Fighting For You by Megan Noelle

player and there was a part of me that wanted to set her straight.  I could care less how many chicks Alex had in his bed but this girl was Dani’s best friend, and the last thing I wanted was this ‘encounter’ to make her mad at me.
    Not that I should give a damn either way, but I’d be lying to myself if I said I didn’t.  My hands mindlessly twirled and poured liquor into two shot glasses.  My mind was elsewhere and apparently Gabby noticed.
    “She’s just sitting at home alone tonight,” she said in a low voice, meant just for me to hear.
    “Oh,” I replied, trying to sound as uninterested as possible.
    I placed the shots in front of her and tried to move my arm away but she stopped me.  With a firm hold on my wrist, I was forced to look up into her honey brown, puppy dog eyes.
    “There wasn’t a day that she was away that she didn’t miss you.  For the first month, she cried herself to sleep every night.  She spent her free time regretting how she hurt you and wishing things were different.  So I know she hurt you, but she hurt herself just as much in the process.  But, please, don’t give up on her.”
    She pleaded with me, begging me to understand.  And I did.  Not that there weren’t still issues I needed to work out.  Plus, I needed to know that she was truly around for the long haul this time.  But none of that changed the fact that that woman was the reason my heart beat. 
    And the only one I wanted in my life.
    It was at that moment that Alex returned and I was happy for it.  I had no clue how to respond to Gabby, but I knew what I needed to do.
    “Enjoy your shots,” I told the pair before frantically scanning the bar for Sanders.  He was at the far end, mixing a few drinks for a couple chicks that clearly had a thing for him.  I had to remember to give him shit for it later.  Now, however, there was a pressing engagement I needed to attend to.
    “Sanders!” I called out.
    His head whipped to face me, concern riddled his eyes. “Yeah, Boss?”
    “You’re in charge.”
    There was no point waiting for a response because I knew the bar was safe.  It was my future that wasn’t.  I wished it wasn’t winter so I could hop on my bike and race across town.  Wouldn’t that make for an epic tale - a guy jumps on his bike to fight for his woman, slips on black ice and dies?  Yeah, this wasn’t going to be a tragedy.
    I refused to let it be.
    As much as I wanted to race away, I resorted to my Jeep.  I got in and threw it in gear, driving as quickly as I possibly could with one destination in mind - Dani’s house.  I pulled up in the driveway behind her car and felt my heart beat quicken when I saw the living room lights casting a glow on the snow.  Not that I wouldn’t have woken her ass up, but this made it easier. 
    Within seconds, I was rushing out of my car and up to her front door.  My frantic knock on the door made me roll my eyes.  My God, why couldn’t I just chill the hell out?! I heard footsteps approaching and I wondered if I would be able to maintain a cool enough composure so I didn’t terrify her at this late hour.
    She threw open the door.  Those beautiful blue eyes scanned me from head to toe, trying to interpret my crazed visit.
    “Corey, what’s …? ”
    I didn’t even let her get it all out.  My hands framed her face and I drew her lips to mine.  There was hesitation, but only for a moment.  Her arms loosened from her stomach and wrapped around me and just as if they were made for this very thing, our lips moved together as one. 
    The taste of her.  The feel of her.  All of the things I craved and now I wondered if I could ever stop.  I wasn’t here to solely claim her mouth again—there was something else she needed to hear. 
    A soft whimper escaped her mouth as I pulled away enough to stare down into her face.  Her beautiful lips were swelled and glistening, all because of me, and that felt damn good.  A single tear slid down her