What the f.u.c.k had happened in those five minutes? Everything had been going freaking awesome. I was ready to throw away all my rules to see what could happen with this man, the first man who'd ever made my girly parts quiver just by looking at me. The first person I ever thought could truly be a danger to my heart. The only thing to happen right before had been the moment Gavin and Shi brought me my backpack. He couldn't possibly have been p.i.s.sed off by the guys going to get my backpack for me; that was so nice of them! Or maybe it had been the way I thanked them with hugs and innocent kisses. Could that have been the part Walt had a problem with? I didn't take him to be insecure; he had no right to be jealous or take offense to the way I'd responded. No f.u.c.king right at all! Those guys had ventured out into the storm to retrieve my backpack for me. They deserved the thanks I'd given them, and if Walt didn't like it, he could go f.u.c.k himself for all I cared. f.u.c.k, Walt.

That thought of his doing so caused a sharp pain inside my heart. I clutched my chest and willed it away when the pain became intolerable, physically closing myself off by crossing one arm in front of my chest and touched my lips with the fingers of the hand on the other. Ten minutes ago all I'd wanted to do was kiss Walt, and now I wanted to run away and hide. This was exactly why I'd never pursued anyone for whom I'd felt even the slightest affection. This hurt was what I'd fought so hard against my entire life, and now I'd be forced to live with it for the rest of my days. I knew Walt had scarred me; there was so much more to the strange, almost preternatural, bond between us other than physical attraction. It felt as though we were meant to be. That fate had brought us together, that he needed me as much as I needed him. It had felt like pure magic for a little while; now, it felt like the devil himself was jumping for joy at my folly. Why? Why, did I do this to myself, and how long would it take me to get over him? I knew the answer to that...never. I would live with this achey-empty-lonely feeling for the rest of my life, just like Mom, just like Grams. What I'd felt this night mirrored their own descriptions of meeting their soulmates. G.o.d, I was an idiot. I knew better going in, and, yet, here I stood, crying over a man.

I felt his presence when Walt came into the apartment, though I didn't acknowledge his being there. I wasn't interested in anything he had to say. I just wanted to get as far away from him as quickly as possible. A tear escaped, and I tried to wipe it secretly away but heard his slight intake of breath and knew he'd caught me. I still didn't acknowledge him. I'd perfected my poker face years ago when I'd had my first taste of not wishing to deal with an unpleasant situation. And I most definitely did not want to deal with Walt.

"Andrea..." he whispered, and it broke my heart even further.

Another tear escaped, and I hastily wiped it away before crossing both arms in front of me. "Andrea, huh?"

"I haven't been much of a friend and didn't think I'd earned the right to call you Andy." I heard him come closer until I knew he stood directly behind me. "I owe you an apology."

"It's fine."

"No, it's not Andrea."

"In that case, apology accepted." I saw the first rays of sunlight brighten the horizon, and the rain began to slow. "The weather is clearing, and the sun's coming up, so I should be able to get out of your way soon enough."

"You're not in my way."

"Regardless, I'll be out of here as soon as I can."

"I don't want you to leave." He put his hands on my arms, and I felt that same feeling overtake me again, as it had every time he'd touched me during the night-like my entire body was building up to the most intense o.r.g.a.s.m I'd ever experienced. I couldn't handle that right now and shrugged him off, side-stepping away from him while still facing the window.

"You were right. We are not friends, and I would appreciate it if you kept your hands to yourself." Because if you don't, I will forget what a douchebag you are and get my heart broken again and again.

"So, you don't forgive me."

"I said I accepted your apology, and I do, but that doesn't give you permission to touch me."

"You didn't have a problem with touching the guys downstairs," he said snidely, and I was done playing possum. This guy had some nerve!

