I was so surprised I didn't answer right away.

“Last night."

In the same flat tone, she asked, "And before then?"

“Except for E-Beth, never," I answered honestly.

“Who was she?"

“It's a long story."

“Tell me everything."

I told Brianna the whole story: the rescue, the parents, and the moonlit walk on the beach. I told her how scared I was of dying in the water. I told her how in love I felt afterwards, ready to marry

Claudine on the spot. And I told her of how I crashed back down to earth just as quickly.

And when I was done, Brianna was crying again while inspecting the cuts and scratches across my body that she hadn't noticed before. And before

I realized it, she'd launched herself at me and was passionately dropping an intense kiss on my Lips.

She took me by such surprise, I didn't know what hit me. Then as suddenly as we'd started, Brianna pulled away.

“Damn you," she bit out through her tears.

I didn't understand.

“Even when you're a cheating bastard, you're a hero. And even when you've given me a reason to hate your guts, I can't help but Love you."

And then she was kissing me again.

Ny brain still had not yet caught up. But it was trying. And then, just when I was about to mount some verbal protest, Brianna pulled away.

“Did you fuck her ass?”

“Huh?”

More urgently, Brianna enunciated each word, “Did you fuck her ass?"

“N- no.”

And then Brianna's tongue was down my throat as she kissed me even harder than before.

I was still confused. But we had to stop this. I knew the way Brianna felt about me and I'd gotten the sense that she simply couldn't control the way she felt. It was up to me to break us up. It was up to me to free her from this unhealthy relationship.

I got my chance to speak, and to breathe, when she pulled away Long enough to rip my shirt over my head and start pulling her dress off as well.

“Brianna! Wait, wait. We can't do this.”