There are only so many disappointments in life one can take. I'd already had a lifetime of them. Kurt...Jackson...Adian...not to mention the couple other men who simply couldn't handle the heat, you would think I would be about done with it all.
That I believed that love... or something akin to it didn't exist.
Wrong.
Problem was that I was yet again falling for the wrong man. A man teetering on the sanity borderline this time. Sadly... his ideals were starting to make sense. Even if part of that seemed to be inflicting physical pain on me. Luckily enough, All I'd had was a bit of a brain rattling and nothing serious... although some might disagree with me.
For some reason, I was truly starting to understand what he was talking about. I wanted to be able to walk around with the same air of superiority and know that what seemed like an ego trip to some was actually just truth that the drones weren't willing to recognize.
I had a choice.
I could choose to find out more.
Take the 'red' pill and dive right into the real world or I could take the 'blue' pill and stay ignorant...
Continue to believe that what he said didn't make sense in my crazy head. continue to go around thinking that I had absolutely no feelings other than lust for Drake Hunter. Continue to convince myself that if not for him... I might just still be smiling like some Barbie doll with an unchanging expression painted on my face. An expression that the corporates had created.
Just when did they think they could put a collar on the goddess?
When did the think I would be a complacent puppy dog all cuddled in the bosses lap?
And when had I taken the bait exactly?
I wouldn't bow down to anybody, including people that signed my pay checks.
All of it was part of a contract that I soon found out wasn't actually legally binding. They couldn't force me to be something I wasn't and I sure as hell was not a good guy and no amount of moulding would ever change that.
They'd argued with me, but after my fake plastic speech to Roxi I just snapped. I'd stormed into HQ on Friday afternoon after coming from the airport, looked pretty little Kelly Ann right in her pretty little face and told her to shove her speeches up her pretty little ass.
After that, I'd stormed out. She'd called after me and I'd simply turned and told her with two fingers that I meant business. She couldn't fire me... people paid money to see if I'd go over the deep end, and they were about to get their moneys worth. I only had to control my anger outside the ring. Why was it so wrong to find my release in taking out some worthless wannabe that thought he cold take me out with a chair? A craven bastard.
The only man that seemed to be able to sculpt me was the one I seemed to continuously wake up next to. Forcing myself to act non-chalant, like all it was, was fulfilling a hunger but really... I knew there was more going on and I think he was starting to feel it too...
He feed a certain need for me that although I'd known was there, didn't think was a requirement to have. Something I thought Jax might have been able to give me...but he was unable to commit. Something that before MPW I might have found with a sexy billionaire, who had started talking about "the one". Something that if I hadn't been hung up on being the other woman I would have gotten from 'crazytown'.
There was definitely something different about Drake. Maybe it was because I'd been taking advice from Lexi...that she'd told me about how he wasn't as cold as he came across and if I kept picking away at that icy exterior, underneath I might just find what I've been searching for without even knowing it. He was someone that seemed to get that sex wasn't always about the want.
I've never had a problem knowing that men wanted me. Thinking my natural beauty came from the mind and knife of a surgeon. Seeing how surprised they were when they realized that I hadn't been lying. Drake had not been an exception.
Drake's eyes that first night said something.
Deep down he's been burying the same mounting feelings I had been fighting for weeks. He thought I was wrapped around his fingers, that he pulled my strings but truth be told, we were puppet masters to each other. I had more control of him then what he was willing to admit. It was starting to get scary. I usually ran at this point but something compelled me to stay.
When the gratification was done and there was that window before we'd drift off... there was no thoughts of belts...no lingering feelings about kicking each others asses, no talk about the AOA and what he believed...what we believed... when I'd cuddle up to him, hearing his heart beating under my ear on his chest. there was only Kahlan and Alex. I really wanted to believe that what I was feeling he was feeling too.

*~* Sunday, February 10 - Karaoke Palace - Las Vegas, Nevada*~*

Our eyes and caught each other across the room. I tried to concentrate on the screen in front of me, the words rolling on and I'm stumbling on the syllables and for the first time in my life I'm looking at the crowd with a blank expression on my face. He's giving me a smug one from below the stage.
Fuck, when had he moved that close?
He reached up and took my hand and pulled me down, helping me off the stage, into his strong arms and carrying me away, much to the shocked expressions of a few people... some of who I knew.
Okay, guess we really weren't hiding anything now for sure.
He set me down when i started to protest. But he'd grabbed my hand. We walked out of the main area. My eyes went to the alcove that I'd been pushed into with Aidan months ago and I sucked in a breath as we passed it and let it out when he keep pulling me toward the men's room.
Oh... OH! ok...he wanted to play it that way did he?
I smiled when he locked the door after We'd entered.
Never done it in a men's room before.

