He knew that he was taking a chance sitting in this bar. Ever since he'd won the belt he couldn't go anywhere without being noticed. Most days he didn't mind the fans. One of the first things that he was taught by Hunter was that despite what they said on camera the fans made them, so he tried to be gracious when they came up asking for an autograph or a few minutes of his time. Today though it was a different matter...

Today he was in a town that held too many memories, both good and bad. The bad memories tore at his gut, but the good ones were even worse. The good ones tore at his heart and made him weak in the knees. They reminded him of what a fool he'd been. They taunted him with the knowledge of what he'd never find in another person and everything he'd lost when he'd pushed her away. She was the only woman he'd ever been intimate with who he trusted with his soft sensitive side and accepted his need for someone of the opposite sex. She once told him that it was as much a part of him as anything else and to demand its removal made as much sense as asking him to cut off his arms or let his chest go flabby. He missed the sound of her laugh, the feel of her hands on his tired muscles, and the way she fit perfectly into his lap along with about a million other things.

He could feel eyes on him and deepened his scowl hoping that it would keep people away. Lifting the bottle of beer he put the cool glass to his lips tilting it upwards letting the dark amber liquid run down his throat. He wished that it would numb the pain, but he was sure that there wasn't enough alcohol in the world to do that.

He first felt warm breath on his neck before he saw the hand slip in front of him placing a room key on the dark polished wood of the bar. Momentarily his pulse quickened but he told himself there was no way what he was thinking could be possible and tried instead to come up with a way to let this person down that wasn't too harsh, however when a voice sweeter than any melody reached his ears he froze wondering if he was hallucinating. "I'm not normally the kind of girl who would invite a stranger up to her room, but then something tells me that you aren't just any stranger so all that I ask is that you go slowly."

He knew that voice and those words haunted his dreams. He was in this very same hotel at this very bar in this exact seat the first time the nervous invitation was offered to him. At the time he thought that he was just accepting a one night stand, but before the night was up he realized it was more than that. He felt her leave his side, but the scent of her perfume lingered behind keeping him company as he fingered the plastic card. Letting his eyelids fall shit, he thanked every God he knew for this second chance before throwing a few bucks on the bar and hurrying after her. He had a meeting with destiny and he was damned if he was going to be late.

Hurrying around the bar, through the lobby, and towards the elevators he wondered where she would be. This scene was one they replayed in the past a handful of times and she was usually found in a different spot between the bar and her hotel room. He was disappointed when he didn't find her at the elevators. The ride up the six floors seemed to last forever and impatiently he rocked from one side to the other. When the doors opened and she wasn't there either he found himself disappointed again and yet excited all at the same time. Hurrying down the hallway he found himself anticipating this meeting more than any before and when she came into view he found himself pausing so that he could look at her.

He decided that she was even more beautiful than he remembered. He knew that most men wouldn't call her that, but to him she was the most beautiful woman in the world. At five foot six she wasn't tall, but he wasn't afraid of hurting her because she was so small either. She had thick curls that he loved burying his hands in and a smile that could change his while day. Her eyes though… they were what haunted him. He always knew where he stood just by looking into those brown orbs of hers. He couldn't imagine any other woman in the world that he wanted to be with more or one who could devastate him quicker with only one little rejection.

"It seems that I misplaced my key," she said softly. Her sparkling eyes held only a hint of the nervousness that was there the first time she spoke those words.

Thumbing the piece of plastic in his hand, Dave grinned moving forward again until he could look down upon her. "I seem to have found this extra key card, maybe it's yours." Slowly Dave slid the card through the slot, opening the door when the light turned green. "Magic," he said and when her hand touched his chest speech, became impossible.

"Such a powerful mage deserves a reward," she whispered before she took his hand and pulled him into the room with her.

Once the door was closed though things changed as all pretenses of the game they'd been playing fell away. He knew that he should say something… anything to make sure that she wanted this as much as he did, but the need to taste her once more was too strong. Before he knew that it was happening he had her lifted off her feet and pressed against a nearby wall as his lips ravished hers and the bar in his tongue teased her mouth. He didn't recognize her feet braced against the wall as her skirt lifted or that her arms wound themselves around his neck all that he knew was that their bodies were pressed closer together. The moans surrounding them were unrecognizable as belonging to a specific person as they melted together becoming one united sound of love. Her panties were gone and his shirt opened as both their hands explored greedily becoming familiar once more with each others bodies.

Somewhere in the back of his mind the whispered request to go slow was remembered, but when he felt her hands stroking him to life it was extinguished in an explosion of need and he never got around to wondering when he lost his pants.

And then he was inside of her.

Her fingernails clawed at his flesh and his teeth sank into hers as the pace only increased spiraling into something primitive and animalistic. When the end came it was hot and hard tearing at them both burning away any lingering scars of the past leaving only new hope for the future. He found himself clutching her to him as their bodies twitched afraid she was going to disappear into some land where she was only a dream.

He didn't know the fear was spoken out loud until he heard her husky and shaky voice in his ear. "The past is in the past my demon warrior. I care only about today. Yesterday will just have to fend for itself. Swear that you'll never leave me again and that is all the assurance I need."

Dave pulled back intending to speak needing to insure she was aware of the extent of his love for her, but the lump in his throat made it impossible. Her head dipped briefly as their lips touched once more this kiss much more tender and loving than the previous ones that were filled with desperation needing to fill the gap in time when they had been apart. When she spoke again her eyes sparkled and he found himself enchanted and then all at once amazed.

"By the way, Hunter says hi and no more bitching about Stephanie."

~~~~~~~~~

The End!