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emadaps - I know what you mean about those conflicting feelings. Paul is another professor so the chances are high she'll bump into him again. We'll have to see which path they take and whether they both feel comfortable taking the risks.

Luluzita - glad your enjoying the story, hope you'll continue to do so and I hope I do M&M justice.

jana1977 - I love M&M so I find it difficult writing scenes without them in it. Hopefully I have given the other characters enough of a limelight so the story isnt always about M&M. Gotta admit tho, the M&M scenes or the scenes with at least one of them in it are my faves! At the moment, Paul doesnt know Maria is his student - we'll have to wait and see if they are unfortunate to bump into each other at college.

RhondaAnn - exactly!

Christina - I've said this before but I'm not sick of saying it - I am loving Kyle in this story. May be a while before we find out whether Paul finds out about Maria's student status but lets hope they keep him off their trail for long enough. They definitely cant fight that chemistry its just too darn hot.

87Mariana - Thanks so much, hope you continue to like it.

augustdestiny - thanks so much. Glad you're enjoying it - I shall try not to make you hold your breath too long for some great Candy moments.

sara - I dont envy the consequences that would come about because of their situation but I'm a sucker for forbidden relationships. Something firey and hot about them I think it just adds to the passion. Well Michael's not that much older than Maria and the gang, obviously because I didnt want it to be inappropriate, so he does seem to get on very well with them all - maybe too well in some respects.

A/N - so glad everyone is still enjoying it and thank you all for the feedback! There is something wrong with my internet connection at the moment so sorry if these updates may seem sporadic. Onto the next part!

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CHAPTER EIGHT

'It's been an hour Isabel, I wouldn't mind but I've been dressed for the last three hours!' Alex complained.

'She'll be here,' Isabel told him as she continued reading the latest copy of Vogue.

'Yeah, you said that thirty minutes ago, come on lets just go!' Alex told her and got up from the couch. Isabel glanced at the clock and saw that it was already past eight and Maria had promised to be home by seven at the latest.

'Ok, I'll just call her and tell her we're leaving and to just meet us there,' she told Alex and picked her cell from the coffee table. Maria didn't answer her phone so Isabel left her a message instructing her to meet them at the party.

She gathered her purse from the table and followed Alex out of the house and into the car.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

'Hello!' Maria called as she entered the house, she kept it open waiting for Michael to follow her in, 'damn they must have left for the party already!' she sighed.

'Oh right the party!' he said as he followed her through into the living room and then onto the kitchen.

'Listen, um you just stay down here - fix yourself a drink or something and I'll just go get ready!' she told him and left her purse on the table.

The ride home had been quiet, both of them contemplating the near suicidal moment when he oh so nearly kissed her on the sidewalk near the bistro.

They had been interrupted by a passer-by who rudely and impatiently pushed Michael out of the way and broke the contact between them. They both took that as a sign and after much persuasion Maria accepted Michael's offer to drive her home so she could go get ready and get to the party on time.

He watched as she left the kitchen and he turned to the counter to fix himself a drink. He heard her cell phone going off in her purse and he contemplated calling her down to answer it but instead he slipped his hand into her bag, took out the cell and looked at the caller id.

'Hello,' he answered unable to resist picking up the call.

'Who's this?' the male voice on the other end asked angrily.

'Doesn't matter who this is, what matters is what do you want?' Michael answered confidently unsure where this attitude had come from.

'Is Maria there? Only she promised she'd call me back,' the voice said impatiently.

'Nope she's uh, getting ready,' Michael replied.

'And you're there because?' the voice asked.

'Because I was the one responsible for undressing her so I figured it only polite that I stick around whilst she gets herself ready,' he smirked at himself rather pleased with his blatant lie.

'Tell her Billy called will ya! And get the hell out of my gal's life if you know what's good for ya!' the call clicked off and Michael could hear Maria descend down the stairs. He quickly placed the cell back in her bag and greeted her as she walked into the kitchen.

'You look…nice,' he complimented her nervously, knowing that if he extended on the nice it would be perceived as him trying to hit on her.

'Thanks, um - could you give me a lift to the party?' she asked moving slowly towards him, using her feminine charms to persuade him to do whatever she wanted, a dangerous move she suddenly realised and stopped a metre away from him.

