School on Monday morning was a torturous affair. Having spent all weekend either being with Peeta or thinking about him, it was nearly impossible for Katniss to focus her mind on her classes. The slight twinge that lingered between her legs made him even more difficult to forget. Why on earth had she decided that her senior year was the right time to start taking AP classes? Why couldn't she have let herself skate by in her last year of high school like the rest of her classmates? Instead she was stuck in AP Bio, listening to a lecture on possibly the world's most boring topic: mitosis. She'd much rather be studying human reproduction. At least that might hold her interest.

"Earth to Katniss!"

"Huh?" Katniss snapped her head up to find her friend Johanna clicking her fingers in front of her face at the lunch table. Their other friend, Madge, was smirking next to Jo.

"She lives!" Johanna proclaimed. "We were starting to think you were brain dead, the way you've been so zoned out today."

"No, I'm just… distracted," Katniss said lamely. The other girls shared a knowing glance.

"It's a boy, isn't it?" Johanna pressed. Katniss shook her head. It wasn't a lie, technically. By no stretch of the imagination was Peeta Mellark a boy.

Madge elbowed Johanna in the ribs. "Jo, stop it. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, Katniss," she said kindly. But Katniss found that she did want to talk about it to someone. She couldn't tell her mother and she certainly wasn't going to tell Prim. Who better than her friends? Madge was quiet- she didn't have anyone else to tell anyway- and Johanna may have been a bit of a loudmouth, but she was trustworthy.

"Okay, um… I had sex this weekend," Katniss whispered so that no one else could hear her in the crowded cafeteria. Two set of eyebrows shot up.

"Who?" The two girls said in unison.

"You know that family I babysit for? The Mellarks?"

"Shit," said Johanna. "You're not telling me…" Katniss nodded. "Fuck!" Johanna ran a hand through her short hair in disbelief. "My mom's friends with Delly Mellark, and you're telling me you banged her husband?"

"They're getting a divorce," Katniss said defensively.

"Good for him, that Delly is an uptight bitch," Jo said dismissively. "Wow. I can't believe this."

"How old is he?" Madge asked.

Katniss shrugged. The truth was that she didn't know exactly how old he was. "Late twenties, I think."

Johanna waved an airy hand. "Your 18th is in May, right? That's not so bad. Plus, Peeta Mellark is hot. I'd let him do me anytime. The real question is, is he good in bed?" Katniss blushed, the buzz of her phone thankfully saving her from answering the question. It was a text from Peeta himself.

Meetings with the divorce lawyer all week. I need you.

The last line sent a flood of wet heat to her core, effectively ruining her underwear for the day. The reaction apparently wasn't lost on Johanna, who said smugly, "I'll take that as a yes."

Peeta arrived home just before the stroke of midnight. Rye was long asleep, and Katniss had curled into a ball on the sofa to wait. She jumped when he walked through the door and immediately strode over to her and gathered her in his arms. "The guys kept me out late," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

And then he kissed her. Long and deep and wanting. It had been three days since she'd seen him. Three endless days since their quick kisses stolen when Rye was out of earshot. And a whole week since they had made love.

Katniss wrinkled her nose when they broke apart. He looked a little hurt. "Sorry," she said quickly. "It's just that you smell like a bar." Apparently Peeta's friends had gotten it into their heads that he needed to numb the pain of his divorce with alcohol, and plenty of it. This was the third time he'd been out with them this week.

He chuckled. "I'll go freshen up, then. Meet me in the guest room?" She nodded, pulling him back for one last kiss. He disappeared upstairs and left her squirming in anticipation in the couch. It was too much after a couple of minutes. She left her spot and tiptoed up the stairs. She could hear the shower running down the hall, curiosity leading her feet in the direction of Peeta's room. She'd never been in here before, and she was surprised when she walked in. The room was starkly devoid of a woman's presence. There were no photos on the dresser or art on the walls. Even the comforter on the bed was a navy- striped masculine variety. It didn't match the neutral color scheme of the room, and Katniss could only guess that it was a new addition.

