I woke up with a splitting headache and a horrible thirst. I was extremely disoriented and felt a little feverish and a whole lot sore between my legs, a pain much like how I'd felt the night after I'd lost my virginity. Shocked I sat up much too quickly and everything around me swam wildly before it came into focus.

I was in a strange bedroom, a little messy, with dirty laundry in a pile on and around a laundry basket in the corner. A desk filled with paperwork and a closed laptop and an open closet with neatly folded clean clothes, a pile of stuff on the floor in front of it. I had never been in this room before and started feeling panicked, especially since I couldn't remember much of what had happened since shortly after Dev had declared he was gay.

Then I spotted the young woman curled up in a chair, in a corner, dozing. Mariana, Orly's wife. I let out a sigh, faintly remembering her saying that she'd stay with me and watch over me. Then why was I so sore between my legs?

I was still wearing my bikini top and some too large t-shirt that smelled familiar. My wrap was tied around my middle but I was sans panties and when I felt around under the blanket I could tell I was sore and swollen and wet but it felt like my own kind of wetness, not the after sex kind. I was about to get out of the bed and try to find the bathroom when the bedroom door softly swung open.

Matt stood in the doorway looking tired and bedraggled. "Oh, you're awake darling. You feeling any better?" he asked softly after a glance at Mariana. I nodded slowly and then winced, "Sore, I don't remember much after we euh... returned to the Moonfell, what happened? Did we.. did something..." I couldn't finish the question and looked down at my lap, unable to meet his eyes.

He came further into the room and carefully sat down next to me, reaching out a hand to gently cup my face. "Look at me Dani," he said softly and when I lifted my eyes to his I noticed how concerned and gentle his dark eyes were. "Nothing happened alright? I didn't take advantage of you though I'll have to admit it was a struggle." He gave me a cheeky grin to show me he was joking before adding more seriously, "Mari watched over you all night and I crashed on the couch in the downstairs office."

Then he dared crack another grin, "Guess you ended up in my bed after all though huh?" It was exactly the right thing to say, I found myself laughing even though I was still sore and a little scared by what had happened. I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him. His arms immediately came up around me and he held me close, his face nuzzling against the side of mine until I felt him press a row of soft kisses against my cheek.

"Goddamn it Matt, I nod off and I find you in here!" Mariana suddenly exclaimed and we hastily drew apart. Matt looking rather guilty while I found myself blushing over having been caught cozying up to Matt. Which should be the last thing I wanted to do right now.

"It's morning Mari, she's fine now. Nothing to worry about alright?" Matt said while he stood up and headed for the room's exit. His dark eyes settled on me, "Your overnight bag is over there." He pointed at the desk chair and then he gestured at his closet, "And if you want anything from in there go ahead, I don't mind." He darted out of the room without waiting for a reply.

I focused on Mariana, "Thanks for staying with me. I'm glad you did and I'm sorry for ruining the evening." The young woman hurried to sit down next to me and pulled me into a hug the way Matt had done. "Don't be ridiculous, it wasn't your fault. Dev should have known better and the guys should have explained to you what the effects of the moon would be. They were pussies for not telling you."

I laughed, "Yeah they were. I even asked Dev but he just went red in the face." "Well, why don't you take a shower and get dressed, Matt's probably making breakfast for us." Mariana gestured at the bathroom door and then helped me get to my feet when I still felt a little dizzy.

Once I was showered and dressed in my own shorts and underwear, with a clean tank top on I felt more like myself. Especially after I'd brushed my teeth and dragged a brush through my straight red hair.

When I got out of the bathroom I noticed that Mariana was gone and I cast one glance at Matt's closet. I had a cardigan in my bag to ward off the chill but the temptation was too strong to get one of Matt's sweaters. I rummaged through his things and found a loosely knitted dark blue one that looked and felt incredibly soft and comfy. When I slipped it on the sleeves fell over my hands and the hem down to mid-thigh, practically hiding my shorts from sight.

Sandals in hand I made my way down the stairs and into the bar's kitchen where I found Mariana in Orly's arms and Matt at the counter prepping sandwiches. Matt looked up and noticed me first, smiling warmly and sliding a plate with a great looking tuna sandwich in my direction. When I walked over to grab it he snagged a fold of his sweater and tugged, "Looks good on you darling. I like it."

