“Hey, you know that kicking my ass is the last thing you want to do to it."

“Hmm, your problem is that you waited too long. Madison's ass is pretty dynamite, so yours is now expendable."

Joanna kept finding ways to back out of another contest all the way back to the dorm room, only to have Heda counter each one.

"So you see, I think that a good old fashion wrestling match is a perfect reasonable way for you to back up your tough talk," Heda said with a grin as they rounded the last corner.

All their friends were hanging out on the benches in front of the dorms, except for Madison and Billy who were probably on their way to the station. And there was a newcomer in the group that made Joanna's mouth drop open.

"HeLLo hunkalicious!" she purred as the new guy stood up.

He was six feet four inches tall and built like a competitive swimmer, with shoulder-length hair that was so black that the light reflected blue off of it. He had full lips, warm green eyes and the most perfect skin she had ever seen. He looked a bit older than most of the rest of the crowd, but was still obviously in his physical prime.

Heda scrunched up her eyes as if annoyed, though her mouth was quirked in amusement . . . or maybe it was glee.

“What the fuck are you doing here?"

“Wait, you know this stud muffin?" Joanna pouted.

"And you didn't tell me about him?"

"Yeah, we just found this cat hanging out saying he needed to talk to our girl Heda," Anthony said, “and you KNOW that we weren't gonna let him near her if he wasn't legit."

“When did you become a gangsta?" Peter asked his friend.

Anthony shrugged.

“Don't be hatin'."

"Heda," Joanna almost whimpered, “introduce your friend!"

"Friend?" Heda shook her head.

"He ain't no friend of mine. So Ed, you going to tell me what you're doing here?"

“What? Can't a caring, loving brother check in on his semi-helpless little sister?"

“Helpless my ass," she replied, smiling openly and giving "Ed" a big hug.

"That's your brother?!" Joanna squealed.

“You told me you had brothers, but not that they were hot!"

“I really like her," Ed said with a lopsided grin.

“Could help a man's ego being around a woman like her."

"Name's Joanna, and I'm your sister's bestest friend and confidante," she said, sliding up to him.