"Katniss?" She jumped at the voice behind her, and turned to find Peeta staring at her, fresh from the shower with only a towel wrapped around his waist. There seemed to be something lodged in her throat, for when she looked at him, she found that she couldn't speak. He looked perplexed, but all she could focus on were the droplets of water falling from the tips of his hair and trickling onto the planes of his chest. She watched as one drop trailed down his abdomen and disappeared into the top of the towel.

"I wanted to see your room," she blurted when the silence had stretched a few beats too long. He ducked his head and rubbed the back of his neck with the hand not holding up the towel.

"I- ah, don't really like being in here," he confessed, not meeting her eye. "Old memories, you know."

"I can help you make some new memories," she offered. Peeta looked up at her with wide eyes, but before he could say anything, she grabbed his naked shoulders and pulled him down to meet her lips. He responded with even more enthusiasm than before. She backed him further into the room, aiming for the bay window on the opposite side of the room. When the backs of his knees hit the cushioned seat, she pushed him onto it and sank to her knees in front of him.

Katniss pried the edge of the towel from the vice grip in his hand so that he was completely naked before her. He was half hard already. She hesitated before taking him into her mouth. She knew guys liked this, but what if she did it wrong? She thought back on the lecture Johanna had given her after she found out exactly whom Katniss was sleeping with.

Peeta Mellark has probably been with his share of women, and if he's already gone down on you, you can bet he's expecting you to reciprocate. Just watch your teeth and breathe through your nose. You'll be fine.

"Katniss?" Peeta had evidently noticed her distress. He brought a hand to her hair to sweep a stray lock from her face. "You don't have to do this if you're not comfortable. I really-" But she didn't give him the opportunity to object any more. She sucked in a deep breath and took him into her mouth for the first time. He sucked in a sharp breath and the hand in her hair tugged tightly on the roots. She gagged a little when she took him in as far as she could and he touched the back of her throat. She learned quickly that it was safer to focus her mouth mainly on the bulbous tip of him, allowing her hand to stroke his shaft and fondle his sack. If the deep, throaty groans he was giving were any indication, Peeta was enjoying it.

He grew harder and thicker under her ministrations, and she broke away from his head to lick along the thick vein on the underside of his shaft, then swirled her tongue through the dribbles of pre-cum escaping his tip. The salty flavor was strange, but not unwelcome.

A finger lifted her chin so that she was forced to release his cock from her mouth. Looking up at him from her perch on the floor, she thought for a second that she had done something wrong, but Peeta was smiling playfully. "You're a little overdressed, don't you think?" She was indeed, still fully dressed, right down to the smudge of chocolate Rye's sticky fingers had left on her t-shirt earlier. Not sexy in the least.

"Help me?" she said, rising from her knees to stand before him. Now he was looking up at her.

"Gladly," he purred. His large hands found her hips and tugged her forward. He nosed his way under her shirt to press wet kisses to her belly while his fingers found the button of her jeans. He pushed them down her legs, underwear and all, and pressed a kiss the to apex of her thighs. A gush of arousal collected in her center, and Katniss wasted no time stepping out of her pants and straddling Peeta on the window seat. His fully erect cock rested against her stomach and her braid fell over and smacked him in the face as she leaned down to claim a kiss from him. He chuckled and stretched her arms up high above her head, his hands finding the hem of her shirt and tugging it off her body. She reached around to unhook her bra and cast it aside. His lips found her sensitive nipples at once, and her head fell back at the sensation.

Thank god the dense foliage outside the window prevented any of Peeta's neighbors from peering into his bedroom. She braced her hands against the window, unwilling to wait any longer. He helped her align herself with his weeping tip, and she sank down onto him, allowing him to stretch her to capacity. They moaned in unison when he had filled her to the hilt. There was a slight ache reminiscent of the last time they were together, but Katniss let it out of her mind quickly. She needed to move.

