"You weren't supposed to happen."

His words bounce through my head as I stare into his green eyes. Never did I think something like this would happen, especially so quickly. We just meet for God's sake. I cast my eyes downward, not wanting to continue this conversation.

"I need to go home," I say.

Elliot steps back far enough for me to jump down from the counter. My tank top is soaked in the soup from earlier and I needed to change immediately. I start to leave the bathroom when I feel a hand on my arm stopping me.

"Here," says Elliot. In his hand is the hoodie that he had taken off earlier. He stood there with his hand outstretched waiting for me to take it.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because you need it more than me. Your shirt is ruined and you shouldn't have to wear that all day."

"It's fine. I'm going home anyway," I answer.

After a day like this, I can't stand another minute of this place, and I know if I take his hoodie I'll never give it back. It's too enticing to give back, knowing that it's covered in his wonderful scent.

"Don't worry about it. I'm driving you home anyway. So just take the jacket," Elliot thrusts his hoodie closer to me.

"No I'm fine. I live just down the-"

"I know where you live," he cuts me off, "Put on the damn hoodie and come with me. I'm taking you home."

So many questions ran through my head. How the hell does he know where I live? Why does he even care?

I roll my eyes and snatch the clothing out of his hands. He wants to be stubborn? Well so can I.

I drop the hoodie down to my feet. My hands grab the edge of my tank top and I begin to slowly drag the shirt up my body. With my still evident bruises, I feel a slight soreness when pulling the shirt over my head, but Elliot's reaction made the pain so worth it.

I drop the soiled tank to the ground and look back up to Elliot. His mouth is slightly open as he stares at my body in front of him. Only dressed in a light gray sports bra from the waste up, I notice that his eyes are trained more on my stomach than my chest. I know he's taking in the bruises that cover my body. His face turns to stone as he takes in his fill. Anger pulses off him as he bends down to pick up the sweatshirt. He gently helps me into his clothing. As soon as my head comes through the hoodie, I take in a huge breath and his scent fills all my senses. I don't think I'll ever get tired of it.

I come back down to earth when I hear Elliot clearing his throat. My eyes pop open and I find him staring at me with amusement.

"Did you just smell my shirt?" he asks incredulously.

I shrug my shoulders and can't help the smile that comes onto my face, "Maybe."

He shakes his head and starts towards the bathroom door.

"C'mon. Let's go. I'm taking you home."

I open my mouth to argue but stop myself. I shrug my shoulders again and walk past him. As we both head into the hallway, Elliot falls into step next to me. The halls are empty. During our alone time in the bathroom, the bell for the next class had gone off.

The two of us head out the main doors, no one paying us any attention. I slow down my steps, unsure of where I was going. I follow behind Elliot and find myself in front of a good but scary looking motorcycle.

"You've got to be kidding me?"

"You like it? This is my baby right here."

"Your baby?"

"Yep. A 865cc Triumph Bonneville," he lightly pats the back of the bike as if comforting it.

"Get on." He hands me a helmet and motions for me to hop on.

More nervous than I've been in a while, I cautiously swing my leg over his motorcycle. As soon as I'm on, Elliot does the same. Elliot cranks the bike and revs the engine. At the sound, my arms instantly wrap around Elliot's waist. Through his shirt, I can feel him.  I can tell that he's in great shape because I can feel every curve and hard crevice under my hands. I squeeze him tighter as he shoots off heading out of the parking lot. As he drives, I try to sneakily feel him up a bit more, but by the grin on Elliot's face I think he might have figured me out.

I had originally circled his waist for stability but now after just a few moments with my arms around him, I don't think I ever want to let go.

Because of the short distance from my house to the school, we arrived back home fairly quickly. I reluctantly peel my arms off of Elliot and swing my foot back over the bike. I fix my clothes and I watch Elliot climb off as well.

I turn my body towards my home and a questions pops into my head.

