Both gasped as they caught sight of each other. Arianne, ready for just about anything, was not prepared to see big fat tears rolling down Harmony's cheeks as smudged mascara and eyeliner rimmed her eyes like a raccoon.

Harmony gave a bark of disbelief and banged her forehead against the mirror, squashing her perfectly curled bangs. "Just what my night needed."

Arianne felt a flood of pity. She might not like Harmony, but no one deserved to be crying alone in a bathroom. "Are you okay? Do you need something? Water?" On the bus, Harmony had been throwing back shots like they were orange juice. Maybe she cried when she was drunk. Arianne had an aunt who liked to get naked after tequila, although come to think of it, alcohol wasn't the only time she liked to whip her clothes off.

Harmony wiped a tear away with the back of her hand, smearing eyeliner to her temple. "I don't need anything from you." Was Arianne so horrid Harmony couldn't even accept help?

"Do you want me to get Jemmye then?" She hesitated. "Or Gus?" Arianne didn't particularly like Gus. He left a bad taste in her mouth like metallic water, but they seemed to be good friends. Go figure.

Harmony's beautiful face twisted into something ugly. "Stay away from them."

Really? She was acting like a toddler fighting over a toy. "I'm not trying to steal anyone from you."

"You've stolen everything from me," Harmony cried. More tears welled in her hazel eyes.

Arianne didn't know where this was coming from and frankly, it was starting to piss her off. "That seems like a vast exaggeration. Garrett was never yours to begin with."

Harmony swiped a couple of paper napkins from the dispenser and started to fix her makeup. "You don't get it."

Arianne's patience was wearing thin. She had little time for pity-parties and even less for someone like Harmony. Her entitlement was as misguided as her feelings for Garrett. "I get that you have problems—"

"You have no fucking clue." Harmony's hand slashed through the air as she turned, her face bright red and angry. It matched her hair. "Not one single iota of what I'm going through."

Arianne looked her dead in the eye. "Jemmye told me what happened with your dad and your grant. I'm sorry—"

"Sorry? As if a 'sorry' is going to get my life back. If you're sorry how about you disappear and never show your face to me again."

Arianne's annoyance started to bubble over. "You know, you're not the only with issues. I've had my fair share of troubles too."

"Do tell," Harmony said sarcastically, balling up her tissue and throwing it in the trashcan. "Seriously. I want to hear all about your problems."

Yeah, she was done. "I'm not going to get in a pissing match over who life screwed over more."

"See, that's where you're wrong. Life doesn't screw you over. People do." Harmony slapped her palms against the bathroom door and stalked out.

Arianne's irritation lingered as she did her business and washed her hands. This was the problem with people nowadays. They focused solely on their own problems and never took a glance at the world outside. Perspective was a powerful thing, and if Harmony took a minute, she'd find herself better off than a lot of people. Maybe then she could find solutions instead of playing the victim and clinging to Garrett. Although how Garrett fit in was a mystery to Arianne.

Marcus and Stephan were deep in discussion when Arianne exited. They immediately stopped when she approached, guilty looks on their faces.

"What did you do?" she demanded, hands on hips.

Seconds later, Garrett sprinted down the hall. She only had moments to glare at Marcus and Stephan before she was lifted into Garrett's arms. "Are you hurt?" he asked. His hands frantically roamed over her arms and face.

"I'm fine." She put her hands on top of his, stilling him. "Your friends rescued me."

Everything in him changed like Bruce Banner morphing into the Hulk. "Where is he?" he groused.

"And Saint has left the building," Stephan murmured.

Garrett cut him an impatient look. "Don't joke. Not now. Where is he?"

"He and the rest of his buddies are taken care of. The hotel staff knows and kicked them out."

Arianne could feel Garrett's muscles straining to break free and hunt them down. "Garrett," she said softly, forcing him to look at her.

"Do you want to report it?" Garrett asked her, framing her face with his hands. She shook her head. If something more had happened, she absolutely would have. His thumbs stroked her cheeks as his gaze gentled. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"I'm sure." Her eyes fluttered shut as he kissed the end of her nose.

Stephan stared at her like she'd just healed a leper. "You talked down the Devil."

"Devil?" She swiveled to Stephan, then to Garrett. "No way."

"Yes, way." Stephan wrapped an arm around Garrett's neck and playfully put him in a headlock. "He doesn't come out often but when he does..."

Glaring, Garrett shrugged him off. "Don't scare her."

Stephan patted his cheek. "If your ugly mug hasn't done that already I think she's good."

Garrett grinned then it faded as he faced Stephan and Marcus. "Thank you."

Stephan waved him off. "No need for thanks."

"There is. I-I..." Garrett swallowed. "I just...I—"

"We're friends. We get it," Marcus said.

"No, I—"

Marcus clamped his shoulder and squeezed. "We get it."

Garrett closed his eyes. When he opened them, they were bright and clear like he'd received a benediction. "If there's ever anything you need..."

Stephan and Marcus looked at each other in silent communication. Marcus cleared his throat and glanced at Arianne uneasily, then turned to Garrett. "We'll talk about it later, yeah?"

