I wake up to a nuisance repeatedly poking my cheek. I try batting it away, somewhat becoming successful, only to have it return with giggling accompanying the jabs.

"As much fun I'm having Anna, you only have one class. So get your ass up before you're late." Lexy's voice fills my ears.

I groan and pull a pillow over my head. "I don't wanna go." I whine. "Call me in sick."

"You are all out of sick days, lazy fuck." She says as she rips off my pillows. "Get. Up." she pushes me out of bed and I land with a thud directly on my face.

I lay there, face down on the carpet, unmoving. I feel stinging on my face where my nose took most of the carpet, and I know I'm going to have carpet burn on my nose. Just what I needed.

"Just think. In less than two weeks it'll be summer." I hear Lexy say and she tries to get me up, "the pool, hot life guards, bikinis, hot shirtless men, sunshine, hot tanned men, late nights at bars, hot men-Oh for Christ's sake Anna don't you dare go boneless on me now get up you little slut!"

I stare at her after listening to her list of summer things while raising an eyebrow at her. She giggles and I get up shaking my head,

"Jake's not enough for you?" I joke around, but I see her smile falter. "Oh I'm sorry, hun." I give her a hug as she tries to hide her pain, "I'm going to kick his ass right now." She shakes her head and grabs my arm with a slight smile on her face.

"We decided we needed a break...his parents are all on our asses because they hate me. We're just taking a break until he can sort things out with them, hopefully getting them to at least tolerate our relationship." She holds up her left hand, that has a simple band on the ring finger. She looks at me with a grin. I gasp,

"Did he...?!" She rapidly shakes her head.

"It's just a promise ring." But to them it means more.

I smile proudly at her as she admires the ring with such love it makes my heart twist thinking how much I want that. My phone bings from my room and I leave Lexy to her own thoughts to check it. I smile as I see who's texting me and immediately reply:

Matt: Wanna meet up for lunch later?

Me: Sure! What time?

As I wait for a reply I finish getting ready for my class today. Saying goodbye to Lexy and head out of our apartment complex. Passing by the landlord's perverted son who has to take on the job because of his father's health problems. He's always hitting on Lexy and I, and really any girl who lives in the building. He winks at me as I pass by, causing me to roll my eyes.

As I get in the car, I feel my phone vibrate and my car filled up with ringing.

"Hello?" I say, starting my car and pulling out.

"I love the sound of your voice." The person from the phone says.

"Hey Matt." I say with a smile, "what's up?"

"You still up for lunch?" He asks hopefully.

"No. I've changed my mind in the past 10 minutes." I reply sarcastically.

He laughs and the sound brings flutters to my stomach, "you think you can make it to the base and we can have lunch there? I'd love for you to meet some of the guys."

I bite my lip and ponder the thought. I hadn't been to his work yet, it being kind of special because it's a military base, where all of his friends are at.

"Yeah." I finally say as I pull into the campus parking lot, "sounds great. I'll text you when I leave."

"Perfect. I will meet you at the front gate. Make sure you have your I.D ready, have your seatbelt on when you enter the base and off your phone." He lists all these demands and I chuckle at him.

"I can't have my phone at all?"

He laughs at me, "you can, just not when you enter the base. If I'm not there at the front gate, just tell the guys there that you're coming to see me. They'll want to see identification and probably give you a hard time. Just park in the nearest parking lot and call me. I'll find you." I can almost hear the grin he has plastered on his face.

"You're really psyched up about this aren't you?" I laugh as I'm walking towards my class.

"Oh very much so." There's some talking on the other side, a quite conversation, laughing, and a not-so-nice "back off".

"I have to get back to work and you have a class to get to before you're all mine."

I laugh and shake my head, "you're a dork. Get to work or you'll lose your job. Then I'll be paying for lunch."

"Even if I was unemployed, I would never let you pay for lunch, Annalise." I roll my eyes,

"Men." I huff.