*~* Tuesday, February 12 - Las Vegas, Nevada *~*

Again I'm kicking myself. Why? Why did I keep coming back here? Better yet why did he keep letting me in. It would be so much easier if he slammed the door in my face. I was damn frustrated that he seemed to have this affect on me.
Looking up through hooded lashes I see that he's still sleeping. Not often I wake first. I see it as an opportunity. I move slowly, starting to ease myself off his bare chest and out of his bed but there's a grip around my wrist before I can make a full escape. I close my eyes for a second taking a deep breath and then turn to face him.

He's propped up on one elbow, looking quite edible with sleepy eyes and tousled hair. I want to run my fingers through it... he liked that...

Drake: Leaving so soon Goddess?

I shake my head. I wished I could play the love sick heroine but it just wasn't my style

Bliss: You know how this works. Us beating each other up week after week doesn't change that. What goes on here at night is a different animal. I have needs...you have needs... its a purely symbiotic relationship

He laughs as his eyebrows go up for a second

Drake: Is that what this is? Thank you for clarifying... for a moment I was confused.

The arrogance and sarcasm in his voice piss me off. My hand twitches under his own. He looks down with a smirk. He knows that if I had control of both my hands I would be rubbing my scar. Reminiscent of when I would be inflicting pain on myself from an elastic. I hadn't failed to notice his careful wordless examination of all the white lines on my wrists and arms. Usually faint to the untrained eye. Had he guessed yet how they happened and why they were there? Had Lexi told him about the long thick one just above the one I'd given myself recently that was still shiny, pink and puckered that only a new scar had.

Drake: Come back to bed Kahlan.

It was my eyebrows that were raised this time. He wanted me to stay? He'd never stopped me before. In the past week he'd always let me do my walk of shame with a think careful smile but not this morning.

He'd taken stock of all my ink as well as my scars. Having none himself he seemed... fascinated. He'd asked about the meaning of most of them last night. The rose on my right shoulder blade was for my grandmother. The big one on my lower back had been a dare from an ex-boyfriend. My arm band represented that I was committed to myself first and foremost. The Japanese characters on my left shoulder said 'Passion, Ambition & Truth'. He'd smirked at the white playboy bunny silhouette near my navel tracing his finger lower and shook his head at my belly ring. My ankle had been my first tattoo and to be frank I hated it but didn't have the time or want to get it covered or removed....but it was the one on my hand that he'd paid the most attention too. The one I had gotten after beating Kurt in ICW. He hadn't asked its significance...I suspected one day, if we did this more often, he might though.

Drake: Don't know why you always fly out of here like a bat outta hell anyway. I never said you couldn't stay... you said so yourself, we're not hiding anything anymore...besides you can't have secret sex with nosey reporters and wannabe superhero's around

Meaning not like when I had been sneaking around with he who shall not be mentioned. I'd also complained at him about Roxi following me that first night. No... it was pointless to hide the carnal indulgences we had for each other. MPW was worse than high school when it came to gossip

Well the word hiding was relative. I was hiding a lot. More than I figured he already knew...I hated that I'd been apparently so transparent

Reluctantly I turn my legs back under the duvet and still holding my wrist he pulls me hard, so that I'm forced to land on top of him. He smiles at the girly shriek that involuntarily leaves my lips. He rubs a thumb along my bottom lip and I'm tempted to bite him out of spite, however it might evoke some....other longing in him that will impede my quick departure

Drake: See there's a smart girl

Bliss: Don't patronize me Drake. I...

His smile changes to a look of absolute seriousness and he shuts me up with a fully passionate kiss. When he pulls back he's shaking his head, one hand still entwined in my hair. His other still on my wrist...although now his thumb is moving in soft circles on the sensitive skin...distracting me a little from my original plan to leave with some pride still in tact.

Drake: Are you really still going to try and convince yourself that you don't want to be here? We both know why you keep showing up at my door each night and its not just that I'm the best you ever had..

