Two weeks later...

Lumiere - Jersey City

Dean spent the rest of the week and even the week after, smiling. He couldn't help it. Everywhere he went, students and teachers grinned at him and it was contagious. All except one.

Jayden.

She avoided him like the plague. When he did see her they'd engage in brief, stiff conversation. He could tell that his bold come on earlier last week had made her a nervous wreck. That could only mean one thing. She might like him, too. If only he could get her to sit or stand still for more than ten seconds, he could probably ask her out on a date. Dean smiled harder. Did he love the thrill of a chase? Of course, he did. He was his father's son - a man who went after what he wanted no matter the cost. But more than that, Dean had a streak for breaking the rules. He was a "shoot first, ask questions later" kind of guy. He knew that employer/employee relationships were frowned upon, but he also knew that Jayden didn't technically work for Kennel Corps. No harm, no foul right?

Besides what his dad didn't know certainly wouldn't hurt him.

Dean wasn't interested in a serious or long term relationship, and by the way Jayden worked she didn't seem to want one either. Or maybe she had a man? Dean wasn't sure, but he was desperate to find out. Why? Because everything about her fascinated him and because beneath the veneer of cool professionalism he could sense that there was something magical and uninhibited there. She was so in control of everything.

The planner.

The rule enforcer.

He wanted to be the one to make her break her own rules.

Lumiere - Jersey City

Jayden's office

Dean watched her in the pale glow of her office lamp. Her faced scrunched in concentration as she bit down on a pen top, her full lips briefly closing around the top. Slowly she toyed with the pen top in her mouth, biting and releasing. Sensual thoughts arrested Dean until he shook his head to clear them. Her locks fell curly around her face past her shoulders in slight disarray. She flipped the page and her face relaxed as she smiled. It was an easy smile. One he'd seen her give freely to the students here at Lumiere, but never quite to him. Nevertheless, Dean had to admit - she was incredibly beautiful.

Dean broke the silence. "Do you stay late this often?"

Jayden looked up from her desk quickly, placed a hand at the nape of her neck and sighed.

"What are you still doing here? You nearly scared me to death," she began adjusting papers on her desk.

Dean shifted from one foot to the other. He wanted to appear cool, but inside he felt nothing but. Fuck, did she intimidate him. "Sorry about that. I was...uh...waiting for you actually."

Her eyes squinted in confusion. "For what? Is there something I forgot to give you?"

"No...it's just that...we haven't had a chance to talk since I got here and I was wondering if I could take you out for drinks and catch up."

"For drinks, huh..." She looked at her watch, then at the papers on her desk. She sighed again.

"You know I don't..."

"I won't take no for an answer. You've been working very hard this past week. It's a Friday night and it's only 8:00pm. Let's go paint the town red," Dean smirked making a grand gesture with his arms.

It was true. Jayden had been working hard. Lumiere opened it's doors to children as early as 3pm and would see the last child out by 6:30. The staff would leave shortly after leaving a nearly vacant building around 7:00. The exception was Jayden. She'd stay well past that time locked away in her office devising and revising her master plan. There were so many nights Dean lingered around the exit wondering if it was safe to just leave her in the building alone. However, he learned quickly that there was another person in the building that genuinely cared for her safety as well - Jaxx. The burly man sat outside in his truck smoking a cigarette. When Dean asked him why he wasn't headed home. Jaxx merely nodded his head toward the only room with a light on in the building and Dean understood.

Jayden smiled. A good sign.  

"I wasn't going to say no..." she tried to explain but was cut off by an eager Dean.

"Great, so we'll take your car?"

This puzzled Jayden. Why on earth would he think it would be okay to keep his car here over night? She reasoned that he was naive about the status of the neighborhood and would have to enlighten him soon enough. She asked the obvious question anyways, "And leave your car here?"

"I didn't come in with my car today," he spoke matter of factly.

Her eyes were puzzled. He'd thrown her for a loop again. "Wait, what? How did you come in today?"

"I took the bus." Dean shrugged like it was no big deal. Truth be told, he wanted to impress her with his savvy. Jayden stared at him dumbfounded.