I turned quickly, my hands locked on my hips. "So, that was why you started acting like an a.s.shole. I didn't take you for an insecure p.r.i.c.k." He looked taken aback, but I didn't give a s.h.i.t and continued to rattle off points, flashing fingers up to count them on. "One, I met them first. Granted it was only a couple more hours than before I met you, but I'm loyal to a fault and always show my friendships the respect they deserve. Unlike some people, who go growling about to express their displeasure with others. What's that all about anyway? You sound like a f.u.c.king animal...or a mental patient..." I paused and shrugged. "Jury's still out on that one, but I figure it could go either way."

"Hey!"

"I'm not done." I pointed a finger at him, and he shrunk back slightly. "And you'll listen, unless you don't want to be friends at all. Which at this moment, I'm totally fine with. I prefer to have no drama in my life, and I think having you around might turn my whole existence into a f.u.c.king soap opera."

He nodded and put his hands on his hips. "Please, continue."

"Where did I...oh yeah, two. My day consisted of spending over a thousand dollars to surprise my fiance, only to walk in on him having s.e.x with our neighbor and real estate agent...on my grams' couch! Now, I have to pay to get it cleaned, because there's no f.u.c.king way I'm letting that b.a.s.t.a.r.d keep it. I'll be taking it out of the d.a.m.ned house I sunk most of my money into but do not f.u.c.king own. f.u.c.k, I need a lawyer."

"I can hel-"

"Don't interrupt! I might digress, but I always come back to my point."

He crossed his arms over his chest and nodded, remaining quiet. I could tell he didn't like getting yelled at, but it appeared he'd allow me to finish my rant. Okay, one small point for him.

"I drove around, trying to clear my head and figure out what my next move should be when I end up in the middle of f.u.c.king nowhere, on a road with no turnaround in one of the worst storms I've ever seen. I crash my car. I'm half-naked, cold, wet, and hungry, and then I see your bar in the distance like some damsel-in-distress mirage. After hobbling here-hobbling, because I'm wearing f.u.c.king six-inch stilettos on a d.a.m.n dirt road in a f.u.c.king monsoon-I discover the most wonderful people I've ever met. Do you realize how horrible this whole situation could have gone had they been a.s.sholes? I'm stranded in my underwear-" Walt put a hand up like a kid in school. That made me smile. "You may speak."

"Please, stop saying underwear. That makes it hard...to pay attention."

I couldn't stop the laughter that boiled up or the smile I gave him after. "Okay."

He gazed at me for a moment but didn't do his usual staring match thing, merely nodded and said, "You discovered the most wonderful people ever."

"Huh?"

"That was the last statement you made before digressing."

"Oh, right." Wow, he's paying attention and listening to what I have to say. Another point to Walt. "I discovered the most wonderful people ever. They did nothing but go out of their way to make me feel welcome." I shrugged. "But it's more than that. I don't know if I can explain it."

"Try. You're a writer; it's what you do, right?"

"Fair point." I smiled and laughed again. "The best way I can describe it is to say it feels like a homecoming, even though I've never been here before. More than friends-more like family. That sounds crazy, even to me, because seriously, I just met you people. But if any one of those guys or your sister asked me to do something for them, I'd drop everything to help. I know that in here." I placed my hand over my heart. "And I know they would do the same because I also feel that in here. And I do mean feel; it's as though my heart has been altered, physically as well as emotionally. And I don't believe it's just that my senses or emotions have been heightened by my having the worst day which turned into the best day, which then turned heartbreaking-" s.h.i.t! I hadn't meant to say that last part. But I wasn't going to be one of those people who tried to talk their way out of a Freudian slip. No, I'd rather stand there with my mouth hanging open like a dumba.s.s.

He ignored the elephant in the room for the moment for which I was thankful. Instead, he said,"I hope my being an a.s.shole didn't ruin that feeling of family for you."

"No, but it made the thought of leaving this place-and them-more painful."

"I'm so sorry about the way I've been acting, but will promise you I'll never stop trying to make up for it." I stared at him gauging his sincerity. The worried look in his eyes told me he spoke the truth, but he looked at the floor only a moment later and asked, "And me?"