Stephan nudged Marcus' arm and motioned to the ballroom. "We better get back to our dates before they think we've ditched them." He eyed Garrett. "You coming? Or you gonna let your girl think you're a loner?"

All the relief Garrett felt fled. His discomfort radiated off him in waves, so Arianne gasped in mock outrage. "You mean he's not?"

Marcus picked up the torch and ran with it, giving her an exaggerated wink. "We don't let him."

Garrett's body jolted next to her like he'd received a hundred wattage shock. That's when Arianne realized he hadn't known how much his friends cared. Pity tugged at her heartstrings for both Garrett and his friends.

They followed Marcus and Stephan into the ballroom, introducing themselves to their dates. The girls were sweet, albeit, a little more interested in dancing with each other than Stephan and Marcus but neither guy seemed to care. They were too busy joking and catching up with Garrett. It was like watching a couple who'd been on a long break, get back together. And while Arianne was happy Garrett and his friends had a serious bromance, she felt out of place. She knew nothing about baseball nor was she gamer nor did she watch any of the same shows they did.

Stephan held out a clear water bottle to Garret which she assumed was vodka. Garrett passed it on to her without taking a sip.

"You don't drink?" she asked.

"Not tonight. Alcohol messes with my ulcer, and I don't want to take that chance."

She knew she shouldn't drink anymore, but after the confrontation with Harmony, she needed something to wash the memory away. She poured some in her drink and gave it back to Stephan. He took it, speculation swirling in his eyes.

"So where did you two kids meet?" He had a thick New York accent that made his question sound more like an accusation.

"Uh..." She clutched Garrett's hand in a silent plead for help. She wasn't sure what Garrett had told them.

Garrett squeezed back in assurance. "She teaches my meditation classes."

Stephan's bushy eyebrows rose high on his forehead. "No shit? Are those the one Jordan is always talking about?"

Arianne looked up at Garrett with a frown when he nodded uneasily.

Marcus poked Stephan. "See? You should have gotten your ass off the couch."

"And miss the Kardashians? I don't think so. No offense," Stephan quickly added to Arianne. "Besides, I don't see you going."

"I didn't even know it was a thing," Marcus murmured. She felt Garrett tense next to her as Marcus turned to him. "When did you start going?"

Garrett's throat worked overtime as he stuttered. "Uh, beginning of the semester when my pitching was off. Coach told me to."

A cloak of awkwardness descended over them, and this time it wasn't as easy to shake off. Garrett braced himself like he was standing in front of the firing squad and Marcus and Stephan were the executioners. To their credit, Marcus and Stephan tried to hide their irritation, but once the seal of truth was broken, they couldn't forget. It was painful to watch them struggle for the natural flow of conversation from before.

Finally, Arianne couldn't stand it. Touching Garrett's arm, she said, "Let's go check out the gardens." All three of them blew out a breath of relief which would have been comical if it wasn't so sad. They escaped outdoors where the powerful beats of the DJ softened to faint drumming.

"Thanks for rescuing me," Garrett said. He took her hand and tucked it around his arm. The lights twinkled as they strolled past a water fountain of angels and into the intricate maze of bushes and flowers. Roses perfumed the air reminding Arianne of the gardens back home.

"You wouldn't need rescuing if you would just talk." And Arianne didn't mean just to his friends.

"I know I'm not the most open person."

Well, at least he was aware, Arianne thought, which was more than most guys could say. "Have you always kept things close to the vest?"

He paused, his expression thoughtful. "I don't know. I told my brother a lot of things growing up but outside of him..." He sucked in a breath as his tone grew soft. "I just don't know." He shook his head like he was banishing his thoughts and changed topics. "Are you sure you're okay with what happened earlier?"

It was sweet of him to be so caring, and she let me know by kissing his cheek right where his dimple would be if he smiled.

"What was that for?" he wondered.

"For being you."

She flushed as he grinned, his dimples the deepest she'd ever seen them. "Ari," he whispered, stroking her cheek. His eyes hungered as they followed the curves of her face in unabashed fascination. "What you do to me," he murmured. He pulled her close like he was trying to absorb her into his very soul.

Arianne's heart pounded as she lifted her hand to his lips. His mouth parted as she traced his cupid's bow, his dark lips a tempting invitation she desperately wanted to answer. The desire pooling in his green eyes mirrored her own. She yearned to seize what he offered and entwine it with hers. Shackle him so he couldn't leave when he found out the truth.

Her heartstrings yanked. There was the pesky word again—truth.

Dress it up however a person wanted, but when they got to the heart of it, truth was rarely simple and hardly ever pure. Truth was hard. And unyielding. There was no flexibility, no room for lies. Truth simply...was.

And Arianne was tainted.

Her hand dropped away, and her heart followed. She could worry about Garrett's feelings to her heart's content, but they could never be together. She couldn't do that to him. She wouldn't.