Peeta's skilled hands fondled her breasts as she rose up on her knees, almost to the point where he was in danger of slipping out of her before plunging back down again. She did it again, faster this time. And again, each pass catching a spot within her that she hadn't even known existed.

His head and upper body rested against the window, the glass fogging from the dampness of his hair and the layer of perspiration on his skin. One of her hands left the window to snake between their bodies. She found her clit, her fingers circling in time with her movements, but she ached for a different touch.

"Peeta," she rasped, but she need not say anymore. Peeta knew exactly what she wanted. The rough pad of his thumb replaced her fingers, picking up where she left off. Her hand returned to the window, clawing at the glass for support.

"Keep saying my name like that, and I'll give you anything you want," he growled into her ear.

"Peeta," she obliged, her voice rough with sex. He groaned deeply and grabbed her hips, quickening their pace and pushing himself into her farther still.

The rest was nothing but pants and gasps and groans with the occasional "Fuck!" uttered from one or both of them. And when it was over, it was the only memory either one of them could associate with that room.

"So what do you think?"

"Are you sure that thing is safe?" Peeta frowned at the car sitting in his driveway. If you could indeed call it a car. The vehicle was completely out of place adjacent to the stately manor and manicured lawn of the Mellark residence. A burnt orange '85 Chevett, slighty rusted but still in excellent condition and procured from Katniss's elderly neighbor, a woman called Sae. She didn't drive anymore and had no use for it. At the cost of five hundred dollars and a basket of Peeta's freshly baked cheese buns, it was the best trade Katniss had ever made.

"Peeta," Katniss rolled her eyes. "Of course it's safe."

"Does it even have airbags? How many miles does it have on it?"

"I don't know. A lot, probably. And of course it has airbags!" Admittedly, she wasn't entirely sure on that last point. Katniss made a mental note to read up on the car's safety features when she got home. The frown lines on Peeta's forehead deepened. "I thought you'd be happy!" she said. "Now Chaff doesn't have to drive me around and it won't look so suspicious when I'm here late."

"You know I could have helped you buy a car, right? I'd have been glad to do it, Katniss. I just want to make sure you're safe, and this… I don't know."

"It's already weird that you still pay me for watching Rye," she protested. "You can't buy me a car too!"

"Oh please, it's not like I leave the money on the nightstand! And I can't not pay you for watching my son. I'm keeping you from getting a real job and the least I can do is pay you for the time you spend with him. And… you're really good for him, Katniss. He's having a tough time with the divorce, and I think you're some of the best therapy he can get. If Delly's not going to be around, he needs at least one steady female presence in his life."

Her heart skipped a beat and she dropped the subject, momentarily mollified. "Still, you couldn't have helped me. If you want to get custody, your finances need to be clean for court," she pointed out. She could tell that this stumped him. She was right. Delly's lawyer was going through Peeta's bank account with a fine- toothed comb for any discrepancies. A brand new car for his babysitter would be an enormous red flag.

"Still," Peeta said, rubbing the back of his neck exasperatedly, "Let me help you with the insurance payments or something… You do have insurance, right?"

For the second time in ten minutes, Katniss rolled her eyes. "Yes, I have insurance. Don't worry about it. I've got it handled. It will get me from point A to point B, and as long as point B is right here-" she stepped around the vehicle and wrapped her arms around his waist-"that's all I need."

Peeta ducked his head into her neck and sighed deeply. "I do kind of like the color," he relented. "My first car was orange, too." Katniss smiled to herself against his chest.

"I want to take you on a real date," Peeta announced later that day. They were laying in his bed naked and post coital, but she couldn't help giggling and rolling her eyes at him.

"Wanna know the irony of that?" she said. "You'd need a babysitter for Rye."

"Oh the joys of single parenthood," Peeta chuckled, but after a moment his expression became serious again. "I do want to take you out, though. I want to court you."

Katniss snickered. "Court me? How old are you, anyway?"

"I'm serious, Katniss. I want to date you and make you feel special like a real boyfriend should. You deserve that."

