all enjoy and let me know what you think.

Warning: Some Sexual Content Present

Chapter 23: Moment of Peace

Savannah

The hot water beating down on my tender skin was absolutely heavenly. I wanted to just stay in here for as long as possible; but I knew Seth was waiting for me on the other side of the door. It was a surprise to say the least that he was in Florida with me. Almost a week without seeing him was pure torture. Running my hands through my soaked hair, I rinsed the rest of the shampoo out of it before turning the water off.

Grabbing for the towel, I missed and knocked my phone off the counter. It bounced off the tiled floor and shattered the screen upon impact. "Damnit!" I yelled. Wrapping the towel around me, I knelt down to pick up the pieces of what I could. A soft knocking came quickly across the wooden door. I knew Seth probably heard my loud curse and was most likely concerned about what was going on. "Sav, are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah..." I replied hesitantly.

Opening the door still wrapped in a towel, I came out holding my shattered pieces of what was left of my phone's screen. He stared at me wide eyed, no doubt surprised to see me standing in front of him in nothing but a towel. Believe it or not, we still haven't been intimate with each other and we've been together for quite a while now. The timing just never seemed to be right. I was okay with it, because I wanted things to be special.

Holding up the remains of my phone, my bottom lips came out in a pout. He blinked a couple time before coming to realize what I was showing him. A soft chuckle escaped his mouth before pulling me against him. There wasn't much preventing me from being exposed to his viewing. He took the pieces of my phone out of my hands and sat them down on the top of the small dresser to my left. I found myself being pushed back toward the wall behind me.

"Seth..." I whispered trying to get is attention.

"You know how hard it is to resist what's in front of me..." He replied brushing a thumb across my towel covered breast.

"I know...I'm sor..."

My words were cut off by his lips capturing mine. His desperation was laced with every movement of his mouth. There was nothing I could do to resist, nor did I want to. His hand side up my side while the other lingered on my thigh, tracing delicate lines with his finger. Everything he did sent my body ablaze, wanting more and more.

The panic started to set in when I felt my towel loosen at the tuck. Did I want this to happen yet? Was I ready for it? The answer to that was 'no'. As much as I wanted to please him, I just wasn't ready to take that plunge yet. Before I could disappoint him, he broke the connection and took several steps back. "Seth..." I called softly.

"It's okay...I could feel you tense up. I won't force you to do anything you're not ready for."

"Thank you."

He kissed my cheek and told me to find something dressy to wear. Of course, he didn't tell me why he wanted me to dress up; but that didn't matter, because I was with him. This was what I always hoped a relationship with him would be like. Seth turned and walked out of the room. I could hear the fridge door open in the kitchen, so I knew that he was just getting something to drink.

I sorted through the closet that possessed all the clothes I brought with me from my home in Maryland. Nothing seemed to scream out at me, which was frustrating. This was the first time he asked me to dress up, so it had to be some place special. I didn't want to disappoint him. After two more times flipping through the clothes, I decided on an olive green halter-top mini dress with an open back.

I reached for my favorite pair of black wrap heels and slipped them on. Quickly touching up my make-up with earthy tones to bring out the green in my hazel eyes, the person staring back at me in mirror didn't seem like me; but it was. The violet of my hair was the perfect contrast to the olive color of my dress. I took the remains of my phone off the dresser and tucked it into my handbag. It was going to need to be replaced before we did anything else.

Walking out into the kitchen, Seth now stood dressed in black dress pants and a dark red button up shirt. He left a couple of the button undone to show off some of his chest in a tasteful manner. I stopped walking to soak in the view a moment. His hair was tied back in a tight bun behind his head; but I could still see the blonde streaked through, even though he trying to let it grow out. He didn't want to be reminded of his time in The Shield. It brought back too much. I wondered when he changed.

"You look absolutely stunning." He complimented with a coy smile.

"Thank you. You look pretty damn good yourself." I replied returning the smile.

"You ready?"

"I believe so. We need to stop and get my phone replaced before we go do whatever you have planned."

He reluctantly agreed. Placing a hand on my lower back, he urged me out the door. Locking it behind us, he took my hand and we walked down the stairs in the direction on his waiting vehicle. Just as I was going to open my door, he moved in to open it for me. I loved when he did that. My heart fluttered ever single time he does.

Becky

Laying in my hotel room listening to some music, I was trying to comprehend what Roman had told me about the things he did after the breakup with Savannah happened. I knew that I should be more angry at him than I was. The problem was that I understood where he was coming from. I didn't trust Seth at first either; but hiring a private investigator seemed a bit much. As he told me everything, all the regret he felt about the things he did came pouring out in waves. It took everything I had in me not to comfort him. Standing my ground, I listened and spoke only when I felt like I needed to.

