So, I'll be honest. I'm so disappointed by the response to the last chapter. Is anyone even reading this? It's disheartening. So, so disheartening. But I wrote another chapter anyway.

Hopefully, this isn't the last.

DISCLAIMER: There are words that I have used word for word from Vampire Academy. I did not write those bits, and of course, full credit goes to Richelle Mead in general.

"I'll head over to fruits and vegetables."

Dimitri raised an eyebrow. I had always envied his ability to do that. I had also kind of hated it. This was one of those moments where I hated it.

"What?" I exclaimed. "I'm not always the cow everyone thinks I am. Miracles do happen."

He laughed and shook his head. "Fine. I'll meet you there in 5 minutes."

As he began to turn, I grabbed him quickly by the arm and kissed him. I knew he wasn't a huge fan of PDA, which made me want to do it all that more, but the real question was why couldn't we do this? We were a normal, happy couple. For once in our lives, everything was going well. It was okay if the world knew this.

He pulled away. "Mmmm. See you soon."

I gave him an ugly look, laughing, as I headed to the fruit and vegetable section.

The selection of specials this week was much better than it was last week. For one, they had mushrooms, which I loved, as well as strawberries, which I also loved. I also grabbed a couple of passionfruits, and finally, some tomatoes. Some were riper than others. It made having to check each tomato by firmness.

With all my attention focused on the tomatoes, it took me longer than it should have to spot somebody a couple of rows down from me staring at me.

He was tall, with a tanned face and jet black hair. And he was smiling at me. Pearly whites winked at me from between his perfect lips. Even though I knew without a doubt that Dimitri was the one for me, and ten times as perfect as this guy, I had to note his attractiveness. I would have been lying to myself if I didn't.

But that didn't mean I had to smile back at him. My eyes quickly darted down to the tomatoes as I wrapped them up and threw them in the trolley.

Five minutes later, I felt eyes on me again. A quick look in a reflective surface told me it was that same guy again. Couldn't this guy take a hint? I continued to walk until finally, two rows down, unable to handle it anymore, I swiftly abandoned the trolley and turned right around to face him. This close up, he was a giant. I placed my hands on my hips in an attempt to compensate for our height difference.

"Yes?"

He smiled down at me; a half smile that curled at his lips. "Nothing. Something," he added.

I wasn't having that. "What? What is it? You've been following me for a while. I'm not blind. Spit it out, buddy."

He leaned down a little so he looked me straight in the eyes. The proximity kicked the whole situation into high gear. My fingers curled into a fist, fully prepared in a fist to smash out against his face if he made a move. The old Rose would have socked him straight away. But lucky for that old Rose, his next words sealed the deal. "Isn't it obvious? You're one fine piece of-"

He didn't get to finish that sentence. And it wasn't because of my fist. Oh, no. Because within that second, a mad, mad, Russian cowboy in a duster descended on him, pulling him quickly away from me.

Oh, my hero. I rolled my eyes.

It was like St Vladimir's and Jesse all over again. Here was a really ripped, really tall, really pissed off Russian guy, raging like a storm, his hands jerking his opponent off the ground.

Difference was, this time he was my boyfriend. So the rage was…unhinged.

Part of me was appalled by Dimitri's lack of control, and also angry at his apparent lack of belief in me. Like I couldn't have handled that guy on my own. I had been two seconds away from punching the shit out of him before he had stepped in.

The other part of me was…damn it, excited. It was pretty darn hot. Dimitri's intensity had been one of the great things about him from the beginning. I loved it. I especially loved it when we're in bed, alone, and getting hot and heavy, because, well…that intensity drove so many things that made me happy.

"What's wrong with you?" the guy exclaimed. His face was growing redder and redder. Whether it was because Dimitri almost had his hands at his neck, or the fact that people were starting to gather around, I wasn't sure.

