Oh, you love it, tough girl," he says, nuzzling my neck.

"Yeah, I do. Sue me," I respond.

"I'm going to get changed for bed. Join me?" he asks.

"I need to check my email really quick because I didn't spend a lot of time at work today. Give me five minutes," I tell him.

"Fair enough. I'll be waiting for you, sexy mama," he wiggles his eyebrows at me. I just roll my eyes.

After he disappears into the bedroom, I crack open his laptop and pull up the browser. I type in my password and scan through my inbox. Junk, junk, PR reps, a news letter for new Moms who have adopted, and a message from Cinna, my Floral Shop Boss.

"Katniss, I'm very pleased with the work that you have done with us far. You were my most favorite employee and always delivered. I am very sorry to say, that I have to let you go. I will send you a letter of recomendation, and your final paycheck will be in next Friday. The Floral industry isn't what is used to be, and I have deicided to perusue other things. I hope that you know I was alwyas betting on you. I hope that there is other oppertunities for you.

Sincerely, Cinna"

I close Peeta's laptop with a bang and kick off my shoes as I head to his bedroom.

*

When I finally get into the bedroom, Peeta is lounging over the covers, flicking through the TV stations. I strip off my jeans and sweater and shrug into the tee. Peeta pulls me to him when I climb onto the bed, nestling me against the pillows and settling himself on top of me, between my legs. As usual, my panties grow damp at his slightest touch.

"Everything ok?" Peeta asks, his eyes boring into mine.

"Fine," I respond with the slightest jerk of my hips. He rocks forward and I can feel him harden against my center.

"Ami went down easy, yeah?" I ask trying to change the subject.

"Yeah, she did," He says. "But I don't want fine, I want great," He leaning in for a kiss.

"You keep kissing me and I will definitely by great," I tell him, right before he deepens the kiss. I open my mouth to him, our tongues swirling together, teeth nipping at lips.

Before long, we are bucking against each other, both of us panting.

"Peeta, are you sure?"

He doesn't respond. His fingers dip below the hem of my panties, teasing my folds until I'm impossibly wet. I gasp as he slips a finger inside of me, his thumb expertly finding my clit. My hips buck into his hand.

He adds another finger and my breath catches. His eyes catch mine and hold them as he move two, then three, fingers in and out, catching my clit on each upstroke. My hips meet his every thrust and I reach down to pull my shirt over my head, grateful that I had thought to take off my bra beforehand.

As soon as my breasts are free, Peeta leans his head down to catch a nipple in his mouth, a somewhat familiar and incredibly exhilarating sensation.

"Please, Peeta, more," I beg.

"I love it when you say my name like that," he responds, pumping his hand even faster. He props himself above me on one elbow, his other hand working my sex like he was born to do it.

Peeta works his hand like nothing I've ever felt before, his fingers working together to stimulate every last inch of me. His teeth, tongue, and lips focus on my breasts to the point that I can barely stand the sensation. I feel myself working up to my breaking point, colors beginning to burst behind my eyelids.

"Peeta, I'm gonna, I'm going to... I'm there. I have to come," I stutter.

"Come, baby. Let me feel it, please," he responds. At his words I feel my core unravel, my hips buck uncontrollably and my whole body shivers beneath his touch. I feel myself clench around his fingers and he lets out a gravelly moan.

After my body stops shivering, he pulls his fingers into his mouth, sucking in the taste of me. It's the sexiest thing I've ever seen, and if I had any doubts about taking Peeta into my hands, they were absolutely gone at this point.

I reach into his boxers and pull his already rigid cock up and over the waistband. He lands with a thump on my stomach and I reach down into my folds, soaking up all of the moisture that I have left.When my hands are slick, I bring them to Peeta's thick length and run my fingers up and down. A few quick strokes over his head to collect his pre-cum gives me enough lubricant to work him, up and down, back and forth. He shudders above me, every inch of him quaking as I tighten my grip on his length.

It only takes a few minutes, but eventually he is rocking into my hand, my free hand kneading his balls. His rhythm grows sporadic and I know that he is close.

"Baby, I'm about to... where can I?" he tries to make out.

"Just come, babe. Come for me," I tell him.