His smile returns. I roll my eyes.

Bliss: Best I ever had? Please as if. Don't flatter yourself

Shit. I needed to get better at keeping a lid on it when in the heat of the moment...damn it... what else had I been saying?

A slow sexy lazy smile spreads across his face. His hand moves from my head to my bare shoulder, the other moving from my wrist to play along the sparse golden hair on my arm.

Drake: Your lips say one thing...

His fingers are making a path down my naked spine causing goose bumps under his fingertips. I shiver and I know he likes the effect he has on me, that sexy smile that appears on his lips whenever he does that proves I'm right

Drake: But your eyes and body betray you

He moves in nuzzling my neck again one hand moving back into my hair and gripping a handful firmly but not hurting me and the other is possessively flexing at my hip. Its completely unhinging me. He must have figured out by now that my neck was one of my "sweet spots" since whenever he was trying to convince me, I instantly turn to putty when he does that.

Sculpt away master craftsman

***

Its nearly noon when I'm finally dressed, showered and leaving his apartment, again he pulls me in close to his bare chest, recently showered himself he smells so good... another reason I was leaving so much later than I'd wanted, seems that no place was sacred to him when I was involved.

I look up at him and something registers with me about the date.

Bliss: Happy Birthday...

I offer a smile. He looks like he's about to say something but instead he kisses me. A kiss so full of longing I almost stay. But I turn from him, reluctantly, without a word and walk down the hall to the bank of elevators in his condo. I have to wonder if he's watching me leave but my pride keeps me looking forward. I have to wonder why my wishes of a happy birthday had caused him to get so emotional.

Well That was totally uncharacteristic of him..

What the fuck?!

Driving home I try to wrap my brain around it. Its not a relationship, is it? It's not like I belong to him or him to me but he'd been particularly possessive this morning. His moments of laughing at me were slowly changing to moments of not letting me go as easily. There was still the back and forth insults and denial on twitter and now we'd taken to a more private method, text messaging.

I was finding it increasingly difficult to say no, like when he'd approached me in the hallway at the arena in Omaha; where our barbs and insults had turned quickly into something more, something that had ended up inside a broom closet.

How over the last week we seemed to conveniently 'run into' each other at public places more often then I had liked. I've never seen the inside of so many men's rooms in all my life.

Most men would be bored by now. Saying they had accomplished their goal of seducing and subduing but he wasn't finished. He wanted even more of the goddess. It was evident every time I showed up at his apartment at 1am and he pulled me inside without hesitation.

And for the first time in my life I couldn't stop thinking about a man. Even with admissions of love to... well...you know...I never found it this difficult to focus on anything other then the next time I saw him. The Next time I would feel him hold me close, or bury his face in my neck again.

I had to wonder if he was feeling the same. He'd supposedly loved Lexi, similar to what I had felt before too... but yet... this felt different. It felt right.

Yup, I was fully addicted to the kool-aid.

"Oh yeah!"

***

A Match against Kuk this week. The man who'd come in and hit me over the head with a chair. Why? Not because he had anything against me personally... oh no, it was because the man I was sleeping with wanted to make a point. Was it to make a point to me? Or to the 'people'?

When I'd asked him through text if he was coming to Kansas and he'd responded with a smiley face.

What the hell?!

since when did Drake Hunter use emoji's?

He was playing with me still. I knew it. And I instantly knew the answer to my question of who he was trying to make a point to was, how can all be revealed in one simple, cheap yellow smiley face?

Even though he'd practically won this battle. I wasn't the only one hiding feelings of attraction... otherwise we wouldn't be sleeping together. What else could he possibly want from me? I wasn't attached or anything. If he turned around and tried to do something to humiliate me because of our relationship it wouldn't' work. I'd been called every name in the book because I wasn't known for keeping a man for long...so like I'd said earlier today... it was symbiotic.

And the fact that he'd turned around and sicked Killswitch on me instead of doing it himself just made me wonder... maybe he was starting to go soft on me. Was he starting to think twice about physically hurting me now? I almost had him multiple times and so did Roxi.

From Drake's condo, I don't want to go directly home. I should shoot a promo. Lately I've really enjoyed just setting up a camera and talking endlessly and there was no reason why I couldn't keep doing that, but I liked to mess with Tasha in interviews and it had been a few weeks since I'd perturbed the woman, so why not, I needed a little entertainment. While stopped at a red light I call and leave her a voice mail. Told her to meet me at the place I had in mind and she would get her 'money's' worth.