"I don't need that. All I need is right here." She ran a hand up his well- defined torso.

"How about on your birthday? We could go to dinner somewhere out of town." He was clearly not going to let this go until she agreed.

"If I say yes, will you shut up and fuck me again?" She was only half- serious, but there was no trace of teasing in Peeta's reply.

"Oh absolutely." His mouth found hers to indulge in a deep, primal kiss.

"Then yes," Katniss whispered.

May 8th arrived to find that Peeta had arranged for Rye to spend the night at his brother's house. Rye got along well with his cousins, so the situation was a win-win. Peeta really was going all out for this, Katniss thought. She had already shared a hasty birthday celebration with her mother and sister, and told them she was going out with friends and wouldn't be back until morning. Johanna was in the loop and ready with an excuse if Katniss's mother called for any reason, but Katniss highly doubted that she would. Still, being prepared never hurt anything.

Peeta arrived at Jo's to pick up Katniss at exactly 8 o'clock. Even though she had been in an intimate relationship with this man for months, her heart still raced when he rang the doorbell. Johanna smirked and shoved her toward the door. "You better answer that, brainless." Katniss shot a glare at her and tugged down the short, black dress her friend had lent her for the occasion. Although she had ignored Jo's insistence that she should forgo her underwear, she had accepted help in the makeup department. A little mascara and blush went a long way. The look on Peeta's face when she opened the door confirmed that.

"Shall we?" he said, recovering himself and offering her his arm. With a backward glance at a smug Johanna, Katniss accepted Peeta's outstretched arm and allowed him to escort her to the car.

"It's a bit of a drive," he warned her as he hopped into the driver's seat. "I made reservations at this great little place in the city. I thought somewhere quiet and out of the way would be…" He didn't need to finish the thought. Katniss knew that he was still wary of being seen with her in public. Not wanting this to dampen the mood, she decided it was time to change the subject.

"So how was Rye when you dropped him off?"

Peeta chuckled. "I don't think Rye even realized when I left, actually. He was already off running around the house with the others about 30 seconds after we got there. I doubt my brother's going to get any sleep tonight. So enjoy this, because it'll probably be our last night out for a while."

The drive went smoothly from there. Katniss had to admit to herself that she enjoyed riding in Peeta's car more than her Chevette, but it wasn't for the updated luxuries (though heated seats and a working radio were pleasant bonuses). It was for the pure joy of having Peeta next to her. Their intimate relationship had started in this car. His large hands were wrapped around the steering wheel, brow furrowed in concentration. Peeta didn't realize it, but his nostrils flared and he let out an impatient huff of air whenever another driver cut him off or neglected to use a blinker. Mere months ago, Katniss could never have imagined that this man would be hers. Now that he was, she treasured absolutely everything about him.

She was so lost in contemplation that she hardly realized when Peeta parked the car outside a little bistro and announced with a wide grin, "We're here!"

He insisted that she wait for him to open her door. "When a gentleman courts a lady, Katniss…" he mock- scolded her, shaking his index finger playfully at her. The hostess sat them at a cozy table in the corner of the room. When the perky blond waitress arrived at their table to take their drink orders, her eyes raked over Peeta, taking in his perfectly gelled curls, muscular arms, and the dusting of chest hair peeking out from the top of his shirt. A wave of jealousy flushed through Katniss. The girl was obviously trying to get Peeta's attention, shoving her perfect cleavage in his face and laughing as though he'd made the funniest joke in the world when he gave her a dazzling smile and requested two iced teas, no sugar. She hardly spared Katniss a glance and announced that she would be right back with their drinks.

"Something wrong?" Peeta asked when the waitress had flounced away.

"No," Katniss lied.

"Katniss…" He raised his eyebrows, unconvinced.

"Oh please, don't tell me you didn't notice Ms. Boobs shirt over there. Did you even see the way she was gawking at you? It was like watching a dog salivate over a piece of meat!" Unexpectedly, Peeta's face split into a wide grin. "What?" she demanded. "What's so funny?"

