By the time, I venture out with the plates, Trey’s in the yard playing with the kids. All three of them are chasing him around the big yard, and when he pretends to fall, they all topple on top of them. The laughs and giggles are contagious among everyone. A small smile spreads across my lips, and I want nothing more than to be out there with them. For the first time, I admit to myself that I want this life, and that I desperately want it with Trey; the kids, the husband, and the whole fairytale. I’d been pushing it aside, not wanting to admit it to myself. He catches me out of the corner of his eye and winks before focusing his attention back on the kids.

Elena grips my arm on her way back to the kitchen, smiling at me. Fully aware I finally had my ‘aha’ moment. Trey stands up with his eyes only on me. The girls grip onto his legs, but he continues walking my way with them giggling and pulling on them. He bends down whispers something to them, and they scurry over to the swing set, Drew two steps behind the girls.

“Holly. Mom. Can you watch the kids tonight?” He asks them with his eyes staring right into mine the whole time.

“Of course.” They both say in unison. He grabs my hand without saying a word, and I don’t argue or pull back for the first time in two weeks. He leads us to the garage and punches in a code, the double door opens, revealing any guys dream. Motorbikes, four wheelers, and mountain bikes fill it from wall to wall. Every adrenaline junkie’s dream. “What do you want to ride?” He opens up a metal cabinet with hanging keys like a valet case.

“Um...I can’t ride a motor bike.” I admit.

“Do you think I’m letting you ride by yourself?” He smirks at me, grabbing a set. “Let’s take the four-wheeler.” He looks me up and down, and a surge of heat flows up to my cheeks. “You okay if you get dirty?”

I glance at my jeans and sweatshirt. “Yeah.”

“You might have to strip down when we get back and shower in the back of the barn,” he slyly says, and all I can think of is if he’s with me, I’ll make do.

He hops on the green and black one and holds out a helmet for me. After both of us are equipped, he starts it up. “You’re gonna have to hold on to me really tight.” He chuckles.

“I wouldn’t think otherwise,” I flirtatiously say, wrapping my arms around his stomach. My hands on the hemline of his shirt, he takes them and puts them under his shirt, so they’re splayed on his bare skin.

“Better,” he tells me, and I conform my body against his, my head resting on his back. His muscles tighten and ease as he steers the vehicle through tree lines and mud lined fields. Usually not being in control would scare me to death, but Trey has always relaxed me. I’ve trusted him with everything, but one thing. It’s time I change that, he’s deserving of my heart. I know he’ll protect it.

He stops us, and I pry my body away from his, missing the heat the second I push back. The sky streaks orange and yellow as the sun begins to set. He holds out his hand for me, and I willingly take it in mine. Grabbing a blanket from the bag stashed on the back, he leads me to a tree house.

“Watch your step,” he instructs me, pointing at the narrow steps leading up to the wooden house.

“This is quite elaborate for a tree house,” I remark, stunned at the two winding staircases to reach the actual house.

“Well, not much to do when you’re a kid. It got us out of the house.” He continues taking the steps slowly every once in a while peering down in my direction. “My brother used to throw crazy parties up here until all the parents finally clued in on what everyone was doing. It made for a great make-out place, though.” He winks over his shoulder, and the thought that this is the place he got his girlfriend pregnant flashes to mind. We finally reach the landing after the first set, and he cages me against the railing. “I wouldn’t have brought you here,” he tells me, obviously aware of where my thoughts ventured.

“What? Oh, that doesn’t matter.” I attempt to play it off as best as I can.

“Well, I just wanted to make it clear.” He takes my hand and positions me in front of him. “This is a steep one, so you go first.”

“I think there might be another reason why you want me to go first.” I arch my eyebrows, and he chuckles.

“Just hope my hands don’t disobey what my head is telling them,” he says with a bellow of laughter.

I shake my head, even though I love his flirtatious talk. It’s surprising how fast I can get back into our banter, it must mean something. Trey gives me directions on how to undue the latch and pry the door open. “Is some animal going to attack me when I open this?”

“No. Well, there shouldn’t be anything in there, but I don’t know the last time anyone was here.” He shifts his jaw and raises his shoulders. “Here, let me do it.” He begins squeezing by me. I grip the railing as his body slides along mine. He stops when we’re right next to each other on the narrow steps. I vaguely think we might plummet to our deaths, but the back of his hand touches my cheek, slowly flowing down. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispers.

My eyes begin to water, and I push the tears back. Now is not the time. His eyes fall, and he turns around to open the latched door. “Nope, no animals,” he says, climbing in. He holds out his hand to help me climb in. While he positions the blanket across the floor, I look around at the torn boxes of board games, a few beanbags positioned in corners, and miscellaneous knick knacks that have been left behind. It’s the most spacious tree house I’ve ever been in. Not that I’ve ever been in one. I always imagined them some makeshift small room that you had to sit in due to low ceilings. That the wood would creak every time you moved, making you think it would crash down to the ground and you would fall to your death with pieces of wood scattered around you.

But this is opposite from every vision I had. The ceiling is tall, and there’s even another small staircase that takes you to the next level that has a window to look out of. “This is amazing,” I say, taking in everything around me.

“It was okay. With you here though, it’s breathtaking.” He smirks, knowing he’s purposely sweet-talking me.

“Nice, Michaels,” I compliment, walking over to him. He lies on the blanket, and holds his hand out for me to join him. Slowly, my legs make it to the hard floor, and he pulls me on top of him. “Trey,” I sigh.

“Shhh.” He places his hand on the back of my neck and brings me down to his lips. I begin to push, placing my hands on his muscular chest, but he just grips me tighter, not allowing a miniscule of space between us. “Enough, Kailey,” he says. “You can’t push me anymore.” His lips crash into mine again, and he licks the seam of my dry lips. I slowly part, but he doesn’t wait, thrusting his tongue into my mouth. Our lips dance like always, a reminder of how well we fit together. Our connection showing with the surge of electricity between the two of us. My body collapses, and he rolls me over to my back. Instantly, my hands find the familiar hair line right above his neck, mindlessly massaging it while my one leg wraps around his waist. Pushing his body against my small frame, he tucks his hands under my thighs, and I wrap both legs around him, clasping him against me. Holding me there, he allows his lips to explore my neck and throat. “I fucking love you, Kailey. You’re not going to toss me away because you’re scared,” he says, and I moan pressing his head against my neck. Not willing to let me get away, he backs his head up slightly and stares down at me. “I’m here. Do you understand? I’m not going anywhere. I’m yours.” He waits for me to answer.

I continue to gaze into his brown eyes. “Are you sure?” I ask, and he sighs.

“Yes, damn it,” he presses his body against mine, cupping my face with both his hands. “I want this life. I want you and the kids. I want to drop Chloe at kindergarten and Tara to pre-school. Have chaotic dinners filed with laughter and sometimes tears. I want to argue with you on whether we should allow them to do something we disagree on. I want to hire a babysitter and take you on dates, knowing that when we return home, you’ll be mine for the taking. I want to wake up early and surprise you with breakfast with the kids jumping around us. Yes, maybe this life would have scared me shitless a few months ago, but now I’m scared like hell you’re going to shut me out of what I want most in this life.”