'Sure,' he told her and smiled sweetly placing his glass down on the breakfast bar and grabbing his keys. He desperately wanted to ask who Billy was but knew that if he did, she'd know he'd seen her phone or at the very least of it would think he'd been asking after her.

'Ok, so lets go!' she told him and he obediently followed her out of the house.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'You definitely called her?' Liz asked Isabel as they made their way over to the bar.

'Definitely,' Isabel nodded determinedly.

'But she didn't answer and she hasn't returned your call?' Liz asked panicking and Isabel turned to face her with a warning glare.

'Do me a favour - not tonight Liz!' Isabel complained and ordered herself, Alex and Liz a drink from the barman.

Liz looked around the club and clocked Tess and Kyle on the dance floor and Alex and Max in their booth in deep conversation. She turned her attention to the door and saw Maria walking in with Michael following close behind.

'I shouldn't be in here - they figure out I'm a teacher and not a student then they'll rip me apart!' he shouted to Maria above the music.

'Would you quit complaining and just keep a low profile, besides it was your pitiful explanation of what you were getting up to alone tonight that got you invited here in the first place!' she shouted back at him, her back still facing him as she meandered through the crowds.

She spotted Max and Kyle and pointed them out to Michael telling him to go join them and she'd get them both a drink. She saw Liz standing by the bar and waved at her as she walked towards her.

'Hey - sorry I'm so late!' she apologised looking at Liz and smiling apologetically at Isabel as she turned around.

'Thank God you're here, Liz thought that you'd hightailed it back to Professor Guerin's apartment and taken your extra curriculum activity to a whole other place!' Isabel chuckled.

'Liz, there's nothing going on!' Maria said and shook her head as she stepped up to the bar and ordered two beers.

'So you invite him to a party as a thank you?' Liz asked.

'Wait, he's here?!' Isabel exclaimed and Maria turned around nodding.

'Look he's only here cos he didn't have anything else to do. He told me at dinner that he was just gonna go home and watch the TVO - even I'm not that cruel to let someone wither away in front of the box!' she told them.

'Dinner?!' Liz asked perplexed.

'Look it was just a bite to eat before we came home - that's all!' she told her friend attempting to convince herself more so than Liz.

'Ok well, that's ok. Just a bite to eat!' Liz told her and threw her hands in the air in frustration.

'Liz - what's wrong with you?' Isabel asked.

'Is it only me that seems to be worried that Maria and Professor Guerin seem to be crossing the boundaries of student-teacher relationship?!' Liz yelled, 'schooling is important Maria - you were lucky enough to get into Brown and you're gonna screw it all up because you wanna screw your teacher!'

'Who said anything about screwing anyone, geez Liz - would you get off my back! I told you that nothings going on and what if there were?! That has nothing to do with you, it wouldn't be your college career on the line so why'd you care?' Maria argued back.

'You're my friend, and believe it or not I care about you and I don't want to see you throw your life away on a guy again! I'm sorry if I cant pretend that what happened to you before you came here didn't happen, its not easy to forget something like that Maria and I applaud you I really do for pretending it didn't happen by never talking about it but come on Maria - you don't even know this guy! He could be as much of a psycho as Billy was!'

'You don't know what happened with Billy so don't pretend that you do. You're right I don't know Michael, but I'm sure him being a lecturer at a prestige school means he's not nearly as bad as Billy,' she spat out through gritted teeth, 'and I don't appreciate you bringing him up in a conversation on a night out whilst I'm trying to enjoy myself 'kay?!' she told her angrily and Isabel stood in between them to calm down the situation.

'Liz, just go sit down ok,' Isabel told her and turned back around to face Maria who was still seething from Liz's words.

'Maria she cares about you, we all do. She just wants to make sure that you're not making a mistake,' Isabel's soothing voice interrupted Maria's harsh memories.

'Cos that's all I do right?! Make mistakes!' she scoffed, 'I screw the wrong guy in high school, almost get myself killed, I run away and try to make a better life for myself and then I end up in a class where a really hot guy teaches and I might as well go for gold and screw him huh, cos I'm full of mistakes!' she told her and looked on confusingly as Isabel pointed behind her looking at her sympathetically. Maria turned around to come face to face with Michael who scratched his eyebrow nervously as she looked on embarrassed and shocked.