"You know, I kind of like this jealous side of you. You're so fiery; it's adorable."

"It's not funny." She crossed her arms over her chest.

Peeta schooled his features into a somber expression. "Believe me Katniss, I've liked you for far too long to throw it all away for the first girl that shows me any attention. I want you. Only you."

She grinned at him, and Peeta didn't even take his eyes off her when the blonde came back with their tea and took their orders. "Lamb stew," Katniss said, selecting the first item she spotted on the menu.

Same," Peeta said, and the waitress walked away again, visibly irritated that Peeta had not shown her any attention. They smirked at each other. "You know, I was going to wait until later to do this, but I don't think I can wait any longer." He pulled a velvet box from his pocket, about the size of his palm and deep blue in color. It reminded Katniss of his eyes.

"Peeta, you didn't have to get my anything! I thought our date was my gift."

Peeta rolled his eyes. "How could I not get something for the most beautiful girl in the world? It's not every day you turn eighteen." Katniss flushed and opened the box. Nestled atop the navy satin was a single pearl. Silvery gray and flawless, it was looped through a fine silver chain, entirely too beautiful to touch, nonetheless wear.

"Peeta," she breathed. She looked up into his anxious face, lost for words.

"Do you like it? I thought you wouldn't like anything too flashy like diamonds, but still something precious and rare, and when I saw this, I thought of you, and-"

"Peeta," she said again. "I love it. It's absolutely stunning. Will you help me put it on?" He smiled that infectious smile and got up from his place at the table to stand behind her. She gathered her hair in one hand and his fingers brushed her skin when he looped the necklace around her neck. Pleasant tingles trickled down her spine. He moved away far too quickly for her liking.

He returned to his seat and appraised his gift. "I was right. It exactly matches your eyes." Their food came just then, but Katniss hardly tasted it, lost in his spell. By the time dessert arrived, Katniss was thrumming with energy, eager for the meal to finish so that she could kiss this wonderful man that was somehow hers. She made it as far as the parking lot before she pressed him to his car and took his lips with hers. She would have happily made love with him then and there in the car, but Peeta insisted that's not what a gentleman would do. So it was with great anticipation that she settled in the front seat to wait out the endless drive home. She didn't let go of his hand until he had pulled into his driveway forty minutes later.

Insisting once again that she wait for him to open the car door, Peeta lifted her right out of her seat and carried her over the threshold into the house. She secured her arms around his neck and busied herself with nibbling the sensitive skin around his ears and clavicle. Once in the bedroom, Peeta pressed her back against the wall and kissed her senseless. He pressed his knee between her legs and she ground down on him, keening in pleasure. His fingers joined in, snaking up her dress and into her underwear. She reached for the button of his slacks, but Peeta stayed her wrist.

"Oh no, Katniss. It's your birthday. I am entirely at your mercy," he growled. "Just tell me what you want."

She flushed a deep red. "I like it when… when you eat me out."

Peeta grinned wickedly. "My pleasure." His voice was so smoky and his tongue curled around the word with such a loving caress that it sent a flood of moisture to her core. His fingers found her zipper and dragged it down her back, leaving Johanna's dress lying forgotten on the floor. Katniss shimmied out of her underwear, waiting for him to take her. But instead of lowering her to the bed, Peeta flopped onto his back on the mattress and beckoned her to join him.

"What are you-"

"Just trust me," Peeta said. "Sit on top of me." Completely thrown by the request, Katniss swung her legs over him, straddling his stomach. He shook his head. "No. Up here." He pointed to his face.

"But I'll smother you!" she balked.

He chuckled. "I promise you won't. Grab the headboard for support if you need to." Apprehensively, she crawled up his torso and settled her center over his mouth. Peeta grabbed her hips to pull her down, his mouth watering for her.