He laughs and we say our goodbyes, promising to see each other soon...

~~~~Matt's P.O.V~~~~

I sigh as I put my phone down and try to get back to my computer screen. Just because I can't focus, doesn't mean I can't make it look like I'm actually working.

"You really like this girl. Anna is it?"

I look up to see one of my closest friends, Ian, from basic training leaning against the door frame. I rub my hands on my face and rest one of them on my chin, rubbing my stubble.

"Yeah. Annalise. She's uhh coming for lunch...you working the gate?"

"I can. Why?" I shrug,

"Just incase I don't get there in time, you can help her out. I'll radio you." He nods,

"Sounds good." he says walking away.

^^^Lunch Anna's P.O.V^^^

I drive up to the front gate of Matt's base and pull out my drivers license. One of the men is holding an M4 and walks up to my car as I roll down the window. He takes my I.D and looks at it.

"I'm umm...here for Matthew Starks-" I begin to say.

"Annalise, right?" The man who has 'Martin' on his bulletproof vest.

"Just Anna but yes." He leans on my car window,

"Okay. So you'll drive down this road and take the first left. Starks' office is in the building." (El oh el that's where my dads office is at hahaha sorry.....)

I nod looking at the road. He continues,

"He'll be waiting for you, but if not you'll have to wait until BDOC unlocks the door after you show your I.D to the guy at the window. It's a bit much but it's protocol. You can call him when you're parked. But not while you're driving otherwise we'll have to give you a ticket. Got all that?" I nod cautiously,

"Uhhh...yeah yeah. I got it. Thanks." He steps back and the gate opens up.

I drive up through the gates and drive the speed limit until I find the parking lot Matt's building has. I finally find a spot that's not reserved for chief or certain sergeants. As I put my car in park with the window rolled down I pull my phone out to text Matt. Suddenly there's tapping on the window and when I look up all I see is camouflage and a hand holding a gun. I jump and my hand flies over my mouth to keep me from screaming.

"Excuse me miss, I have to search your car. There's been an anonymous tip." An incredibly deep voice booms out.

Shit.

"Oh my god. Okay yeah sure just let me umm...like get out and holy shit I swear I don't have anything illegal in my car..."

My voice trails off at the familiar chuckle coming from my open window. The gun is put in its holster and my car door opens. Suddenly a head pops into view, and Matt's face splitting grin lights up his golden auburn eyes. I get out of the car and hit him on the chest.

"Matt! What the hell you scared me to death!" I hit him a couple more times on the chest for good measure, but it obviously doesn't have an effect with his big fat vest on, and it only makes his laughter grow louder and stronger.

He wraps his arms around me and gives me a big hug, making it much harder to be mad at him. He walks me inside, as I'm introduced to some of his coworkers before we sit down in his office to eat.

^^^after lunch^^^

"So I was thinking about you maybe coming over tonight for a nice little dinner. It's just takeout, no big deal but I was just thinking that..." I laugh as Matt is rambling, seeming flushed and looking anywhere but me. It's especially funny when he tries to make it look like he's doing something on his computer.

"Yeah I'll have dinner. I haven't had takeout in a while-"

"I want you to stay the night." he blurts, and I'm taken back.

We haven't spent the night at either one of our places yet, and it feels like a big step, considering both, mostly my, past relationships.

"Okay." I reply.

He looks up with a surprised look on his face. "Really?" It almost seems like he expected me to flip out and say no.

I laugh and walk over to him, leaning across his desk to get close to his face, "really really."

He grins widely before grabbing my face and pulling me in for a sweet kiss. It gets a little heated when my hands wind up in his hair, and our tongues wrestle for dominance.

"Hheeeyy! Get it Starks!" A voice from the hallway breaks the moment, causing Matt to get up from his chair.

"That does it." He growls and I start laughing at him threatening in a joking matter the same man that was at the gate.

"Hi." I say, breaking up the friendly fight, earning strange looks from both men, "I'm Matt's girlfriend." I stick my hand out and the both stare at it.

Finally, the guy takes my hand and weakly shakes my hand, almost suspicious, "Ian. Ian Martin. Matt's best friend from basic training." He continues to eye me suspiciously.

I nod, "good to meet you." I turn to Matt, "I have to get back to work. I'll see you tonight." I give him a quick kiss, which he returns before bidding me farewell.

As I walk out of the building, noticing some glances from the men working in their offices, I hear Ian punch Matt,

"Dude how did you get someone like her-" He's quickly interrupted by Matt telling him not so politely to shut up.

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

TADA!! Sorry for the wait. Keep up those comments and favorites!

I love all you patient people!!! SO. MUCH

El oh el I'll try to update more often.

~QuackingDuck~