"Took the bus?"

"That's what I said." He grinned. "I mean, I hear that it's the cheapest way to travel."

Jayden continued to stare at him incredulously. Dean thought he was being impressive, but Jayden thought it irritating. His smugness ate at her, but she wouldn't admit it aloud. Not at the risk of pissing of her greatest benefactor.

"Really? Hmph, " she responded simply. Jayden rose from the desk and began organizing the papers into a pile. This allowed Dean to get a full look at her outfit and he decided then that he loved the way she dressed - always a bit conservative with a dash of sexy. Today, she wore a silk blouse which was pinched at her waist by a large, ornate belt. Her pencil skirt outlined the curves of her delicate hips and her legs, well...her legs went on for days.

"I'm impressed," Jayden said, breaking into Dean's shameless ogling. She still hadn't looked up at him. He moved closer and began fiddling with trinkets near her desk. There were photos everywhere. He gazed at them thoughtfully, "What, you didn't think a white boy like me could make it here on public transportation?" She paused and looked up at him warily.

Straightening, she replied bluntly, "Yes, exactly."

"Ouch." Dean feigned an injured look. Yet, even he was aware at how much his life style had already begun to change by being at Lumiere. For the past few days he'd watch carefully how the students communicated with one another, how they traveled, and it had inspired him to try harder to relate.

Thus, given his newfound inspiration, it seemed like a "no brainer" for Dean to temporarily move into the newly renovated condominiums in downtown, Jersey City. His father also had a hand in real estate and made it so that Dean could live there for next to nothing while he worked on the "Lumiere Project."

And yet the more time he spent with the students, especially the group of boys he now played basketball with each afternoon, the more Dean realized that he didn't want to just observe the students. He also wanted to get involved with their learning. Already he discovered he had a knack for it. But first he knew that they needed a better facility and with his new found inspiration he had already begun to mock up an alternate business plan for Lumiere. One he hoped he would get to speak to Jayden about if she'd give him a chance.

Jayden continued un-phased, "Have you ever taken public transportation before?" Dean paused, thinking. She got him there.

"Uh, sure. I might have taken a bus once or twice in my life," he lied.  In truth, he was sure he looked like an idiot trying to take the bus this morning. More than once he fought the urge to simply call an uber, but he was determined to push himself out of his own comfort zone.

She continued to watch him, her eyes critical. She murmured, "mmhmm" and Dean didn't miss the judgment.

"Well, I'm glad you got here safely. If you chose to continue to ride the bus here you might want to invest in a monthly bus pass." She looked back down at her desk her, wandering hands made sure everything was shut off for the night. She then grabbed her small blazer.

"Yeah, thanks. I might just do that."

"Good." She didn't look up. "Alright, let's go." She swept around the desk and passed him, heading towards the light switch. He followed her dutifully, much like he had done the past two weeks trying to get a feel for the place. They took a back staircase to the parking lot in silence.

"Oh hey!" Dean broke the tense silence. "I know parking can be a bitch around Grove. You can park at my apartment if you want."

Jayden's steps faltered ahead of Dean. She slowly made her way around the driver side and peered at him over the roof of the car. "You live in Jersey City?" she asked with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"Uh, yeah," Dean admitted scratching his head. Why did he feel so uncomfortable saying it? "It was just easier, ya know? Not having to commute across states to get here everyday."

"I see," she murmured. "And let me guess...you live in one of those new condos downtown, too. What is it, company owned?"

Well, damn. Was he that predictable? "Something like that," Dean spoke strongly, not willing to be put off by the slight mockery in her tone. "Is there a problem here, Jayden?"

She ignored the question, her head disappeared into the car. Dean sighed as he stood staring over the roof. Was there anything he could say that would please this woman? It seemed as though she was always ready to jump down his throat when he mentioned anything about his life. The narcissistic in him recognized her subtle verbal assaults on him as a defense mechanism against, perhaps, her own feelings for him. Yet, the more practical side of Dean felt as if she had an actual grudge against him. Whether it was personal or business-related, he wasn't sure. It was something he'd have to discover tonight - with a few drinks. Until then, he'd play it cool as per usual.