Whatever was on Arianne's face had Garrett's arms tightening. She forced a smile and gently extracted herself, saying, "I think I hear someone." The lines on his forehead creased, but he didn't call her out on her lie which she was eternally grateful for.

Arianne's heart pounded as they stepped further into the gardens, the bushes plunging them into the shadows. She had to tell him they had no future but every time she opened her mouth, the words blew away like dust in the wind.

"Cold?" Garrett asked as she shivered. He lifted his arm, and she gladly took the invitation, slipping underneath his jacket. She let out a small sigh as her fingers spread across his side. His body felt like a furnace.

"Are you having fun tonight?" he asked with a shade of gruff.

She had been until reality had slapped sense into her. How could she untangle herself when her feelings were knotted with his? She didn't want their relationship to get messy.

"Ari?" he asked with concern.

"Sorry, my mind was somewhere else."

He stopped them in the middle of the garden and dipped his head, letting his nose slide against hers. His scent, masculine and uniquely Garrett, seeped into her skin, drugging her. "I don't like the sound of that," he whispered.

A war raged on inside of her as his fingers trailed over her shoulders, blazing a fiery path across her creamy skin. Part of her screamed for more of him, greedy to possess every part of this complicated man, but the other half desired to shut herself off and run.

"I want you," he murmured. His voice, smooth and rich like maple syrup poured over her. His lips teased hers as he spoke. She shuddered as his bottom lip brushed against hers. "I've wanted you since the moment I saw you in orientation."

She drank in his words like a woman stranded in the Sahara. Just a minute, she thought to herself as her body melted into his. Let me have just this minute.

Feeling her surrender, he pressed his lips to hers. For all the heat and electricity zipping between them, Garrett kept the kiss gentle. Tender even. It brought tears to her eyes. No one had ever made her feel cherished or precious before. She didn't deserve his kindness. Not when her secret threatened everything good in him. But before she could pull away, he changed angles, deepening the kiss.

Every nerve lit on fire as his tongue swept over the seam of her lips in a provocative invitation. Without thinking, she let him in, shivering as he silkily caressed her over and over again. His fingers matched the rhythm, rubbing the spot on her neck where her pulse fervently beat.

"Ari," he moaned as she molded her body to the contours of his. They fit like a puzzle, her soft curves filling the hard space of his. As she kissed him back, she let herself drown in the moment, savoring the feel of his lips—his heat—but she found it wasn't enough.

She wanted more. More of the kiss. More of his body. More of him. And god, didn't that make her selfish. A selfish monster who would ruin his life for a moment of happiness.

Whimpering, she wrenched away. She didn't know what hurt worse. The loss of him or the stunned look on his face as she stammered, "T-This can't happen. We can't happen."

Sighing, he rested his forehead against hers. His breath came out in small pants as he wrestled for control. "We're already there, Ari."

"No, we're not." She tried to pull away, but his arms banded around her waist like steel. "Let me go, Garrett."

"Why would I let go the one person I want to hold close? The one person who truly understands me?" The wealth of affection in his voice tore through her like a dagger. She stopped struggling and dropped her head to his chest. Closing her eyes, she could hear his heart pounding like a pack of wild mustangs. Or maybe it was her own heart. It sure felt like it was getting trampled.

"I get it's scary, and we both have a truckload of crap to get through but don't you think we're worth it?" he asked, his voice ringing with conviction. "I do. What we have right here, it's everything. You're my calm in the storm and I know I'm not that for you yet, but I will be. I promise. We'll fix our lives together."

She pushed away from him. "You don't get it! There is no fix for me. I'm incurable." Determination and fear lurked behind her stormy eyes as she met his gaze.

His expression softened. "It may seem like that now, but trust me, it gets better. Whatever's going on, we can—"

"I have an STD, Garrett. Herpes." The admission fired out of Arianne like a cannonball. Garrett staggered back, his face a conveyor belt of emotion. She swallowed back the disappointment when he made no move to talk or touch her.

"There is no magic cure. I'm tainted. Dirty." Her voice cracked, and she hated herself for it. She hated the look on his face more. Even hidden in the shadows, she could see his shock. His uncertainty. His disgust. Deep down, a small part of her had hoped he could look past everything and accept her—warts and all—but hopes were made to be dashed. And this fairy tales had come to an end. Now it was up to her to make a graceful exit. She wouldn't draw it out, wouldn't put him in a more difficult situation.

"So you see?" she said, her voice quivering as tears welled. "No talking or therapy will help us out of this one. I'm so sorry, Garrett." She took a step back. Then another. "Sorry for leading you on. For letting you think we had a future." Pivoting, Arianne ran out of the gardens as fast as her heels would let her. She bypassed the ballroom and went around the whole building, desperate to escape.

Fumbling for her phone, she called Morgan. "I need you. Now."

"Arianne? What happened? Are you okay?"

"No. I don't know." Tears fell as she slumped against a cold concrete wall. Shivering, she asked, "Can you pick me up? I need a ride home."

"Tell me one thing. Did he hurt you?" Morgan demanded.

A fist wrapped around Arianne's heart and squeezed. "We hurt each other."