Giving Seth a heads up was only going to cause him to question what I knew. I'd deal with that later. Right now, I wanted Savannah to stay safe even if she wasn't the target at the moment. Roman had shown me the message he received last night. This man stole my wallet, so I had to call every company I had to put freezes on my accounts.

Running a hand through my hair, I rolled to my side to stare at the ugly wall a feet away from me. Savannah and Sasha not being around was getting really boring. Krys avoided me like the plague now, course she really didn't hang with me outside of Savannah's presence. I often wondered what I had done to piss her off.

The song changed on my Ipod to a song that Savannah covered a couple years ago acoustically. 'Second Chance' by Shinedown. It really made me think about the words expressed in the music. Roman did deserve a second chance to be happy and now things were falling apart around him. Maybe he needed a friend to listen to all of his concerns and I debated on being that person.

"Ugh...this isn't helping at all." I complained getting off the bed.

I grabbed the keys off my bag and left the room. The feeling of being cramped up was setting in and I needed some fresh air. Locking the door behind me, I started my journey out of the hotel into the night life of the city. Stepping out of the main doors that exited the lobby, I sucked in a deep breath. The stars were bright considering all the lights in the city should have drowned them out. My legs started to move on their own, dragging me down the wide sidewalk.

"Becky?"

The voice was undeniable. Roman was standing behind me. Mentally cursing, I turned to face him. His long hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. He was dressed in jeans and tight t-shirt of a medium shade of blue. A color he definitely looked good in. The jade of eyes were bright, almost sparkling against all the lighting on the pathway. I hated that he looked so good, because I shouldn't be thinking such things about my best friend's ex boyfriend. "What are you up to?" He asked giving a slight smile.

"I needed some air. My room was feeling a little claustrophobic."

"I suppose what I said last night is weighing in on you."

He turned away from me. The hope that had been shining in those eyes were now replaced by regret and sadness. That was what was weighing in on me. I didn't like seeing him this way. It tugged at my heart no matter how many times I told myself not to let it effect me. It still did. "Walk with me." I stated reaching out to touch his upper arm briefly.

Roman returned his gaze back on me. The look he gave me almost took my breath away, which was something only one other person has been able to do. Taking my hand off his arm, I proceeded to walk forward. He followed suit and kept in pace next to me. Occasionally his hand would brush against mine, sending more electrical shocks through my body. This wasn't supposed to be happening and I had to do everything I could to fight against it.

"Did you warn Savannah?" He asked breaking the momentary silence.

"I sent a message to Seth to keep an eye on her. I'll talk to them soon though. I just didn't want to ruin their time together."

Talking about Seth and Savannah together didn't seem to bother him anymore. He nodded his head and agreed with my choice in actions to take. It was hard to think that this was the same man who was outlandishly angry over my best friend's departure from his life only a few months prior. We came across a park with a fairly large fountain tossing water out in a beautiful display of colors. A smile tugged at my lips the second I stepped up closer.

"I should be angry with you for the things you did." I admitted.

"Then why aren't you?" He asked keeping a safe distance between us.

"Because I believe in second chances. You made mistakes; but I can understand what made you choose to make them. Feeling regret for the rest of your life because of those mistake will only make you go crazy in the end."

Silence fell upon us. I don't think he knew what to say to my answer, which was fine. I didn't expect him to. Staring out into the water, my mind was rapidly going through all the things that have happened since yesterday. Suddenly feeling warm fingers lace through mine, caught me completely off guard. It scattered my thoughts all over the place, only for my mind to focus on those fingers through mine. Roman's hand was locked with mine, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Looking up at him, his eyes caught mine instantly before shifting his head to look out at the fountain. "Thank you. Despite everything I've done, you still deem me worthy of a second chance. "He said keeping his voice from wavering.

I wanted to tell him that I wasn't the only one who thought that; but I just couldn't bring myself to bring up Savannah. Not to mention my mind was clouded thanks to his hand clasped with mine. His warm touch was awakening things within me I thought were long gone. I didn't understand when or why my body behaved this way; but I wanted to explore it further. Was it wrong? Probably. Was I going to just come right out and admit it? No. There was plenty of time for that. I wanted to get to know the real Roman, not the one I knew just from small conversations here and there.

"I walk you back to your room." He said releasing my hand.

"Thanks."

We walked side by side once more. This time it was spent in silence. I could tell that he was thinking about what I said. Hopefully he would take my advice seriously. The moment we got to my door, I pulled out my keys from the pocket of my shorts and unlocked the door debating on whether or not to ask him to come inside. "Goodnight Becky." He said touching my arm gently in passing.

"Goodnight..." I whispered realizing that there was a lot of healing that needed to be done within him.

Seth

Savannah finished eating her dinner. She gently sat her fork down on the napkin on the side of her plate. I had taken her to a Mexican dance restaurant and the look on her face the second we stepped inside was priceless. Nothing could ever capture that moment better than my mind replaying it over and over again. The music filled the entire room and enticed many couples to get up and dance on the oversized floor.

