***WARNING!!! THERE IS A BIT OF MATURE PARTS IN THE CHAPTER!!!! I'll try to think of a symbol of sorts so you guys know ahead of time. Anyway, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!***

••••••••••••••••••

I come out of my room to see Matt waiting patiently in the kitchen. With my makeup and jewelry on, I was quite satisfied with the way I look for Matt.

"You must be a goddess." Matt murmurs when he sees me. I blush furiously and look down. Matt grabs my hand.

"C'mon. I have the perfect night planned out."

^^^^Matt's house^^^^

"Your house is so nice." I gush at his beautiful house, that is too simple to be a "rich person's house" but too elegant to be "middle class". It was perfect.

"Thanks. It was my parents before they passed away." He says, "Me being an only child, I got everything in the will, including the house."

"Oh I'm sorry. If you don't mind me asking-"

"My dad was a captain in the Air Force when his plane got shot down by the Taliban when I was 18. He was actually on his way home to my graduation." His voice is heavy with grief, "And my mom couldn't take it anymore. On the year anniversary of his death, she had so much grief it took her too." I feel like crying.

"Oh my god Matt." I give him a huge hug and he sighs.

"My Aunt Kathy took care of me for about 3 years voluntarily until I had my first deployment. That's when we decided I was back in my feet and ready to be on my own. She still checks up on me. She's like a second mother. And her daughter Jordan. She's like a sister."

"I am so sorry. He died a hero, you know that right?" I say encouragingly.

"Of course I do."

"And I know he would be so proud of you." I say and he smiles.

"I needed to hear that. Thanks. Let me get changed and I can start dinner."

^^^^^^^^^

"You want some more wine? I'm almost done I swear." Matt asks me. I cannot believe he is cooking in a suit, and I'm pretty sure that makes him even more hot.

"Matthew, are you trying to get me drunk for your 'manly needs'?" I jokingly spit out. Stupid alcohol is going to my mind.

"Trust me. If I wanted you drunk to have sex, we'd be on our third round of fucking." I stare at him and he turns around to stare at me, "I'm kidding." He says when he sees my face.

"I mean I definitely wouldn't mind that." I blurt out. Dammit alcohol.

Matt stares at me with a surprised look on his face. 'That's what you get when you serve wine to someone who's only had it twice' I think smugly.

"Are you a virgin, Annalise?" Matt asks, now hovering over me with a hand on each arm rest of the chair I'm sitting on.

"Uhh no..." Matt turns back to the vegetables he's cutting up. I don't know why but I don't stop my explanation, Damn. I didn't know I could get this tipsy this fast.

"I lost it when I was like, 16 to one of my boyfriends I had in high school. And I know you don't talk about ex's in a new relationship, but I wanted to tell you that I dated a guy who....who abused me. His name was Derek, I just thought you should know." It gets dead silent.

"Matthew?" I say cautiously. He's breathing heavy.

"What did you say?" he asks through gritted teeth. He almost scares me, and I get up and walk towards him.

"Matthew he's in jail now. You don't have to worry about him." I say softly, placing my hand on his forearm.

"But the fact that someone had the fucking nerve to lay a hand on a women is sickening." He says, a little more calmed down.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." I say. He whips towards me

"Don't you ever apologize for what that bastard did. I am so glad you told me. Now I have an even better reason to protect you."

"I said he was in jail. It's all over-"

"Annalise. Please don't say it's all over, because we both know it still haunts you in the back of your mind, every waking moment. It does for me and and my parents, and the fact that you survived that torture makes you even more remarkable and stronger than I ever thought you were. But it's always going to be there. And no matter what, I am going to try my fucking hardest to make sure that those little thought remain little thoughts, and I promise I will make sure I will never let them take over you."

I stare at him with such admiration and awe, there had to be some explanation to why he's in my life right at this moment. The fact that he's completely right about what happened years ago takes away most of the hidden insecurities and fears I have.

"You have to be my guardian angle. There's no other explanation." I state, making us both smile.

"Dinner?" he asks, holding onto me around my waist.

"Dinner."

^^^^^^^

"Oh my god that was so good." I say, finishing my salmon steak with garlic noodles and steamed seasoned broccoli, "Where the hell did you learn to cook like that?" I ask.

"Us men get really bored overseas, and there's women who definitely know how to cook." We laugh and he gets up to clear off our plates. He quickly rinses them and puts them in a dishwasher.

Once he's done he turns to me, "movie?"

"Sure. Whatcha got?"

"There's a cupboard under the T.V with a bunch of movies. Pick what you want."