"How do you know where I live?" I ask. I'm unsure if I should be flattered or creeped out.

He grins, "I've done my research."

Having no idea what he means but not giving me anytime to ask for an explanation, Elliot strides forward into my house.

"Wait!" I run after him. How could I be so stupid? How could I forget about Gran? The one person I have left. Seeing Elliot could completely set her off.

I run inside after Elliot, but to my dismay I find something more shocking than I could have ever imagined.

Instead of Gran having an episode at the sight of an unknown face, she was smiling. Laughing at something Elliot had said. What? It's been years since Gran has been able to be around unfamiliar people without an episode.

I hear footsteps behind me, so I turn to find the home nurse Ms Judy coming towards me.

"Isn't it amazing?" She's says, smiling as she watches Gran and Elliot interact.

I numbly nod my head at Judy's words, but so many unexplained thoughts roam through my mind. This guy I've just meet has done something so many others have tried and failed at.

I take a few steps towards the couple and come up next to Gran. She turns her head towards me. Her already jubilant face brightens she sees me.

"Chloe! My baby, where have you been? I've found a nice, handsome young man for you."

Tears gather in my eyes at the sound of my name. It's been so long since I've heard my own name instead of my mothers. Because Gran is sitting in her favorite leather recliner, I bend down to meet her gaze.

"Oh really? And who would that be?" I tease her, my voice shaking as I speak.

"This boy right here," she leans forward and pats Elliot on the arm, "I remember when his father came to visit this town. When was it? Almost 18 years ago."

She pauses. Elliot and I glance at each other, unsure of how this story will play out.

"Gosh, your mother was enraptured by that boy. He was something. Charismatic and so handsome. She would have done anything for that boy. What was his name again? Ryan? Roger? I think that might be it."

"Robert," Elliot's whispers more to himself than to us.

"Robert! That was it! Ah, what a wonderful boy," exclaims Gran.

My head goes back and forth between the two of them. So many emotions are playing through. I'm so happy that Gran is able to recall these memories, but shocked to find out that this isn't the first time a Hart has been to this town.

***

Soon after Gran's revelation of who Elliot's father is, she fell into one of her spells. One moment she was laughing and carrying on with the conversation and the next she had no idea who or where she was. After Gran calmed, Elliot helped me lay her to bed to rest.

Watching him be so gentle with someone I care so deeply for was such an eye opener. I thought I was hooked before but that made me fall even more.

Elliot and I headed to my bedroom soon after everything calmed. My palms began to sweat at the thought of him seeing another personal part of me. I led the way and slowly pushed my bedroom door open. I stepped back letting Elliot enter first.

I follow closely behind Elliot as we enter my personal domain. I don't exactly remember how I left my room this morning, but I know it wasn't spotless.

We walk in to find my unmade bed from this morning. I love pillows and it's a must to have several on the bed at all times, hence why I have almost ten different cushions scattered across my bed. Next to my bed is a plain nightstand that holds my glasses and a few books I've been meaning to read. A desk sits on the other side of the room, the chair placed with it covered in clothes that I randomly throw there. My gaze moves to the light gray walls of the room. Littered scarcely throughout the room are some pictures that I have kept over the years. I've never been one to take pictures of myself incessantly but I love a good group photo of friends and family. I smile as I look over my favorite picture. Paw, Gran, and a very young Chloe stare back at me. Happiness spills out from the picture. You can't help but smile when you see it. After my quick look over my room, I'm happy with the outcome. Only a few clothes scatter the floor; nothing embarrassing for Elliot to find.

While I was checking out my room, so was Elliot. He slowly walked around the room, taking in tiny details that even I probably didn't notice. He comes up to the photo and he raises his hand to touch it. His finger gently grazes the younger version of me. Oh, what I wouldn't do to find out what he was thinking.

He makes it to my bed and helps himself to plopping down on the pillow infested mess. He wiggles for a minute, and I think he's just trying to get comfortable when his hand pulls out a bright red lace bra from under him. He holds it up in the air just staring at it.

