“Am I picking you up tonight?” he asked. “Or do you still think I'm an ax murderer who might break into your house and off you and your family?”“Pretty sure you'd go all parkour on us. Instead of using an ax.”“Parkour? You think I'd use your family as an obstacle course?”“What?” I asked.He smothered a laugh. “Parkour is non-contact.”I felt my face redden. How was I supposed to know all that guy crap?”

“Greetings, ax murderer! I was just wondering how you like your eggs?”

“You know.... I've been thinking. When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade ..... GET MAD! MAKE LIFE TAKE THE LEMONS BACK! WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THESE? Demand to see life's manager, and make him rue the day that he gave you lemons. DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? I am the man who will burn your house down with lemons. I am going to get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon, which I will use to BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN!”

“You are a child if you thought I didn’t know, for all your smothering yourself under that hot lap robe. Of course, I knew. Why else do you think I’ve been—”He stopped suddenly and a silence fell between them. He picked up the reins and clucked to the horse.”

“What do your parents do? Do they travel a lot?"My brow wrinkled. "No, they don't." I was tired of the interrogation. "Do yours?"He blinked. "What?""Do your parents travel a lot? Are they still married? How many in your family? How old are you? What classes do you have? Boxers or briefs? What's your GPA? Do you always go around knocking strange girls off their feet and then hammering them with a barrage of personal questions?" I finished with a cocky smile.Tristan hid a grin behind his fist. Mr. Exotic levelled me a steady stare, a sly smile gaining momentum. "Do you always end up straddling the guys that do?"Tristan choked. My smile froze. Crap."And as for boxers or briefs." One hand went to his belt buckle. "I'd be happy to..."Double crap. I jabbed a thumb over my shoulder towards my house "I've gotta go.”

“Will you be all right?" she askedHow could I be?Would you be all right, I felt like screaming, if you'd just watched your family taken away, watched your entire town taken away, to be murdered. I'll never be alright.”