We exit an Italian restaurant downtown wrapped in our winter coats, with entwined hands and full tummies, both wearing brilliant smiles.

We as in, only the two of us.

Yes. Owen and I just had our first date.

A candle light dinner.

Typical.

But who cares?

As long as it's with Owen, I'll do all the typical stuff in the world.

Owen suddenly pulls us to a stop and turns to face me. I can't help but be mesmerized by how dapper he looks in his suit.

"I want to bring you somewhere. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you. But wh-" I don't finish my sentence because he wraps a cloth around my eyes and ties it tightly behind my head.

Then he places his large warm palms on each of my shoulders and gives a soft squeeze.

"Just relax, fireheart. I'll take care of you."

My forehead wrinkles beneath the blindfold. "Uhhh... You don't expect me to drive blindfolded right?"

"I'll drive. And before you say anything, I'm fine. We already postponed our first date because you made me stay home for weeks!"

He brooded during the whole house arrest, but in my defense, I was just afraid he wouldn't be able to handle external stress!

"I still don't think it's a good idea for you to drive, Owen." 

"It's not a long drive. I won't faint, Cyra. Cross my heart and-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!!!" I warn him with panic setting in.

"Sorry, sorry." He laughs softly and kisses my head. "But I promise, I'll be be fine. Now give me the keys." His deep voice takes on a tone like he's coaxing a child.

I stick my bottom lip out in a pout and gasp when I feel his teeth graze it. Then he starts to nibble and my heart decides to run a 30-mile marathon.

He stops halfway though, leaving my lips cold and disappointed.

"Keys. Now. Be a good girl."

And there goes my resolve. 

I blindly search for the keys and pass it to him, then let him lead me. Soon, we're on our way there, the car running smoothly, so I relax into my seat a little.

"So... Where are we going?" I ask Owen for about the hundredth time since we left.

"You'll know soon. Just keep the blindfold on." He answers me patiently as he continues driving towards this mysterious destination.

"I hope Noah isn't too upset that we left him at Claire's to go out and have fun. And it's already so late now." I chew on my lower lip feeling a little bit guilty.

"Don't worry. I made sure he understood the gravity of this outing."

"That's the word you used? 'Outing'?" I make air quotes and laugh lightly.

"It'd be easier than saying a date or a courting session right?" He replies dryly.

"Mmm. Are we there yet?" A tinge of nervousness lingers in me for some reason.

We've kissed and we've even slept in the same bed together so many times!

Okay fine. Noah always acted like a human barrier between us.

But it's not like we're both pure and innocent.

I'm turning twenty six this year and he's four years older than me for Pete's sake!

I don't know why we haven't taken the next step. And I'm nervous right now, wondering what he's got planned for us.

Maybe this feeling only happens when you're with 'the one'?

The anticipation and all the nerves that threaten to overwhelm your body and soul until you're trembling with it.

My fingers twist together in my lap as I'm shrouded in darkness and faced with the unknown.

When the car finally slows down, I turn towards the window but remember I'm blindfolded.

I fidget in my seat, adjusting my coat over the simple white bodycon dress I'm wearing. The car comes to a complete stop and Owen cuts off the engine.

"We're here?"

"Mhm. Stay here. I'll get you from your side."

I nod silently because I don't walk to trip on the slippery, snow-coated roads outside and break a leg.

I hear my side of the car door opening and his hand slips into mine to guide me out.

"Can I take it off now?" I ask him.

"No."

I whine a little. "Why not? I'm sure I know all the places in Marysville better than you, Owen."

He chuckles, closing the door shut and locking the car. He drapes an arm over my shoulder while the other one holds my hand. Then we start walking.

"How did you even know we're back at Marysville? And I'm sure you don't know this place." His hot breath tickles my ear and a thrill creeps up my spine.

My tongue darts out to wet my lips as I focus on my steps. 

"I counted the minutes and turns, but then lost track."

A deep laugh rumbles from his chest and travels across my skin in delicious vibrations.

We finally stop walking and Owen releases the hand gripping mine to take something out. Then, I hear the sound of keys jingling and a door unlocking.

My curiosity is piqued to the heavens now and I can feel my face scrunching up from thinking too hard.

Where the hell are we?

I'm steered forward once again by Owen but everywhere is darkness and more darkness.

"You're not taking me into an abandoned warehouse to have your way with me are you?"

He doesn't respond to my joke and I'm starting to think that maybe after all, I wasn't the only kinky one in our relationship. And then there's the blindfold.