"What about you?"

"How does the thought of leaving me make you feel?"

My eyes filled with tears and a couple managed to escape. I sniffled, and he looked up. I couldn't say, utterly devastated,' or heartbroken without any hope of healing.' I couldn't say anything, but he saw all he needed to in my expression. I saw him clench and open his fists a couple of times as if he were fighting some great urge. He lost his fight a moment later and closed the distance between us, lifting his hand like he wanted to touch my cheek but refusing to bring it any closer. He looked into my eyes, seeking my permission, and I nodded.

He gently wiped a tear from one cheek, and I sighed. It felt wonderful. It wasn't the same revved-up sensation as before; this felt calming and soothing. And when he raised his hand to the other cheek, I leaned into his touch. He moved his hand under my chin, tilting my eyes up to find his.

"That feels different than before."

"It is different than before."

"You knew what I was talking about, then."

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"Hard to explain."

"Try."

He smiled and then very carefully leaned down to kiss my forehead before pulling me into a full-body hug. The sense of well-being and peaceful calm relaxed my entire body, and I felt as though I melted into him. We remained locked together for a minute or so before the feeling began to change. I was getting revved up again. He was rubbing my back, tracing his fingers all the way up my spine to the base of my skull, and then back down to my tailbone, making sure to skim my a.s.s along the way. My c.l.i.t began to throb, and my p.u.s.s.y felt empty and wet. I rubbed my thighs together and heard him make a rumble low in his throat. My nipples tightened at the sound, and I rubbed my chest against his to offer myself some relief.

"Did you feel that?" he whispered in my ear.

"Yes," I said in a throaty moan, laying my forehead against his chest. "Of course, I feel that. Why did you think I wanted you to keep your hands to yourself?" He moved his body as if to leave mine, and I grabbed the front of his shirt to hold him in place. "I said did. I did not want you not to touch me. I didn't say do not touch me."

"So, this is okay?" He slid his hands down to my a.s.s and pulled me close enough to feel the bulge in his pants.

"Probably not, but I'm going with it," I muttered into his chest, making him laugh. The sound of it made my heart speed. I wondered why the sound of his laughter could affect me so, but then chalked it up to another part of the magical-mystery-feeling tour he was leading me along. "How is any of this possible? This can't be normal." When he didn't answer me right away, I looked up.

"There's a lot I need to tell you."

"Okay." I slid my hands slowly up over his chest and around his neck.

He looked at my lips and back to my eyes. "Okay, but..."

"Okay, but?"

"There's something I need to do first." By the look in his eyes, I expected him to kiss me. But then, the overwhelming sensations began to lessen until they were nothing more than dull aches, allowing me to function as a human being again.

I was confused, especially since his eyes had never left mine nor lost their longing. The overtly s.e.xual sensations had dissipated, but I didn't lose my longing to kiss him after they'd faded. I looked at his lips, and then back up to his eyes before lifting on my toes to bring myself a little closer. I thought the two-inch slide up his body would do the trick. It did.

As he offered me one of his s.e.xy rumbles, he squeezed and pulled my a.s.s closer, grinding our hips together. His other hand he moved up my back and neck to sweep into my hair, where he firmly entrenched his grip. I moaned a little. G.o.d, that turned me on. Not in a way I found overwhelming and physical. At the moment, I felt more like failing to kiss him would be a regret I'd suffer for the rest of my life.

He used the grip on my hair to tilt my head and expose my neck, which he stared at momentarily before peering into my eyes again. He moved his head so slowly that I thought the antic.i.p.ation would kill me. He gave my lips a featherlight touch, and every nerve ending in my body came alive. I tightened my grip around his neck and kissed him slightly harder than he had me. And then it happened. We both moved at the same time and kissed each other.