***

Tasha looks a little unsure. She gets out of her car and stares at me leaning against my bike. The wind picks up and a bit of dust blows into her face. I laugh as she starts sputtering and coughing. When she approaches I offer her my water bottle and she gratefully takes it. Taking a large gulp before actually addressing me.

Tasha: What the hell are we doing all the way out here?

I smirk and take the water bottle back from her and stick it in the bag on the side of my bike. I'm still wearing my sunglasses. I know that not seeing my eyes will bother her. I smile at her. Tasha still looks a little unsure.

Bliss: What? In the middle of the desert? Well why not? Everyone else likes to sit down in some tiny little room and sit across from you while you ask them stupid questions. This time... we're somewhere were hardly any life exists. There are no cozy comforts here.

Tasha: I like cozy comforts

Bliss: Of course you do. That's what's different about the two of us. You NEED those things. I don't. Part of my reason for coming out here is that I don't need anything but myself to show that I am good at what I do. I'm like this desert.

Tasha: What dried up?

She laughs and I stare her down.

Bliss: Careful. No one can here you scream out here Tasha.

Her smile fades.

Bliss: That's right. No I'm like this desert because although it appears that this place has no life, there is tonnes of it. It's all around you. The creatures and plants here have adjusted to the climate, the lack of rain, the minimal amounts of food. I adjust too. I'm going to adjust this week when I'm in a match that's out of my element. I'm not a weapons expert. In fact I prefer not to use weapons but like this desert, I will adjust and I will become so perfect that poor old Kuk won't know what hit him. He thinks that taking me out with a chair will keep me down. People can think that I'm weak because I was out for 6 weeks with a bum knee. That wasn't my choice. If I could have been, I would have been back to work sooner.

Tasha: Hold on, we're starting already? Let me get the camera at least...

I sigh impatiently and hold out my hand to her and she scurries back over to the car and pulls a handheld out of the passengers side. She starts to adjust the buttons and walk a back over to me.

Tasha: So... you're like a desert... okay...

Bliss: In a nutshell, I adjust like a desert. Appearing weak but really, I'm stronger than anybody thinks.

Tasha: Drake Hunter seems to disagree with that

Bliss: Drake Hunter can believe whatever he wants...doesn't make it true. I don't give a flying fuck what him and his other AOA lackey's have to say. Actually... I happened to look up the word 'lackey' just to see exactly what the meaning is and guess what it said?

Tasha shakes her head.

Bliss: To wait upon or serve obsequiously. Now.. that really does describe those guys doesn't it? Cable, Dixon and now our 'kukster'. They all hang on his every word like mindless disciples. I could never be that spineless that I would follow someone without question that way.

Tasha: But aren't you sleeping with Drake?

Fuck. I should have known she'd bring that up.

Bliss: Yea so. Your sleeping with chicken... do I think of you a cowardly loser? Well loser yes, a coward no... otherwise you wouldn't be out here with me of all people. Sleeping together doesn't mean dating Tasha.

Tasha: Chicken has more courage then half the roster...

I smirk

Bliss: When it comes to getting in the ring with men bigger than him... no your right he's not without a little courage but he's still an idiot. No dear, sleeping with Drake...It means satisfying a deeper need. It has nothing to do with his views on our company. Sure a few things make sense... I guess... but I can't be bothered to want to 'save' the millions. I could give a rats ass what people think of me darling. There is only one person I go out there for every week...

Tasha: Dra...

I cut her off.

Bliss: No. Me.

Tasha: You do this for yourself?

Bliss: Who else did you think I would do it for? It would be pretty ridiculous that I was going out there winning and continuing to show that I'm the only one worthy enough to carry the sin City belt, that I'm going out there all for a man? Seriously? No. I'm pretty selfish Tasha and it's that selfishness that's gotten me through many a disappointment.

Tasha: like Ai...

I cut her off again

Bliss: Everyone. Everything.

Tasha: Even Jac...

I laugh.

Bliss: I didn't call you to have you list off my ex boyfriends Tasha. Was Kurt's name on your lips next? There have been other people in this company who have had more sexual relationships then I have. But yet in every promo done by my opponents, in every interview I've had, it seems to be the hot topic. I'm not a slut or a whore. I do choose my company wisely and nothing is whimsical or romantic. Like I said... I have needs.

