"Oh shit," I cursed out under my breath as Leah's soft body fell into mine.

Instinctively, my arms curled around her body and caught her as she began to fall to the ground. My fingers dug into the smooth material of her short dress around her waist as I held her completely limp body in my arms. Her gorgeous head lulled to the side as I held her neck up with my forearm, her auburn locks cascading out behind her like a magnificent waterfall of silk, ruby ribbons.

"Kaleb! What happened?!"

I looked up to find the frantic face of Meg running towards me. Her eyes scurried over Leah's peacefully sleeping face as horror invaded her stare.

"She took a shot, cut herself on the glass, and passed out when she tried to stand," I informed her as I shifted Leah's body in my arms, scooping her full weight up and curling her curvaceous body protectively into my chest.

"What?!" Meg screeched with wide eyes. "I was in the bathroom for five minutes! Should we take her to the hospital?"

"No," I said, shaking my head and keeping my eyes glued on Leah's sleeping face, looking for any signs of consciousness. "The cut wasn't deep enough to need stitches."

"Well, does anyone know where she lives?" Jackson popped up to my right to ask as his eyes swept over Leah's limp body completely.

Dick.

"I don't," I replied while turning my body away from Jackson's, successfully bringing most of Leah's perfect body out of his view.

"I don't either," Meg said dejectedly, her eyes swarming with hopelessness for the fragile woman cradled in my arms. The woman that fucked with all of my emotions and even as I tried to distance myself from her, she reeled me right back in without even trying.

She is absolutely clueless as to how magnetic she is. Everything about her intrigues me. The way she refuses anybody's touch but occasionally accepts mine; why? Her meek demeanor that seems to only develop any ferocity towards me and only me; but why? She treats me as if I'm one of the select few people in the world worth talking to once I push her enough.

I hadn't a damn clue as to why... and it only pushed my curiosity to get closer to her even further.

"Does anyone know where her boyfriend works or have an emergency contact for her?" Dave questioned of everyone and was met with three grim shaking heads

"Is anybody starting to realize how little we know about her?" Jackson piped up as he tried to weasel his way around my body to get a closer look at Leah.

Not a fucking chance, dude.

Gently, I maneuvered Leah's body in my arms, tugging her soft body closer into my chest

"Meg, could you move her head for me?"

"Oh, yeah," Meg muttered as she jumped into action, gathering all of Leah's thick, wavy hair and placing her hands underneath Leah's head gently. Slowly, I felt as Meg laid Leah's head on my shoulder.

Then, Leah moved.

My heart stuttered in my chest as it happened. Without any conscious knowledge of what she was doing, Leah moved her head and pushed her forehead into my shoulder and snuggled her petite body closer into my chest.

Fuck.

The small yet significant action ultimately frustrated the shit out of me as I couldn't deny to myself how fucking amazing she felt as she willingly pressed her entire body against mine.

I hadn't been the only one to catch the intimate movement either.

Meg's curious brown eyes caught mine, a small smile playing at her lips, a smile that said she knew something I didn't.

And I didn't have the patience to find out whatever it was. That could wait for later. Right now, Leah needed someone to care after her... and as much as it pained me to admit it.

I wanted to be the one to do it.

"I'll take her back to my place until she wakes up."

"I think that's the best idea," Meg thankfully agreed as she went to grab both her and Leah's bags from our table.

Minutes later, goodbyes had been said and I had managed to carefully settle Leah into the backseat of my car.

Walking over to the driver's side door, I placed my hand on the handle and jerked the door open hastily, wanting to get Leah home and safe as quickly as possible.

Just before I was about to lower myself into the seat of my car, Meg's voice stopped me.

"Hey."

My eyes snapped back up to find her standing across from my car, a firm look embedded in her eyes.

"Be careful with her, okay?"

"Of course," I answered back obviously.

"I'm serious, Kaleb. I've heard some stories about you and... you can't do that to her. Leah's... different. She's fragile. I think there's something that happened in her past that she's not telling any of us; something bad."

Or someone bad.