"Oh!" she cried out when his tongue met her flesh. The sensation was entirely different from this angle, and entirely thrilling. Her knees sank further and further into the mattress with each swipe of his tongue and each nibble of his teeth. Soon, she was riding his face free of abandon, chasing the fire racing through her veins. Only Peeta incited this in her. Only he could make her feel this way.

Before she succumbed to the impending bliss, she had an idea. Something she could never, ever verbalize, but she wanted it so much in the moment that nothing was going to stop her.

She changed position so quickly that Peeta didn't have time to protest. She settled herself back over his mouth, this time facing the opposite direction. Leaning down on her hands and knees, she tugged down his pants to expose him. "Katniss, what are you-" She didn't allow him time to finish the question before securing her lips around the head of his cock. "Ohhhh." The vibrations of Peeta's moan zipped through her body, setting every single one of her nerves on fire.

She plunged down on him as far as her gag reflex would allow. Peeta's hips jerked instinctively. She smirked to herself. She was getting better at this. He began thrusting his hips up toward her face, Katniss grinding down on his mouth with abandon, no longer worried about smothering him. It was a wonder he could breathe at all, but Peeta's frequent moans and grunts as she sucked him off let her know that he was more than okay. The salty taste of his pre-cum filled her mouth and she sucked in her cheeks, swirling her tongue over his head. Her hand pumped his shaft in the way that guaranteed him an earth- shattering orgasm.

Even though Peeta was close to falling over the edge, his mouth never let up on her. He rolled her clit between his lips, plunged his tongue as deep as it would go into her sweet depths.

Her walls began to contract just as spurts of hot, thick liquid filled her mouth. They came together, a trembling, sweaty tangle of boneless limbs and racing hearts.

They lay there for mere seconds before Katniss shifted herself to straddle Peeta's lap. Her lips found his in a fierce kiss, her hips grinding into him, desperate for more. More than ready for round two. "Holy shit, Katniss," Peeta gasped between fervent rounds of kisses. "I'm not as young as you. I don't have your stamina."

She grinned wickedly at him. "You said anything I want, remember?"

"How could I forget?" And then without warning, he flipped them so that he loomed over her, intent on devouring every inch of her body. He went for her neck first, finding all her pressure points with ease. Kissing and suckling and nibbling the long column of exposed olive skin. He lavished her breasts with one hand, and inserted a thick finger into her with the other. Katniss's back bowed off the bed in pleasure, strings of incomprehensible words and unintelligible moans falling from her lips.

"Fuck! Oh my god, Peeta. Like that… oh. Oh!"

And then he buried himself in her as her second orgasm hit, his cock hard and ready for her once more.

And in that moment, Katniss knew that Peeta would do anything for her. He'd buy her all the pearl necklaces in the world if she so desired; he'd present the entire ocean to her if he could. But even then, her only birthday wish would be stay right here in this moment forever.

Sex with Peeta was the most incredible thing Katniss had ever experienced. Each and every time, the world narrowed to a single room containing just the two of them. Their own personal bubble, where no one could interrupt them and nothing else mattered. And so it felt like hours later that the pair of lovers lay on the floor in front of the fire, sated but thoroughly exhausted. Peeta had disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes to hunt for food and reappeared with all of Katniss's favorites. They fed each other bits of pastries and fruit while the fire crackled in the background.

"I can't wait for summer next week. We'll have all the time in the world," Katniss sighed, picturing the secluded picnics they could have by the lake. She knew just the perfect place; a meadow blossoming with dandelions come spring and shaded by weeping willows. She thought it would be nothing less than incredible to make love under the sweeping branches of a willow tree.

But Peeta looked away from her, his forehead wrinkled in deep thought. "Katniss, that's actually something I've been meaning to discuss with you." His tone was not promising. It immediately sent a flood of ice cascading into her stomach. The edges of their bubble trembled, ready to burst with sudden tension. Peeta's fingers found her chin and lifted it so that her eyes met his. "You're graduating next week. You'll be going to college soon after." He said it with such grim finality in his tone that he might have been announcing the death of a close friend.