When he got into the car, Jayden had already turned on the car radio to the city's most popular hip hop and R&B station, Hot 97. After waving goodbye to Jaxx, they drove downtown, for the most part, in silence until Dean's boisterous voice broke out into song when Drake's "Find Your Love" came on.

South House- Jersey City

South House was a pretty fancy spot in downtown JC and on a Friday night it seemed particularly lively. People milled about, many still in their work clothes so Jayden and Dean didn't feel out of place. When Dean entered the bar, the bartender shouted him over, "Ayo, DK. How's it hangin'?"

"Dude, life's good I can't complain. Out of work, ready to play." Jayden stared at the interaction. How was it possible that in two weeks he could be on buddy terms with the South House bartender? Who was this guy? She looked at Dean who had already loosened his tie. He slapped his hands on top of the bar and said, "You already know what I want."

"Indeed, my friend. Gotta brewski coming your way in five."

"Thank you so, and hey, anything for my lady friend here."

"Oh, what a beauty. Have I seen you around here before?" Jayden blushed and shook her head no.

"I would've remembered the face. So what'll it be little lady?"

"Whiskey Ginger, please."

"A lady after my own heart. Coming right up!" Jayden decided that she liked the carefree energetic feel of South house. Within five minutes, the bartender lived up to his promise and had their drinks in front. Dean's grabbed the large pint of dark liquor foaming at the brim and took a hearty swig. He set the large cup down.

"So..." he smiled playfully, bumping her with his hip. She found the gesture too familiar but brushed it off.

"So...you've been here before," Jayden replied. Dean smiled and loosened his tie a bit. Jayden's eyes flickered to the bob in his adam's apple and down to the flesh now revealed.

"A few times. I'm an explorer if you haven't been able to tell." Dean smiled wryly to himself. She thought that she knew everything about him, but, then again, she had the advantage of knowing his past and having him in her territory. But out here, in a social setting, Dean felt like he had the upper hand. She knew nothing of this Dean - unbuttoned and uninhibited. 

"So I've noticed." Jayden took a sip of her drink. Sweet with a hint of spice. She didn't want to know, but she asked anyways. Be polite. "So how's the new pad?"

"It's great. Really top notch. A little too ritzy for my taste though. I hardly ever see my neighbors. The area's very private."

Jayden barely responded with a head nod. She continued to sip on her whiskey ginger. Slowly, but surely, she could feel the tension of the day's work draining from her body. She began to relax more and take in the sights and sounds of the bar.

Dean cleared his throat. "So, tell me about yourself."

Jayden laughed at the question. He didn't know anything. 

Dean smiled, which, in turn, revealed a dimpled cheek. "What's so funny about that?"

Jayden, still staring at the adorable facial feature, brought the glass of whiskey to her lips before she spoke. She savored the slight prickly sensation of the carbonated drink sliding down her throat. 

"Looks like somebody isn't caught up on his reading," she mused, sipping away at her drink. Dean stared at her in bewilderment.

"Your project portfolio? The one I worked so hard to craft." She clarified. "It doesn't just have specs on the program. It has a detailed profile of my life. Jayden Harper McDaniel..." she began to recite, but was interrupted.

"...Age 26. Born and raised on the Westside of Jersey City. Top of her class at the Jefferson School blah blah blah. Yeah, I know all of that stuff. I want to know about the Jayden that isn't on paper. You know, the parts you left out."

Well, damn, Jayden thought. Dean had managed to throw her off and she could tell that he knew by the stupid smirk on his face. Straightening her back, she placed her now empty cup onto the counter. The bartender appeared like magic. "Another?" Jayden quickly nodded and brought her attention back to Dean.

Play it cool, she told herself. "I see," she replied tersely. "Well, for me to divulge that type of information wouldn't be very professional now would it?"

Dean laughed out loud which seemed to annoy Jayden even more. Dean noticed. "Aw don't get your panties in a bunch, sweetheart. Does it look like we're in a professional setting?"

Jayden didn't reply. She took a hearty swig of her new drink. Her silence would not deter Dean. "Aw come on. If we're going to work together, we have to get to know each other. Wouldn't you agree?"

