His kiss did not set me on fire. This was what I wanted.

"So where do you want to go on our next date?" he asked when he pulled away slightly.

I rested my hands against his hard chest. I liked that he was confident and sure of himself. I didn't like guys I could walk all over.

"You can choose," I said. "I had a great time tonight."

He was easy to be around. I didn't have to keep my guard up. With him, there was no vulnerability. I was in complete control and it made me feel secure, not like I was free-falling without a parachute.

While he drove I stared out the window, watching the street lights and trying my best to keep my full attention on the moment instead of back in my memories, searching for precious moments with the tattooed boy whom I couldn't stop thinking about.

I pulled myself back to the present. I gave Steven a side-glance to remind me of the one I should be thinking about.

This had been our second date. The next date would be our third date. I got a slightly nervous tug in the pit of my stomach when I thought about that. It wasn't that he wasn't good-looking, because he was. The problem was it wasn't working on me. But I had to move on from Slater and this was the only way I knew how.

Like a gentleman, Steven opened the car door for me when we arrived back at the apartment. His hand rested on the small of my back as he led me inside the building and to the elevators.

He saw me to the apartment. I unlocked the door and opened it.

"So when can I see you again?" he asked when I turned to face him. He took my hands in his.

I could have invited him in for coffee but I didn't feel comfortable inviting him into the apartment when I knew Sin would still be there. I didn't want a repeat of the awkwardness from earlier that evening.

"How about next weekend?" I suggested.

"Sure," he said.

He pulled me closer by his hold on my hands. I smiled seductively at him, looking up at him as I stepped closer. He leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to mine.

It was a simple kiss and he smiled as he let me go.

"I'll call you during the week to make plans," he assured me before he turned to leave.

I stood and watched him disappear down the hallway before I went inside the apartment.

*******

The next morning I wasn't surprised to see Sin standing in just his jeans waiting for the kettle to boil. He had bed-hair that could still make girls drool.

"Morning," I said as I joined him in the kitchen, needing caffeine to get me going.

He reached for an extra mug and set it down beside two other mugs, which I assumed were for him and Taylor. He leaned against the counter and folded his arms across his chest.

"Hi," he replied. His eyes studied me, making me feel like he was taking a closer look than usual. I wasn't sure what he was looking for.

"What?" I asked.

"How was your date?" he asked.

I shrugged. I didn't really want to go into details but there was still a part of me that wanted Slater to know I wasn't staying at home and moping over him anymore.

"It was good."

"Where did you meet him?"

"Around campus."

"You know him long?" Now he was starting to sound like a parent drilling their child.

"We went on a date before Taylor got kidnapped," I answered. "With everything that was going on, we kind of put things on hold."

He nodded slightly, pressing his lips together.

"What?" I asked again. I knew him well enough to see something was bugging him. The kettle finished boiling but he stood still, watching me.

"We've never been close..." he began to say.

That was an understatement. I had been the one to warn Taylor about Sin. I had been convinced he would use her like he had so many before her.

"And I don't want to tell you what to do..." He seemed to struggle with the next part.

"Just spit it out already, Sin," I said, getting agitated.

"The thing is," he said, "you get guys who are upfront about what they want."

I frowned slightly, trying to follow what he was trying to tell me.

"Like I was. I didn't mislead any girl. I told them from the start there would be no relationship. They knew what they were getting into."

"I don't know what this has to do with me or Steven."

"Then you get the guys who aren't upfront about it—the ones who will tell a girl anything to get them into bed."

My frown deepened.

"Steven has a reputation."

It felt unreal that I was getting warned by the guy who had slept his way through most of the girls in my college. He really had come a long way from when Taylor had first met him.

"I'm a big girl and I appreciate the advice but I can take care of myself," I responded, tucking some hair behind my ear.

His tongue flickered against his lip ring and he gave me a nod.

"Now, are you going to make me coffee or am I going to have to do it myself?" I asked in a teasing tone, trying to lighten the heavy mood.

"I got it," he said before he turned to the task of making us coffee.

I bit my lip as I contemplated his warning. It wasn't news. I knew Steven had a reputation as being a player.

It wasn't like I was looking for someone to put a ring on my finger and give me a happily-ever-after. I didn't think I could even have a functional relationship with someone. There was a chance I was so messed up that I would never find happiness with a partner. I would probably flit from one guy to another, chasing something that was impossible to achieve, never trusting someone enough to allow myself to love them.

But what about Slater? Slater had got beneath my skin in a short space of time. But I put what I felt for him down to lust and the only reason it remained was because we'd never slept together. I'd convinced myself once we had sex it would go away.

At the moment I just needed someone to soothe the hurt Slater had caused by his rejection. I couldn't say I was fond of the feeling. I was probably no better than Steven, since I was using one guy to get over another one.

"Just the way you like it," Sin said as he handed me a steaming cup.

"Thanks," I said, taking it from him carefully.

Matthew walked in, wearing a shirt and shorts. His hair was disheveled.

"Where's mine?" he asked Sin with a sleepy frown.

"You're not pretty enough for me to make you coffee," Sin shot back without even making eye contact. He stirred the coffee.

I smiled. It was always fun to watch the two of them go at it.

Matthew sulked and looked in my direction for support.

"Nope," I said, holding my hand out to him. "I'm not getting involved. I'm Switzerland."

"I'll remember this the next time you need a favor," Matthew said, trying to blackmail me, but I was already out of the kitchen.

I found Taylor seated on the sofa.

"Morning," I said.

"Hey," she said before she suppressed a yawn.

I sat down beside her.

"You didn't sleep, did you?" I asked, studying the dark rings under her eyes.

"I'm trying," she said. "It's going to take time."

"I know," I replied, setting my cup down on the coffee table.

I reached over to give her a hug. I hated that there was an aftereffect from the attack that she was still struggling with.

Just as I pulled away, Sin appeared with their coffee. He frowned as he took in our interaction.

"You okay?" he asked Taylor. She nodded and reached for her mug.

"Yes." She smiled up at him, and his frown eased. It was so easy to see what they shared. It was in the way they looked at each other, like no one else existed.