-------------------------

Terri flopped down on her couch and let out a deep sigh. She had been working herself half to death and trying to manage midterms at the same time. She felt as if every inch of her body had turned to mush. She couldn't make herself get up off the couch to make food; in fact, she could hardly even manage to blink. Terri's only solace came from the knowledge that tomorrow was her off day and she could take it easy for a change. She heard her cell phone ring and answered it with a disheartened "Hello?"

Zack frowned at the phone. Terri sounded half dead. She was his vibrant flower and it sounded as if she had wilted. "Hi. Terri? It's me, Zack."

Terri smiled. Zack actually called her. It was a miracle. Terri had given Zack her number after his third week of dropping into the coffee shop to chat. It was obvious that he came to talk to her, although he made sure to include the others in the conversation. It turned out that Zack was a real sweetheart when it came down to it, despite the fact he was spoiled rotten by his parents. Terri enjoyed his visits, not only because he was a good friend, but also because he left sizable tips in the jar when he thought no one was looking. Terri couldn't say no to a big tip. She needed the money to help pay for everything and if Zack wanted to act the part of the sugar daddy, that was on him.

Terri hadn't even considered giving Zack her number until she overheard him talking to Holly about his recent breakup with Amanda. Terri couldn't help the feeling of joy that washed over her when she heard him say that he was available, although she felt bad for Zack because break ups are always difficult. She could feel his pain. Charmaine, Holly and Terri took it upon themselves to make Zack feel better and get over his breakup whenever he came into the shop. Between the three of them, they kept him laughing and continually smiling. Terri's knees threatened to give out every time he directed his smile at her, but it was worth it. A week after he announced his breakup, Terri gave him her number as a friendly gesture. There was no reason they couldn't be friends outside of the coffee shop. He was amazingly hot, but that was beside the point. He needed a friend and she was going to be there for him.

"Well, I wasn't expecting your call tonight. It's late. What's up?"
'I can't stop thinking about you and I need to hear your voice.' Zack cleared his throat. "I was feeling a little lonely and I remember you telling me that I could call you whenever I need a friend to talk to. Plus you said you had to deliver pizzas until after one, so I figured this would be a good time to call."

Zack sat on his bed and thought back to that day earlier in the week. Zack had been thrilled when Terri discretely pressed her number into his palm. He felt like dancing for the second time since he first walked into the coffee shop. This was the break that he was looking for. Holly had given him her number the third time he visited, but he had tossed it into the trash can outside the shop as soon as he left. It had taken Terri so much longer to come around and trust him enough to divulge her number. It had helped that he said that he broke up with Amanda, which wasn't true at the moment. He was going to break up with her, that was for sure, but he wanted to make certain that Terri was a sure thing before he let Amanda go. Once Amanda was supposedly out of the picture, Terri and the girls became much more open. They went out of their way to make him laugh and they even let him have his lemonade for free sometimes, considering he always left large tips in their jar that more than paid for his drinks.

Despite the extra attention from everyone, he paid the most attention to Terri. He couldn't stop thinking about her, finding himself laughing about things she said long after he had left the shop. He had it bad, but he didn't mind. It would only serve as motivation to get what he wanted. He waited a few days after receiving the number to actually call her. He didn't want to seem too eager.

Terri pulled herself slowly into a sitting position. "I suppose I did. So, what do you want to talk about, buddy?"

"I don't know, Buttercup. What do you want to talk about?"

Terri wrinkled her nose at the phone. Buttercup? When did he decide to start calling her that? If he was anyone else, she might have said something about it. But because it was Zack, she ignored it, kind of liking the fact that he came up with a nickname for her. "Umm...I'm utterly exhausted and I can barely think. I need a job where I don't have to work two others to make ends meet. Or maybe I can find a roommate to help me pay rent. Although, I have grown used to living by myself and another person just complicates things."

Zack wished that he could be the one to live in her apartment. Then he could continue his slow seduction in close quarters where she didn't have a chance to get away from him. Just as he was about to reply, he heard a loud banging in the background. Terri shrieked into the phone, startled by the noise.

"What the hell is going on, Terri?" Zack was concerned. Terri was obviously as surprised by the noise as he was.