He jerks a little more quickly in my grasp, but after a few minutes his milky hot cum spurts across my stomach and chest. He collapses into my side, automatically reaching to the bedside table to grab tissues for me to clean up with. When I am wiped clean, he rolls his body halfway over mine, his arms circling me and his legs twining with mine.

"Katniss, did you feel that? That's what I was talking about when I said that it should mean something between us. We didn't even have sex and that was so amazing, because I care about you so much. I really do, baby, I care about you," he rambles tiredly.

"I know, baby. I care about you too. So much," I respond. After a few minutes I feel his head lull against my shoulder and the rest of his body go slack.

It means something, it really does. But Cinna's email keeps me awake when I should be sleeping like a baby, pressed up against Peeta.

I awake from a restless sleep, my limbs tangled with Peeta's. I slept fitfully, images of Cinna's and Peeta's faces flickering behind my eyelids every time I closed them. Peeta's arms and legs are hot and heavy, pinning me to the mattress. I spend a minute untangling myself before I can slip out of his grasp and head into the bathroom.

It's early, so early that it's still dark outside, so I fumble my way through the hallway until I reach the bathroom door. When I'm finally in front of the sink, I turn on the tap and splash the ice cold water over my face. The shock from the water jolts me out of my stupor and I automatically switch into work mode. After my teeth are brushed and my hair is braided tightly, I bustle back into the bedroom to find Peeta lounging in bed.

"I hate it that you have to leave so early," he yawns.

"I know, I do, too. But you're place is further from work than mine so I have to leave earlier," I answer. He just pouts.

"Put that lip away," I tell him, leaning down to give him a quick kiss. He grabs me by my waist and pulls me down on top of him.

"Peeta!" I squeal, but his lips are roaming up my neck and I bite back my half-hearted protest. His hands skim down my sides and underneath my t-shirt, ghosting up and over my chest. He settles them on my breasts, his fingers beginning to work my nipples into hard peaks.

"I'm going to be late," I murmur. He just gives me a wicked smile and flips me onto my back.

His hands leave my breasts and I let out a frustrated sigh at the loss of contact. I quickly change my tone, though, when his hands travel further south to play with the waistband of my boy shorts.

"Still worried about being late?" Peeta asks with a smirk. I respond by grabbing his head and pulling him in for a kiss.

The kiss starts out slow, soft and languid, but quickly becomes filled with fire. As our lips move together and our tongues wrestle for dominance, Peeta slips his hand into my panties and swiftly slips two fingers into me. My hips react of their own accord, bucking up to meet his hand. He pumps into me a few times, breaking our kiss and looking into my eyes, both of us panting heavily.

"So wet, so early," he remarks, quirking up an eyebrow. Before I can even comprehend what is going on, Peeta pulls his hand out of my underwear and brings his fingers up to his mouth, sucking on them greedily. A loud groan slips out of from my lips as he shifts himself further down on the bed, lifting my shirt and kissing his way down.

Once, he's settled between my legs, he pulls the fabric of my panties to the side and lowers his mouth to me. I gasp as his mouth connects with my core. My gasps grow into a steady stream of moans as his teeth and tongue work in tandem, creating a blissful rhythm. He reaches up and slides his index finger into me and it takes all of three strokes before I come hard. Peeta's mouth latches to my clit, riding out my orgasm. Once I've quieted, Peeta comes to lie next to me, cradling my head to his chest.

It takes a few minutes to stop shaking and calm my breathing, but when I do, I gather myself together and slide down Peeta's body, yanking his boxers down a little harder than I intended to. His erection springs free and he lets out a groan as I wrap my lips around his head. His hands fist in my hair, pulling it free of its braid, as I bob up and down, taking as much of him in my mouth as I can. I work at a steady pace, and after a few minutes he pulls my head back.

"I'm close," he tells me. I answer him by going back to what I'm doing. After a few seconds, he shudders and his hips still. I drink in all of him, only releasing him when he goes limp.

"Shit, Katniss," he groans. I crawl up his body and settle my head on his chest. We are sweaty and limp, spent and sated. I lie still for a moment, listening to his heartbeat, before I catch sight of his alarm clock on the night table. I am going to be very, very late.

"Damn it, you have to get going," I sigh, peeling my skin from his and rolling off of the mussed bed.

"Yeah.... I'll be in meetings all day, I'm thinking about switching some clients," he tells me.

