Rafe Dunmore took another swig of the bitter brew he had paid too much money for. The sliding of the liquid no longer burned his throat. Not at this hour. And he had begun earlier than usual on this particular Tuesday night. He had hoped that the alcohol would be enough to drown any feelings he would have been forced to deal with. Finishing the last of the drink, he set the glass onto the counter with a heavy clink. He mentally cursed humanity and its ability to feel so strongly about everything. Despite the numbness he'd tried to achieve, anger and frustration thrummed quietly in his blood. Lust burned low mixing with the alcohol in his stomach. What seemed to matter the most was that the fifty-two dollars he had forfeited to achieve this haze of numbness actually seemed to be helping the ache in his chest. A rueful smile broke over his rough features at the thought of the reason for his pain.

"Another one, sir?" The red-haired barista asked politely.

Rafes' eyes moved from the counter to her big green eyes then looked over her hourglass figure. He mentally appreciated the beauty of women. The barista's mass of red-hair was pulled into a loose ponytail and her scoop necked black shirt hinted at a generous bosom. Her pale skin seemed to glow even though the lights were dimmed in the bar. Her luscious red painted lips were curved into a sultry smile. Rafe considered the lady for a moment and considered how best to respond. It did not escape him that she had been purposefully guarding his area of the bar and sending him a lot of smiles. A smile of his own curled his lips and he reached for her hand as it came around his empty glass. Her eyes widened at his movement and a light blush crept up on her cheeks. He rubbed his thumb lightly over her the softness of her wrist and felt her breath catch. Her eyes moved from their hands to his darkening gaze. Rafe mentally considered spending the night with the pretty barista. It had been a long time since he had fucked a pretty red head.

"No, thanks." He replied letting her go. It truly was a shame, he mused cynically. He could bury the pain in another woman's arms and it would feel so good. But not right. He watched the sway of her hips as the barista walked away and considered going back on his decision. Distracted and definitely conflicted, he did not notice when someone approached him.

"Rafe." A gruff voice greeted him.

Surprised, Rafe turned to his see his best friend settle in the stool on his right.

"What are you doing here Paul?" Rafe turned his stool, facing his friend.

"The wife and I decided to come out for a drink. Yessenia found Eliza outside and the girls are catching up." Paul explained drolly. "Thank god, I found you here. I would have been stuck with the ladies and their gossip."

Rafe stiffened at Paul's words. She was here? Despite his inner voice telling him not to look for her, his head turned toward the entrance of the bar. His breath caught as it always did when he saw her. True to Paul's words, she was with Yessenia. The smile she directed toward her married friend immediately froze when she spotted him. Her lips pursed and her brows wrinkled in dismay. The brown eyes that had shown with humor immediately turned dark and stoic. Rafe watched as the woman he loved pulled on her overcoat of coolness doing her best to bury any emotion she may have felt especially in regards to him. He was not surprised but every time she did it, his ire rose. What did he have to do to get past her walls?

"Rafe! We didn't know you would be here. How are you doing?" Yessenia cried excitedly as she approached them.

He forced himself to smile and answer that he was well before shifting his gaze to Eliza. Unsure what to say, he nodded at her and she nodded back before moving away from him. From the corner of his eye, he watched her sit next to Yessenia's right. Her brown hair was not frizzy today. She had done something to it, something to tame and curl the locks that continuously grazed her bare shoulders. He found himself jealous of her hair. He wished he could touch her so casually. Just once.

Her stoic features were focused on the couple between them. She tried her best to never look at him and he tried his best to take her in. Her small hands were folded neatly on the counter top. She must have felt daring tonight because she had worn a mauve halter top dress and the ruffles on her bodice enhanced her smaller breasts. He grimaced at her lack of foresight. The weather man said it would rain tonight. She would get cold but he appreciated how the dress accentuated the curve of her hips and revealed the soft skin of her rounded shoulders. In comparison to the red headed barista, Eliza was not beautiful. In fact, she paled greatly in comparison to most of the woman present in the bar. It was one of the reasons he had overlooked her and was another reason why he was in this predicament with his heart. He did not pursue plain women and so he never viewed her as a threat. What a mistake that had been. Slowly ever so slowly, he had fallen for the passion that glowed in her plain brown eyes when she talked about injustice and projecting change in her career. He had fallen for the uneven smile that graced her lips after a witty quip that revealed her intelligence. He even loved the way her voice was not classically female—soft and low. He had fallen in love with her. Her and her heart. It was misery.