'Hey, I um - came to see where those beers had gotten to,' he explained and hooked his thumb over his shoulder, 'but um I might as well go,' he told her sadly and started to turn to walk away until he felt her soft hand on his arm. She didn't wait for him to turn around before she spoke.

'I'm sorry - I didn't mean that…I just…Liz said some things and she brought up some things and…'

'…screwing me would be a mistake,' he told her still facing away from her, 'and you don't want that right? After all you're trying to give yourself a better life one that doesn't involve making mistakes!'

'Michael,' she sighed in frustration.

'It's fine - it really is. You're right, it would be a mistake!' he replied and he shrugged her hand off his arm.

'Yeah maybe it would be,' she whispered at his retreating back.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'Hey cuz, didn't know you were coming here,' Max exclaimed as he caught his cousin at the bar downing shots.

'Yeah well, I gave Maria a lift cos she was running late and I kinda got invited in,' Michael told him disinterestedly hanging his head low and signalling the barman to pour another shot.

'Are you ok man? You um…don't usually drink so much,' Max asked concerned.

'Fine,' he spat out.

'Has something happened?' he asked placing his hand on his cousin's shoulder.

'Nope and it's not likely to either Max so you can just leave, just go dance with your gal pal man. I'll get myself home!' he spat out.

'Ok,' Max replied and left Michael staring into the empty glass.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'Is he still over there?' Maria mumbled, her head resting on her arms on the table.

'Yep,' Kyle told her taking a swig of his beer and keeping an eye on Michael at the bar.

'Urgh, why is he still here?!' she mumbled again.

'Maybe he's doing the exact same thing you're doing,' Kyle suggested.

'Which is?' she lifted her head and took a sip of her drink then brushing her hair away from her face.

'Over analysing this - look, you know it's a mistake, he knows it's a mistake, so why bother thinking about it?' Kyle told her sternly.

'Because…' she sighed.

'Because what? You're interested in him, more than you've been letting on right?!' Kyle suggested and watched as she nodded and threw her head back down on the table.

'Maria,' Kyle sighed disappointingly.

'I know,' she mumbled.

'Look, you're gonna have to stop this! - Why don't you transfer?' Kyle asked.

'Because, if I transfer to another lecturer then I need to start from square one, the other professor teaches only first and third years so I'm screwed!' Maria informed him and smiled weakly at him as she lifted her head again.

'Then you're gonna have to put up with him teaching our class and you're gonna have to stay as far away from him as possible and that means, not inviting him to parties, not going round to his place and not going to the station on weekends!' he told her sternly and then sighed as he saw Michael coming towards them.

'Mind if I have a word?' Michael slurred out but Kyle sat firmly in his seat.

'I don't think that's a good idea, Mr Guerin - maybe you should just go home?' Kyle suggested but Michael didn't move.

'Outside,' Maria piped up and looked displeasingly at Kyle knowing that she would be in for a lecture from him when she gets back.

She pushed herself up from the seat and motioned for Kyle to stay put as she followed Michael out of the club via the back exit. She blew into her cupped hands as they stepped out into the cool night air.

She gasped when she felt Michael push her back up against the wall brushing up against her keeping her pinned against it. A million thoughts were running through her mind at that moment, she wanted to scream for help, she wanted to kick him in the balls, she wanted to slap him and push him away from her.

This was all too familiar to her that part of her felt as though she couldn't cope with it anymore but there was another part of her, fighting away all these feelings - that other part wanted him to take her right here and now. She wasn't scared of him, he wasn't doing this to hurt her she could tell that by the look in his eyes but she was still scared of something. She was scared of the consequences, she was scared that she'd have to run again and she was sick of running.

'Michael,' she moaned as he pushed harder against her.

'Ssshh, don't talk it ruins the moment!' he whispered, his breath tickling her lips.

'But…' she started again but he put his index finger up against her mouth indicating for her to be quiet.

'If you talk and you say how wrong this is then we'll never know how right it could be!' he told her hoarsely and she shook her head in confusion.

He stared deep into her eyes seeing a thousand emotions swim through them, he smirked when he recognised lust and passion. He'd hoped he'd see that within her because then that would tell him that what he wanted to do would be reciprocated.

He lent in closer to her and smirked as she closed her eyes waiting for him to kiss her, she lifted her arms and placed her hands on his chest as he smoothed his hands over her sides to settle on her waist.

