"Come on, Nic. I didn't do anything. I told her it was over, and that I was serious about you. It won't happen again."

"You don't know that. What control do you have when you party?"

"I'm not drinking anymore, remember?"

"You can't make promises like that."

"I'm not an alcoholic, sunshine. I'm a social drinker. My friends party. I've never partied the way they do-didn't have the time or interest."

She didn't see him party much at school, so she believed him.

"You know," he said, quietly. "As a kid I learned to never leave myself vulnerable. And to never get drunk unless I was surrounded by my friends. They had my back around all the sketchy people my mom brought over. But last night..." He sounded so disappointed.

"Your friend let you down."

"Big time. I'd told her about you. I'd told her it was serious."

It was serious? By the rush of blood to her ears, she realized how badly she'd needed to hear that he was as into it as she was. "She didn't care."

He was quiet.

"What did she say? I have to know what she's telling you, so I can tell you my side of things."

"She said Wilmington's like Disneyland. She says you're my Disney Princess."

"Meaning I'm not real? I'm some fantasy for you? College is some kind of escape from reality-as opposed to a bridge between the life our parents made for us and the life we build for ourselves? That's really sad that she sees college that way."

"But not that she sees you that way?"

"Sweet cheeks, I'll be whatever Disney princess you want me to be. I'll even buy the costume."

"Which one wears a really short skirt?"

She smiled, folding an arm across her stomach and touching her forehead to the window.

"Tell you the truth," he said, "I never really got hard for Disney characters."

"But those big eyes, and those perfect figures. And they're so docile. They never fight back."

"I'm pretty sure there aren't too many guys who want to give it to Snow White."

"But Ariel is so pretty."

"See, this is the thing girls don't get. It's not the pretty face that gets us. It's what we see in your eyes. The attitude, the spark. We want intelligence, because it means we're in for a fun challenge. We want spice."

"Mulan had spunk."

"Five minutes in a room with Cinderella, and I'd be looking up the skirts of her handmaidens."

"Ooh, then I want to work in Prince Charming's court. What else did Kelsi say?"

"She said in four years my scooter will turn into a pumpkin."

"At which point, you'll have to go back to Gun Powder and give your happily ever after to her?"

"That's what it sounded like." He actually sounded relieved.

"Okay, first of all, I'm not a damn princess."

He laughed.

"Secondly, God, Dylan why do these people want to hold you back? I don't understand. I don't know the whole story with your mom, but I do know she's a grown woman who's supposed to take care of you. Not the other way around. And what kind of life is it for either of you if you give up yours to take care of her? What a colossal waste of potential."

When he didn't say anything, she figured she'd overstepped her bounds. No one wanted to be told how to live his life. "I'm sorry about my inspirational speaker rant. I truly don't know your situation. You probably think I'm a terrible person for bailing on my mom."

"I think you're amazing. And I want you so badly right now I don't think I can stand to stay here one more minute. I want to get on a plane and fly out there and get back in bed with you and kiss you all night long. My life here? It's dark, and it's ugly. And that includes my friends. You're my sunshine. You make me happy."

For the first time in days, peace spread through her. They'd fought for each other, and they'd won. She couldn't wait to get back to school and just be with him. Really be with him.

"It may be too good to be true, but I'll take it while I can have it," he said.

Oh, damn him. She closed her eyes against the rush of disappointment that bordered on pain.

He had to go and ruin it. Remind her she didn't have him. Not all the way. And if he didn't believe he could ever have her, then what did she do?

She'd hang in there. This connection they had? What else could she do?

Later that night, while everyone crowded in the kitchen to clean the dishes, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She finished scraping the leftover green beans into the glass storage container, put the lid on, and shoved it in the refrigerator so she could open Dylan's text.

I changed my ticket. Coming back Saturday.

She couldn't type her response quickly enough. Expensive for one day.

Worth it. Want u.

The smile spread across her face, heating her body, filling her with so much joy. Want u 2. And then she wrote again. Give me your flight information, and I'll pick u up. Want to come to my house?

Already booked the shuttle. Don't think anyone will be back at the house yet, so rather be alone with u there. Good?

"I'm guessing you worked it out with that guy?" Brandon looked over her shoulder.

She quickly typed, So good, and stowed her phone.

"What guy?" her dad said. "You're seeing someone?"

She nodded.

"I thought you said no drama?" Her dad looked surprised. "You didn't want to date?" Maybe he listened more than she thought.

"Why would she say that? She's in college." Her older brother Ryan leaned in the doorway. Emma, his model girlfriend, peeked around his muscled arm. "You gotta live it up while you can, squirrel."

