A/N: I only own the OC.

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I kept my eyes on Dexter in the mirror. I would be lying if I didn't say that I hadn't wandered about all those rumors, if what his ex wife had said was true, and thinking about the time we spent together. I had always wanted my Prince Charming and I had let myself think that maybe he was... but apparently I talked myself into something stupid.

He was undoing the corset and looked up at me in the mirror. He paused when our eyes met. I watched as he carefully placed a kiss to my temple and all the tears I had been trying to hide came cascading down my cheeks.

"Fuck, I'm so sorry I ever hurt you." He whispered as he wiped them from my cheeks. I opened my eyes back up to see him watching me.

"I was an idiot for believing I would find my Prince Charming." I admitted out loud. He sighed as he finished unlacing the back of the corset. I placed my hands on my chest to keep the corset from falling as he turned me to face him.

"Jodi, please believe me that if I could do it again I would have told you everything the night we sat by the fire pit." He said and I felt the anxiety rising in me. I couldn't stop the tears from falling, and I just wanted to go home. He could tell that something was wrong.

"Jodi..." he said as I started to shake.

"I need out of here. I need air. I want to go home." I blurted out. He quickly took his shirt off and pushed it over my head. I put my arms through it and grabbed my bag. He opened the door to find Becky about to know.

"What...?" She was trying to ask when I picked Jodi up bridal style and carried her past Becky. She wanted out of there and I was going to help her.

"Tell Elias we are talking." I said and carried her out the side door. I got her to the door and carefully sat her down on her feet. She unlocked it and went straight to her bedroom. I locked the door behind us, and sighed. I needed to give her a minute. I went into her kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine. She was going to need it. I got two glasses and sat it on the coffee table. I could hear her moving around so I waited on the couch. I just hoped I could say the right things right now to settle all this.

Jodi POV

I came back into the living room to see Dexter sitting in my house with his head in his hands. I knew that this had taken a toll on both of us. He had opened a bottle of Rose and poured us each a glass.

He finally looked up at me and stood up when he realized I was standing there. I handed him back his shirt. I hadn't wanted to admit to him that it had calmed me down just from feeling like he was around me.

"Can we talk?" He asked me and I nodded.

"What can I say that will help this?" He finally asked me.

"I honestly don't know. I was the idiot that believed in true love, fairy tales, and that you were that boy from when I was younger. The one who used to play tea parties with me, called me a princess, and was my first kiss when I was 15 because we saw each other in Jacksonville at your Dad's party." I said and I saw a sad smile cross his face.

"You were beautiful that night. I remember that." He said and I sighed as I bypassed the glass and went straight to drink out of the bottle.

"Yeah, well, I was the idiot to think that we would be that fairy tale. I thought life would be better now that you were back in my life. You were different from Dave, and I guess... I don't know." I finally said.

"You have always been my princess. You always were. I hated the day my mom moved us to Jacksonville. I missed you every day. I was always happy when I got to see you on and off. I did the school thing, and Dad wanted me to be in the business. I didn't care but I did it. I met Christi at events and was pushed into marrying her. I lied to myself to make it, but in the end I couldn't. I wanted rid of her so I started looking like I was picking up women all the time from Scarlett's just so the rumor would eventually get back to her. I knew that she was unhappy but she wasn't going to leave me. She wanted some of my Dad's fortune. I was hoping that she would leave on her own, but in the end I walked in on her in bed with some dumbass." He said and I was surprised.

"The rumor was going around about me, and after finding her it was obvious that we were done. Dad didn't care I was getting a divorce because she had been caught cheating. He even gave me the house just to get me out of Jacksonville. Mom was happy that Christi was gone, and I withdrew from everyone. I would see Johnny every now and then, and one day we were talking... he told me that he was working for you after your Dad died. I asked him to hire me to give me something to do a few days a week, and it meant that I was near you again." He said and I nodded as he drank some of his wine. He was opening up to me.

"I remember the first day I started and met you. You were more beautiful then I remember... You were still my princess. I wanted to tell you right then it was me. I watched you as you dealt with Dave, and then the night we talked. I should have told you that night. I didn't want to rush you after hearing about Dave. I had heard he left you but I didn't realize how bad he had been to you. I never meant to be like that. I just wanted you to know you were loved so I wanted to hide the bad parts of me. I can be jealous, I can be dominant, I do have a temper, I like rough sex, but I never mean to take it out on you or scare you. You are not Christi... and never will be. I was not nice to her, but that's not you." Dexter said and I didn't really know what to say. I opened my mouth and closed it because he had just opened up to me.

"I can't promise that it will be great all the time... but I can promise you that I will always tell you the truth." He said as he stood up. He pulled me off the chair and kissed me with everything I felt in him. I melted into him. I pulled away and looked at him.

"I feel like we rushed a little bit." I finally said and he nodded.

"We can slow down. I won't push you. We don't have to have sex until you are ready. I just want to chance to make you feel like that princess you dreamed of." He said as he placed a soft kiss to my forehead.

I looked at him and carefully pressed my lips to his. I wanted him to be my Prince Charming but I was really scared of being hurt.