"Did you bring a coat?" He found himself asking.

"No." She replied glancing at him. Then just as quickly, she turned her cool gaze back to the talking couple.

Frustration raged within him at how easily she dismissed him. She always did even before the way they had come to blows earlier that day. God, why did he love a woman who didn't care for him? His right hand clenched on the counter top. If he could have chosen, he would have chosen anyone else. Anyone but Eliza.


"Thanks for a great night guys." Yessenia smiled a bit drunkenly taking Paul's left hand.

"Do you need an umbrella, Eliza?" Paul asked concerned as he thumbed his umbrella.

"No, it's okay. I am not far from here anyway so I'll just walk." She said with a smile even as she subconsciously rubbed her arms.

It wasn't hard for Rafe to notice the goosebumps on her skin. Unwillingly, he found himself intervening.

"I can drive her home. We live in the same apartment complex anyway." Eliza snapped her head to look at him with eyes filled with horror. Great, it seemed she was absolutely in love with the idea. Before she could protest though, Paul interrupted.

"Oh that's perfect!" He said before detailing the importance of safety at night and overtaking the direction of the conversation. Yessenia smiled secretively by his side.

Eliza blinked owlishly at Paul and Yessenia. Had they seriously just maneuvered her into Rafe's arms? Too shocked to be irritated at her friend and her husband, she stayed quiet and wondered how she would survive time alone with Rafe. Especially after what had happened that afternoon. It was probably not a good idea to be alone with him right now. Before she could wrap her head around the situation, the group was splitting up for the night and Rafe was guiding her to his car. She crossed her arms across her chest and tried to ignore the way his body heat wrapped around her left side. She quelled a shiver at the mixture of hot and cold that encased her body. She mentally shook her head at her blunder tonight. What had she been thinking to not bring a coat? It wasn't like she didn't know how the weather was like in the city. Berating herself for being so stupid, she was jerked out of her thoughts as a heavy coat laden with the smell of man and spice landed on her shoulders. Her eyes met Rafe's and she felt her heart stutter in her chest. Her breath seized in her throat and she felt like she might faint. Even through the thick material, she could feel the warmth of his hands on her bare shoulders. She had to mentally quell a shiver.

"Take my coat." He stated looking at her for a moment longer then moving away.

"No, it's okay." She tried to protest pulling the coat off of her shoulders. He assaulted her senses as he pulled the coat around her again. His body was too close to her and the warmth of it captivated her.

"Don't be stubborn. It wouldn't do anyone any good if you got sick." He stated mechanically. When she didn't try to take off his coat again, he continued walking and did not look at her again.

Feeling like she had been reprimanded, she followed after him trying not to breath too deeply. His cologne was too strong on this coat and it gave her ideas that fanned the fire that had bloomed in her stomach.

He opened the door for her when they arrived at his car and she slid in smoothly. As she folded her legs into the car, her dress rode up on her thighs and she tried to pull it down. She didn't miss how he gaze had roamed over her legs before he closed the door. His gaze had been like a physical graze on her thighs. She closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths to calm the heat building in her veins. Moving the coat to cover her legs, she mentally girded her loins against the attraction she felt for him.

As he started the car, Eliza realized how his car encapsulated his scent even stronger than his coat. She mentally berated herself for taking in a couple of meaningful deep breaths.

"Did you have a good night?" His deep voice rumbled from her left.

"Yeah, it was nice." She answered abruptly to hide the shaking in her voice.

He didn't try to start a conversation again and she mentally thanked her stars. She hoped the proceeding car ride would go by quickly. She didn't regret her rejection of him earlier that day. The decision had been cemented as she came to understand who he was and the exploits that Paul and Yessenia had told her plenty about. Rafe's legacy with women was not a secret to her and he didn't try to keep it a secret. Especially not in all the time that they had known each other. She had seen him pursuing plenty of beautiful woman and she never judged him for it. Well, not much. She knew it was only a matter of time before he got bored and set his sights on her. As much as she was attracted to his rugged features and the way he smelled, she knew that he wasn't the kind of man she should be involved with. Even as a fling. He was the kind of distraction she had promised herself never to indulge in. Sooner or later his interest for her would die out so it was best to flush him out with coldness. Oh how Eliza could be cold. Elsa's magical ice powers had nothing on her.