He did have a point, Jayden thought miserably. But she didn't want to get to know this...this charming man before her. She wanted to keep the assumptions she had about him so that that they would be true. Learning more wouldn't only risk damage to her carefully built walls - the iron wall, her fortress from the cruel world in which she'd received her education. Jayden believed that a large part of her success came from the guard she'd built around herself against men like him. 

Undeterred, Dean continued, "Here I'll start. I'm Dean and, more than anything in the world, I love animals. Yes, I love animals more than I love lacrosse!"

This caused Jayden to unwillingly chuckle.

"When I was younger, I wanted to be a veterinarian and then a marine biologist. You could only imagine how that made my dad feel. 'Dean, we eat fish. We don't play with them. Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. That's what I'm trying to do here son.' Needless to say, my dad missed the point, but I love my dad and I wanted to please him. So here I am...twenty some odd years later...helping launch a project with probably the most beautiful woman I've seen in a while. I guess I can thank my dad for something."

Jayden nearly choked on her drink. "I'm sorry," she coughed. Dean immediately moved closer filling Jayden's space with his woodsy scent. He placed a large hand in the middle of her back and lightly patted it.

"No, don't apologize! Are you alright?" Dean's eyes held genuine concern.

Placing a hand on her chest while the other rested gently on his forearm, Jayden recovered quickly. "I'm fine. That was just...unexpected."

"Which part? The fact that I wanted to be a marine biologist or the fact that you're beautiful," Dean joked.

Jayden stared at him pointedly and gave his arms a playful shove.

"Alright, alright. I'll cool it," Dean conceded as he threw his hands up in the air. The two fell in a comfortable silence. Dean seemed to be enjoying, what was now his second beer, while Jayden perused the bar. There was music playing on the other side in another room where there seemed to be a dance floor.

"Ahh, so I've learned at least one thing about you tonight." 

Jayden turned to him and cocked her head in curiosity.

Dean began to clarify. "I just saw you eyeing the dance floor. I bet you like to dance, don't you? Weren't you in Ms. Baker's Modern Class?"

Another shocker. It was a good thing, Jayden wasn't mid-sip. This time when she smiled at him, it was genuine. "You remember that?"

Dean chuckled and shrugged. "I remembered thinking all of the girls in that dance class were hot. You like to dance. You're hot...So I took a wild guess...."

Jayden laughed out loud and it was decided in that moment - Dean loved watching her laugh. It was the most natural thing in the world, the way her head always tilted back as she let go completely. Already, he could sense her spirit rising. Meanwhile all Jayden could think about was how incredibly disarming he was.

When she came down from her laughter, she noticed his intense stare. "What are you looking at? I got something on my face?"

"No, nothing...sorry. Beautiful things distract me..." Jayden felt herself warm at the compliment. Never had a white man come on to her so strongly before. This was new and she didn't know what to say. As always, Dean filled the silence.

"In a little while you're going to have to show me your moves," Dean quipped.

Jayden scoffed, "Yeah, maybe. Or you could show me your moves. I remember you were quite the dancer back at Jefferson as well."

"Ah, so you were checking me out in high school," Dean responded smugly. He then finished the rest of his drink and signaled for another.

"No. You were just...very noticeable...in a good way." The side of her lip slipped up into a smirk; she promptly polished the remainder of drink as well.

"Well, I got some new moves now. I'm older and better. Those juvenile dance moves have been put to rest," Dean challenged.

"I can't wait to see that," Jayden replied haughtily. She cut her eyes at him over the rim of her fresh new drink.

It was Dean's turn to be stumped. Did she just flirt back? No, that can't be right, Dean mused. He decided to change subjects - at least to keep her talking. She was being more communicative now. His plan was working.

"Yeah, well, at Jefferson, I seem to remember you all over the place. How many positions did you hold in school?"

She chuckled. "A lot. You know what they say, an idle mind is the devil's playground. I had to stay busy."

"I can understand that, but I feel like you work too hard. You gotta relax and enjoy life," Dean responded casually. And just like that Jayden felt her walls snap back into place. How many times had she heard this phrase before?