I feel the heat rising to my face making it match the bra in Elliot's hand. I run to him and try to snatch the bra out of his hand but he jerks it back.

"Look what I found. I might just have to keep this in exchange for my sweatshirt," Elliot teases.

"Stop it! Give it back!" I squeal. I jump, trying to reach the garment, but with no luck.

Elliot leans farther back onto the bed causing me to move further into him.

"Come on, it's only fair," Elliot laughs. I scoff at him as I try to grab the bra.

I finally stop the chase when I realize what position we're in. With our movements, the two of us ended up a lot closer than I had meant.

With Elliot now sprawled out onto the middle of the bed, I had somehow maneuvered myself on top of him. More specifically, straddling his hips. Because Elliot was keeping my bra above his head in attempts to keep it away from me, my upper body had completely flatten against his. With one hand placed firmly on his chest and the other reaching for my bra, our faces had gotten so close that I was breathing in the air he let out.

At this realization I immediately stop. I stop moving closer to my bra and become as still as possible. My eyes come to meet Elliot's face. His once open and relaxed face had turned to one of pure lust. His eyes darken as they dart down to my lips. I faintly hear the clatter of my bra falling to the floor as Elliot's hand comes up to cup my face. The warmth of his hand makes me close my eyes, savoring the feeling. I feel myself nestling in closer to his warmth. My hands move over Elliot's chest pushing up his shirt to take a look at what I was feeling early on his bike. Hard cut plains covered his torso. My hands travel every inch they can, not wanting to let anything go to waste. Elliot does the same as his hands travel lower.

Just before Elliot can reach his destination, glass shatters across the room. I instinctively jump, thinking something has happened to Gran. My lower half still straddles Elliot but my top half is up and alert. The spell of burning fabric hits my nose and I scan my room for the culprit.  My eyes land on the lamp across the room that sits on my desk to find the shade on fire.

I pull myself from Elliot's embrace and run over to my desk. Grabbing a shirt laying nearby, I blow and quickly pat out the fire. Upon further investigation, I realize the bulb had shattered. The still live wires must have ignited the flame.

Sighing, I unplug and move the lamp. What great timing. I glance over to my alarm clock and see that it's almost time for me to leave for work. One more hour and I'll be working until one in the morning. Seven dreadful hours.

I turn around back towards Elliot and find him in the exact spot I left him. Laid out on my bed surrounded by my many pillows, Elliot watches me. I give him a shy smile. Seeing him on my bed like that brings me more joy than it should.

"I've got to head out to work soon," I say breaking the silence.

Elliot's eyes narrow, "Work? As in the place that you were attacked last night?"

I walk over to my closet, "Yes, Elliot. But what am I supposed to do? I need the money." I grab my clean uniform and begin to take off Elliot's sweatshirt.

"I'm coming with you."

I turn around to find Elliot right behind me leaving only a slight space between us. His closeness surrounds me causing me to loss focus on the task at hand. I shake my head in hopes of fighting off his power.

"No you're not," I thrust his sweatshirt back to him. "I have to work and with you there I'll be distracted."

Those words seemed to do the trick. Elliot's grin came back to his face as he said, "Distracted? I like the sound of that."

I roll my eyes. So cocky. I push his sweatshirt towards him again. His hand covers mine as he pushes it back towards me.

"Keep it. It looks better on you anyway."

Without another word, Elliot turns and walks out of my room. It isn't until I hear his motorcycle outside that I realize he was leaving.

A few minutes later my phone dings. Dressed for work, I grab it to find a text from "Mr. Distraction."

Mr. Distraction: Be careful at work tonight. If anything happens you call me.

Mr. Distraction: Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that I might have taken a little memento from your room ;)

My stomach drops. No, he didn't. I run over to my bed, throwing pillows and covers everywhere with no luck. I can't believe he did that.

He stole my freakin bra.