He moved in closer and kissed her, softly at first but the passion was building as the heat between them intensified. She didn't dare open her eyes, she was so scared to see him there in front of her because she would see the reality of her situation in the surrounding derelict buildings, the darkened alley and the dull beat of the music inside. Instead right then at that moment all she wanted to do was pretend she was in a world where it didn't matter that she was making out with her college lecturer, it didn't matter that what they had was forbidden. All that mattered was that he was there with her for now.

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flora x

Luluzita - definitely the forbidden fruit.

Sara - Liz always got on my nerves so its no surprise I wrote her as such in my story - I though she was so whiny all the time and often stuck her nose in. having said that she is her friend and I think she just wants to make sure Maria knows what she's getting into, that's the same with Kyle. M&M booth have to think of the consequences of this before they jump into anything. Glad your still enjoying the fic.

valentinebaby - I'm not a fan of impaired judgment but then again they say the truth comes out when you've had a few.

RhondaAnn - they have definitely overdone it and particularly Liz will start to back off a little though not before she tries and intervention, uh oh. Kyle is really the only one that's aware of Michael and how Maria feels about him so he'll be the main one doing all the analysing and advising however at the moment he isnt fully aware of what has gone on with her in her past and how Maria needs Michael and what he can offer her, albeit forbidden at this moment in time.

Lozz83 - Maria's not stupid, but she is slightly messed up. Somethings gone on in her past that has left her questioning everything, begging for help and makin very misguided decisions. More to come on that.

jana1977 - I am exactly the same - preferably concentrate on the candy parts they are always the best!
I'm sure Judge Judy would love to be involved in that court case! lol. Wish i had professors as hot as Michael Guerin, I'd have gone to class more!

augustdestiny - they are playing with fire but that only serves to escalate the passion and lust they are feeling for each other. Yes Michael is in a position of responsibility and should not be placing himself nor Maria in that position but they're both too irresistable to each other and more will be revealed about both of their pasts and why they are both so keen on becoming involved with each other. Billy has his ways and means about getting Maria's number and the restraining order back in their hometown proved useless so once Maria hightailed it out of there, thinking she'd be rid of him, she never really expressed any interest in keeping the order in existence, a rather naive and silly mistake to make as will become clear later.

emadaps - With a bit of luck one of them will make the decision to transfer but it depends whether that will solve the problem. At this time Michael doesnt want to threaten his career by being picky about the classes he teaches and seen as he covers all 3 years of the course he's not in the position to drop his second year class - at the moment he's the only professor teaching that year. Billy will make an appearance at some point.

Christina - You should find out what Michael thinks in this next part. Billy will make an appearance and it's not going to be pretty

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CHAPTER NINE

The sun was streaming in through the windows, which caused Maria to stir. She slowly opened her eyes and then shut them again, scrunching her face up and bringing her hand to her forehead she tried to ease away the tension within her mind. Her brain was constantly ticking over the events of last night, her conscience cursing her, her heart leaping in excitement.

Their stolen kiss had only lasted a few moments until Michael pulled away from her and looked her up and down. She saw it then - the realisation of what he had done and how wrong he felt it was. She winced from the pain she felt inside of her, bit her bottom lip to stop the tears from falling and slapped him - hard.

He didn't move, just stood there accepting her punishment, she stared at him - trying to find something there in his expression, in his eyes but there was nothing, they were just blank. She turned to walk away and felt a strong grip on her forearm. She didn't look back, just stood still watching the back door of the club waiting for him to either release her or drag her back into his strong embrace.

He stood there, watching as her hair danced in the cool breeze, the moon lighting her figure. He wanted so much to just turn her around and hold her but he couldn't. He had made the most of the moment and now he felt dirty - he had made out with a student! His student!

The cardinal sin of the teaching profession, his career already tarnished before it had really taken off. There was something about her though - something he couldn't ignore. She demanded attention, she emitted passion and lust, and she was the exact thing he craved but couldn't touch.

He battled for a few moments, should he let her go or should he pull her closer? He heard the door shift open and watched as two drunken students toppled out of it and proceeded to pull each other's clothes off while sucking each other's faces.