"So I guess a lunch date is out of the question?" I ask.

He frowns. "As much I would love to have you for lunch, I don't think I'll be able to sneak away. Speaking of sneaking, you better get your ass going so you can sneak into work without having to be a Mom and everyone noticing. And Cinna needs to have me come in to discuss a few things too.." He leans over and kisses my forehead before grabbing my chin and softly kissing my lips.

"You are amazing, Katniss. You have no idea the affect you have on me. I think I'm falling for you," he whispers against my lips, eyes closed.

I'm shocked at the ease with which he says the words, but I'm even more shocked at how natural it feels to hear them. I nod and whisper back: "Me, too."

When I reach his door I don't even knock I just walk in and drop my bags to the side. I walk into the living room.

~Later that Evening~

Peeta is sitting on the couch, his laptop open on the coffee table in front of him. Something is off.

"Hey! I'm so happy to see you, there's something that I want to tell you..." I trail off when he turns to face me. The look in his eyes is something I would never expect from him. His normally soft eyes are cold and hard. My breath catches in my throat and I feel like a concrete ball has just dropped into my stomach.

"What did you want to tell me? Did you want to tell me about this?" He asks, gesturing to the computer. His voice is calm, which scares me more than if he had yelled. I crane my neck to see the screen. I almost throw up when I see my email open. Or, specifically, the email from Cinna that I had stupidly left open last night.

"Peeta, wait, it's not what you think," I begin.

He cuts me off. "Not what I think? So this isn't an email from your boss firing you and you dont even tell me?!" He maintains his scarily quiet tone.

I open my mouth and close it again. I've never been good at saying something, but this is the worst time for that trait to pop up. I will myself to say something but every word gets caught in my throat, gagging me.

He turns and walks into his bedroom, calmly shutting and locking the door behind him and thankfully I make it down to the sidewalk before I start to cry.

~

Five days, two gallons of ice cream, and countless bottles of wine later, I still haven't left my Mothers house. I miraculously made it home from that night, although I could never tell you how. I blacked out when the tears started. My laptop is currently shoved under the couch cushions.

Across the room, resting where I threw it in the corner a few hours ago, my phone rings. Yesterday I would have bolted across the room, praying the whole time that it was Peeta's number on the screen. But I know it's not him. He's been resiliently ignoring my existence since he found out i was finred. I drag myself off of the couch and take my time walking across the room. It's Prim.

"Yes?" I greet her.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demands without preamble.

"None of your business."

"Katniss, you still haven't left Moms, have you?" she asks.

"Again, none of your business."

"It is my business! You're my sister and you're hurting. You won't let me come over, you won't even talk to Jo or Annie, and you haven't gone to work. When's the last time you showered, Katniss? I bet your hair is in a ratty braid and you're wearing your yoga pants with the holes in the knees and that disgusting old archery t-shirt from high school," she huffs. "Aminata and Prim need you, and so does Peeta."

I look down at myself and can't help but smirk.

"Actually, I'm wearing leggings but you're right about the shirt," I tell her. "And no. They don't."

"Goddamnit, Katniss! I have never seen you like this. Not after Gale, not even after Daddy died! I've never seen you cry like this!" She has resorted to all out yelling into the phone.

My eyes well up at her words and I feel like I'm going to throw up.

"Don't, Prim. Don't talk about it, I can't right now. I just can't," I say, my voice cracking and tears starting to roll freely down my cheeks.

"Yeah, well I can't see you like this. I don't give a shit what you say, I'm coming over right now. And don't you dare lock yourself in your bedroom because I will kick the door in," she growls. The line goes dead.

I sigh and drop back down on the couch, curling up facing the back and letting the sobs take over.

A half hour later, Prim barges into my old room.

"Katniss..." Prim says. I hear the concern in her voice and I feel bad. She really has never seen me like this before; I've always had to be the strong one. I've always put on a brave face and swallowed my tears for her because I was all she had. But now the roles are reversed. My baby sister has Rory, but she's still all I have.

Prim drops her bag and walks over to the couch. I sit up and scoot over so that she can sit next to me. The moment she wraps her arms around me is the moment that the tiny bit of resolve I had built up disappears. For the second time in a month, I break down.

Prim holds me the entire time, rocking me back and forth while I soak her sweater with my tears.