Is some Fifty Shades shit gonna go down in here!?!

Cue Crazy in Love by Beyoncé.

Before I can decide whether I should feel excited or... excited, we stop walking. He sucks in a deep breath and releases it in a rush, like he's nervous.

I'm the one who's blindfolded!

When he finally moves to untie it, light enters my vision from every direction and I squint against it, my pupils trying to adjust to the sudden attack.

When it does, my muscles tense up at the familiar yet foreign sight before me. 

I never thought I'd ever set foot in a place like this again.

A martial arts gymnasium.

I slowly turn in a circle, my eyes taking in the large space. Then I finally look at Owen, who is holding his breath, eyes tentatively searching my face for a reaction.

"Say something."

I blink rapidly and spread my gaze around the empty gymnasium again, lost for words for a short while.

"Why did you bring me here?" It comes as a whisper.

"Did I make you upset?"

I don't think he can ever make me upset.

"I'm just really confused, Owen. This looks like a martial arts centre. Why are we here?" I incline my head at him.

And it's like a tight knot is finally loosened in him when he hears my response, a smile lighting up his eyes.

"Yes. This is a martial arts centre. And I'm challenging you to a duel."

My eyes bulge in shock. "What?"

"Winner gets to pick the punishment for the loser."

"I thought we're supposed to be on our date. And a date is supposed to comprise of a meal and some conversation, where both parties are in a relaxed state. A duel is anything but."

He shrugs. "What can I say, Ms. Jones? We have to be creative in life."

This is what I said to him before and now he's throwing it back at me. Now that we are where we are now, that feels like ages ago.

He continues, "Besides, we already had our date just now. This is the post-credit scene." 

I arch my brow at him with a smirk. "Why darling, I'd thought this seemed more like a behind-the-scenes scene."

His eyes roam my face, then slowly track down to my collarbones, to my chest, legs, and my heels.

Then he clears his throat. "Why not you take off your shoes first? Then we can get right down to it."

"I prefer to keep them on." I purr at him, satisfied when he growls low in his throat.

But he shakes off the look in his eyes and says, "If you're not afraid of losing to me, then by all means keep them on, fireheart."

He replicates my smirk and I narrow my eyes at him.

He can't be serious about the duel.

"You know I'll definitely win right?" I hear myself saying but his mouth curves into a wicked grin.

"You'd be surprised what skills I have." He flicks his brows up suggestively and my face grows hot.

The flirtatious air is winding around my body like a rope. And Owen is the one holding the other end of it.

"You're starting to show your true colors huh?"

He shrugs playfully and drags me towards to center of the mats. Then he bends to take off his shoes while I stare dumbfounded.

"You're serious?"

"Scared?" A taunt is evident in his eyes and I fold my arms.

"I'm not going to hurt you. You've just recovered! You're crazy if you think I'm going to fight a helpless person!"

"I'm many things but helpless is not one of them. Unless it's concerning you."

I huff out a breath but don't move. 

"Come on fireheart. Just one sparring session with me. I promise I'll go easy on you."

And I become like an angered bull seeing red.

"You asked for this! I'm not going to cry by you hospital bed again if anything happens!"

"Yes, ma'am. Now wait here."

He comes back after a while with two doboks, extending one towards me. I have no idea where he got those but I accept it without question.

"Turn around." I order him with my hands on my hips and he blinks dumbly.

"Turn. Around." I make a circle with my index finger. "Unless you wanna switch it to a behind-the-scenes scene?" 

I put on my most seductive face because I know there's only so much Owen can take. I chuckle evilly on the inside when his neck flushes red, glad that I have the upper hand again.

Right now, he looks like a high school virgin geek instead of a thirty-year-old hot daddy.

He abruptly turns around and goes towards the changing room. I snicker as I change right here. When he returns, I notice his face and neck are dripping water, and my shoulders shake with giggles.

Well I guess that's the closest to a cold shower he can get now.

He clears his throat and gestures to get into position.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

But of course I'm not really going to fight him. I'll just play along and maybe seduce him along the way.

My inner hoe is rubbing her palms together with a devious grin already.

I sweep a half-assed side kick at him but not only does he dodge with precision, he attacks me with his own set of kicks.

And my body switches into battle mode.

When we're five minutes into our post-credit scene sesh, I've confirmed something.

Owen is at least a blue belt.

"What the hell!?" 