"Someone's banging on my door. Hold on...I'm going to see who it is."

"Don't go to the door, woman! Who knows who's out there!?!"

Terri turned to look at the phone as if it was an alien. "Woman?"

Zack's reaction echoed Terri's as he stared in disbelief at the phone. Out of all the things that he had just said, the only thing that she had picked out was his calling her woman. He took a claming breath and brought the phone back to his ear. "Buttercup, listen. I'm just worried about you. No one meaning well bangs on someone's door at this time of night." Zack pleaded with her silently to listen to common sense. He itched to get in his car and drive to her apartment to make sure everything was ok. Of course, he would have to know where she lived first, but he could figure that out easily. He just wanted her to be safe.

Terri nodded, forgetting for a moment that she was on the phone and Zack couldn't see her, and peaked out of the peephole in the door. It was Tyrell. She fought the urge to fling open the door and give Ty a piece of her mind. Who did he think he was coming by at 2 o'clock in the morning? He had propped himself up against the wall with his outstretched left arm and was using his right arm to pound on her door. His head was hanging down, but when he did lift it up, she could see that his eyes had a glassy look to them. The fucker was drunk or high and for the life of her, Terri couldn't understand why he dragged his sorry carcass to her front door. Like she was really going to open it...Please. She saw him raise his fist to bang on the door again. 'He has lost his natural born mind,' Terri thought to herself while shaking her head. It was time to relocate that mace.

"Terri? Terri? Are you alright? I'm coming over if you don't say something to me in the next 30 seconds." Zack was working himself into a tizzy. He paced back and forth in his room like a caged tiger, running his hand through his hair in exasperation. What was going on?

Terri moved away from the door and walked into her bedroom. She wished she had bothered to get the apartment entrance key from Tyrell when she kneed him in the balls. Then she wouldn't have to worry about him being outside her apartment door all the time. She needed a roommate, temporary or permanent, because it was no longer safe to be alone. She heard Zack's shouts and remembered that she was on the phone with him. "Zack?"

"Thank goodness, Terri. Who's banging on your door like that?"

"Ty...my ex. He has lost his damn mind. If I had my mace, I would go out there and give him a piece of my mind and a foot up his ass. I think he's drunk. I'm about to call the cops, so let me call you right back." Terri pushed the end button on her cell and quickly dialed 911. She explained her problem and was assured that the police were on their way. She hung up with the 911 operator and quickly punched in Arthur's number.

She waited while the phone rang, rummaging through her drawers for the mace. Arthur picked up on the fourth ring. "Terri? What's wrong?"

Terri sighed. It was just so weird when he did things like that. She often called him after work, so her call wasn't unusual. How did he know something was wrong? He couldn't even see her, but she guessed he could hear the banging in the background. "Ty is here raising holy hell in my hallway. I called the police, but I wanted to know if you wouldn't mind staying the night? I don't really want to be alone with that psycho on the loose."

She caught Arthur's slight hesitation and knew that he was otherwise occupied for the night. She didn't want to tear him away from his new girlfriend, knowing that it would only lead to jealousy and trouble for Arthur. Even though Arthur agreed to come over right away, Terri dismissed his offer. "It's ok. I can have someone else come over. No problem. You stay there with Christy."

"It's Cathy. Look, Mona, you know I'd be there for you in a heartbeat, right? Now, tell me the truth. Should I come over now? I can bring my can of whoop ass..."

Terri laughed. Her laughter faded into a smile at hearing Arthur call her by the nickname that he had come up with one day while they were working on an art project together. He said that she could be the black version of the Mona Lisa, mysterious and beautiful, making men wonder what secrets lay hidden behind that slight smile. She had laughed but enjoyed it when Arthur would call her Mona. It was his way of showing that he cared. She still hadn't come up with something that really fit him, so she often just called him Red. Thinking of cute nicknames made her think of the one man that had been plaguing her thoughts for weeks. Zack...He too had come up with a nickname for her. Terri wondered if Zack would be opposed to coming over and keeping her company for the night. Probably not, but was it a smart idea to have the man that you spent most days and nights fantasizing about in the next room, within reach? Terri shrugged. She would soon find out. "It's no problem, Arthur. I know someone who can come over tonight and if he can't, then I'll call you back. Ok?"

