Chapter 1:

This story takes place two months after the Joes capture Rex and Destro.

Outside Scarlett's door…

"Scar come on are you being serious right now?" Rip asked ouside Scarlett's door.

"Ripcord please don't play games with me now…I don't want to talk about it!" She said from behind her door. Sometimes she can be so difficult but that's what Rip loved about her.

"OK well first you don't want to talk about how YOU kissed me before I saved the whole world…and now YOU don't want to admit that I beat your shooter score. Come on baby I just want to hear it once!" He replied with a smirk.

Just then the door burst open and the gorgeous fiery redhead stood in front of the dark tall lean man. She stared at him with tranquil eyes and adjusted her bun. He stared right back with that smirk she hated and loved. Honestly she didn't know why she had kissed him and she had stayed up for weeks running it through her mind over and over, hence the fact that he beat her shooter score by one shot.

"So..?" Rip said smirking and taking a step back to lean against the back wall facing her.

She let out a sigh before replying, "Rip you beat me fair and square okay you happy?"

He smiled but still had a quizzical look on his face.

"What? Why do you always stare like that it's impolite." Scarlett said raising an eyebrow.

He laughed and said, "You know I've been thinking about you for the awhile now…"

She opened her mouth to respond but nothing came out…

"Every since we got back it seems like you've been avoiding me. So I just thought that I needed to do something you would notice. That's why I brought Kayla over."

She thought about the pretty brunette he had invited to Duke and Anna's engagement party and how jealous she was when she saw them together.

Ripcord continued looking away… "But you didn't even glance at me the whole night…so I thought that maybe if I beat you at your own game you might actually notice me…But now it's like this." He turned and looked at her. He knew that they had something he just didn't know if she did yet.

Rip took another breathe and continued since Scarlett looked at him knowing he had more to say, "I know it was immature of me or whatever but I just can't read you and it frustrates me. You don't even fall for my irresistible charm."

Scarlett let out a laugh that sounded like bells. Ripcord smiled at her and looked down at his feet not knowing what else to say. He felt drained and vulnerable. He had just shed his confident know it all demeanor for a woman he wasn't even sure cared.

He heard her take a step and looked up…Scarlett stared up at him and smiled.

"I didn't before Rip because I thought you were a handsome egotistical self centered dog...but…"

Rip laughed and let down her hair. "But…?"

"But now I'm not so sure." Scarlett said looking at him…he stared back and quickly moved her so her back was against the wall. The smirk returning to his face as he rested his hands on her hips.

"You think I'm ruggedly handsome?" He whispered. She rolled her eyes and opened her mouth but before Scarlett could reply his lips were on hers. He kissed her roughly with his hands on her waste; she kissed him back her hands tugging at his strong arms. His hands left her waste and moved to her legs. He picked her up and pinned her against the wall his hands running through her long mane. He pulled back and looked at her. Scarlett was out of breath, her legs wrapped tightly around his torso. Ripcord brushed the hair out of her face and kissed her lightly.

He smirked and whispered, "Are you sure now?" Scarlett took and breath ready to fire back with a smart remark but he put one finger to her lips. He kissed her hard again and then let her down and turned down the hallway.

Before he turned the corner he spun around to see Scarlett panting and rubbing her face… He laughed to himself and said, "When you're sure Scar come talk to me." Then turned around and disappeared.