New Title 7 by Emma Clark Page A

Brandon?"
    His mouth lifted to a wicked, handsome grin. "What do you think, my angel?"
    Suddenly the room was spinning and I backed away. Zorro/Brandon captured my arm, pulling me to him. My face briefly nuzzled his chest.
    His fingers threaded with mine while his other hand settled on my waist. Gently he twirled me in an unsolicited waltz, drew me inward, forcing me to sway with him to the music. In my dizzy, foggy state, I permitted him to take me for a graceful ride across the room, hoping I wouldn't stumble.
    In romantic fashion, he waltzed me all the way to the French doors and left me breathless. He braced his hands to the wall behind us, thereby trapping me in his dominant embrace.
    "God I missed you," he breathed. Though I barely heard him over the music, his words were unmistakable, crystal clear as they went straight to my heart. 
    "I—missed you too." My tears moistened his shirt as I pressed my cheek against him, felt the tap-tap-tap of his heart.
    "Why did you invite me here? Who's Jessica?" I asked.
    "I didn't invite you, I asked Jessica to. She's a friend of my mother's."
    "Then where have you been? I thought you abandoned me."
    "No." Brief laughter. "I'd never leave you, Mia. You know better than that."
    "Then where have you been?"
    He hesitated.
    "Brandon?"
    "See anything different about me?" he asked, striding two steps backward.
    "Uh, your costume?"
    He cracked an amused smile. "No. Don't I look healthier to you? Maybe more energetic?"
    "I always thought you had plenty of energy, Brandon." Boy was that ever true. And I had the bump to prove it.
    "Look at my face, Mia. Look and tell me what you see." His usual sun-kissed complexion glowed as faint blush colored his cheeks. Similar coloring graced his neck. He appeared healthy and refreshed.
    I questioned him with my eyes.
    "I underwent a heart transplant over two months ago, Mia. Now do you understand?"
    Oh yes. I never realized how ashen his face was before. Compared to his current appearance, he used to look somewhat sickly.
    Finally it hit me. It sank in that Brandon's life was saved.
    "Oh my god, I can't believe it. You have a new heart? Seriously?"
    "Seriously." A grin spread on his face.
    "But how?"
    "About three weeks after you were hospitalized, I got a call from my doctor saying they found a heart for me. Even though we weren't on speaking terms, I think my dad pulled some strings."
    "I'm sure he did. Brandon, your dad wants you to live—whether you two get along or not." I paused, debating on how I should proceed. "How have you been aside from the surgery?"
    "Great, except for missing you."
    "I mean what about your moods?"
    "Oh, that. There's something else I haven't mentioned yet."
    "What is it? Did something happen?"
    "Not really. I moved back home with my parents and I uh, did have some issues, saw a psychologist partly because I promised. Then my shrink recommended I sign up for in-patient treatment, so I stayed in the psych ward until my doctor notified me about the heart."
    I nodded. "Did you get a diagnosis or anything?"
    "Yeah." His darkening expression wasn't a good sign.
    "Are you going to tell me?"
    "Are you sure you want to know?"
    "I think."
    "Alright. I have—what they call—narcissistic personality disorder. Medication doesn't normally help but since I'm also bipolar, they prescribed an anti-depressant, mood stabilizer and anti-psychotic meds. I'll give you a few minutes to let that sink in."
    "Oh. Okay."
    "Ready? I told my doctor that porn featuring rape arouses me. Telling another person was the hardest thing I've ever done."
    I swallowed.
    "My shrink hopes intensive therapy and meds would help me get over my, uh, deviancy."
    "Has it?"
    "Those urges are still there, I can't change that. But they're more in the background instead of being first and foremost in my mind. It's easier to control since I started the meds."
    "Good. That's really great, Brandon."
    "Isn't it?"
    "Yes. It's awesome."
    "That's not all," he said. "I have