Neither one of us knew the music; but it didn't matter. I stood up and offered my hand for her to take. Her delicate hand found mine in seconds. Walking out onto the floor, my hand found the shallow of her back. Her closeness was intoxicating. Moving our feet across the floor, our bodies danced with the music. It wasn't anything fast and the slow melody was perfect for how I wanted her to be in my arms.

"So did I do good tonight?" I asked slightly teasing her.

"Absolutely. You outdid yourself. You know I'm not a fan of overly expensive stuff."

"Oh I know; but I felt you deserved to be spoiled a night."

She smiled and rested her head on my chest as we continued to move with the music. I knew she was listening to my heartbeat. She had a habit of doing that even when we slept next to each other. However, today she was going to hear the rapid beating due to my nervousness. My lips found her forehead, "I love you." I whispered, knowing she'd still be able to hear it.

Immediately, she lifted her head up from my chest to look me in the eye. Her hair fell over her shoulders, slightly hiding her eyes from me. Her silence was giving me the idea that she wasn't ready to hear that just yet. I opened my mouth to apologize, except what I got was her lips on mine. Feeling her tremble against me, alerted me to the tears rolling down her cheeks.

When she pulled away, I brushed the tears away with my thumbs. "I love you too." She finally admitted once she was calm enough to express it. I spun her around and pulled her close to me once more. Nothing was ever going to take this moment away from us. The outside world would just have to wait until tomorrow to reign down. Tonight was all about us.

When we finally got back to the apartment, my heart was still racing from all the emotion expressed tonight. Savannah locked the front door and turned towards me. She slipped her shoes off by the door. It was already passed midnight and I knew she was probably tired. She moved toward the bedroom she occupied and I slowly followed behind, wondering if I should just wait until she was changed; but my body had other ideas.

Stepping inside the room, she closed the distance between us. "Thank you for tonight." She said taking my hands into her own.

"You don't need to thank me, Savannah. I want to do things like that with you. There are so many things I want to do with you in the future."

"Good."

Leaning up, I met her for the kiss I've been waiting for since we got back the apartment. My hands easily found her hips. Gripping them a little tighter, I pulled her closer to me. A soft moan escaped her mouth in mid-movement of our lips. The passion turned into passionate desperation. Her hands slid down my chest, starting to unbutton the buttons of my shirt.

Breaking away from her mouth long enough to get the shirt off my body, I groaned the second I felt her warm hands on my chest. Her fingers traced lines over the muscular curves of my abdomen. She was driving me crazy that much was for sure. This wasn't the same Savannah I had encountered earlier on. The woman in front of me was not scared. The emotions pouring off her matched my own. Running my hand up her back, I found the clasp behind her neck. Unsnapping it, the straps fell forward exposing her to my viewing.

Reaching down for the hem of her dress, I lifted up and quickly tossed it to the floor. She was in nothing but a pair of black lace panties that left little to imagine. The view was perfect and there wasn't a part of her I didn't want to kiss. Leaning her back onto the bed, I hovered over her recapturing her lips again. One hand held my body weight off her, while the other slid down her body to reach between her thighs.

Her own hand moved to remove the remaining articles of my clothing. Her desperation was getting more intense as the minutes passed by. My body was aching with a need to be even closer to her. I wanted her in the worst way. Another soft moan left her mouth as mine left to nip at the sensitive flesh of her neck. My fingers circled her core through the fabric of her panties. She whispered my name and that was the last barrier of restraint I had left.

Stepping out of the remaining pieces of clothing I had on, I stood before her completely exposed. Leaning forward, I gently pulled the last barrier between us down her legs. She quickly pulled me back to her, hooking a leg around my waist. The second I entered her, my whole world exploded with an entirely new bliss. Her nails dug into the blades of my shoulders when I quickened my pace. With every sound she made, it was harder for me to hold back my own release.

The pleasure stricken face of hers was more than enough to know that I was indeed giving her what she wanted. She moved her hips against me, pushing me further. Her back arched the moment I felt her tremble and heard her cries. Her walls tightened around me and that was it. I spilled everything I had around her. Falling down beside her, she snuggled up against my chest. "I didn't expect this to happen tonight." I admitted.

"I know. It was my turn to surprise you."

"You played me earlier did you?"

"Maybe..."

She was such a little sneak. I wasn't going to complain in the least. That was absolutely amazing and a total surprise to me. I reached over to turn the lamp off and render us in the darkness, except the moon was shinning right through the window. It gave her an angelic look. Her eyes were drifting closed. "I love you..." She whispered before they finally shut completely.

"I love you too, Savannah Nicole Kelly."

She chuckled lightly before there was not another sound coming from her. I allowed myself to relax enough to fall asleep holding her in my arms. I didn't want to leave her tomorrow; but hopefully Hunter would be giving her the green light and she could start traveling with me again. I guessed the morning would hold all the answers.