This was true. They'd always known this, but Katniss had never seen it as a particularly large obstacle. "I don't have to go away to school, though," she reasoned. "I've been thinking about it too. I could stay here and take classes at the community college for a while…"

But Peeta was shaking his head. "Don't you see? That's exactly what I'm afraid of. I can't be that guy, Katniss!"

"What are you talking about? What guy?" Frustrated tears were beginning to prickle her eyes, the ice in her stomach forming a frozen knot that seemed to lodge itself in her throat.

"I mean that I can't be the guy that holds you back! The guy that forces you to give up your life. The guy that steals your potential. I can't do that to you Katniss; don't you see? I'm not worth that! If could look me in the eyes right know and tell me that you really do want to stay here for any reason other than me, I might be okay with that, but I can't let you stay just for me. I can't."

"It wouldn't be just for you! I have Prim to think about, too."

Peeta looked at her despairingly. "You know that's not true, Katniss. Prim will be fine, and more than that, she wants you to go to college. She wants you to be happy." A long stretch of silence passed as Katniss twisted her hands into the bedspread, trying desperately to come up with a different argument.

"I don't even know what I want to do with my life," she mumbled at last. "Going away to school will be a waste of time without a goal."

"Have you ever considered working with children? Maybe becoming a teacher? You're great with Rye," Peeta pointed out.

Katniss rolled her eyes. "Sure, but he's special."

"You practically raised Prim-"

"She's special too."

Peeta sighed and lifted her chin again. "Katniss, when are you going to see that you're the special one here?"

"But… but what if you meet someone while I'm gone?" The childish insecurities tumbled from her mouth before she could stop them, one after the other. "What if you find some sophisticated, older woman who sweeps you off your feet? Someone that you don't have to hide? Then what?"

Peeta's eyes burned into hers. "I don't want someone sophisticated or older; I just want you, Katniss. And let me assure you, there aren't going to be any other women in my future. I'm fresh off a divorce and about to be granted full custody of a four- year- old. I don't have time for anyone else." His mouth twitched into a self- deprecating smile. But then his face fell, his mouth opened and closed wordlessly. Whatever he was trying to say was clearly painful for him. "Also… I really think you should explore all your options. Date other people, you know. That's what college is supposed to be about. I don't want you to be tied down to me."

Katniss didn't know if she should slap him or hug him, he was being so ridiculous. She settled for grabbing his face between her hands, repeating the words he'd said to her only moments before. "I don't want anyone else. Just you, Peeta."

"Tell you what. If when you graduate from college we're both still single, we'll give it another go. But for now… let's put it on hold."

She had no answer for this. To postpone the inevitable, she pulled his face down to hers, their lips meeting for a moment of searing passion. All too soon, Peeta broke away to whisper in her ear, "You know, just because you're going away doesn't mean we can't have the occasional rendezvous when you visit on the weekends."

An unwilling chuckle fell from her lips. She'd tried to avoid his eyes thus far into their conversation because she knew looking at them would weaken her resolve. But they captivated her, those brilliant blue irises. And she could see that this decision was killing him as much as it was her. This time, the kiss that followed was demanding and fierce. These lips belonged to her- Peeta had just told her as much- and she wanted to claim them. He let her. Katniss led the kiss, nipping and pulling his soft lips, marking her territory. But it wasn't enough. She broke away to beg the question that was heavy on her mind.

"Will you wait for me?"

Peeta smiled, his arms wrapped firmly around her. Katniss dreaded the moment when she would have to let him go, but his answer softened the blow.

"I'll wait for you as long as it takes, Katniss. I'm not going anywhere."

Hope bloomed in her chest like the first dandelion sprouting from the ground after the frosts of winter had subsided. She trusted him to her very core; enough to believe what he said was true. Peeta would be there when she got back. He would wait for her, always.

I have to say happy 2016 to all my followers and thank you for waiting so patiently for the final installment! I figured there's no better way than to begin a new year with everlark smut! Leave a review or find me as everlarkstoastbabies on tumblr.

XOXO