Aaron's POV

My hand rests on her lower back as we enter Connor and Ella's apartment. She immediately engulfs her best friend in a tight hug, stepping out of my embrace as I let her. Connor gives me a nod as he comes to shake my hand which I extend towards him.

"How you doing bro?" He asks and I grin.

"Good, you?"

"Just waiting for guest of honour  to have her first legal drink." He announces and Diana shifts back into my embrace, grinning at him.

"What are we waiting for then?" She chuckles, excitement radiating off of her as we enter the living room.

The place is already alive with the music buzzing through and people grinding against each other. Their apartment is much bigger than mine, not that I mind. I like my place. My eyes move to the couch in the middle of the living room where we're currently headed.

Georgia, as I recall her name, Ashton, Shane and few other people that I don't recognise are occupying the space. Everyone immediately cheers loudly as they acknowledge Diana's presence. Shane's the first one to stand up, and taking the advantage that I'm few steps behind Diana, wraps his arms around her.

Fucking asshole. Did he forget the time I punched him?

Isn't he supposed to he mad at Diana, anyway? Did she talk to him and resolve things? When did she do that, surely she didn't bring it to my knowledge. Damn, I sound like some possessive and control freak boyfriend.

"Happy Birthday Girl." Georgia says as she's the next one to hug my girlfriend.

I tear my gaze away from her and observe other people in the crowd. The air is knocked out of me when I witness the most unexpected sight. In the corner of the room is Derek, his lips connected with a very familiar brunette, and my pupils almost dilate as I realise that it's Lizzy.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Diana chuckles as she comes to stand in front of me but then follows my trail of sight.

"Holy fuck." She gasps, but I can tell that she's amused but that's before the realisation hits her about Lizzy's presence here. "Who the hell invited her?" She glares at Ella.

She shakes her head, and so does Connor. In all the drama, we seem to have caught Derek and Lizzy's attention and they make their way to us. Her cheeks are flushed and her lips are swollen from all the make out she has been doing. I immediately regard her with a disapproval look.

"I brought her as my date, got any problem?" Derek asks, clearly challenging Diana.

"You and your date can get the fuck out of here, this party is for me and I don't want a girl who can't stop throwing herself at my man in here." She slithers and I narrow my eyes at her.

Two minutes in here and we already have created a scene, amazing! I move closer to Diana, circling my arms around her waist as I pull her to me. She immediately relaxes under my touch, providing my ego an immense boost as she does.

"Oh babe, I am no longer your man." Derek remarks and this time, it's my turn to glare at him.

"Back off." I warn him.

Who the fuck does he think he is? Just because he can fuck whatever girl he wants, he thinks he owns the world. Well, no asshole, you don't.

"You cannot even dream of it, Derek. I don't claim guys like you who have mommy daddy issues as my man." Diana shoots back, still fuming and I gasp at her words.

Alright, she needs to calm down. "Dee, I think that's enough." I whisper in her ear and she looks into my eyes momentarily before blinking.

Derek's hands are fisted by his side, and I know if it were a guy instead of Diana, he would have turned this into a massive brawl. Lizzy steps forward and takes Derek's hands in her as she eyes me. Is she playing this little game because she thinks I'll feel jealous? She's mistaken. Yes, I feel hurt but that's because she's no longer the caring best friend I once knew.

"Guys, just enjoy the party, okay?" I interrupt, and Diana shoots her gaze at me, "We'll be right back. I'm sorry about the disruption."

I don't give Diana the time to protest as I drag her away from the living to the only hallway and click around the doors to see if any of it unlocks. It does, and I immediately step in, taking her with me as I lock it behind us.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing?" She shouts at me, much like I expected.

"Stopping you from ruining the night." I simply tell her.

If I shout back, the chances are that she'll end up not talking to me for the rest of the night and I'm not sure I can handle that, especially when we're at a party with the presence of Shane and Derek. The thought makes me shudder.

"It's already ruined, don't you see?" She yells, throwing her arms in the air.

I step towards her as I pull her to myself and wrap my arms around her. "Oh baby, it's not. Derek and Lizzy are here, together. Shouldn't that make you happy instead of mad?" I ask, and then add, "Unless you're jealous that she's here with him."