I shrugged, "Well don't get any ideas, I was just a tad cold okay?" "No ideas," he said seriously, "Here have a seat." He had me by the waist and up on the counter before I could say anything but he didn't linger over the touch so I just focused on the food. When Orly and Mariana finally disentangled long enough to eat their breakfast Orly came over to ruffle my hair in a brotherly fashion. "Glad you feeling better kiddo."

After breakfast Orly and Mariana headed home and Matt told me he'd give me a ride and ran up to fetch my bag. While he was gone Thorne just came in and when he spotted me wearing Matt's sweater he asked seriously, "You okay there Dani? Don't tell me Matt got to you." When he seemed rather concerned I smiled, "No he didn't. I just crashed here. Matt slept on the couch in the office."

"Damn right I did, I still got a bloody crick in my neck," Matt grouched from the doorway. "Well you were the one who didn't think a pullout was necessary in there," Thorne shot back. Matt shrugged, "Guess I was wrong... Come on Dani let's go."

On the ride over to my house Matt kept glancing at me until at last I snapped: "What? Do I have something on my face?" He shook his head immediately and grinned, "Nah you just look really pretty in the sunlight like that."

"Okay seriously, why are you always flirting like that with me? So I'm eighteen, your what? Twenty five? Ain't exactly in the same age group are we?" I asked him. He laughed, a look of delight on his face, "God I love how forthright you are. Who cares about the age difference? I'm not that much older. Certainly not more mature now am I?"

"You got that right..." I trailed off. That didn't take away the fact that he was done with school, owned a bar and went on salvaging jobs from time to time. He was in an entirely different phase of his life. Of course he was a womanizer according to Dev and Thorne's response at seeing me at the Stonefish this morning kind of seemed to indicate the same thing. Matt wasn't thinking long term, he was just thinking he wanted into my pants.

As if he read my thought he reached out a hand and placed it on my knee, warm, heavy and large. "You think too much darling. Seriously we'd be good together, why deny that?" I rolled my eyes and shrugged off his hand. "Because I don't want a fling or a roll between the sheets or whatever it is you want. I want a long term boyfriend to share my life with and I seriously doubt you'd be capable of doing that." Call me a romantic, I wasn't going to apologize for it.

He frowned and I noticed how he clenched his jaw and his hands around the steering wheel but all he said was: "Harsh Dani, that's harsh." There was only silence the rest of the ride while he kept on frowning and brooding. He didn't get out of the car when we arrived and simply said I could skip my Sunday afternoon shift if I was still tired. I was careful not to slam his car door like I'd done the first time as I got out and told him I'd think about it and text him come morning if I wasn't coming.

When I headed into the house I was so lost in thought I didn't realize there was a suitcase in the hallway until I ran into it. Oh, dad was home. Hopefully he'd gotten here this morning and wouldn't realize I'd slept somewhere else. No such luck though, I found him in the living room, staring out the window at Matt's truck driving off with his arms crossed and an angry frown on his face.

"Where have you been all night?" he asked in lieu of a greeting. "Were you sleeping with that guy, Dan?" I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest when he turned to face me and took in Matt's sweater. "I was at a family gathering of a friend and classmate. That was his brother dropping me off. Yes I slept over, no I wasn't having sex and yes this is said brother's sweater but he just lend it to me because I was a little cold. That answer your questions?"

My dad let out an aggravated sigh, "I suppose, seriously Dan, I got worried when you didn't answer your phone and you weren't home..." "Well, I probably would have let you know where I was if I'd known you were coming home but since you didn't, I didn't think it was necessary." I crossed my arms over my chest, mimicking his own pose and frowned. "It's not like you're ever around..."

"That's not fair Dan!" my dad exclaimed, "I'm working hard, you know that. If it wasn't necessary don't you think I'd rather be here, spending time with you?" I raised an eyebrow, "Don't lie to me or to yourself dad, you know as well as I do that you're just running away. You've taken on all that work because you couldn't stand seeing mom sick and now you can't stand being around me cause I look just like her."

I didn't wait for his reply and spun around, heading for my bedroom and ignoring his angry demand that I come back and finish the conversation. He didn't follow though and by the time I'd woken from my nap and came back downstairs I found that he'd left again. There was the suitcase with dirty clothes with a note on it asking me to get the stuff washed and that he'd email me when he'd be back and that was it.

*

Yay! Second update this week as scheduled!

Drama with her dad! Anyone else think he's full of it?

Much love,

Robin