She shot him a look. Why did he still use that nickname? She hadn't hid food in years.

Brandon winged an apple at him. "She's your sister, asshole. You don't want her to fuck around."

Ryan looked thoughtful. "True." He pushed off the wall. "Hey, we're out of here."

"You're not going to help with clean up?" Nicole asked.

"Gotta check in with her family." Emma stepped out from behind him and came into the kitchen.

She reached for Nicole, giving her a hug. "Thanks so much for dinner. Delicious as always."

"Thanks. Great to see you." Nicole watched them leave together.

"Asshole," Brendon called.

But Nicole didn't care. She was totally wrapped up in Dylan. He'd changed his ticket. That's how much he wanted to be with her.

It would work out with them. She knew it.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

She'd showered, put on the yellow sundress, and aired out her room. After all, they'd practically lived in it for three days.

Where r u? she texted him.

On 134. Just passing the Freeze.

Five minutes away. I'll meet you in the parking lot. Outside Admissions? Or the gym?

No. Stay put. No screw-ups. And then a second later. Stay in the house.

The jolt she got from his intensity set her pacing. Sydney had hired a cleaning crew over the holidays, so the place looked like a showcase home. She breathed in the scent of baking bread. She hadn't made a meal exactly, but she'd warmed a baguette, put together a platter of fruit, cheese, crackers, and nuts.

They'd take it to bed. Her blood heated at the thought.

Turning into Wilmington. Don't move.

She smiled. I might take a little nap.

That's fine, sunshine. Just make sure ur not wearing panties.

Oh, didn't I tell u? Bought us purity rings yesterday! Yay! Now we can prove our true love for each other.

WTF???.

Need to know you want me for me. Not just my ass.

Not just your ass, sweetheart. Love ur tits, too.

Think how much sweeter it'll be when u finally get to touch them again after we're married!

When he didn't respond, she worried she'd freaked him out. Probably not a good idea to joke about marriage to a guy who only recently decided to give a relationship with someone outside his world a go. No matter how ridiculous the whole Disneyland idea, she knew it had to have rattled him. Because, on some level, he believed it. Kelsi had given voice to his fear.

She should diffuse the tension, say something else. Way to ruin their reunion, getting him all wound up over nothing.

Just as she composed her text, she heard his voice outside. "Nicole!"

She ran to the door, flung it open.

He strode up the walkway, leapt onto the porch, and tossed his bag into the house. Leaning down, he whisked her off her feet, his mouth finding hers. He kissed her like a man possessed.

Setting her down, he kicked the door shut and locked it, then cupped her face. "Missed you."

She couldn't speak through the hard knot in her throat. His big hands swept down her back, gripping her ass, and he lifted her. Her legs automatically wrapped around him, as he carried her to the couch.

With a grunt, he fell back onto the cushion, holding her tightly against him. His mouth fused with hers as he gave her a searing kiss. After crazy, long moments of feeling nothing but the warm, wet heat of his mouth, she pulled back. Foreheads touching, breaths mingling, she sighed. "Missed you, too."

His hands yanked up her dress, coming to rest on her bare bottom. "Oh, fuck, yes." He cupped her cheeks. "So sweet." His body shuddered, as he squeezed her flesh, his hot breath at her neck. "You feel so good." Sliding lower on the couch, his hips rocked up. He tipped his head back to look at her. "This." She'd never seen him look so happy, so completely at peace.

She leaned into him, fingers sliding into his hair and whispered, "Us."

His hands gripped her hips, pressing her down on him, and then they slowly glided up her body, fingers tracing her ribs, until he reached her breasts.

Chill bumps burst in a shower of sparks along her arms, and she shuddered at his gentle, reverent touch. Lightly, he cupped her breasts, stroking the undersides, fingertips brushing her nipples. He held her gaze, never wavering, as his palms rounded the curves and gently squeezed.

Her eyelids fluttered closed, her hips rocked, and she thought she might die from the sweetly erotic sensation of his touch.

And then he pinched her nipples, and a shock of lust struck her core. She jerked against him, eyes opening. His smile looked painful. "Take this off."

She pulled the dress over her head, tossed it aside.

"Look at you."

Look at her indeed, naked on his lap, his big hands covering her breasts, her nipples peeking between his fingers.

"I need you." He thrust up, pressing his erection to her. Desire flashed through her body.

She reached between them and unbuttoned his jeans. His ass lifted off the cushion, and he shoved down his pants and boxers. She grasped him, guiding him to her entrance.