Her eyes go wide at my words and she shakes her head abruptly, "Oh, no Aaron. The only reason she boils my blood so much is because the sight of you both kissing is implanted in my head. There's nothing I can do to remove it." She says, sounding vulnerable and I give her a small smile.

This beautiful, intoxicating woman who has me at her mercy is jealous that I might want someone else? She has me falling for her head over heels and she's just so oblivious to all the deep emotions I desire for her.

"I want you, only you." I tell her, assuring her.

Diana can be irrational, but I understand that the only reason she behaves that way is because of her insecurities. I don't want to feed into them, rather I want to assure her time and time again that she's the only woman who can have me undone like she did before we came here, no one else.

"And I you, Aaron. I've never wanted a real relationship, not since.." she trails off and I keep my forefinger under chin, my thumb gracing it as well while I make her look at me.

"I know, I'll never do anything that could hurt you. You should know that."

"I think it's a good thing that she's with Derek, she'll keep her paws off you that way." She mumbles and I smile, despite how torn I feel between my girlfriend and my best friend.

A best friend is a precious person in your life, and right now, I cannot fathom what could I possibly do to make Diana ease to the idea of my friendship with Lizzy. Even though Lizzy and I had our differences and I'm mad at her for not being able to find any other guy to hook up with other than my brother in the city of New York, she still is my best friend.

"Thank you." Diana says, looking up at me.

"For what?"

"For being so precious." She says before placing a kiss on my lips, stirring the fire and passion all at once deep within me.

"Can I please have you tonight?" I growl, trying my best not to sound desperate, and failing.

I want to show her what she does to me, having her in my arms as we're at our highest yet the weakest. The night we spent in her apartment guest room, I've played and replayed it in my mind a thousand times, leaving me wanting more each time I think about her beautiful skin under mine.

"You can have me now." She whispers but then something's there behind her eyes, making me frown.

"What is it?" I ask, immediately self doubting myself.

She has been with so many guys, she knows what she wants and what if it isn't me? What if I don't do it for her and she doesn't find me good enough.

"I– uh.." she starts and I step away from her, putting my hand as a shield between us.

"That's okay, you don't have to say it. I understand." I tell her, stopping her from embarrassing herself and me by voicing it.

She scowls, "What?"

"You don't have to say it out loud, Diana. I understand that I just-"

"You just  what?" She pushes, wanting me to say it.

God, why does she wants me to embarrass myself! "Don't do it for you." I complete and like some fifteen year old girl, I wish to be swallowed by the ground and disappear.

For once, can't I act like a man? God!

A slow smirk takes over his features, "You're so fucking oblivious to everything, aren't you?"

"Stop smirking at me." I snap and she laughs.

"Oh babe, you can have me just by this." She takes my hand and runs her thumb over my fore and middle finger and skims the fingers of her other hand over my lips.

Relief washes through me immediately, though the embarrassment decides to linger. "Then what is it?" I ask and she gives me a shy smile.

Diana and shy? Oh boy.

"I know we've already slept together, but that was before you knew me like this. I feel like we've crossed a bridge since.. the last time. You know me so much better, Aaron. And I just want it to be more than some sex after party when we do it next time." She explains and I feel my heart picking up the pace as a grin breaks through my face.

"Noted, Diana. Though the first time will always be special to me." I tell her honestly and she tries to hide her smile.

"To me too." She reciprocates, and I nod, wrapping my arms around her once.

I hold her for a while before she sighs and looks at me through her long lashes, "We should go out there now. I really want to have a drink." She says and I smile at her.

Together we step outside in the living room and Diana eyes Derek from a distance but I don't say anything. I can only assume how mad she must be at him, though I really need to have a word with Lizzy. That girl is out of her mind. She's well aware of the fact that my brother is a fuck boy, yet she's letting him lead her on.

"Shots challenge, anyone?" Diana asks loudly, catching everyone's attention and her friends grin at her, realising that she's not going to shut down the party.

"Well, I'm up for it." Shane says, rubbing his palms together as he looks into Diana's eyes and then shifts his gaze to me, challenge clear behind them.