He let go of her forearm and dropped his arm against his side watching as she walked through the door to the club. He sighed and kicked a trashcan in frustration, running his hand through his hair he mentally kicked himself for being such a coward or such a fool - he didn't exactly know which right now. He left via the back delivery gate and walked home, hoping the cool night air would sober him up enough for him to think straight.

He tossed and turned, his arms entangled in the sheets - he had been doing this all night, he just couldn't sleep. His mind still reeling over what happened last night. He kept seeing her face in front of his eyes, the look of shock, disbelief and then sadness. He was confused, he thought that she would push him away, turn her head away in disgust, run a million miles but she didn't.

When he pulled away she stayed there waiting for him to make the first move - and he did that! He looked at her his mind racing with the possibilities and the impossibilities. His confusion and his uncertainty must have registered on his face and that's what she saw, that's why she hit him. He rubbed his face with his hands in frustration and he sighed. He had no idea what to do, he had no idea what he wanted to do.

He was released from his thoughts when he heard a knock at the door and saw that Max had invited himself in.

'Hey man, you still coming to the game?' he asked as he perched on the end of the bed.

'Erm, I dunno man. It's not exactly my thing!' Michael replied and pushed himself up out of bed.

'Your thing? Michael you were star quarterback at college - you love the game!' Max told him disbelievingly.

'Yeah well, those days are gone Max!' Michael told him.

'Michael, I don't get you sometimes y'know that?!' Max shook his head and headed for the door.

'Who's gonna be there?' Michael asked, feeling guilty for being such a jerk.

'Why does that matter?' Max asked as he paused at the door.

'Doesn't,' Michael answered and smiled weakly.

'Has this got something to do with that pissy mood you were in last night?' Max asked quietly so not to raise Liz's suspicions.

'Nope,' Michael answered not committing to the conversation and Max furrowed his brow in suspicion.

'The whole gang's gonna be there, Kyle plays in the team, Tess shows up for support - Maria loves the game!' Max informed him with a laugh and his suspicions rose as he watched Michael's reaction to the news. 'Look, Michael. If it's not a good idea that you show up today - then I wont be offended. Just stay out of trouble. Maria's a great girl, but she aint worth losing the career over man, remember that!' Max held up his hand to silence Michael's denial that there were any feelings involved as far as Maria DeLuca was concerned.

Max left his room and he heard Liz laughing in the living room, probably at some lame joke Max had told her to stop her from asking too many questions about their conversation. Michael didn't know Liz that well, but from what he'd gathered from Max, she was a bit of a goody two shoes and tended to frown upon a lot of the actions of her friends. She knew how to have a good time, he'd heard, but not too much of one. He knew that she would be the exact type of person to have something to say about his close encounter with Maria last night and prayed to God that Maria wouldn't tell her. The last thing he wanted was some self-righteous student laying out the consequences of his actions when his own conscience was doing enough of that for him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'Maria!' Tess called from the foot of the stairs, 'you nearly ready girl?'

'Yeah, I'm coming,' she huffed as she attempted to descend the stairs whilst trying to tie her shoes around her heel.

'We can't be late!' Tess yelled at her and motioned for Isabel and Alex to get up off the couch and out into the car.

'Chill Tess. It's just a match, one that we've seen Kyle play in like a hundred times!' Maria scoffed, her comments earning her a death glare from Tess.

'Yes well, if you had a boyfriend and he played in his college team then as your life long best friend I would support you and devote my entire Sundays to watching him play with you. That sounded weird. So move!' Tess ordered and Maria rolled her eyes following Isabel and Alex out to the car.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'I cannot believe how hot it is out here today!' Liz complained as she made her way through the bleachers with Michael following suit.

'Yeah,' Michael answered disinterestedly.

'So you a fan of the game?' Liz asked turning her head slightly to make sure he was still following her. For what it was worth, Liz persisted in making friends with Michael. After all she was dating his cousin, it would only be polite to offer her friendship to his family.

'Yep, used to play in college - listen Liz…' Michael grabbed her shoulder forcing her to stop and turn to face him, '…you mind if we just sit right here?' he asked her.

'We always sit together, Michael!' Liz told him unsure why he was being so edgy but only guessing it had something to do with Maria and the events of last night.

After Isabel had told her to leave last night she went over to the table to join Max and Kyle, she continued to watch Isabel and Maria and then Michael joined them and looked as though he had been shot down - hard. She didn't like the look on his face, it signified something was not quite as it seemed. His reaction was unnerving to watch and her suspicions rose when she saw him seemingly downing his sorrows in a glass full of scotch.