The kiss was hard, fast, wanton. He lifted me off my toes pulling me into his body. I threaded one hand into his hair, gripping it tightly, and he responded by tugging at mine a little harder. I moaned, and he did it again. In response I bit his lower lip, sucking it into my mouth momentarily before slowly releasing it, planting a small peck on its smooth surface when I was done. He used the hand in my hair to tilt my head so he could kiss down my jaw and neck. I let my head fall back as much as I could to give him better access. After kissing along the base of my neck, he moved up to my earlobe and gave it a little tug with his teeth before attacking my lips with his own once again. It was the most glorious kiss I'd ever received, making me hope nothing would screw this thing up. We both eased off at the same time and let the kiss end. He gave my lip one last bite before we lifted our heads and looked at each other. We both smiled and laughed at the same time, and then he squeezed me just a little tighter. I squeezed him back; everything felt so right and perfect at that moment.

"We need to talk," he mumbled into my neck.

"Yes, we do." I could tell he was frightened of whatever truth he had to say. "It's okay. Whatever it is, I'm sure I can handle it."

He nodded and carried me to the couch where he set me down. "I think you should be sitting for this."

His seriousness was starting to worry me. While I sat, he began to pace. He started and stopped a couple of times. Would stop moving, turning to look at me with his hand raised and mouth opened. Then, he would shut his mouth, lower his hand, and start pacing again.

TWELVE ~ Walt.

"Are you married?" Andy asked.

I stopped pacing,"No, of course not. Why would you think that?"

She shrugged. "I didn't really; I just figured you needed prompting to get going. So what's up with you being able to make me c.u.m without touching me."

I smiled. "At the bar earlier?" She nodded. "I thought that was what happened. Did you like it?"

"Focus." She huffed out of annoyance. "How and why did it happen?"

"That's a little hard to explain."

"I can tell. Can you start with why it feels different here?"

"Well, we're different from most hum-people."

"Hum-people? Were you going to say, humans? What are you, aliens?"

Chucking,"No, we're all in the same-"

"Oh my G.o.d, this is a cult! A mind-controlling, o.r.g.a.s.m-delivering alien cult!"

"We're not a cult nor are we aliens. And your reaction to the others was normal...well, normal for us."

"That's as clear as mud. So then, what are you to each other?"

"We're a clan."

Andy froze and cleared her throat. "Clan?"

"Yes."

"As in, ya'll are from Scotland and related by a common ancestor?"

What? "No, we're not all related nor are we from Scotland. Well, Alder's family is, but that's beside the point."

Her face fell a little more,"So you all share a common interest? You're all artists, romance cover models...or mind-controlling aliens."

"Yes and no. We're all...unique."

She looked like she was bracing for impact when she asked, "What do you call yourselves?"

"The Lupinski Clan."

When her mouth dropped open at the mention of our name, my stomach flip-flopped. I could see it in her eyes, she recognized it for what it truly was.

"What's wrong?" I asked, hoping it could be anything else, but her next question destroyed that hope.

"Where are you in the hierarchy?"

"How do you know there's a hierarchy?"

"Answer the question."

"I'm a Lupinski. My family has lead this clan for generations, since it-"

"Was formed on the boat sailing from the Old World." She jumped up from her seat and pointed a finger at me. "I know what you are." The look in her eyes was frightening; she was f.u.c.king p.i.s.sed off to the point of blind rage."And I know who your father is!" She ran for the door, grabbing her purse on the way out.

"My father? Oh, f.u.c.k!" I teleported to the bottom of the stairs. Andy didn't flinch, but she did angle her body so as to hit me in a vulnerable spot, easily throwing me off balance. I went flying, landing with a thud on my back. Holy s.h.i.t! She'd be awesome on our lacrosse team.

"Graham!" she screamed, and I snapped out of my dream in which we were finally beating the clan from Africa at our biannual match. I jumped to my feet in time to see Andy throw a knife at my father's head. Everyone in his proximity scattered, including him. I stood frozen by shock. Most of the guys in the bar started cheering, but my dad walked back to the dart board, staring at the knife with a mixture of astonishment and agony written into his face.