I back up a few steps as I try to catch my breath. With a heaving chest, I glower at him. 

He isn't breathing hard like I am, in fact, he looks like he just took a stroll in the park. 

My stamina isn't what it was anymore.

"Tired already?" His confidence is back and he crosses his arms, those yummy pecs bulging and distracting me from what I was about to say.

"See something you like, Cyra?"

Shaking away my fetish for his damn chest, and everything about him, I fix a glare at him.

"You've learned before haven't you? What belt are you?"

The edge of his mouth quirks up. "Black."

Did anyone hear that?

It was the sound of the biggest atomic bomb ever falling right on top of me.

"WHAT!?!!"

"What what?"

"You made me think you were a weakling!"

"I don't know what I did to make you think that." His eyes glitter with amusement.

He's right though. I remember the few times he seemed to be so quick and nimble.

Like that time he caught me when I fell, when he dodged Reese, and when he almost pounced on Duncan.

Well people are allowed to have quick reflexes without a black belt in Taekwondo right?!

"I'm out!"

"What?" His ready-stance arms drop to his sides.

"I don't want to duel anymore. I'll lose anyway. I'm out of practice."

And I wouldn't want to win even if I can. He's still recovering for God's sake.

He comes over and tilts my chin up, smiling gently. "You still managed to save Noah though."

"Yeah well, that guy was all flab and he didn't have a black belt." I give him a pointed look.

He leans down to brush a kiss on the crown of my head. 

"Let's just keep sparring. Forget about the duel. Today is about us spending time and getting to know each other even more. And I want to know this side of you, fireheart."

I flick my eyes up to his and see the sincerity in them. But still, I hesitate.

"I promise I'll stop if I feel any discomfort."

He always knows what I'm thinking. 

I sigh and say, "Fine."

*******

We're both lying down on our backs, side by side, legs pointing in opposite directions with our heads next to each others'. 

I'm drenched in sweat and aching in places I never knew could ache. 

But my heart is soaring sky high.

I almost forgot what it felt like.

That rush of adrenaline.

That night behind the diner was only to save innocents, but this? 

This is for myself.

And boy, does it feel good.

"You've got a mean hook kick." Owen huffs out, a little out of breath too.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I scan his side profile with worry.

"Yes. I'm completely fine, fireheart. Don't worry."

My heart settles a little and I turn back to look up at the high ceiling.

"Well, you're not so bad yourself. But I really can't believe you're a black belt. You never mentioned it even once!"

"It's been quite some time since I've last practised too. Not as long as you, but long enough. I like it as a hobby. But I know this is your passion, fireheart."

I ponder and sigh. "Yeah. But I lost the drive to do it after I... lost my baby."

"But you know it's not your fault now right?"

"Mhm. You remind me everyday. I'm accepting it."

I don't know where this is going but I never expected his next words.

"So... actually. I ah... I bought this place. For the both of us."

My eyes widen and I shoot straight up into a sitting position. He mirrors my actions so that we're now facing each other.

"You... bought this place?"

"Yes. I found this place a month ago and decided to make it into a gymnasium. So I made some arrangements."

"So that's what you've been so busy with?!"

He gives me a sheepish grin. "I wanted it to be a surprise. And staying at home everyday gave me ample time to plan it. This could be yours too, if you want. We can both do what we enjoy and maybe, in the near future, you can teach? Or you could go for tournaments again. Anything you want."

My chest squeezes with emotion. He knew what I needed even before I did. And I might have never even realized if it wasn't for him.

My eyes delve deep into his as I whisper, "I know now. Finally, the last piece of the puzzle."

"What do you mean?"

"Why I wanted to leave so badly... wasn't because the diner wasn't enough for me. It wasn't because of my shitty family. And it wasn't because my only real family was gone."

He quietly waits for me to finish.

"I just needed a reason to stay." I lean closer so that our foreheads touch.

"And you are my reason."

Our intermingled breaths knot with each other within those small inches separating our lips.

Owen's eyes flutter shut for a brief second before he utters the word in a barely audible voice. 

"Fireheart."

Our lips smash against each others', tongues fighting for dominance, hands wandering anywhere and everywhere.

The sounds of our hot and frenzied movements echo throughout the empty gymnasium.

But who cares?

There's no one but us.

************

A/N:
Yayyyyyy!!! Finally, title reference!!! Huhuhu...

Up next is a short and sweet epilogue, at least I hope it's sweet enough for you guys.

xoxo