She chews her lip

Bliss: Now that you've gotten your curiosity satisfied, we can move on. My match this Thursday is with Kuk Killswitch. AOA's latest brainwashed idiot. He's trying to tell his sweet little playmate Cami that he's not going to change. Of course he's going to change....that's why hanging out with those delusional fools does. You start thinking like Drake Hunter. Chris Cable used to be an alright guy.. decent wrestler too. Then he lets Drake get into his head, talk him into following his cause after a losing streak. He has this way about twisting things and making them seem like they make sense when in actuality, he just catches people when they're vulnerable. And before you ask it, did Drake break me? No. He hasn't and he won't either. He can keep trying to play these mind games with me but fact of the matter is, I'm still completely in control of my own actions...at least when I'm calm

I smirk, Tasha looks confused

Tasha: You started off talking about your match with Kuk, but it ended up on Drake...

I finger my scar. Fuck off, really? I go over my last few words in my head and she was right... I'd gone so off topic.

Bliss: Sorry...

I give her a fake smile

Bliss: Now Kuk Killswitch. A man that claims to be a hardcore reject. What exactly does that mean exactly? That he's so bad that hardcore itself 'rejected' him? or is the hardcore part supposed to be some kind of clever adjective to make himself seem bad ass? I can think of better descriptive words to make yourself seem like a evil dude. Okay yeah, he holds the x-core belt. Whoop de fucking do! Am I supposed to be impressed? I have the Sin City. The Second highest belt this company has to offer. Killswitch couldn't get into the Sin City division even if he bought his way in. Sure it doesn't classify me as a Hardcore reject or anything but I've gone head to head with some of the biggest stars in this place and come out victorious. Who's' he faced? Brandon Nytrus? Please. Sure... I know that kid. He was in my defunct stable for a reason. Terrin only recruited the best. Did we approach Killswitch? No. Because we knew that he was never going to rise above the TV or Xcore division. Nytrus had the potential to go all the way....but still, he's not even worthy to shine my boots, so what does Kuk think he can do differently?

Tasha: He beat Nytrus and he did get you last week...

Bliss: While my back was turned with a chair. Tell me Tasha... what skill is involved with that exactly? It's why I don't' like using weapons. They are for weak, skill-less, feeble losers that can't get any better. Kuk is getting old. The abuse is starting to make his bones brittle. He can't risk doing 'actual' wrestling moves anymore... he might end up dead or something. He also was lucky enough to beat out Nytrus for the title as well. Do you see Nytrus sitting around... no. I'm sure he's planning, with his new little clique, to go on to Sin city...but he'll have to stand in line on that one. I just got her back and I'm not planning on giving her up anytime soon. No.. Kuk is just biding his time until he doesn't have a choice but to cop out and get a pension to support his old ass because his knees are so bad he can't even get up to take a piss without some help. Joining AOA was just some way to make himself look like he was more important than he really is. One last hurrah before he settles down in the retirement home.

Tasha: Kuk has a long history with wrestling, significantly longer than you...

I laugh.

Bliss: It's not about how long you do it for it's about how well you do it for the time that you have done it. I'm not stupid, of course I checked the guy out before we came out here. I'm not like some of the non-sensical fools like Emi or Cami. I don't do promos about fighting harpies or going back in time and loving disco. I actually do research. A lot more than I used to. It's part of the reason why I'm champ for the second time....and if you think about it... I've never actually been beaten for this title. I had to forfeit the belt because that whore took me out with a cheap shot. And then... I decimated Drake to have this beauty back home where she belongs.

Tasha looks at me weird because I've started to refer to my belt like it's an actual person. Yes... her name was Sindy and she was all mine...

Bliss: So he loves this sport as much as I do. It's in his blood too....only I haven't had to shed quite as much to get to this place....I also didn't have to fly across the world to get a second tier belt. 8 years in Japan for what? to come back to America and be in the second lowest belt division? yea.. ok so Xcore is just the hardcore belt but look at who's been there. Ash has made his way up to heavy weight already....The fact that he's never really beaten someone of my calibre here just goes to show one of two things. He really doesn't know what he's doing or that he's scared. I'm willing to gainer a wager that it's a little of column A and little of column B.

Tasha: He did beat Ash once...