I go over to where he pointed out, and skim through the DVDs. I gasp when I see one of my favorite ones and quickly put it in, and pause it when it starts.

"If you wanna change out of your dress so you're more comfortable, my room is down the hallway that's on the left, at the end of the hall. The master bedroom." Matt says from the kitchen.

"You want some help cleaning up?" I say as I get up from the couch.

"Nah I'm good." he waves his hand but doesn't turn toward me, "Grab some blankets though? The ones on my bed are good."

"Yeah okay." I say with a nod.

I start walking toward where Matt directed me. I walk up to the door at the end of the hall and open it and turn the light on. I don't know why, but it's surprising how clean and neat it is. I walk over to the dresser and start opening and closing doors until I find the clothes I'm looking for. I pull out a pair of light sweats and a tan/greenish shirt, almost the color of his camouflage, only a solid color, and they both smell strongly of his cologne. Of course, everything is big on me, so I roll up the sweats a couple times before laying my dress in the bed. Then, I grab a couple of lighter blankets that also smell strongly of his amazing cologne and walk back towards the living room, where Matt is waiting.

"You look adorable." He says when he sees me. "What movie did you pick?" he asks me as a sit down and situate the blankets over us.

"The Princess Bride. It's the best movie ever." I say, smiling sweetly at him as he starts the movie.

"You said American Sniper was the best movie ever." He challenges me.

"Oh hush. I say all movies are the best movies ever." He starts to say something, but I put my hand over his face to shut him up.

"Shhhh! the movie's starting!" I whisper without taking my eyes off the screen.

He chuckles, but remains silent anyway.

^^^^towards end of movie^^^^

'Hello. My name is Inigo Montoyo. You killed my father. Prepare to die!'

I laugh at the movie, and snuggle into Matt's chest more to get a bit more comfortable. He's seems comfortable as well, with his arm around my shoulder. I'm too excited for this. He kisses the top of my head, and I look up at him. He looks down at me and smiles. I smile widely right back, and can't help but look at his lips. We're soon both slowly leaning in until the distance between our lips disappears.

The kiss is sweet gentle, and amazing. His soft warm lips on mine gives me butterflies in my stomach. He places his hands on my hips, and moves me around so I'm straddling him with my legs around his waist. The kiss becomes deeper and harder. He licks my bottom lip, and I quickly grant entrance. Soon, our tongues are wrestling for dominance. I feel a heating sensation in my core, and I can feel his excitement as well.

My hands are wound up in his hair, twisting and grabbing while his hands are at my waist, playing with the hem of my shirt. His lips leave mine, only to travel from my mouth, to my neck, searching for my sensitive spot. His lips are some at the place of my neck where my jaw starts when I let out a moan. He smiles, and continued kissing and sucking the area.

"Matt..." I gasp out. He chuckles and moves down to the top of my cleavage.

His hands scrunch up my shirt, but before he can, I swiftly swipe off his shirt. Our lips quickly reattach. When his hands return to my waist, he doesn't hesitate to take off my shirt in one movement.

"Matt." I say, disconnecting our lips, "There's something about what Derek did and I just wanted to let you know...." I trail off because I know he's seen it.

There's a jagged scar just undereneath my right breast a couple inches long.

"What happened?" He asks.

"I finally stood up to the ass. He was drunk, and had a bottle. He managed to swipe me through my shirt before the cops showed up." I gently explain.

Matt stares at it, and cautiously reaches his fingers towards the damaged skin in the center. I give him a nod, and he lays me down on the couch, hovering over me so he can study the harmed skin. The tips of his fingers traces over it, and I close my eyes and lean my head back, giving him the control he needs to look at the scar closer.

"Do you hate it?" he asks quietly.

I shake my head, "Of course not." I reply with the same tone of voice. "It reminds me of when I got my life back by standing up to someone who was trying to destroy it."

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." He says, not taking his eyes off of my bare skin.

"Like Kelly Clarkson." I say laughing.

He nods an laughs too, "I met her once. She came and sang when I was in...Kyrgestan. I met Kid Rock when I was in Iraq. Sometimes famous singers come and perform for us."

"That's so cool." I say in awe.

"Annalise?" Matt say.

"Yes?"

"Be my girlfriend?" He smiles widely at me and I kiss him quickly and smile back.

"I would love to."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As promised. A day late, but it's here haha.

Damn was that chapter deep or what? Now y'all are probably thinking that at one point, Derek's going to get out if jail and come back. Possibly, because I'm stereotypical like that, but it's probably going to be different than what you think it is. ;) ;) *evil laugh*

Thanks for reading and don't forget to comment and vote!! XD

~QuackingDuck~