"Thanks for the ride." She moved his coat from her legs and folded it before trying to unclip her seat belt. She was unsuccessful and started to struggle with the button.

"Here, let me." He murmured before invading her space with his presence again.

His car and his coat did no justice to how good he smelled. They were just imitations to the real thing. She hid a gasp as his face came within an inch of hers. Was this what it be like if he kissed her? No! She mentally berated herself again for the direction of her thoughts. The muscles in her body stiffened as she felt his warm and hard hands graze her much softer ones. She felt how he had paused at the contact. Then, his hands unknowingly grazed her left hip and she felt herself jerking away from him. Good god, why couldn't her body function at the same level as her brain? She tried to quell the fire that burned and coiled within her It seemed to love Rafe's presence and gloried in how softly he touched her even accidentally.

"It's okay." He said calmly before successfully getting her out.

She exited his car and took in a couple of breaths glad for the fresh air. Her mind had been getting very muddled with Rafe all around her. The fresh air helped clear her head and reminded her why she should stay away from him. Why she needed to stay away from him. He was like a drug that her body craved. The fire that melted the ice that sometimes consumed her. It was that cool level-headedness that she needed now to rid herself of him. He could unravel all of her protective walls and for that simple reason she would never indulge in the drug that was Rafe.

"It's still cold so you should wear my coat again. You can give it back to me once we're in the building." He insisted, coming around the car with his coat. She nodded and took the coat from his hands to prevent him from touching her again. Clear-headed now, she didn't want him touching her and decimating her resolve.

They entered the elevator in silence and it continued on their ride to the fourth floor. Eliza knew that Rafe would walk her to her door and then leave her. He always did. Mentally, she breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of her door. Plastering a smile to her stiff face, she turned to tell him goodbye. Thank you for walking me up, she had wanted to say but he had beat her to the punch.

"I'm sorry if what I said earlier today made you uncomfortable." Her eyes widened at his words. He glanced away from her and continued. "I understand that because I said those words it's going to change our dynamic and make things especially awkward for Paul and Yessenia but I just had to say them."

They had finally arrived at her door and Eliza really wanted to get rid of him now. As she looked up into his face and spotted the hurt that he was trying to hide though, she couldn't find it within herself to just dismiss him. She couldn't just say, well sucks to be you and slam the door on his face. That was too cruel and she had never been the kind to be cruel just to save her skin.


When Eliza set the tea down in front of him, she was finally calm enough to talk to Rafe. She had no idea what she was thinking inviting the man into her apartment to have tea and talk about their feelings. Was this how it should go after you reject a man? She blew at her tea cup for a moment before setting it down then clasping her hands together and settling her bare feet underneath her. Rafe was sitting quietly across from her blowing into his tea also. The jacket that he had loaned her sat next to him on the chair. This was not going to be easy, she thought to herself.

"I would like to apologize too if what I said earlier today was too harsh. I can't justify why I said them but I'm sorry. As for your apology, I can't accept it. You shouldn't have to apologize for what you feel" she paused, "especially about me. They are, after all, just feelings."

He looked at her quietly and a muscle ticked in his jaw. She swallowed and knew for a fact that she had said something wrong.

"Right. They are just feelings. Unfortunately for me, they are mine and I have to deal with them while you get to sit there and pity me."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. What I-"

"I know what you mean. You told me in explicit terms about what you mean five hours ago when I told you that I love you." She couldn't hide the way she flinched at his words and he didn't miss it. "And I know how much it disgusts you that a womanizer like me could possible feel something like love for you but inviting me in for tea doesn't make me feel better about my feelings." He set down his cup and stood up. She stood also, not wanting to be overpowered.

"Look, I don't know what you want me to do. I'm trying to be nice here and let you down easy after what I said earlier-"

"That is not what I want from you. I don't want you to try and make this easier for me." He said cutting her off and running his fingers through his brown mane.

"Okay, then what do you want from me?" She demanded, feeling a bit unbalanced. She was not confrontational by nature and this whole situation was making her defensive. A coil of nervousness and anger was rolling around in her stomach. She didn't know what the hell she was doing. Inviting him in to her home even though she had decided to be cold to him. Now she felt guilty for making him angry onto top of all the hurt. Men didn't fall over themselves for her so she had never rejected anyone before. She thought this would be a nice gesture but she must have thought wrong.