I roll my eyes

Bliss: And I bet he's real proud of that one win isn't he. OH yeah.. that's right he is.. .it's why he even mentioned Ash specifically in his bio. So if by some miracle he wins this week, will I be honoured with my name on there too? Pity, he won't be able to do that because I guarantee that he's not going to be walking out of that ring a winner... maybe not even walking at all. I may not be a hardcore expert but I'm tenacious, I'm ruthless and I have something he doesn't...

Tasha: What's that?

Bliss: A very, very dark anger. An uncontrollable one. One I intend to let loose for Mr. Killswitch on Thursday. No elastics, no anger management to keep me in line. I've said before that when I let loose... fully and truly... there is no restraining it. And I know that he's not going to be able to handle me at my worst. Nobody can or has yet.

Tasha: So is that it?

Bliss: No. You really think I'd have you all the way out here for a measly 15 minute promo?

Tasha raises an eyebrow.

Bliss: I plan on releasing my anger on you Tasha... out here where no one will hear it.

Tasha starts backing up toward her car.

Bliss: That's right Tashy... be scared. Show those useless drones that I am not some bubble gum princess. I have no hesitation. I'm not going to budge an inch in my resolve. I am MPW's original goddess. Often imitated, never duplicated. I may not be completely unbreakable but I'm so damn close to perfect it makes grown men cry. Kuk seems like a tough guy... probably take a lot for him to cry but I'm going to make sure that he pays for that chair shot. Over and over again. Bring your favourite weapons Kuk. Bring the whole bloody wheelbarrow... Last week the AOA supposedly used me to make a point.. .well this week I'll use the AOA to make my point. I Cannot be broken. You don't know me. You'll never be as good as me. As for your revolution to 'save' the world... it's pitiable. Do you think they'll thank you for your efforts?

I shake my head. Tasha has got her back completely against her car now.

Bliss: They won't appreciate all the time and effort you've gone to... all these 'points' you've been making are just excuses for you to crush people you think are weaker than yourselves. Like I said last week, a good leader weeds out the weak...All Drake has done is found another sycophant to his tyranny. Kuk is not different then the others, Drake's told him to jump and the stupid poser has just said 'how high'. I think that's the worse kind of abuse... trusting someone and them taking that trust and harbouring it, make you believe things... make you see the same hallucinations that they do. Holding your own mind hostage. Push you right over the edge and expect you to fly with no means to support flight.... see me personally... I don't need a group of zombies to give me wings. I've had them all along. I also got some pretty sharp talons too so you better be ready for me Kukky baby. Things are about to get seriously dark and dangerous for you.

Tasha feels behind her for the door handle. She's afraid of me. I remove the sunglasses and her eyes go wide with a new kind of fear and maybe a little respect as well. She moves quickly to get into the car and hit the automatic locking mechanism. She tears out of the desert without even buckling her seat belt.

I laugh as I put the glasses back on and hop on my bike. I loved terrifying her... the funny thing was... I really wasn't any better than the people I was calling out was I? I'd picked on the little reporter relentlessly there and I actually liked it.

Fuck Drake... what are you doing to me?

***

I got home right before supper. I ate in silence, watching the sun slowly sink below the horizon, sitting in quiet contemplation about my promo... about my affair with Drake, about my life and the direction it was going and if I really was going to let my anger free on Kuk. It was full dark outside when I heard a knock at my door. I come out of my daydream and internal musing. Furrowing my brow I rise from the kitchen chair where I'd been staring and answered the door.

A guy in a delivery outfit is standing there. There's a fairly big brown box in front of him and he's got a clip board.

Delivery man: Are you Kahlan Fischer?

I had to wonder how he got in without buzzing.

Bliss: Yes...

Delivery man: Sign here

I take the clipboard and pen.

Bliss: Who is it from?

The man shrugs.

Delivery Man: I just deliver it, I don't ask questions ma'am.

I scrawl my signature and hand it back to him. He picks up the box, hands it to me and smiles.

Delivery Man: Have a good night miss.

He walks away. I watch him for a second, looking down the hallway in both directions, expecting something... somebody... to jump out.

Not only was he changing my outlook, he was making me paranoid too. Grrrr!

I close the door and walk back in, shaking it a little. There's a bit of a echo and the sound of something heavy sliding against the sides.

Oh god. What was I in for? It had to be from Drake.