'Fine, sorry I asked,' Michael spat out.

'Look, whatever it is that you think is going on with you and Maria. Forget about it!' Liz told him sternly, 'do you know how hard it is to get that girl to concentrate on school as opposed to partying and sleeping with any guy that crosses her path?!'

'That's a little harsh don't you think?' Michael asked angrily.

'Why?' Liz retaliated.

'I know she has a hard time grasping the concept of school a lot of the time - but she's turning that around Liz. She handed her paper in on time. Surely you can give her credit for that?!' he was starting to get frustrated with the way Liz was talking about her friend.

It was as if Maria was a disappointment to Liz, an embarrassment. So what if the girl liked to party - who didn't in college? Maria just needed to find that balance between going out and getting drunk and studying. It was hard to do - he should know. He'd done his fair share of partying and was both shocked and surprised that he had earned his honours let alone landed himself a comfortable job.

'And what exactly do you think will happen when she has something else to take her mind away from school?' she looked accusingly at Michael.

'Are you insinuating that she and I could form some kind of relationship?' he asked trying hard to keep his voice steady. He sounded slightly confident but he also sounded slightly nervous and Liz picked up on that.

'Are you saying that you're not interested?' she asked him. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn't form the words in time before the horns blew to signify the announcement of the line up. Liz spun on her heels and continued to search out her friends.

Once locating them, she sat besides Alex and noticed that Maria was at the far end next to Tess, she hadn't noticed Liz approach thank god and Liz motioned for Michael to take the empty seat next to her.

He did as he was told, like a schoolboy being told to sit still by his mother. He glanced down the line trying to achieve eye contact with Maria but she didn't turn to look at him, not even look out of the corner of her eye. He pulled back when an angry Liz silently instructing him to face the field blocked his view. He rolled his eyes and faced forward, stealing the odd sideways glance in Maria's direction but much to his disappointment she never once looked his way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As the half time whistle blew, Maria excused herself and went to get a drink. Michael saw this as an opportunity to follow her and talk to her, though what he was going to say was a mystery to him.

He left his seat whilst Liz was engrossed in a conversation with Alex and Isabel and rushed down the stairs in order to meet her in the hallway of the stadium. He was in luck because as soon as he got down the stairs the blonde hurricane collided with him and nearly knocked him off balance.

'Hey,' Michael greeted nervously.

'Hey back, I'm busy!' she spat out not wanting to have a discussion with him here of all places.

'Maria listen...' Michael tried but Maria held up her hand to block his words.

'Not interested - you're my professor, you are also my friends cousin and unfortunately for me it seems that any social event that Max comes to you come along. There is nothing going on between us despite your attempts to make it such last night so why don't you just leave talking to me to the classroom!' she told him angrily and walked away. Michael bit back the surprise and frustration he felt by her words. She was right - he was muscling in on her social life, it was him that was the odd one out here today and it would always be like that. Michael took the decision there and then to leave.

'Tell Max I said bye!' Michael called after her retreating back and she stopped and turned her head slightly. She watched as he walked out of the door and left. She hadn't meant to be so harsh, he was trying to apologise so it seemed and Maria had just interrupted all guns blazing but she knew what she wanted to know. He wouldn't fight for her, part of her had hoped that he'd argue back - that he'd tell her that there was more to it than that, that he didn't regret last night anything that could give her some kind of hope that what she was experiencing wasn't her imagination - that he wanted it too.

She hadn't told him that though had she? So why would he lay it all on the line and be the first to cave? She had told him that there was nothing going on - as far as he thought that was what she truly believed. She mentally kicked herself, she had hoped last night had meant something to him but the look he had held in his eyes - she was frightened. She saw disappointment there and she knew at that moment he felt he had made a mistake and that he hated himself for it. She sighed in frustration and shook her head trying to shake the thoughts from her mind.

Kyle was right - this was risky business and it needed to end before anything else happened. Michael was drunk - she would chalk it up to too much booze because clearly he was not in his right frame of mind when he kissed her. He hadn't fought for her, hadn't argued with her dismissal of the possibility of something happening he'd just left and now she had to start the long process of trying to get over it.

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flora x