Jayden, calm down.
        Jayden you need to relax.
Stop being so stuck up.
             Get a life.

"Some people, like myself, can't afford that luxury..." she snapped. She downed the rest of her drink.

She watched as Dean took another long swig of his drink. Up until that moment, he'd worn a lazy smile while they'd been in the bar, his disposition cheery as usual. Yet, now when he looked over at Jayden his smile was gone and his eyes were serious. He set his drink down.

"Look, I get it. I know when you look at me you see some rich white kid who's had an easy life. He's working at his daddy's firm because it's easy. Well, that kid's not me. You got some got kind of grudge against me and you don't even know what I'm about," he accused.

Jayden was taken aback by his abrupt rant but was glad he brought the subject up. She was tired of dancing around the topic: he needed to know where she stood so they could stop this foolish game of "let's be friends".

"Really? Because it sounds like you've described exactly what you're about. You haven't said anything that isn't true. I mean come on. Do you even know why you're here? Do you even know what Lumiere is really about aside from your silly reports? Do you even care? This is just another job assignment for you. You...you... probably don't even like your job. You'd rather be on the beach somewhere, playing 'sweet lax' with your 'bros'." She mimicked a bro-like gesture with one hand and shook it in his face.

Dean didn't understand how they'd gotten to this place so quickly. His plan had been to loosen her up and get to know her better. He'd wanted to understand why she was so closed off from..him. He didn't expect for her feelings to be so explosive and he didn't expect to feel...hurt. 

"Wow, you're so rude. You know that?"

"Don't you want to call me something else?" Like Bitch.

"I'm not an asshole like you."

"My heart." Jayden grabbed at her chest feigning a heart attack at his words.

"Fuck this." Dean finished his drink and called for a shot. The bartender, who'd been silently observing the tense conversation, complied immediately. Taking back the shot, Dean moved towards the dance floor but not before turning around and spitting back:

"For your information, nobody plays lax on the beach!"  He stalked off.  

"I hope he doesn't think he's going to just leave me here by myself." Jayden muttered to herself, huffing. She eyed the bartender who winked at her. It was the glint in his eye that made the stark realization fall upon her: she just shat on the son of the man who had promised to pay her bills for the next 5 years.

What the fuck was I thinking? Jayden scrambled from the bar stool after Dean trying to remember how many drinks she'd had. It was the only explanation for how loose her tongue had gotten.

She headed towards the dance area and walked in as they began to play "Letting Go" by Sean Kingston.

Jayden, on a mission to find Dean and apologize, frantically pushed aside bodies as she moved closer towards the center of the dance floor; she squeezed in between sweaty bodies. However, with the lure of the music coupled with the intoxicating effects of the amber liquid now coursing through her bloodstream, she couldn't help but allow her body to be swept away by the smooth reggae beats. As bodies pushed and pulled around her, she, too, felt her body swaying. Her work skirt began to ride up her thighs. The top three buttons of her sheer blouse came undone and she tugged at her locks until they came tumbling down her shoulders. She ran her hands through them feeling the light sheen of perspiration forming upon her head. Heat surrounded her - her quest to find Dean obliterated by the atmosphere. 

Dean saw Jayden enter and knew that she was looking for him. He bet she couldn't stand being walked away from. Dean snorted. He watched her walk across the hazy room, searching, until she stopped near the center and began dancing by herself. Brilliant colors of strobe lights danced around her and Dean could see that her hair had come undone, her skirt had ridden up her hips, and her sheer blouse stuck close to her skin outlining the fullness of her breasts. Dean felt the lower half of his body tighten. His abs clenched. Her body was magnificent. He was annoyed with her and her judgmental attitude, but the pull to dance with her and feel that body close to his overrode his annoyance. Leaving his post on the other side of the room, he walked straight towards her. His intentions - to grab her close before some other shmuck could.

Jayden danced that way through the majority of the song until she felt someone grab her by the waist. Her back molded against a taut chest. The stranger's strong arms engulfed her. They rocked together. Jayden, liberated by the drinks in her system, moved shamefully against the stranger. She arched her back and wound her hips like she'd seen done in the music videos. She rolled back against the stranger's chest and he murmured his approval in her ear.