I open it and inside that box is another box.

Oh please... not nesting 'boxes'. I hated when people did that at Christmas thinking it was clever. It just served to piss me off... I just wanted the damn present.

Thankfully there was only the one white box, with a large pink bow, inside the larger brown one. I place it on the table and eye it for a second before going into my kitchen for a snack. When I come back and I continue watching it some more as if it were going to bite me, all the while snacking on vegetable crackers and with a weary eye.

I pull the bow and open the lid. There are tonnes of tissues and the smell of some kind of perfume. Ok... this was getting weird. I would almost say this was...

I pull the papers apart to see what's inside. I drop the box of crackers and they spill all over the floor. I don't even care that in my rage I stomp the box and smoosh the remaining crackers into the Berber rug.

Bliss: Son of a bitch!

I walk away from the box full of smelly tissue paper and other things. Things made of black lace...

Grabbing my phone I dial a number I'd dialled way too much over the last week. He picks up in one ring.

Drake: So what do you think?

What the fuck... how did he know that was why I was calling... cocky bastard.

Bliss: Why the hell are you sending me lingerie?

Drake laughs over the line and my body reacts to it. Damn it.

Bliss: What are you doing to me?

Drake: What? So you don't like it? I'm pretty sure I got your size right...I've come to be very familiar with it

Bliss: Asshole.

He laughs again.

Drake: I'm offended.

I can hear the mock pain in his voice. Bastard did it not just to see me wearing it but more to piss me off. He knew how I felt about this sorta thing...ever since... well...

Bliss: Whatever. I don't have the ability to offend you. I've tried.

Drake: I know. Wear it when you come over later.

I'm clenching and un-clenching my hands. When I can't answer he continues to talk

Drake: Are you angry my little goddess? I like it when you're all fired up.

My cheeks were going three shades of red by now. Half with anger an the other half with embarrassment.

Bliss: I lost a perfectly good box of veggie crackers because of that.

He's still chuckling. Fuck get out of my head you Aussie bastard.

Drake: I have some more for you when you get here.

Bliss: You're so sure I'm coming over. Well, I'm not.

And how did he know I had an obsession with Vegetable thins? They were hard to get here in the states.

Drake: Yes you are. You've had this argument with yourself every night this week. You know if you just gave in, we could skip this pointless banter and have a lot more time together... instead of you showing up at 1 in the morning. I like being able to take my time, if you come now... we'd have hours.

His voice is dripping with dark desire and I shutter, glad that he can't see me and it's easy to hid when on the phone with him.

Bliss: Aren't I supposed to be the one giving you a gift... it is your birthday after all...

I'm really trying to change the subject here. Drake chuckles darkly.

Drake: Who says that it isn't a gift for me?

I clench my fists tighter, so tight in fact that I can feel my nails biting the skin on my palm.

Bliss: Fuck you I'm staying home tonight and I'm getting rid of that barely there underwear.

Drake: You've had on less before when coming to see me.

Fuck! Yesterday I'd showed up commando because I'd hit up a 24 hr gym to try and work off some frustration and didn't want to smell bad so I'd showered and thrown on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt from U of T that was in the trunk of my car...something I'd had there as a 'just in case' I had a wardrobe malfunction at work. Unfortunately I had forgotten to include underwear in that mix.

Bliss: Stop messing around with my head, Hunter.

Drake: Why? It's fun.

Angrily I hang up on him. I throw my phone onto the couch and huff off to get the vacuum. As I'm cleaning up my mess I eye the box, shaking my head. Just what the hell did he think I would do with that? That'd I'd be receptive to the idea of him buying me underwear? I hated that shit. Someone else had tried to buy me with gifts of clothing and it had bothered me then too. There was a crushed cowboy hat and cut up boot cut jeans somewhere in the back of my closet to prove that point.

I hear the sound indicating that I have a text message. Hell what did he want now... going to antagonize me some more?

I pick up my phone and stare at the message.

DHunter: Remember to wear it when you come. I promise I'll wait up. :D

Another fuckin smiley face too. What the hell was going on with me? I didn't fucking know because I found myself smiling, putting on his gift and heading over there. And only hours ago I'd left him, determined to not come back again tonight.

So much for my willpower.

No guy had ever had this effect on me... why him? Fuck I was in way too deep and I didn't know how long I could keep my head above water.