"I know there's something going on between you two and I'm not telling you to stop it. I think you're actually really good for her but... just be careful with her, okay?"

Soft affection for the friend she barely knew illuminated from Meg's stare; that and a fierce honesty as well.

"I promise."

And I meant it too. Wholeheartedly, I devoutly meant that I would do everything in my power to keep Leah safe, whether it be from someone else or from me.

I would do it.

And that scared the shit out of me.

Less than 20 minutes later, I pulled into my apartment complex and parked, getting a still sleeping Leah out of my car and up the steps to my apartment.

"Keys," I mumbled to myself as my brain stormed with ideas of how to get them from my back pocket without waking her.

"Maybe.. uh," I thought out loud as I tried maneuvering her body every which way in my arms and ended up failing miserably at retrieving the keys stowed away in my back pocket.

A quiet moan vibrated against my chest as Leah stirred in her sleep.

I froze.

The warmth of her body moved against my skin. Her shoulders twitched as she stretched out her hands before latching them onto my shirt, gripping the material softly between her elegant fingers.

"Peaches?" I asked softly.

"Hmm?" she murmured out incoherently, once again snuggling her nose into my chest, and blew out a content sigh.

"Kaleb," she all but moaned, her lips moving against my shirt as she settled herself into my hold even more and went right back to sleep.

Holy fuck. This woman will be the death of me, I swear it.

I felt my dick twitch in my jeans at the sound of her moaning my name.

"Not the time for that," I told myself as I focused on forcing my semi hard on to simmer down.

"Huh?"

My stomach flipped in my chest as Leah suddenly perked up in my arms, apparently fully awake.

Her wide eyes took in her unfamiliar surroundings, her chest was rising up and down rapidly, making her breasts move enticingly as she did so.

Her head whipped towards mine, fear, confusion, and a mixture of something else pouring from her glassy eyes.

"Where am I?" Her speech was still slightly slurred.

"Relax," I shushed her calmly as I lowered her to the ground, making sure she had her footing before reluctantly releasing my full hold on her.

"I took you back to my place so you could rest up. Do you remember everything that happened?"

Her taunting, pink lips popped open as she raised a hand up to her mouth and pulled on her bottom lip as she was swept away into deep thought.

My eyes dropped to her lips immediately, a dire hunger eating away at my sanity as I watched her tug on it as she mulled over the night in her mind.

She didn't even know how tempting she looked just standing there, an innocent look creasing over her beautiful face that was only amplified by the unknowingly seductive actions her fingers took on as they caressed over her plump bottom lip.

"I drank," Leah said suddenly, snapping me out of my lustful thoughts.

"I drank... a lot, didn't I?" she asked, shame clouding the stunning beauty of her toffee eyes.

"Not really. It was a lot for someone who's never drank before but that's nothing to be upset over," I reassured her as I dug my house keys out of the back of my pocket.

"You had fun tonight and that's all that should matter, yeah?"

Slowly but surely, her full lips rose into a smile that stole my breath away. She turned her head up to me, her eyes connecting with mine and shining with merriment.

"I did have fun," she said just above a whisper, sounding almost surprised with herself.

My ignorant heart lurched in my chest annoyingly as she smiled at me, her eyes exuding with the purest essence of happiness.

I fucking loved it.

Dammit.

"I'm glad," I said honestly as I side stepped her, opening the front door of my quaint apartment. I remained off to the side, waiting for her to walk inside.

Hesitation exploded over her delicate features.

"I don't think that's the best idea..." She managed to get the words out with great difficulty, the alcohol still obviously playing a heavy effect on her state of mind.

"It's a better idea than you going home in this state." As the words left my mouth, I instantly regretted them as a sliver of regret and worry sliced through her stare.

"Hey, it's gonna be fine." I took a step closer to her, a great need to comfort her overtaking my every instinct. "You're an adult and you're allowed to go out and get drunk with your friends. Just sleep it off here and I'll take you to your car in the morning."

She thought it over for a moment, her brows knitting together adorably as she weighed the consequences in her mind. Eventually, her honey eyes landed on mine once more, a finality sitting in her stare.