"Well, what can you do to fix it?"

"Nothing, Prim. He was pretty clear. I tried to call him and text him. Hell, I even tried to email him. He won't answer. I fucked it all up, like I knew I would," I tell her. She purses her lips and looks away. "And I can't find a job either."

~Time Skip; 1 Month Later~

After the first day I spent shut in my apartment, Prim called and demanded to know what was going on. The dam burst and I told her everything. I know that she disapproves of the way I handled things, although to her credit she hasn't come right out and said it. I kind of wish she would yell at me. It would justify how stupid I feel – for keeping the fact that I was jobless a secret from Peeta, for not making him listen to me, for falling in love in the first damn place. But, her disapproval shows on her face and I can't decide if that's worse.

"Well, you can't wallow in this anymore, Katniss. You have to get up and get moving. Live your life," she says, stroking my tangled, ratty hair.

"Let me guess – if it's meant to be, it will be?" I snort.

"You got it babe."

What the hell is going on?"

"Hello to you too, brainless," laughs Jo. "We are going out tonight. And don't even think of saying no, because we will drag you if we have to. That's why we brought Gale, he's the muscle."

I shoot Gale a murderous look. "Traitor," I mutter. He just grins at me sheepishly.

"So, here you go," Prim says handing me a glass of wine, "Let's get dressed. Make some shots or something, Gale. You know where her Goose is stashed." And with that, I am pulled down the hallway and into my bedroom to be plucked and preened by Evil Sister and Meddling Friend.

An hour later, I emerge from my bedroom. I have been waxed, plucked, painted and coiffed to within an inch of my life, and stuffed into the tiniest little black dress I've ever seen. I wobble a bit on the sky-high heels Prim insisted on, but even I have to admit that I look hot.

Gale lets out a low whistle. "Holy shit, Everdeen. You are a girl." He hands me a shot and I waste no time pouring it down my throat. I gesture for another.

"If I'm going out with you lunatics tonight, I'm going to be good and sloshed," I tell them.

"That's the spirit," yells Jo, bumping Gale out of the way with her hip and handing me the bottle of vodka.

A few hours later, I find myself sitting in a booth in some random club in Olde City. Gale and Jo have been placating me with vodka all night, and I've got a heavy buzz going.

"Are you just going to sit in that booth all night long? Come dance!" Prim yells over the thumping bass. I vehemently shake my head.

"No way are you getting out of this. Let's go!" she screams, gripping the top of my arm and dragging me out onto the packed floor.

I wedge myself between Gale and Johanna, my back to against Gale's chest. Johanna shakes her tits in my face and I surprise everyone by breaking into uncontrollable giggles.

"What, you don't like my hot moves?" Johanna jokes.

"Get those melons out of my face, you tramp," I laugh.

"Fine by me, there's a dark haired hottie by the DJ that has my name written all over him." And with that, she shimmies away, leaving me with a clear view of the dance floor.

I relax into Gale's body, his hands on my waist, our hips moving together to the beat. We've danced like this many times before, and I'm glad that this comfortable aspect of our friendship hasn't been lost.

Just as I'm really starting to get into the beat, the liquor and music rushing through my veins and taking me over, I see a flash of golden blonde hair in the corner of my eye.

I look over and immediately lock onto a pair of blue eyes, dark with anger and hurt. There is a tall, tanned, toned blonde grinding up on Peeta like she was trying to literally get under his skin but he is standing stock still and tense, all of his attention focused on me. If I were closer to him, I'd be able to see the muscle jumping in his jaw, an involuntary action when he gets angry.

I am suddenly very aware of Gale moving behind me and how it looks, so I break eye contact with Peeta and rush over to our booth, where Prim and Jo are pouring shots.

"Pour me one of those. No, pour me two," I demand. Jo pours the shots and I down them both, one right after the other.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Prim asks.

"Peeta's here. We need to leave," I tell them.

"Oh, no. We're not leaving. Act like everything is fine, Katniss. Make him come crawiling back to you." says Jo.

"Yeah, Katniss. It will only look worse if you run away. You have to pretend like it's not bothering you," agrees Prim.

"Fine, but I'm not dancing anymore. Give me another shot," I grumble as Gale walks up to the table.