"Damn girl, you're like an alley cat." Jayden laughed out loud. She recognized the voice as Dean's and it didn't matter. Her anger, her anxiety, her annoyance; it fled the moment she began to dance. In fact, she was impressed at how well he moved. She turned in his arms to face him and found herself lost in his sleepy brown eyes.

"You're not mad at me?" She asked grinning mischievously.

"Eh, you're tipsy so you get a pass. Alcohol makes girls say the craziest things."

"Well, what if I meant everything I said? You know what they say, 'drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts.'"

"Very true. In that case, we'll have an interesting conversation in the morning. So let's enjoy the night. Plus, you're too cute to be mad at right now." He pulled her closer. Jayden felt bold enough to flirt back this time.

"Yeah? Well you're not too bad yourself, white boy." She whispered the last part as their faces came closer together. Jayden bit her lip. The music shifted and the song, "Dougie" came on.

"OH!" Jayden pushed away and immediately began to rock to the catchy beat.

"Let me see what you got, Jay." Jayden loved the way her nickname rolled off his tongue. He said it like they were old friends.

"Nah, playa. Let me see these new moves of yours," she joked, jabbing him playfully in the ribs. Dean needed no further prompting. Slowly, he circled Jayden as if she were his prey. Jayden giggled as he touched his forehead to hers then moved away into the dance.

"They be like Smooth..." the song began and Dean moved like he'd known the dance his entire life. Languid and smooth, his body dipped as he hands moved about his head as if he were brushing his curls. Soon the dance floored opened up to encircle him. Two people danced in the middle of the circle, Dean and a young black male whom the crowd had also deemed his Dougie superior. The two didn't appear to be battling; their Dougie styles seemed to complement each other and they worked off each other's moves pleasing the crowd. Jayden had also moved to the side. She watched Dean work, her hands clasped together. She was more than impressed. Towards the end of the song, the circle began to fill again and Jayden watched as a vivacious black woman pushed herself onto Dean and began grinding her behind on his pelvis. Sweat poured down the woman's face as she moved vigorously. Jayden eyes caught Dean's and he seemed amused. He lifted his hands in mock surrender and held on tight. After a few moments, he slid away politely, excusing himself, and walked towards Jayden. He pulled her to him.

"Now where were we?" He leaned in as if to kiss her. Her breath caught.

"Nope." She pressed a finger to his lips. "That would be unprofessional." Dean laughed out loud and moved his hand towards Jayden's hair. Taking a lock gently and squeezing it between his fingertips, he playfully patted her nose with it.

"No one has to know. It could be our little secret."

Jayden playfully pushed against his chest.

"I would know," Jayden tried to focus on her words but she was heady from the heat, the liquor coursing through her bloodstream and his touch. "You know, I try to be the most professi-"

Dean anchored her neck with a gentle caress of his hand as he drank from her lips. He felt her sigh and open up to him. He slipped his tongue in her mouth and explored the warm, velvet exterior within. She wound her arms around his neck, her fingers sliding through his silky brown curls. Jayden sucked gently on his tongue and his hand slid from her neck down to her back pulling her even closer. Jayden slipped Dean's lower lip in her mouth and bit down softly. She knew that she wasn't behaving properly, but it felt so good especially as he hands slid down her back to her backside gripping them firmly and giving it a light squeeze. Damn, this boy could work with his hands.

She didn't realize it, but as they kissed Dean had craftily maneuvered their bodies to the far end of the dance floor. The area was dark and there was a booth where people could sit if they were tired. Jayden felt her backside bump against the table's edge. That broke the kiss, if only to allow them air to breath. Dean moved slightly between and was soon devouring her mouth again. This time he grew bolder. His left hand left her neck to slide down and cup a breast. He palmed it in his large hand and gave it a light squeeze. Jayden whimpered in his mouth and wrapped her arms around his waist. She pulled him closer but the tightness of her skirt wouldn't allow for it. It's probably for the best, Jayden thought as Dean's lips left a blazing trail from her lips to her neck. Now that she could breath, her thoughts wandered.

