It was Black Friday and that meant Kat had to work a double shift at the bookstore. She got up earlier than usual, earlier than Nex. She was careful to be quiet as she found clothes and got dressed. Grabbing her things, she looked back at his sleeping form before going out the door, feeling her heart swell and her body warm at the memory of him touching her last night.

Last night, after he gave Kat her first orgasm, she suddenly understood why people liked sex. Well, at least that part of it. It wasn't just that he made her feel incredible physically, but it was also the way he kissed her and held her afterwards. She started to panic for reasons she couldn't understand but then he kissed her slowly, deeply, until her fears dissipated and she melted into him. She wasn't sure what to expect after that but he just carried her to bed and they slept close, with his arm draped over her waist and her head in his chest, his chin resting on top of her head. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so comfortable and close to someone. Closer than she'd ever felt to anyone before.

She shook her head to get herself focused for the busy day ahead and tore her eyes away from Nex, quietly shutting the bedroom door after she stepped out. He liked his sleep. She knew that based on the fact he hated the alarm clock more than anything, but that didn't stop her from not wanting to leave without saying something. Deciding she didn't want to bother him, she stayed quiet as she gathered up her things. She grabbed her coat and was buttoning it up when Nex appeared in front of her.

Kat squealed and fell back against the wall, setting her hand on her chest. "Didn't I tell you to stop doing that?" She sighed.

"Yes but I ignored your request," he said simply, stepping close and pressing his palms against the wall on either side of her head, caging her in. "Were you going to leave without saying goodbye?"

"I didn't want to bother you," Kat said, biting her lip.

"The only thing that bothers me is that you were going to leave without saying goodbye," Nex said, leaning forward and skimming his nose alongside hers. "You're not going to miss me on your long day?"

"Of course I am," Kat said, swallowing hard as he moved to her neck, dragging his nose up and down a spot that left her shivering.

"I was hoping to ease more tension before you left," he said, kissing her neck. "Would you like that, kitten? Would you like me to touch you like I did last night?"

Kat's eyes slid closed as he placed a hand on one side of her neck while kissing the other side. His other hand dropped down to her lower back, pulling her against him. She knew she had to go to work but she couldn't stop herself from tilting her head back, giving him better access to her neck as she tried to focus and not moan. It wasn't easy. He knew how to touch and how to kiss and where to place his lips to get her feeling like it was too warm to wear the coat she had on. The effect he had was undeniable and she didn't feel like trying to deny it anymore.

"Yes," she admitted, biting her lip as he started gently sucking on her neck. "But I can't right now," she breathed. "I have to get to work."

"Be a rebel and be a few minutes late," Nex said, nipping her neck.

"I can't," Kat said, biting back a moan as he sucked on a very sensitive part of her neck. "Not today. Not on black Friday."

"Kitten," he murmured, nipping at her neck. "Do you like what I'm doing?" He asked, placing an open-mouthed kiss against her neck and darting his tongue across her skin.

"Like you can't tell," Kat said shakily, setting her hands on his chest with the intention of pushing him away so she could go to work but not able to go through with it.

"Well, if you like that..." he said, cupping her face and kissing her, sliding his tongue into her mouth and eliciting a small moan from her. "Imagine how much you'll like when I use my tongue instead of my finger," he said, pressing his forehead against hers and sliding a hand down to the bottom of her dress and up, resting it high on her thigh. "Why don't you stay home today? Then you don't have to imagine."

Kat rarely called in for work and only did when it was an emergency or something was very wrong. It never crossed her mind to just call into work because she had better things to do. Until now. Until Nex. He certainly made compelling arguments but it didn't change the fact it was Black Friday and she couldn't possibly leave her boss to the crowds without backup.

"I can't," she finally managed to say, setting her hand on his face and looking into those amber eyes she was sure she could find all the answers to the mysteries of the universe if she stared long enough. "I..." she blushed and darted her eyes away. "I would rather be with you but I can't do that to my boss."

"Fine," Nex sighed removing his hand from under her dress and setting it on her face, turning her to face him. "I take it my plan to show you that good sex isn't unrealistic worked."

"I mean you've given me something to think about," Kat said, her blush intensifying to the point she was sure he could feel the heat coming off them if he got any closer. "I gotta go. I'll be home later tonight than usual," she said, stepping away from him so she could think clearly.

"Very well, kitten. I'll see you tonight," Nex said, crossing his arms and leaning one shoulder against the wall, his gaze intensely fixed on her.

Kat nodded slowly and backed towards the door, giving him a small wave before she went out. The second she was outside she released a long breath and leaned back against the door, closing her eyes and biting her lip as the ache between her legs seemed even worse now that she knew how good Nex could make her feel.

She only allowed herself a moment to get ahold of her mind before rushing off to work. Black Friday was the worst day ever for anyone that worked in retail and it was no different for Kat. Crazy, loud, rude customers all day were a surprisingly effective bucket of cold water. She was able to take her mind off Nex and what they'd done easier than she thought when the more pressing matter was getting two people to stop fighting over a book while pondering and loathing consumerism.

The day dragged on relentlessly and the only bright spot was when it started snowing. Kat watched the snow fall outside and daydreamed about being in the snow instead of around all the terrible people. She wondered if Nex ever built a snowman and made herself laugh thinking about the look he would give her if she asked him to make a snow angel.