"Uh, thanks for leaving me by myself. What's your problem?" Gale asks, as my sister and friend shoot him daggers. Johanna actually makes a slashing sign by her throat, her eyes wide.

"Holy shit, Jo, don't be so goddamn dramatic. Peeta's here. We made eye contact, that's why I left you there. Sorry," I tell Gale.

"Oh shit. Do you want to leave?"

"No. Apparently I will look pathetic if I leave. I just need to take a few minutes to compose myself. You guys do your thing, I'm ok." I pick up the bottle of vodka and swill from it.

"Are you sure?" Gale asks.

"Positive. Let me think for a minute. Go dance, all of you." I shoo them away.

I sit at the table, watching them dance and trying to keep my eyes off of Peeta. The DJ plays a few more bouncy, techno songs before switching to a slower tune. The piano chords fill the air that's already heavy with sweat, booze, and pheromones. The first few lines of the song waft out from the speakers and wind their way around the swaying bodies. I can't keep my eyes off of Peeta as he moves closer to his date, her arms twining around his neck, her head on his shoulder. He still looks slightly tense, like he's uncomfortable being that close to her.

"Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now

Our song on the radio but it don't sound the same

When our friends talk about you all it just does is tear me down

Cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your name

It all just sounds like uh uh uh uh"

All I need right now is to hear another fucking break up song. I groan and take the opportunity to pour myself another shot. My head swims with the alcohol and I feel drunk, until I look up and lock eyes with Peeta for the second time that night. My stomach clenches and I suddenly feel stone cold sober.

The look on his face isn't one of anger, like I expected. It is one of overwhelming sadness. He holds eye contact as he rocks back and forth, another girl wrapped in his arms, and as he stares into my eyes he starts mouthing the lyrics.

"Oh too young, too dumb to realize

That I should have bought you flowers and held your hand

Should have gave you all my hours when I had the chance

Take you to every party cause all you wanted to do was dance

Now my baby's dancing, but she's dancing with another man"

I feel as though hands are wrapped around my throat, cutting off my air supply. I can't take it anymore. Pushing the table out of my way and knocking over several bottles and glasses, I stagger to my feet and toward the closest exit. I hear my sister and friends calling my name, but their voices sound like they're underwater so I just push past sweaty, drunk bodies until I reach the door. I push the door open violently and burst into the cool night, sucking in the crisp air. I gulp it in, shallow breaths that don't seem to give my brain enough oxygen.

I start walking before I have the chance to throw up. I make it halfway down the block before I start to sob

I make it two blocks from the club before Peeta's car pulls up next to me. Thankfully, I've calmed my sobs into dull hiccups. I keep my eyes trained forward, too proud and absolutely unwilling to look at him. He rolls down the window.

"Katniss, stop."

I keep walking. His car creeps along next to me.

"Will you please just get in the car?" he asks.

"No," I reply, curtly.

"You can't deny that we need to talk. Get in the car and talk to me. Please?" I hear his voice waver.

I stop in my tracks and shoot him a glare. "Where were you when I wanted to talk to you a month ago?" I spit out. He slams on the breaks, causing the tires to squeal and me to turn towards him for the first time.

"Are you kidding me?" he asks in disbelief, anger flashing in his eyes.

"No, I am not kidding you, Peeta. If you wanted to talk, you should have done it sooner. Clearly you were, excuse me, occupied by other things. Moving on from me to raise Ami with someone else."

"You have a lot of nerve, Katniss. Like you weren't rubbing your ass all over Gale Hawthorne, of all people. Now, you could just get in the goddamned car, or I will be waiting at your Mother's house when you get there. Your choice," he hisses.

I walk for two more blocks, Peeta crawling along beside me in his car, deathly silent and shooting me the occasional glare. When my heel breaks at the beginning of the third, I stomp over to his car and slam my way into the passenger seat.

The rest of the ride is spent in stubborn silence. The air is thick and heavy from the tension between us, and I know that the only reason either of us hasn't said anything is because we're both being stubborn and spiteful.

