"Because I couldn't be there to protect you! Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?"
"Yes. Because you never let me protect you."
He ran his hands over his face. "That's different."
"It's not different. And I've never beat someone up because of it."
He leaned against the sink. "I did what I needed to do. He's a freaking pervert. He deserved it."
"And that's how people see you. Because you won't defend yourself. And you won't let me try to protect you. I don't want people to see you like that. I want everyone to know how wonderful you are."
"But I'm not wonderful. I'm used to people saying bad things about me. I can handle it."
"You are wonderful." I put my hands on both sides of his face. "You're so wonderful. And smart, and funny, and sexy, and perfect. Even when you get in fist fights you have good intentions."
"I didn't have good intentions. I wanted to kill him."
"You can't convince me that you're a bad person. I don't know why you keep trying to do that. I love you."
"I'm not going to apologize for what I did. I'm still mad." He looked down at his hand.
"If you're mad about what's going on, then maybe you should do something else about it."
"What else can I do?"
I just stared at him.
"What? Talk to the press? Penny, that really would just make it worse."
"Yes. Please. Please tell the real story."
"Joe's going to be mad."
"I don't care. I don't want to go here anymore anyway."
"You don't?"
"No. I want to take the rest of the semester off. And try to enroll somewhere else in the spring. I want that fresh start you talked about."
"You'd give up going here to be with me?"
"Yes. All that I care about is being with you." I needed him to know that he had become the most important thing to me. I adored and cherished him too. "I love you, James Hunter."
He was staring at me so intently. For the first time ever, it seemed like he might actually believe me.
"I love you with everything that I am."
He grabbed my waist and kissed me. "I love you." He lifted me up onto the sink. "And it's rather convenient that you're already naked."
I laughed as he pressed his lips against mine again.
***
"Good morning," I said as James and I emerged from our bedroom.
"Well, you two look like you're in a good mood," Rob said as he opened up the fridge door. "Must be all the sex." His head disappeared behind the fridge door.
I looked up at James. "Could he hear us?" I whispered.
