After everyone had sorted and went through the supplies we had all collected I think we all felt a little better about our current situation.

We had enough clothes, food, and water to last us for a few weeks if we rationed correctly.

What we didn't have enough of though, was weapons.

There was no way we could fight those things with a can of a soup and a couple of socks and expect to survive. We still had the gun and the single box of bullets that we were able to get from the truck but that would only last us for so long.

Seeming to read everyone's minds, Marco spoke up.
"We're going to need stuff to defend ourselves with."

"And where do you suggest we get them from?" Cory asked. "It's not like they have a Weapons "R" Us in here."

Marco shrugged. "We'll have to leave the mall to get them." He suggested the idea like it was no big deal. Like there weren't giant decomposing wolves ready to rip our throats out the second we stepped foot outside and let our guard down.

Cory nodded towards the gated door. "Go ahead and take one for the team then."

Marco glanced at the door and then back at the rest of the group, meeting everyone's eyes before landing back on Cory.

He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I guess the weapons can wait for now."

Cory simply hummed in response before addressing the entire group. "So, we have enough supplies to last us for a little while. The only issue is what to do next. Do we just stay camped out here and wait it out until it's safe again?"

It was a good question.

Would it ever really be safe again? Would they really be able to get rid of all of those things for good or would this be our new way of life now?

Once again my mind drifted back to my mom and sister. The image of my mom's blank stare as she lunged at me with the intent to kill was as clear an image in my mind as if she were standing in front of me right now. Could I live in a world where everyone's family and friends either died or turned into mindless empty shells who knew only bloodlust?

A shiver ran up my spine at the thought and I tried rubbing my hands up and down my arms to get rid of the chill I was suddenly feeling.

"Do we really have a choice?" Arden's voice broke me from my thoughts and I glanced over at her and watched as she lifted her hand to bite her nails nervously.

"I mean it's not like we can really do anything else while those things are still out there can we?" She continued. "Our only real option is to wait it out and try and survive."

Well...that sounded promising.

All eyes landed on Marco again as he made a show of leaning back on his hands and sighing heavily.

"Well that's easier said than done now isn't it love?" He asked as he arched an eyebrow at Arden.

"It doesn't matter how much we want it or how hard we try. If those things decide they want to have us for dinner, it's going to take a lot more than hoping and wishing to save our asses."

And on that encouraging note, Marco grabbed his sleeping bag before standing and heading to a corner of the store to plop down.

Marie cleared her throat nervously. Gaining everyone's attention, which was probably a good thing if the look Cory was shooting Marco right now was anything to go by.

"Well, I guess we should all call it a night then?" She suggested.

"Yeah, I think we could all use some rest at this point." I offered, finally drawing Cory's attention from Marco as I stood with my own sleeping bag.

From the looks of it, sleeping was the last thing on Cory's mind right now.

***

At least thirty minutes had passed and I still felt Cory's stare even after everyone had gotten themselves situated and settled in for the night.

It was only after I had adjusted my sleeping bag for the sixth time (yes I was stalling) that I finally decided to look in his direction and my suspicions were correct.

He was already looking at me.

My heart started to do a little tap dance in my chest as I watched him nod his head towards the back of the store before he silently stood and made his way back there.

I swallowed hard before looking around at everyone, double checking to see if they were all asleep, my dad in particular.

That was an awkward situation I was definitely trying to avoid.

Once I was satisfied that they were all asleep I slowly stood and began to make my way towards the back of the store where Cory had headed.

Past the front counter that held the cash registers were the changing rooms.

I stopped abruptly as I squinted down the small hallway lined with the doors to each changing room.

Was this really happening?

Did Cory actually expect something to happen?

Did I?

Did I want it to?

Should I be offended if he expected something?

It wasn't like we had known each other for very long.

Did that matter?

A million thoughts fired off in my head one after the other, each one louder and more demanding than the last and all pounding my brain for an answer.

I was trying my hardest to sort through my mess of thoughts when I heard the small squeak of a door swinging on its hinges before I felt a hand grab my own and pull me towards the side and into a dimly lit room.

My heart was now beating an even harder rhythm than before which couldn't have been healthy.

I had to get a grip. Why was I acting like this?

It wasn't like this was my first time being with a guy.

I'd had a couple of boyfriends before. One during my junior year in high school and one during my freshman year of college. The latter of the two I'd already lost my virginity to.