When we arrive at my Mother's, I bolt out of the car and slam the door. I make my way quickly up the stairs, trying to put as much distance between us as possible. After the spectacle in the club, the last thing that I want to do is talk to him. My stomach is in knots thinking about the conversation we are about to have, not to mention the fact that must I look like a lunatic. My meticulously applied makeup has to be running down my face from the torrential downpour of tears I let loose earlier, and I know that my hair is a ruined mess from the amount of times I've run my hands through it. When I reach my front door, I unlock it and make my way straight to the bathroom, leaving it slightly propped open for Peeta. I think about shutting and locking the deadbolt to avoid the situation entirely, but even now I can't make myself shut him out completely.

I hear him slam the door as I'm splashing cold water on my face. When all of the black streaks are gone, I pull my hair into a knot and slip off my dress, grabbing a pair of yoga pants and a tank top from the pile on top of the hamper. I'd rather wear the clothes that I slept in the night before than the dress I wore to the club – it smells of alcohol and regret. I take a moment to catch my breath before I head out into the living room.

When I step into the living room, Peeta is leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. I allow myself a quick glance up to his face and I see the rage that flashes behind his eyes. Their clear blue has darkened and his jaw is set. I can see the muscle pulsing as he grinds his teeth. I quickly lower my eyes and make my way to the couch, where I sit on the middle cushion, crossing my own arms and steadily avoiding his gaze.

We sit there in silence for what feels like hours, when in reality it can't have been more than a minute or two. He finally clears his throat and I bring my eyes up to meet his.

"Are you going to say anything?" he starts.

"I had a lot to say weeks ago. You didn't want to hear it then, so why do you suddenly want to hear it now?" I snap.

"God dammit, Katniss!" He slams his fist against the wall behind him before stalking across the room to stare out the living room window. He is silent for a few seconds before whirling around and catching me with a steely glare. "No, you know what? I don't give a fuck what you have to say. I have a lot to share so you can just fucking listen. Who the hell do you think you are? You come into my life, you play games with me from the beginning with the whole 'I don't want you, I want you' act. I thought you were different, Katniss. I feel like I proved myself over and over again to you, but you still lied. You lied the whole time since Aminata was born." He chokes out the last sentence and turns back to the window.

Up until now I had been passively seething, hoping to avoid the whole situation, but I feel something snap inside of me at his words. I jump up from my position on the couch, cross the room and grab his wrist, pulling him until he faces me.

"Are you fucking kidding me? You didn't want to hear anything I had to say. You didn't let me explain myself at all!" I shout.

He wrenches his wrist from my grasp and meets my glare with one of his own. "What the fuck is there to explain, Katniss?" he shouts back. "Why would I want to hear anything you had to say? The email that you left up on my computer, which is really fucking stupid, by the way. I would think that you would cover your ass a little bit better than that."

"Well what about you? If it was so real for you, why did you just jump into bed with the first random you saw? You know, the tall leggy blonde that you couldn't keep your hands off of tonight?" I spit out.

"Don't even act like you didn't have your ass pressed up against Hawthorne all night. Let me guess, he swooped in to pick up the pieces as soon as he saw I was out of the picture. What a classy guy," Peeta growls, taking a step closer and glaring down at me.

I push his chest forcefully, causing him to stumble backwards. I spin and quickly cross the room, heading down the hallway towards my bedroom. Peeta follows, grabbing my arm and spinning me around. He backs me up against the wall of the hallway, and when his body is flush against mine, he grabs my chin forcefully and before I can even catch my breath, he seals his mouth over mine. My lips part instinctively and his tongue finds its way in. Neither of us is willing to give up control, so our tongues battle for dominance in a messy, forceful, angry kiss. I nip at his bottom lip, not caring whether or not I hurt him. His answering moan tells me that he doesn't mind.

I don't realize that I had been holding my breath until Peeta pulls away. I pant as he rests his head against my forehead, his own chest heaving from his labored breathing. He looks at me, anger still flashing in his eyes, although the rage is slightly dulled.

"Did he kiss you like that, Katniss? Did you let him fuck you?" His voice is a low growl. He tilts his hips up so that I can feel him, his hardness brushing against me.

"Nothing happened with him, you fucking asshole. Did you fuck your new Sugar Mommy?" I counter, with a grind of my own hips. He bucks against me and narrows his eyes.

"No, I didn't," he answers.

"But you were going to," I say.

"No, I wasn't," he murmurs, before dipping his head down to latch himself onto my neck. He sucks forcefully and I can already feel the warmth of the bruise rising to the surface. "As pissed off as I am at you, you're still all I can think about."