God, I can't stop thinking about him, she thought. Even though people were good distractions, her thoughts would eventually drift back to him. To the way he touched her, the way he kissed her, the way he held her afterwards, as if he knew how much she needed the reassurance. Even when she thought about what it would be like to be close to someone like that, she never considered the others parts of it like the way he paid attention and cared for her after. It wasn't that she'd never had someone care for her, she'd had plenty of people care for her, but this was different. He took care of her last night in ways she didn't know she needed, even just sleeping close to him she needed more than she ever considered she might.

Kat tried to stop her thoughts from going to Nex but she couldn't. Now more than ever, she wanted to be close to him which was why every single time the door chimed to say someone new was coming in, she'd look over and be disappointed it wasn't him. She was a little surprised he didn't show up at all during her long day, he usually always came by to drive her insane while she was working. She kept thinking he'd walk through the door but he didn't and part of her felt sad he didn't.

The day finally came to a close and Kat sent Connie- the owner- home, offering to clean and close up. It took longer than she liked but she finally made it out and locked up the shop. It was still snowing but thankfully not so heavily that walking home would be awful aside from the snow that already piled up from when it was falling heavy.

She kept her hands in her pockets to fight off the cold as she walked. The snow stuck enough to the ground that she had to trudge through it and greatly regretted not wearing the boots that could stand snow as her feet got increasingly wetter and colder. After a few minutes of walking in that in clothes that weren't enough to be snow-ready, she was no longer fantasizing about building a snowman and instead considered a warm bath when she got home.

She passed by her church and couldn't help but smile at how pretty it looked with snow covering the roof and parts of the steeple. The streetlamps lit up enough that the snow seemed to sparkle, creating a picture so perfect, one might see it on a Christmas card. Despite the cold, snow was always beautiful to Kat.

As Kat passed by the church, she felt a chill. A different kind of chill than cold caused. A chill that was activated by some instinct inside her that said she was being watched.

She paused and turned to look around, but it was late, the sidewalks were abandoned. There was the occasional car driving by but no one else walking around, most people settled in once the snow started and she was the only one crazy enough to walk home in this kind of weather. She carefully took in her surroundings one more time before moving forward again, the sound of her footsteps crunching in the snow one of the only sounds left in the night.

Kat tried to shake off the feeling but it wouldn't leave. The strange thing about it was that she didn't really feel unsettled, she only felt like she was being watched. Being watched was something that would normally unsettle her and by some strange twist of logic, she was unsettled by her lack of unsettledness. She paused and looked around again, her eyes sweeping over the parts of the buildings around her that were covered by shadows, where the streetlights didn't reach.

This second time she looked around she saw something. In her church, of all places. There was a brief moment of movement by the window and then nothing. Someone was inside. She was surprised that someone was inside at this hour but then again, she also knew that Pastor Brighton often went to the church when the weather wasn't so great in case someone needed somewhere to stop in to keep warm and dry off. That must be what it was, that's why she didn't feel unsettled, it was most likely just Pastor Brighton.

Deciding that must be what she felt, she turned and continued on her way home. By the time she got there she was ready for a hot drink and dry socks. She stopped under her covered porch and removed her boots and now wet socks so she wouldn't be tracking the snow all through the house. She grabbed the boots and socks and opened the door, letting her shoulders slump from the stress of the long day and leaving her work annoyances outside as she stepped in the house.

She set the boots and socks down and looked up, her eyes going wide. All the lights were off but there were tons of candles, creating a warm, relaxing lighting throughout the house. Nex walked over with a glass of wine and handed it to her before helping her remove her coat.

"What's going on?" Kat asked, her heart racing.

"This," Nex started, hanging up her coat on the hooks by the door. "Is a redo. If you'll have it."

"A redo?" Kat frowned, sipping her wine.

"Yes, Katherine. A redo. How your first time should've gone," he said, gesturing to the candles.

"You can't redo a first time," Kat argued, her heart now stopping instead of racing.

"You are the only one that gets to decide that, Katherine. What do you say?" He asked, setting his hand on her waist. "Will you let me show you how you deserved it to go?" He asked, resting his forehead against hers, staring into her eyes in a way that somehow both made her feel calm and also made her heart restart and race again. "Will you let me show you how good it can be?"

Kat's heart was now thumping so hard she could feel it in her whole body. She looked at the candles then down at the glass of wine. She didn't know she'd ever want to do that again but this was different. He was different. All day she craved to be close to him but it wasn't just physical. Her craving to be close to him was based on so much more than how good he could make her feel, it was him. She wanted him. All of him. She looked up at Nex and he was staring down at her, waiting for an answer.

She wished she would've realized with Jason the nervousness wasn't just nervousness but because she wasn't ready and because he didn't ignite her like Nex did. She never craved to be with him the way she craved to be with Nex. The nervousness she felt now was more like anticipation. Anticipation because she was closer to Nex than she'd ever been to anyone else, a thought that both excited and terrified her.

By some twist of fate, she had a demon standing in front of her, wanting her. A demon who she wondered how on earth he could've ever been given that title. There should be a part of her that said this wasn't a good idea, he would go home eventually and the closer she got to him, the more that would hurt. That and he was a demon. Except she didn't see him that way. He wasn't just a demon. He was Nex, he was everything. He was everything and even if she couldn't have him forever, she wanted to spend the time she did have with him being as close as possible, so she could always hang onto it even if he did have to leave. They'd already passed the point of no return. There was no going back and she didn't want to.

Kat took a long sip of the wine and met his gaze, etching every millimeter of his face in her mind so she would never forget what he looked like before she answered, her voice coming out much quieter than she meant it to. "Yes."