So, it wasn't like this was my first rodeo. Granted Cory wasn't my boyfriend, but that-

Wait a minute. Was that why I was so nervous? Because I was new to the whole "no strings attached" sex thing?

Not that I was expecting us to have sex or anything because that-

"What's wrong? Why do you look like that?"

Cory's voice ripped me from the endless black hole that was my brain right now and it took me a few seconds to focus on him and exactly where we were.

I glanced around the room quickly and felt a little relieved to find that we weren't in one of the changing rooms but what looked like a small office instead, the room being lit by a small lamp on a wooden desk in the corner.

I tore my eyes away from the desk and focused back on Cory and the question he had asked which he was now waiting for an answer to judging from the expectant look on his face.

I cleared my throat. "Like what?"

Cory eyed my face before settling back on my eyes.

"Like you just swallowed a lemon."

Is that how I looked when I was thinking?!

"I don't look like that." I protested.

A small smirk appeared on his lips, as he titled his head to the side.

"How do you know?"

I opened my mouth to respond but realized I didn't actually have a good answer and quickly shut my mouth.

Nice.

Cory laughed before stepping closer so he was definitely invading my personal bubble and placed his hands on both of my shoulders.

"I'll let you off the hook for the face you just made. That's not why I wanted you here."

Here it comes.

He just needed to go ahead and put it out there.

We were both adults.

If what he wanted was sex then-

"I wanted to talk to you."

Wait, what?

I blinked slowly and the confusion must have been clear on my face because Cory went on to clarify.

"About earlier. In the store."

I blinked again.

"You want to... talk?"

Cory nodded slowly, now looking at me as if I had just asked if the sky was really blue.

Well I wasn't expecting that and to be honest I wasn't sure how I felt about it.

Was I happy that he didn't seem to just want to use me to get rid of whatever tension had slowly been growing between us or was I upset because the image in my head of him pushing me up against that desk and doing things that would make a porn star blush was now out of reach?

Forget I said that.

I cleared my throat and blinked a few more times trying my best not to look at the stupid desk now, before nodding.

"Ok, let's talk then."

Cory was still eyeing me skeptically before he shook his head.

"I wanted to apologize."

Ah, so that was it then.

He regretted the fact that he had almost kissed me earlier.

I guess I can't say that I really blamed him. It's like I had said, despite the sexual tension, we still didn't really know each other all that well.

So, it was normal to regret what had almost happened between us.

It was probably a good thing anyway. I should've been focusing on how to survive the night and how we were going to make it out in one piece, not about making out with some boy I had just met.

No matter what I thought though, it didn't stop that small stinging feeling in my chest from forming.

"It shouldn't have happened like that." Cory continued which only caused the tightening in my chest to increase.

Did I really have to sit here and listen to him put into words how much of mistake he thought almost kissing me was?

I held my hand up, trying to stop him from continuing. "Listen it's okay. It was a mistake I get it."

Wanting to escape back to the comfort of my sleeping bag and bury myself in it for maybe the next decade or two to try and get over the red hot embarrassment and humiliation I was now feeling I quickly turned and reached for the door knob intending to do just that but before I could I was stopped when Cory reached out and pulled my hand away from the door handle before spinning me around so I was facing him again.

"Where are you going?"

"To sleep."

And maybe if I'm lucky enough I won't wake up.

"You made your point and I understood it loud and clear." I continued.

I tried to turn and reach for the door again but once again Cory kept me from leaving. He made sure I was facing him fully before speaking.

"I said I was sorry about how it happened, not about the fact that it almost happened."

What?

"Allona, the only thing I'm sorry about is that I sprung it on you so quickly like that and the fact that our new friend in there interrupted us like that."

Oh.

Well then...

Scanning my face Cory gave a soft laugh at whatever he saw there before stepping forward and reaching out to cup my face in his hands.

"I think I owe you a do over." He said as he looked down at me, the smile slowly leaving his face to be replaced by something more intense.

I barely had time to register what was happening before I felt the heat of his body as he stepped even closer, invading all of my senses and then Cory's lips were pressed against my own.

It took me a few seconds to respond but when I did I made sure to do so with vigor.

I eliminated whatever small space was left between us and pressed my body against his before reaching up to wrap my arms around his neck, threading my fingers through the hair at the base of his head.