My hips jerk forward at his words and he moves his hand down to cup me through the fabric of my pants, his fingers find my clit and press down, hard and unyielding.

I moan into his ear. "Don't fucking tease me, Mellark. If you're going to fuck me, do it now."

Before the words are even fully out of my mouth, I find myself thrown over Peeta's shoulder as he stalks down the hallway and into my bedroom.

He lays me down on the bed and grabs my hips roughly, pulling me down so that my pelvis is just at the edge. He wastes no time peeling off my yoga pants and underwear at the same time. I try to close my legs at my sudden nakedness but he grabs my thighs and pushes them apart.

Before the words are even fully out of my mouth, I find myself thrown over Peeta's shoulder as he stalks down the hallway and into my bedroom.

He lays me down on the bed and grabs my hips roughly, pulling me down so that my pelvis is just at the edge. He wastes no time peeling off my yoga pants and underwear at the same time. I try to close my legs at my sudden nakedness but he grabs my thighs and pushes them apart.

"No. Touch yourself," he commands.

He backs up and begins undoing his belt as I trail my fingers down and brush the sensitive bundle of nerves. I shiver at the contact. By the time I reach down to slip a finger inside, his pants are around his ankles and he knocks my hand aside. With one quick thrust, he is fully sheathed. He pauses for only for a second before beginning to pump his hips quickly and roughly.

I wrap my legs around his waist and he leans over me on his forearms, his forehead resting against mine. We don't kiss, but our eye contact is steady and unbroken. I see the hurt and anger in his eyes, as well as the lust. I'm sure he sees the same in mine.

Peeta's thrusts remain steady and I meet his hips with my own. The tension is building, but I need more to be thrown fully over the edge. As if he's reading my mind, Peeta reaches his hand down and grazes his thumb over my clit, and it is my undoing.

I feel myself clenching around him as the spring in my stomach uncoils. I pant and moan and scratch his back, his name falling from my lips like a chant.

He doesn't let up on his thrusts as he pulls down the front of my tank top, exposing my breasts. His mouth finds a nipple and he bites down, causing me to gasp and thread my fingers into his silky curls. His hips begin to jerk erratically and I feel him start to twitch inside of me. Peeta collapses on my chest as he spills himself into me.

We lay there for a good amount of time, Peeta still inside me as we both catch our breath. I don't know who made the first move, but before I know it we're both naked and under the comforter, Peeta curled up against my back as we both drift off into a blissful, sated sleep.

~

I wake up with Peeta's hardness pressed into my backside and a delicious ache between my legs. Peeta sighs behind me and I turn in his arms to gaze at his sleeping face. His jaw is slack and there is a look of peace on his face as he snores gently – a welcome change from the anger that was there last night. As much as I am enjoying my view, I know that he and I need to talk about last night and I'm just not ready. I slip from his embrace and dress in the same clothes I wore last night. Peeta snuggles deeper into the sheets, moving his head onto my pillow. He smiles in his sleep.

I make my way to the kitchen, stretching out my stiff limbs as I go. I put on a pot of coffee and rummage around in the freezer for some frozen waffles. Peeta will probably be horrified. The image of his disgusted face staring down at a plate of Eggos flashes in my mind and I giggle.

"What's so funny?"

I jump at the unexpected question and turn to see Peeta standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame and gazing at me shyly.

I hold up the box of waffles. "I was picturing your look of horror when I serve you these."

"Ugh, throw those out. Disgusting." He shakes his head. "Look, Katniss, about last night..."

"Peeta, stop," I interrupt him, holding up my hand. He shuts his mouth and crosses his arms, looking at me expectantly. "I need to explain some things to you, and I should have done it from the beginning. I was let go because my boss wanted to do other things. Not because I did anything. I didn't know how to handle the situation; I should have told you about it though and I'm sorry."

I take a deep breath and venture a look at Peeta. He stares at me for a moment, searching my eyes. I meet his gaze, trying to show him with my eyes that I'm telling the truth and that I'm sorry for the way I went about things.

Peeta pushes off of the door frame and in two strides is standing in front of me. He tilts my chin up and brushes his lips on mine, swiftly but sweetly, before pulling me to him and wrapping his arms around me.