His dark eyes moved from her toes slowly up to her face and she had to swallow. Something had changed in his expression. She didn't know what it meant but the low burn in the belly had ignited again.

He took a step closer to her and she took a step back. They continued their dance until Eliza found herself bumping against a cabinet protruding from the wall.

"What I want from you for once. For once in your GODDAMN LIFE is to be honest with me. With yourself." His eyes blazed with anger and that something else. She tilted her head away when his right hand cupped the side of her face but he did not let her move away from him. Not this time. "I am a womanizer, as you have said multiple times Eliza. I know and see all the signs of a woman's arousal. I know when a woman wants me and you want me."

She glared at him, pushing his hand away from her face. "No. I. don't." She enunciated each word and then accused. "You are delusional in your misery."

Firmly, he gripped her wrists when she tried to push against his chest. His face confrontational, invading her space, he continued.

"I am miserable, dear Eliza, and so are you. I see the way you hide in that cold exterior. The way it shadows your eyes when you see me near. I see you running from what you feel for me but I also see how you want it so badly when I touch you."

Her breath caught when his lips landed just below her right ear and her eyes closed at the sensation. His hands moved to cradle her head and her hands remained loosely gripping the front of his shirt. Through kisses, he murmured.

"Tell me the truth. Does it burn you from the inside out like it does for me? I feel it whenever you are near and it makes me crazy. Crazy for you."

Her breath grew more ragged as he moved his kisses down to her throat. When he bit an area on her neck, she held back a moan and felt something clench inside of her. One of his hands covered her breast, and she heard his breath catch when he realized she was braless.

"Stop. Please, stop." She whispered feebly trying to push him away again. This was too much. The way his mouth felt on her skin felt too good. The fire that always burned in her belly had turned into liquid lava. It traveled through her veins and now the fire couldn't be contained. Her legs felt like they were going to give out beneath her and her whole body felt like it was shaking uncontrollably. She felt so unbalanced.

"Tell me the truth." He repeated in her ear before moving to look her right in the eyes.

Slowly, she willed her eyes to open and her breathing to regulate. She gazed into his face and saw the vulnerability, the lust, and the affection that he felt for her. Would she be so weak as to give in? She watched the way her silence unnerved him and knew that her eyes were starting to clear from the lust that burned under her skin. She watched his eyes flash with worry before burning with intensity again. They revealed how he loved her and how he would fight until she admitted to the truth. Would it be so bad to let him in?

"I feel it too." She whispered, and felt tears gather in her eyes as her resolve weakened. Hope bloomed in his gaze and his lips met hers in a passionate kiss.

"I can't love you. I shouldn't love you but I do. And I bury it so deeply inside of me whenever you are near because I am so worried that you will unravel all the walls that I've built to protect my heart. I can't do this Rafe. I can't feel this for you. It terrifies me." She confessed amid a myriad of kisses to her lips and to her teary cheeks.

He pressed his lips to her forehead and pulled her into a comforting hug. "You aren't alone. I didn't want this as much as you did. It terrifies me that I love you so much that it feels like I am dying whenever I am near you."

"I don't want to be in a relationship with you. I don't know if I could ever trust you or anyone with all of my heart." She continued confessing into his shoulder. He stiffened at her words but started to run his fingers through her hair. It was the truth. Eliza wasn't sure if she could ever submit to the idea of a relationship with Rafe. To trust him completely with the guarding of her heart. It was too much to give to someone, especially Rafe.

"Eliza, you haven't given me the chance to prove that I am worthy of your love." He argued and she remained silent.

She pulled away from him and caught the hurt look on his face before finding the guts for what she was going to do next. She reached behind her and undid the tie at her neck feeling the bodice of her dress loosen. Rafe's eyes widened but he did not move away as his eyes flashed with possessive fire. Beyond nervous, she bared her breast and let the dress fall to the floor at her feet. Standing in front of him with nothing on but her panties, she tried not to fidget by placing her hands at her sides. She wasn't prepared for his reaction.

"Fuck. Oh fuck. You are so beautiful." He murmured, clenching and unclenching his hand at his sides.