This would be a funny story in the morning. Wait Mari hears that I...Mari?...Mari! What would she think if she saw her making out with Dean after the conversation that they'd had? She'd think that she was hypocrite.  But everything felt so good, his mouth, his hands...

No! She could not lose control this way.

Jayden broke off the kiss but Dean leaned in again, his lips murmuring something she couldn't hear. She pulled out of his arms, "Dean, no!" His eyes flew open in alarm. He gave her a bewildered look, "Is something wrong?"

"Yes, everything is wrong, this..." She looked around them, at the gyrating bodies, suddenly feeling lost. The room felt like it was spinning. "I-I...need to clear my head. Excuse me."

Jayden pushed him off of her and didn't bother to fix her clothing as she rushed through the crowd. She walked brusquely towards the exit sign and stepped outside. The cool air felt glorious on her skin and sobering to her mind. Why did she feel like she needed a cigarette? She didn't smoke. She shrugged her shoulders and leaned against the brick wall of the bar, staring into space. Memories of high school flooded through her mind. Flashes of manicured lawns, white faces, dorm rooms, long elegant hallways, smiles...sickening smiles, the faces in her mind became clown-like. She felt bile rising in her throat and she ran to the nearest thrash can and threw up the contents within her stomach. That was the first time she had ever gotten sick after drinking. She had the distinct feeling that it wasn't simply the alcohol that had brought her to this place either.

"Fuck!" She spat, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "What are you doing, Jayden?" She scolded herself. On steadier feet she walked back to the doorway from which she exited. As she grabbed the door knob, it opened and Dean blocked the doorway a pained look on his face. Her small blazer gripped tightly in his hand.

"Hey, are you alright?" His eyes searched her face. "I was looking for you out front... I was afraid you drunkenly ran off with another man." He let out a weak laugh raking a hand through his hair. Jayden didn't smile. She took in his tousled hair and pink lips. They were a lot pinker and fuller because of their kissing.

"Look, I'm ready to head back now if that's okay with you."

"Yeah, sure, sure. Do you have everything?"

"I do now." She grabbed the blazer out of his hand but he moved quickly to help her put it on, his fingers lingering on her collar. Jayden ignored the tingling in her abdomen.

Jayden spoke, "Look...about what happened in there."

"Hey, we don't have to talk about it right now. Let's just get to my place, maybe grab a bottle of water and then you can get your car, okay?" Jayden conceded with a sigh.

"Fine. But you better keep your hands to yourself." Even though she wished he wouldn't.

Dean held his hands up. "Scout's honor."

Quietly, the two walked down the street towards the direction of the bright condominiums. The streets were well lit and all seemed calm except for the riot in Jayden's mind.

"Something wrong?" Dean asked. Jayden looked over to find Dean staring at her intently.

"I'm fine."

"Well, it's just that you were over there shaking your head..."

"Look, Dean. I'm cool. Alright. Just got a lot on my mind. Okay?"

"Okay." They walked a few more beats in silence. "You were thinking about our make-out sesh weren't you?"

"What?" Jayden turned quickly, her arms flailing. Dean looked at her, his face turning red. He looked as though he were about to erupt in laughter. Jayden felt her cheeks flush. Embarrassment flooded through her and she wanted to kick something. For the moment, she released an exasperated laugh herself. Dean took his cue and let out a belly laugh. He grabbed the sides of Jayden's arms and pulled her into a hug.

"Come here. You're such a worry wart you know that? I know you won't tell me what you think so I'll tell you what I think: What happened in there was nothing short of amazing. I expected to come out tonight, grab a few drinks and get to know each other. Chip away at that wall that seems to be between us. I didn't expect to...for us to...you know."

"There's nothing go-"

"And I know that there's a wall, both professional and personal. I'm willing to respect the professional, for sure, but I need to understand why there's a personal grudge here." Jayden sighed, but she leaned into Dean for a bit, savoring his warmth.

He could have tonight, she thought. But tomorrow, things will be exactly as they were.