A few people looked like they wanted to step in…but one look at the expression on Dimitri's face killed anybody's attempt at a rescue mission. The angry Russian man's glare could have sliced through glass.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?" Dimitri barked.

"Alright, break it up, break it up." The store manager, a plump, balding guy appeared before us, waving a clip board.

Dimitri took a little more coaxing, but after a quick pull at his arm by me, the guy was released. Straightening his jacket, he quickly swiped down to grab his bag and then was gone in an angry huff.

"Come on." That was Dimitri at my ear, an arm snaked around my shoulders. He nudged me, and promptly steered the trolley toward the frozen food section. The crowd parted to allow us passage and then slowly dissipated.

One look at my face, and he knew I was itching for a quip. "Don't," he warned.

"I wasn't gonna," I replied innocently, with a small smile. Instead, I leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.

The rest of our shopping trip continued pretty uneventfully. Stares followed us wherever we went. I knew that Dimitri was one hell of a god. And now everyone in the grocery store knew it. Getting out of there couldn't have some sooner. We both breathed a sigh of relief once we were out of the doors.

I tried to keep my face as composed as possible. My neutral face was my guardian face. Inside, I was smiling; smiling so hard, I was sure he knew it. Dimitri had been jealous. Jealous. He went crazy thinking of that guy with his hands on me. My always-fighting-for-control, composed, Zen master had lost it. I had gotten some sick, guilty pleasure in knowing that he also lost control. And I knew he knew what I was thinking. Dimitri always knew that kind of thing. He knew me.

Inside the car, he finally broke the silence. "I'm sorry. I should have let you handle that guy on your own. But seeing him with you…that close…" He shook his head, apparently at a loss for words.

I couldn't help it. I couldn't hold it any longer. My face finally spilt out into a smile. I laughed. And kept laughing.

An odd look of bewilderment crossed his face. And then amusement.

"What?"

"You were jealous!"

A look of mock surprise assumed his face. "Jealous? No! Protective? Maybe."

"Jealous, Comrade. You were so jealous. It was pretty much stamped across your face: No messing with my girl, or I go for the cojones."

"Maybe a little," he conceded with a small smile.

"I knew it."

My laughter continued all the way home. Though, it did die almost abruptly in the parking lot. And not because of me. The car had stuttered to a stop in front of our spot when Dimitri's hands were suddenly all over me.

Before I could make a sound of protest, his deft hands had shot out and grabbed me. All of a sudden I was straddling his hips and in the driver's seat. My breath hitched. The electricity that usually burned between us sparked dangerously. It was a position I didn't mind at all. Totally uncharacteristic of him…but pretty damn thrilling. Two surprises in one day.

"Oh? Has the laughter suddenly dried up?" His tone was serious, but his face said otherwise.

I smiled and leaned down to kiss him. His lips met mine in an urgent, hard, wild kiss that left my lips bruised red when he finally pulled away.

"I like it. I like jealous Dimitri. He's spontaneous and incredibly sexy," I whispered slowly into his parted mouth.

His eyes grew wild and intense. He pressed another kiss to my tender lips. The intensity picked up fast and almost immediately. His hands went to my ponytail and ripped it free, sending strands flying all over my periphery. My hands proceeded to trail down his shirt and underneath his duster, pushing it off his shoulders. Our kisses were wild, uncoordinated and almost dirty. So unlike our usual ones. These were more…animalistic; drawn and forced by different parts of our identities. I moaned as the pressure turned to my neck and my collar bone. His teeth grazed my skin, the touch sending involuntary shivers down my spine; different to a vampire's bite, but every bit as thrilling.

Who knows what we would have done if five minutes in, a knock hadn't come to the driver's window. Damn it.

An old woman, smiled widely and sweetly down at us, her face averted slightly in embarrassment.

"Disabled parking, my children. You're parked in the disabled parking."

Please review! So I know someone is reading. If there isn't really any response, I'll do myself a favour and stop. Should I continue? That's up to you guys.