"I'm sorry, too" he murmurs into my tousled hair. "I should have listened to you. I was just so angry. I just threw all reason out the window."

I sigh and press my face into his chest, letting the dull thump of his heart lull me into a semi-trance. I take a deep breath in, drawing his familiar scent into my lungs. This is where I belong.

"I know.. I'm sorry.. I shouldn't have hid it. I abandoned you all." I say.

A thought comes to me and I clear my throat. "So, um, what about the girl you were with?" I ask tentatively.

He tenses up. "Glimmer. My paretns heard you left so, tired to get someone else, I guess. My mom made me go out with her a few times. She's a nice girl, but there's nothing there," he answers.

"How far did it go? Be honest with me. If we're going to do this, we need to be honest," I tell him, almost choking on the words. Some part of me needs to know.

"Kissing. A little more, but no sex," he answers.

A pinch of jealousy twists my gut, but I breathe out a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"I wasn't kidding when I said I still thought of you all the time, Katniss. I didn't want to be with anyone else. What about you and Gale?"

"Nothing, I swear. My biggest interaction this past month has been with Ben and Jerry," I tell him.

Now, a more pressing matter of business. Last night isn't how I wanted out first time to be, so I'll just have to make it up to you now."

Peeta winks and heads towards the bedroom. "Coming?" he calls over his shoulder, his eyes flashing devilishly. I practically run to catch up with him.

When I walk into the bedroom, Peeta is sitting on the edge of the bed, his hands in his lap. I stand in front of him and he pulls me down to straddle his lap. Our lips meet and I instantly find my hands buried in his hair. I feel him harden beneath me and I shift in his lap, grazing his growing erection. He jerks up, pulling my hips down to increase the friction.

"I've thought of this so many times," he whispers into my neck, his breath making me shiver.

Without warning, he flips me over and scoots me up to the middle of the bed. He lowers himself on top of me, our hips gyrating as we continue our kiss. We move together in tandem, slow and deliberate. Peeta's bare chest presses against me and I need to feel his skin on mine. I reach between us and grab the hem of my shirt but Peeta's hands push mine aside.

"Let me," he says, lifting the tank top gently up and over my head. I lift my arms up to slip it fully off.

Instead of settling back down on top of me, Peeta moves lower down on the bed, trailing kisses across my stomach before hooking his hands in the top of my pants and sliding them off deftly. This time, I don't try to hide myself from him, I leave my legs splayed as he licks up the inside of my thigh. He takes his time, kissing and licking everywhere except the one spot I'm aching for him to focus on.

"Peeta, please," I pant.

"Please what?" he teases.

"You know what," I tell him.

Instead of answering me he flattens his tongue and swipes it through my folds, stopping to suck on my clit briefly before repeating the action over and over. I let out a whimper when he adds his fingers into the mix.

"Is that what you want?" he asks.

"Y-yes," I stammer. He continues to use his teeth, tongue, and fingers to build me into a frenzy before he abruptly pulls his head away and settles himself next to me, propped up on the pillows.

"What? What the hell," I protest.

"I want to be inside of you when you come." He gazes at me with hooded eyes. "Come here."

I climb on Peeta's lap and position him at my entrance before I slowly sink down, taking him in fully. We both groan as he fills me. He grabs my hips and I start to move, grinding into his pelvis so that I hit the perfect spot on every downstroke, causing a fire to spark in my belly. It doesn't take long before I feel myself begin to lose control.

He looks into my eyes. "Come."

As soon as the word spills from his mouth the tension that had been building snaps like a rubber band, causing my body to collapse on his chest and moan out his name as my walls contract around his length. The orgasm seems to last impossibly long, and Peeta's hands roaming up and down my sides and over my breasts cause my overly sensitive skin to break out in goosebumps.

As I start to come back to earth, Peeta flips me over so that he is looming over me, his weight resting on his hands. He pumps slowly at first, gradually gaining speed until his hips jerk with no recognizable rhythm and I feel him spill hotly into me. After he recovers from his own release, he brings his head down to rest on my chest. I twine my arms around his neck, slowly regaining the ability to function.

"Here's to our second first time," he mumbles between my breasts and I let out a laugh.

"Hear, hear."

We don't leave the bedroom until after our fourth first time since we have been alone this long.

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