"Show me." She whispered before he claimed her mouth again. This time he did not hold back. His mouth devoured hers with open mouth kisses, sucking and licking the seams of her lips. She moaned when his hands pinched her nipples. Then they were gone, his hands seemed to move everywhere. First his hands were on her back, then her breast and her hips. They left a trail of fire and pleasure. He pulled away from her to pull off his shirt before wrapping her legs around his waist and placing her on top of the cabinets. Moving between her legs, he kissed her neck again and moved his lips from her clavicle to her breast. Holding both of them in his hands, he squeezed lightly. When she met his eyes, he slowly licked one nipple and smiled when her eyes lashes fluttered downward. He did the same to the other one and got the same reaction. When he closed his mouth over the erect nub and started to suck, Eliza jerked upward and moaned pulling his head closer to her chest. He alternated between a hard and rapid pace, and a slow suckle that made her insides clench again and again. With one last playful bite, he moved lower littering kisses on her stomach on the way to the edge of her underwear. Hardly breathing, Eliza giggled when his hands moved over her sides.

"You're ticklish?" Amusement shown in his eyes.

"Yes." She confirmed, giggling again when his right hand grazed her inner thigh.

"I'll be careful then." He lied before ripping her panties and pulling them off of her. She gasped. That was hot.

"I hope that wasn't your favorite." He moved between her legs.

"Treat me good, and maybe I'll get over it." She challenged, trying hard to fight the embarrassment she felt as he got closer to her wet core.

He grinned at her before laying a kiss at the top of her mound. Next, he licked her from bottom of her folds to the top of her clitoris then swirled his tongue over the protruding button. Eliza arched her back pushing her hips closer to his lips with a groan. His hands wrapped around her legs to hold her in place as he started to lick her vigorously.

"Yes." She gasped before moaning again. He had plunged his tongue deep inside of her and with rhythmic undulations tasted her pussy. She moaned his name and told him how good it felt to have him pleasuring her. Suddenly, he removed his mouth.

"Suck my fingers." He ordered and she obeyed despite her confusion. Taking the two fingers of his right hand into her mouth, she sucked not disturbed by the salty taste. As she saw the lust flaring in his eyes, she slowed. She wrapped her right hand around his wrist and licked his forefinger slowly flicking the top with her tongue. Then she drew each finger into her mouth and sucked thoroughly. She loved the way his breath caught and his eyes darkened when she ran her tongue over his fingers.

"You are so hot. God, I love you." He said before meeting her lips. She kissed him back just as passionately. When the fingers she had been enjoying, entered her pussy she gasped breaking away from the kiss and held onto his shoulders. She moaned again when he started to push his fingers in and out. In and out. Pushing and pulling against the muscled walls.

"Yes, just like that." She whispered before finding his lips again. His pace was relentless inside of her. When his thumb rubbed her clit once, she came on his hand. Her cries were muffled with his mouth. When she no longer writhed with the aftershocks of the climax, he carried her into her room. He laid her down gently and kissed her forehead before moving away to take off the rest of his clothes.

Expecting him to lay down next to her, she was pleasantly surprised to find him between her legs again. Holding her hips down with both of his hands, he licked her slowly lapping up the juices of her orgasm. He explored her vaginal walls stretching and searching with his tongue but avoided her clit. Panting, Eliza moved bent her legs and pushed up so he could touch her where she needed. His hands held her down and she whined in protest. Laughing, he moved to kiss the skin around her pussy and her inner thighs. She twitched and writhed when his teasing graze would tickle more than pleasure. She couldn't stand his teasing anymore.

"Please." She begged, and he bit the area in her inner thigh that he had been paying attention to.

"Yes, beg me." He said darkly, his breath fanning against her wet lips.

"Please, make me come." He groaned with satisfaction at her words and began devouring her with his mouth. He suckled her clit in the same way that he had with her nipples and she thought she would die from the pleasure. Fast and hard, then slow and soft. Then, he used his hands again but this time with a different objective completely. When he pulled her clit into his mouth on a hard pull, he plunged his fingers deep inside of her and pulled out slowly. When he suckled softly, he quickly pushed his fingers in and out of her. On and on he went with his torture, and Eliza became mindless to the pleasure. She begged and cried out but he merely laughed and continued on with his game. The fire that burned and coiled in her lower stomach started to clench stronger and stronger. Her moans got louder and signaled that she was going to come again and soon. His pace changed when her muscles clenched around his fingers. On the first spasm of another orgasm, Rafe started to suck harder on her clit and began his quicken his finger thrusting inside of her. Eliza screamed as she came and writhed against his hold as he fucked her with his mouth and fingers into another orgasm. Stiffening with the power of the second orgasm, Eliza's lips opened in a wordless O as she clenched the bedsheets underneath her.