"You're right. I'll stay."

I couldn't deny the jolt of joy that zipped through my body at her words. My mind rushed gleefully, anxiously as I made a grand gesture with my hands, bending over and bowing in front of Leah.

I looked up and connected my usual mischievously playful stare on her joyful one, a smirk quirking up on my lips.

"Ladies first."

She threw her head back as gleeful laughter tore through her body. Her laugh was melodic and mesmerizing and I found my own chest rumbling with laughter of my own as I joined in with her, chuckling still as she walked through the door. I followed shortly behind, shutting the door once both of us were inside.

I was now alone with Leah. For the first true time ever, it was just the two of us, and every part of my body was aware of that fact. And I mean every part.

I watched her thoughtfully as her legs carried her through my apartment. Her hips swayed teasingly, her short dress swinging back and forth with every step she took further into my place. The dress clung to her every curve, accentuating the bulge of her large breasts and clinging to her slim waist, brutally taunting me with her perfection.

She stopped for a moment in the living room and reached out to grab the black suede couch for support, lifting her leg up to fiddle with the buckle of her shoe, attempting to take it off. I almost offered a helping hand, knowing how difficult it could be to undress when intoxicated.

But then she bent over.

I all but came on the spot as she bent over completely to finish unbuckling her shoes, groaning frustratingly as she continued the difficult task.

Her perfect, tanned legs were on full display. Her round ass was pushed out towards me, begging me silently to come over, rip her panties down her legs and fuck her vigorously from behind.

And her underwear. I wasn't even sure she was aware that they could just barely be seen as she bent over but alas, the deep red, laced material was peeping out underneath her dress and driving me fucking mad.

Within less than a minute of her being in my apartment, I was hard as a fucking rock and was all too aware of the perfectly good bed, just feet away that was sweetly calling to me.

Get it together! If she catches you looking, she's gonna think you're a fucking pervert!

Which you are.

With an unbelievable amount of force, I tore my eyes away from Leah as she finished taking off her shoes and found interest in something on the other side of the room while I waited for my erection to calm the fuck down.

"Are these yours?!" I heard Leah gasp. I swiveled in her direction, searching for what she was referring to.

Oh shit.

"Uh, yeah, that would be one of mine," I muttered embarrassingly, running my hand back across my neck as I worked my way over to where she was standing.

Leah's eyes were devouring the painting in front of her.

My painting.

Seconds went by, each one more silent and nerve-wracking than the next as I waited for her to say something, to give her verdict of my painting. That was, until I head the soft, uneven sniffles coming from Leah.

My eyes shot to her face and shock flooded through my body as I saw silent tear after silent tear roll down Leah's flushed face.

Her eyes were glued to the painting of my mother, her lips parted as her cries became more vocal. Sorrowful wisps of breath escaped through her trembling lips, her eyes shining brightly with absolute, raw, heartbreaking pain.

"Who is this?" she asked through her shaking breathing patterns.

"My mom," I answered back mournfully.

I heard as Leah's took in a sharp breath, her wide, wet eyes snapping over to mine.

"This is your mom?"

I nodded.

"Is she...?" she trailed off, not needing to finish the question as I knew exactly what she meant.

"Yeah, she died my freshman year of college." Unable to hide the pain swimming in my stare, I cast my eyes to my carpeted floor as my chest clenched in agony as I remembered that day in the hospital.

Her lying in the bed, looking nothing like the mother I grew up with. She was frail, weak, and bald. Her eyes were the only thing that held any resemblance of my true mother... they were still lively and loving; even up until her last breath.

"My mom died my freshman year of high school."

My head snapped up to find her eyes on mine, understanding and grief reflecting back in both of our stares.

Her mom died too?

"It was cancer, wasn't it?"

I nodded once more.

"I can tell from your painting. She looks just like my mom did... in her final days," she spoke, her voice cracking at the end as her pain overcame her voice. Another singular tear fell from her bright, honey colored eyes, dropping and splashing down onto her lips.

Her tongue slipped out to catch it.