"He?"

Terri frowned. She knew exactly what expression was written across Arthur's face at that moment. His left eyebrow was raised and the corner of his mouth had probably lifted into his signature lopsided smile, bordering on a smirk. "It's not like that. He's just a friend."

"Oh really?"

"Yes really. He's a friend just like you're a friend. Don't make this into something big when it's not." Terri just shook her head, not knowing why she was even trying to convince him.

Arthur tried to hold back his chuckle, but he found it escaping and growing into a full bellied laugh. Terri was such a bad liar. He could even tell over the phone. He heard Terri's indignant huff and tried to calm down. "Mona, it's really none of my business as to whether he's just a friend or not. You don't have to defend your choices to me; you're a big girl now."

"Thank you."

Arthur tried, he really did, but he couldn't hold back, erupting into laughter once again. Terri was about to hang up on him when he apologized and calmed down. He let her know that she could do or not do anything she wanted. He was well aware of the fact that as soon as he saw Terri again, he would know everything that happened. Not necessarily because she told him, but from what would be written all over her face. It was hard not to know what she was thinking, her expressions told it all. And what he didn't glean from her face, he would get straight from the horse's mouth. Terri couldn't lie to him and he found it very difficult to deceive her. If only they were compatible as more than friends. They would make an awesome couple in a relationship that was actually based on honesty. Arthur shook his head. C'est la vie and all that crap. Then it hit him. It was Mr. Coffee Shop that she was about to invite over. Who else could it be? He stifled his chuckles and managed to talk to her until she was ready to get off the phone. Terri said her goodbyes and Arthur hung up with a hearty laugh. "Tell Mr. Coffee Shop I said hi!"

Terri threw her cell phone at her bed. 'Damn it all. How did he know? Can't I have a secret just once, Arthur?' Then Terri remembered who she was talking to and decided that she would be more surprised if he hadn't figured it out. Arthur knew everything somehow. She sighed and listened to the banging on the door. Where were the cops? Shouldn't they have been there by now? She picked up her phone and scrolled to the incoming calls. She pushed the send button and waited for Zack to pick up.

"Hello? Terri? Are you safe?"

'Safe from Ty, yes. Safe from you? Well, that's a whole different issue.' Terri smiled at his concern. "I'm fine, Zack. He's still banging, but the police should be on their way."

"Do you need anything?"

Terri hesitated slightly. Did she really need someone to come over? It wasn't like she needed a babysitter; she could take care of herself. She felt slightly vulnerable and while she didn't really like depending on men, she wouldn't mind having one around just in case Ty decided that he wanted to come back again. "Yeah," she tried to sound casual despite the fact that her heart was racing. "Do you think you could come over tonight? I don't feel comfortable being alone."

Zack was up in a flash, throwing clothing onto his bed so he could pack an overnight bag. How many nights would he be staying? "Sure. I was lonely anyway. We can keep each other company and I can help keep the riffraff out. How long do you need me there?"

Terri bit her lip. How long? She hadn't thought of that. The cops could take Ty tonight, but there was a good chance that he would come back soon. She needed more mace and a pocket knife. It would be the first thing she did the next day. "I don't know. Let's say two days for now. I don't know what will happen, but I will be extremely grateful. I'll even make you breakfast tomorrow."

"Well, I can't say no to breakfast. Two days it is. Where do you live?"

While Terri gave Zack directions, she heard a knock on her front door. It was softer than the incessant pounding, so Terri assumed it was the police. She looked out the peephole and sure enough, there was a uniformed officer waiting outside. She told Zack to hold on, but he said that he was on his way. She hung up and opened the door. "Officer?"

"Hello, I'm Officer Douglas. We've apprehended Mr. Butler. We're taking him to the station to cool down, but we'll have to let him go later this morning. He's drunk, but I'm sure once he's sobered up, he won't be causing you much trouble anymore."

Terri rubbed her temples. Morning? She was hoping they would lock the bastard up for at least a month. "That's fine. I have a friend coming to stay with me tonight. I'll file some kind of restraining order soon."

