James wasn't sure what he would do if she came back with a date. He usually considered himself a level-headed man, he had to be in his position, but seeing Carolina with another man would simply be too much.

Couple more hours passed and he was still waiting. "Fuck," he cursed, banging his steering wheel in frustration. Another pair of lights turned the corner, making its way towards him. It looked like it belonged to a large SUV. The vehicle pulled into an empty spot, its motor still running. Sitting up on alert, James watched the door open, his fists closing and opening in agitation.

Finally, Carolina stepped out into the night in the black dress he'd forbidden her to ever wear again. He thought he had ripped it in his need to have her, but obviously she'd been able to mend it. He'd make sure that sexy little bit of material would never be wearable again.

Biding his time, James saw her say goodbye to the others in the car. He could only assume they were her sister and friends. Good thing, since he didn't want to waste any time of their reunion disposing of any bodies. As soon as Carolina started up the stairs, he exited his truck. The SUV waited until she opened her door before driving off. James wasted no time running across the parking lot, taking the stairs two at a time up to her apartment.

Not bothering with the doorbell, he pounded on the door until she opened it.

"I said-?!" Carolina stopped midsentence when she registered him.

James wanted so much to reach out to her and lose himself in her, but he knew once she recovered from the shock, there would be hell to pay.

He was right.

She slammed the door in his face, only to open it seconds later.

"How dare you just show up after all this time?! Now that I know you're alive, I want you to stay the hell out of my life!" She would've slammed the door in his face again but he wedged his foot between the door and its frame.

"Carolina, we need to talk," he said. He knew he sounded plaintive, but he didn't care. He was going to say his piece.

"No!" she responded, trying to get his foot out of the way, "I don't want or care to hear what you have to say. You had a whole fucking year to talk and now it's just too fucking late! You are so fucking lucky I don't own a gun or I would shoot your damn foot off!"

The anger blazing in her eyes didn't deter him. Making his way inside, he closed and locked the door behind him, dropping his overnight bag by the door. Turning towards her, he realized she was getting ready to start yelling at him again.

He beat her to it. "I thought I told you never to wear this dress again."

"Fuck you! I can wear whatever the hell I want! I don't need your goddamn permission!"

"Who did you wear it for? Another man?" James knew he was antagonizing her, but he needed her to say she hadn't been on a date.

"What if I did?"

"Carolina, you don't want to anger me right now, baby. I'm in no mood-"

"Neither am I! I want you to get the hell out of my apartment right now!"

She tried to move around him to the door, but he pulled her into him instead.

James quickly brought his mouth down on hers, stopping her tirade. Words couldn't express how great she felt in his arms. This was what had kept him alive during all those dark moments. Her tongue dueled with his, showing him how much she still wanted him. Her breasts pressed against his chest; her arms wrapped around his neck; her scent filled his senses. His hands caressing all of her softness was pure bliss, what he lived for. They were trying to touch her everywhere. She didn't make it easy on him, either, rubbing herself against him, as if needing to get closer after a brief moment of hesitation.

He'd wanted to talk, to explain why he hadn't been able to contact her. Now, he couldn't think about what he wanted to say. Seeing her face to face had muddled his mind. Their kissing had burned every single thought in his brain to anything but stripping her naked and getting reacquainted with every inch of her luscious body with his mouth, hands, and cock.

Moving his hands to her ass, he lifted her up and began the walk down to her room, never breaking the kiss.