The look in her eyes, the pain, the raging sorrow, and anger over her mother's untimely death was a look I'd seen several times before.

It's the exact same look that reflected in my own eyes for years after my mother's passing.

She understood. Leah understood my pain and my heartache better than anyone could and I understood hers. We were equals in our grief, one in the same and I felt the atmosphere surge around us, the air buzzing as our bond deepened in the pain we shared together.

"You said it was your freshman year of high school"

"Yeah."

"You're four years younger than me... so she died in 2008?"

Leah's eyes flashed with hurt as she nodded.

"So did my mom."

Leah blinked, disbelief and a hint of awe clear in her stare.

"2008 was a fucked up year, huh?" I mused with a humorless laugh, trying to break the sudden gloom that overwhelmed our conversation.

"Yeah," Leah agreed, letting out her own pathetic, breathy chuckle, keeping her stare fixed on mine intently.

The room was tense. Tense with emotion, tense with unsaid thoughts and feelings, and the unwavering eye contact that we were giving to each other was almost becoming too much without reaching out and kissing the ever living day light out of her.

I let out a breath of relief when something caught her stare and she looked downward.

"There's blood all over your shirt," she observed out loud, wiping the fallen tears from her porcelain face.

Dropping my gaze down, I realized she was right. Her blood stained a good bottom half of my steely, white T shirt.

Well, that's a stain that tide-to-go won't be getting out.

Leisurely, I grabbed the hem of my ruined shirt and tore it over my head, turning on my feet to move into the bedroom and grab another shirt.

"Wait."

My feet stuttered on the carpet at the sound of her voice. Curiously, I swiveled to face her. Her eyes were intent on me, devouring the site of my naked torso; which sent my pride through the roof!

Then she moved towards me, her steps small but calculated as she kept her gaze trained on my chest. I was standing behind the couch, watching as she reached the opposite side of the piece of furniture. I was surprised as she knelt herself down onto the sofa, walking on her knees until she reached me, her face level with my chest.

The warmth of her breath washed over my bare chest as she came closer, her eyes trained intensely on what looked like the rise of my defined pecks. Yet, when she reached out and grazed her fingers over my skin, I knew exactly what she was looking at.

"Art is the voice of the heart," she said just above a whisper as she read the words that were inked into my skin just underneath my collar bone.

I watched as her delicate fingers traced around the words, keeping her eyes on her fingers as they danced over my tattoo.

"It was my mom's favorite quote."

Just then, she looked up at me. Her head was craned back in order to make full eye contact, her lips stretched into the sweetest grin as she held my gaze.

"I love it."

Her eyes shone with genuine honesty and admiration, causing my mouth to spread into a wide, sappy grin of its own as I stared down at my Peach.

"The tattoo or the quote?"

"Both," she answered without hesitation.

"Ah, I never took you for a tattoo sort of girl," I told her, intrigued as a blush rose onto her cheeks and she diverted her stare from mine.

"I've, um, always found them sort of...sexy," she mumbled the last word under her breath, hoping that I wouldn't hear it.

But I did.

"Sexy, really?" I mused out pridefully, an arrogant smirk taking over my features. "Does that mean you find me sexy, Leah?"

Steadily, Leah's raised her head back up, her eyes traveling over the planes of my face with an intensity taking over her features.

Wordlessly, she nodded.

My brows peaked and my stomach flipped at her honestly. She continued.

"Very," she said, her voice low and breathy. I stared at her, dumbfounded and aroused as she still she continued on.

"You... frustrate me to no end, and you confuse me with how you make me feel."

"How do I make you feel, Leah?" My voice was came out rasped and thick with desire, a hot pulsing beginning to sing through my body as I watched her own chest begin to heave in sync with my own.

"Anxious... often very stunned with what you can do to me without even trying." Her answers were now coming out in long, elaborate pants that were giving way to the lust growing behind her hooded eyes.

"What do you mean?"

I had to know. This was the only time Leah had ever been this open with me, this willing to forfeit information on how she actually felt and I needed to know how she truly felt about everything; about me.