The officer nodded and turned to walk away. Terri called out to him and he turned. If he wasn't so taken with Zack, she would definitely have fantasized about Officer Douglas. She was a sucker for a man in uniform. He had grey eyes that burned into hers when their eyes met. Terri forgot what she wanted to say, babbling mostly to herself until she regained her head. "Can you take the main apartment door keys from Tyrell...Mr. Butler? He's no longer a resident here and if he can't get in, he can't cause problems. I'd feel a lot safer and I'm sure my neighbors would too."

Officer Douglas offered to see what he could do and with a smile, he turned and walked away. Terri went back into her apartment and closed the door behind her. Why had the stupid whore and Ty broken up? If they were still together, she wouldn't have these problems. Ty must have realized what he gave up or perhaps Goldilocks found some other man to fill her full of cum. Terri was still feeling bitter about the whole situation, but at least she had the dignity to move on and realize that she deserved better. You can't step out on a girl and expect her to take you back just because you show up with some flowers and you sure as hell can't expect her to take you back if you show up at 2 in the morning pounding on the door like you've lost your damn mind.

She sat on her couch in front of the TV that was positioned against the wall. Something was on, but she hardly paid it any attention. She was too caught up in trying to figure out what was going on in her life. Ty was harassing her, she worked herself to the bone, Zack was coming over and she wanted to jump on him as soon as he walked in...there was just so much happening. Terri felt out of control. Sighing, she rose to walk into the kitchen, when the doorbell rang. She walked to the intercom box and buzzed in her visitor. A soft knock announced that Zack had arrived.

Terri invited him in and smiled. She had said two days and here he was loaded down with luggage as if he was going on a 2 week trip. She shook her head as she closed the door. "Over pack much?'

Zack turned, taking in her curvy form with a sheepish grin. "Well, Gilligan only set out for a three hour tour and look what happened. I just want to be prepared."

Terri's smirk was all that he received in reply as he walked with her towards what was to be his bedroom. After he was mostly settled in and had gotten the grand tour, they returned to the living room to sit on the couch and watch a little TV before going to bed.

Zack couldn't stop himself from staring at her. She was wearing a t-shirt that actually fit for once and he could see how massive her breasts really were...at least a D cup, maybe larger. His mouth watered at the thought of her tits in his mouth. He wanted to put his mouth on every inch of flesh that she had to offer. She was wearing shorts as well and he could see how well she was put together. She had smooth legs that were just begging to be caressed and her waist was as small as he had imagined. He could feel his pants getting tighter. Terri looked over at him, her eyes heavy-lidded and he nearly lost it. It took everything in him and more not to reach over and kiss her senseless. Terri let out a yawn and shook her head.

"I think you should get in bed, Buttercup. You're barely awake. I'll be fine out here by myself for a while."

"Are you sure? I can hang for another..." A yawn interrupted her reply and she rose from the couch. "I guess you're right...goodnight, Zack."

"'Night, Buttercup."

He watched Terri slink towards her bedroom, her hips gently swaying and her ass tempting him. He felt himself harden even more, wanting to bury himself in her lovely behind. She stretched in the hallway, showing off part of her belly, and Zack closed his eyes. Seeing anything else would cause his self-control to snap. He had to take it slow and gain her trust. She went into her room without closing the door and when Zack went to bed he stopped to look in.

Terri was spread out across her bed. She had a smile on her incredibly kissable lips and she looked adorable with the blankets tangled around her legs. Zack sucked in a quick breath when he noticed that she slept without a bra and one of her tits was making its way out of the bottom of her t-shirt, which had ridden up. He wanted to touch her more than he wanted to take his next breath. He wanted to take her dark chocolate nipple into his mouth and make it melt. He let out a slow breath and reached in, closing her room door. She would probably appreciate it in the morning and it would stop him from running in and taking her in the middle of the night. Zack tried to sleep, but whenever he closed his eyes, he saw that image of her breast teasing him. He spent most of his night in a state of arousal, but eventually his body gave in to his tiredness and he fell asleep. His dreams were filled with luscious breasts and loud moans coming from the woman that he just couldn't get enough of.