Cory was obviously surprised by my forwardness because I felt him falter and his breath hitched for just second before he was returning the favor in kind.

His hands that were holding my face slowly slid to my neck, his fingertips just grazing the skin before making a slow burning path down my shoulders, skimming my sides before finally settling on my hips where I felt his fingers grip firmly before pulling them forward so I was sure to feel every single inch of him.

And boy did I feel-

Every.

Single.

Inch.

I only had to time to gasp softly before I felt him crouch slightly and then his hands were behind my thighs before he was lifting me.

My legs, which obviously had a mind of their own, wrapped themselves around him immediately.

I was vaguely aware of the fact that we were moving and that he was carrying me somewhere but I could barely think beyond the feel of his lips on mine.

I'd been kissed before but nothing like this.

It felt like he had awoken every single nerve ending in my body.

There were no thoughts of those things out there.

There was no thinking about the sadness and grief of what I had lost.

There was no feeling of pain for everything I was forced to go through in such a short amount of time.

There was no anxiety about what we might face tomorrow.

It was just...him.

And I welcomed him wholly.

I suddenly felt a hard wooden surface brush the back of my thighs before Cory lowered me so I was sitting now.

I glanced down for only a second to recognize that he had placed me on top of the desk.

That damn beautiful desk.

Cory didn't let my focus stray from him for too long. The moment he gently grabbed my chin and turned my head so I was looking at him again before tipping my head back so that he could deepen the kiss I knew I was goner.

I felt one of his hands travel up until it was at the base of my neck where he then grabbed a hold of my hair and fisted it in his hand. Not tight enough to hurt but tight enough to know that I wasn't going anywhere.

Like I wanted to.

His other hand traveled in the opposite direction and I felt him gently nudge my thighs apart so that he could settle himself  against me and stand right between my now parted legs.

Yep, definitely a goner.

Kissing him felt like a drug.

Everything I tasted, smelled, and felt was him and I couldn't get enough.

We only broke apart to breathe and during that short  time I could feel the rapid rise and fall of Cory's chest against my own before he closed his eyes and muttered "Fuck."

Hearing just that one word, the way it fell from his lips let me know I was effecting him just as much as he was effecting me. It was like a match had lit a flame inside me before I was pulling his head back down to mine.

I'm not sure how long we stayed inside that little office but I do know that when we came out I was definitely glad that it was dark inside the store and that everyone was still asleep.

We seemed to have silently agreed that we wouldn't go any farther than kissing (for tonight at least) but I use the term kissing loosely because with the amount of touching, rubbing, and grinding we did, if we hadn't kept our clothes on we definitely would've been doing a different dance.

As we silently made our way back to the front of the store towards our sleeping bags I found myself absently reaching up to touch my lips.

I could still feel him there.

My eyes traveled to Cory of their own accord and my stomach did a little flip when just as he laid down in his own sleeping bag he looked back and gave me a small but genuine smile that I couldn't help but return.

I didn't know what this thing was between us now. I didn't know if it was just hyped up emotions from the situation we were in. I didn't know if it was from the fact that either one of us could die at any second.

What I did know though was that despite the short amount of time that we had known each other, Cory had somehow already found a place in my life.

***

It felt like I had only fallen asleep for a few seconds before I was woken up again.

I opened my eyes slowly, staring up at the dark shadows cast across the ceiling of the store. I turned my head to the left and glanced at everyone all still wrapped in their sleeping bags, completely knocked out.

I frowned, wondering what exactly had woken me.

The slightest shuffle, the smallest exhale of breath, and the tiniest rattle of something heavy laying against the metal gate had me whipping my head to the right and I felt my body freeze as if I had just been dipped in an ice bath as several pairs of wide and wild eyes accompanied by wicked grins stared right back at me from the other side of the store gate.

***

Aaaand there you have it folks, the next chapter! Sorry for the delay in the update. I tried to make up for it by making this chapter a little longer and gifting you guys with a semi-steamy Cory and Allona scene ;) Don't worry there's more to come! Anywho, thoughts on the story so far? The characters? Are you guys enjoying it? Let me know what you think! :)

Also, I know you guys are probably tired of hearing about it but The Subway is really doing great on Amazon. It's been out for almost a month now and it's still on the best seller ranks! So, I can't thank you guys enough and will continue to thank you every chance I get!

Until next time,
~JaeJae