Does he think that he'll win Diana over during a liquor thing? He has to be nuts to think that way. I smirk at him and his smug look falters a bit as my girl gives him a bored look. Hah, take that asshole! She doesn't want you.

"So am I." I hear the very familiar voice and my face immediately drops as I realise it's Lizzy.

Her eyes meet mine and I glare at her, also sending a silent plea to back off, not ruin this for Diana. It's supposed to be the way she enjoys her birthday, feel like her age outside of the responsibilities of being a mother. I don't want her night ruined. Lizzy's gaze doesn't falter as she shoots a glare right back at me.

Diana clears her throat when she notices that my eyes are locked with Lizzy, and shifts uncomfortably on her legs. Fuck, I hate this! I can already tell that her insecurities are rising by each second. I need to knock a bit of sense into her and tell her that I don't want Lizzy, I have never felt this way about her, or anyone else ever.

"Game on, Elizabeth." Diana says, keeping her straight face.

Boy, can that look make anyone nervous.

I step forward as I keep my arm around her and her gaze shifts to me, eyeing me slightly with a doubt in her eyes and I tip up her chin as I place my fingers under it, making her look straight into my eyes.

"Stop the thoughts baby, it's only you, okay? Only you." I whisper only loud enough for her to hear me as I lean down and place a kiss on her lips.

She sighs but returns the gesture before turning towards Connor who's already setting up shots glasses in three rows. Shane, Lizzy and Diana. It takes me a moment to realise that I'm getting better at understanding Diana, at reading her. She has always been so closed off, she is still now but the more she lets me in, the easier it gets for me to see her through.

"Well, without a challenge, here's to the your first legal drink." Connor announces as he hands her over a tequila shot.

A grin takes over her features as she takes it from his hand. "Give me one more, Aaron's gonna have it with me." She says and my eyes snap towards her and she gives me an amused look.

I shake my head as I grin, "Just because you didn't accept my gift and I know it will make you happy." I say and she lets out a laugh.

The sound her laughing and the sight of her happiness leaves me in a trance. For a moment, she looks her age. Not the girl who's a single mother, not the girl who works and handles all the responsibilities just to make her little family happy, but just a girl who has such a lively heart and cherishes the joy.

"Here." Diana says, handing me the shot and a lemon slice, breaking my trail of thoughts.

"To you." I say, as she clicks the small glass with mine and then we toss our head back, gulping the drink which immediately burns down my throat.

Fuck!

As soon as I down it, I bring the lemon slice to my lips and Diana does the same, though she doesn't seem to mind the burn. Her plump lips suck on the lemon juice and when she notices my stare, she winks at me. A cheeky smile takes over my features as she does that.

"Alright, fuck, are we going to do this or not?" Shane interrupts the moment, clearly frustrated with the attention Diana has been giving me.

She glares at him, but a second later rolls her eyes and takes a seat on the couch beside Georgia. "Let's do this." She says and fixes her eyes on Lizzy who doesn't flinch away either.

Connor fills up five shots and places fresh lemon slices covered with salt by the end of the glass trail. Lizzy cannot hold her liquor, she's well aware of that, I have no idea why the fuck she's doing this!

Ella is the one who does the countdown before they start and Diana is on her third shot,  much like Shane while Lizzy is having a trouble getting over the impact of her first one. She takes in the second one just as Diana is about to pick her fifth and as soon as she finishes, Lizzy chokes on her third one, coughing loudly, spurting out the tequila all over the coffee table.

Fuck!

Diana seems to be having a victory smile on her face while I rush to Lizzy's side, almost on instinct and shout for someone to get a glass of water.

"Hey hey hey, you okay?" I say, brushing her hair out of her face as I eye her, while she still makes gagging noise.

Someone hands me a glass of water and I immediately make her drink it. Didn't I just say that she couldn't hold her liquor? This is worse than getting drunk! She choked on it. My eyes are fixed on her face and I notice that she isn't paying to me as she sips on the water, a slow smile is playing on her lips and her eyes are set in front of her.

I frown as I follow her gaze, and almost freeze as I see Diana eyeing us, a dark expression looming over her face as she takes in the sight of me holding Lizzy.

Fuck, can this night get any worse?