Rafe's quiet laughter in her ear barely roused her out of her stupor. She felt bodyless and weak with pleasure. She was in heaven.

"That was amazing." She panted reaching up to cup his face with her hand. He held it again his face and kissed her palm.

"Ready for round three?" He asked playfully pinching an erect nipple.

"You are insatiable." She rolled her eyes.

"You'll learn to love it."

"I already love you." At her words, his eyes sparkled with joy and warmth. Leaning down to kiss her slowly, she savored the way his growing stubble nudged her face and the way his chest hair rubbed her nipples teasingly. He seemed to be perfect for her.

"Third times a charm." He relayed with hopeful eyes. "Do you want to do this?"

"Do I want you to fuck me within an inch of my life? Hell yes." They laughed and he moved away to position his cock at her entrance. She pushed up onto her elbows and hid a gasp. He was big. Long and wide enough to be impressive.

"Wait." She said, sitting up. He looked at her with confusion. She watched his face as she reached for him and watched his eyes close when she rubbed him up and down. She ran a thumb over the slit and rubbed the head loving the way he felt in her hands.

"Can I-" She swallowed, "Can I taste you?"

His eyes opened and a pained expression came over his face.

"I would love you to but not right now. I am about to explode in your hand."

She smiled with understanding and maneuvered her hips so she could place the tip of his cock inside of her hole. If she couldn't taste him now, she could do this for him. He took a couple of deep breaths and pushed her onto her back kissing her before pulling away.

"I want to see your face." He growled before pushing slowly inside of her.

Oh, she whimpered never leaving his gaze as he drove his cock into her in one slow and smooth stroke. They both closed their eyes to savor the moment when he filled her completely. It felt so good. So right. He wrapped an arm behind her neck forcing her head to bend backward then laid meandering kisses on her face and neck before moving his hips. At the slow and driving strokes, Eliza gasped and pulled him closer wrapping her legs around him unable to hold back her sounds of pleasure.

"Oh, you feel so good baby" He groaned, "Do you like the way I fuck your tight pussy? I love the way you suck me in. So hot and so tight."

She felt a flare of heat expand in her chest at his words and clenched her inner muscles around him. He groaned again and stared to pound into her faster. He shifted his body putting one hand on her hips to control his movements and moved to lick her nipples. She cried out when his lips started to pull and tug. It mimicked the movement of his cock inside of her. She wouldn't last long if he kept this up. And it seemed he didn't want to. Letting her breast go, he looked at her.

"I'm going to come, Eliza."

"Come inside me." She replied, pulling him in for a kiss.

The kiss muffled her screams again and she felt herself orgasm for the fourth time that night. Rafe bit her neck when he came driving inside of her with a deep thrust and emptying his load with a long groan. Then he fully collapsed on top of her and she held him close to her body. It was satisfying to have the man she loved engulfing her with his body. It felt like they could never be separated.


"Thank goodness, I am on birth control." She sighed against his chest, "If the sex if going to be this amazing, we may never be able to use a condom properly."

"Aren't you going to ask if I'm clean?" He murmured into her hair.

"I trust you. Probably misguided but I do." He kissed her forehead at her answer and laughed.

"I'm clean, darling. I actually checked so that I could start this relationship with you the right way."

Her eyes teared but she did not look up at him.

"I'm sorry that I choose fear instead of love." She whispered unsure if he would hear her.

"Are you choosing love now?" He asked, pulling her away so he could look at her.

She raised her eyes to his and once again read how much he loved her. It didn't make any sense to her logically and yet her heart thumped happily in her chest for the first time in her life.

Instead of answering, she placed a kiss near his heart. He stiffened and then gave a deep sigh pulling her closer to him. She settled into his arms knowing that they were both happy despite the doubts they both had about this new relationship. It was love and at the end of the day that was what mattered most.