“We’ve missed you, girl. How is everyone?” he asks her while letting his large body absorb her much smaller one. He must be six-six, three hundred pounds. I’m intimidated as hell and a million excuses to leave scramble through my head.

“They’re good.” I hear her voice shake slightly, and he pats her on the back, almost as if he’s consoling her. When they pull apart, his eyes find me, and I bite the stud piercing under my lip.

“Who’s he?” He nods his head my way and his wife comes over immediately, patting my arm.

“This is Kailey’s friend,” Aunt Holly introduces me, “Trey.”

“He gave me a ride,” Kailey adds, and I’m happy to hear her voice a little more chipper than two seconds ago.

“Huh,” is all he says while he stomps over to me. He reminds me of a lumberjack, like Paul Bunyan. I think this might be his brother. He even has the plaid shirt and blue jeans with those identical brown boots. I’m just thankful he’s not carrying an axe. After only three strides across the room, he’s right in front of me, occupying the same space. I used to think I was tall. Used to being the key words. “Why did you give our Kailey a ride?” he asks me, and I peer up at him, becoming more scared by the second.

“Uhhh—to be nice. We’d rented a car and were on our way here anyways,” I stumble over my words, and he stares down at me for what seems like forever.

“Thank you,” he holds his hand out to me and starts chuckling.

“Oh, Clyde, I don’t know why you think that’s funny. The boy almost pissed himself.” Holly shakes her head and walks back into the kitchen.

He continues laughing, and I hear Kailey’s now distinctive giggling chiming in as well. “It’s nice to meet you, Trey.” His handshake ten times firmer than his wife’s. His large hand claps me on the back, and I stumble forward a step. “Let’s eat.” Once I get myself back on two solid feet, I find the most amazing sight, Kailey smiling at me.

Kailey and I follow Uncle Clyde into the kitchen. Holly already has the table set with a plate full of sandwiches situated in the middle, along with a bowl of pasta salad. Kailey opens the fridge and hands me a soda. Although I don’t usually drink the Diet Coke she just handed me, my mom taught me better. ‘If you’re a guest, you will eat and drink what they give you.’ So, I open it up and take my seat next to her.

Clyde and Holly drill me with questions about my major, surprised we both attend Western but didn’t know each other previously. They actually appear like they don’t believe us. “You two look comfortable together, are you pulling our chains?” Holly asks, and Kailey assures her we aren’t. “It would be just like you,” Holly adds, but Kailey just smiles and takes a bite of her sandwich.

Kailey has my mind all over the place. On the plane and the car ride, she seemed responsive and friendly. But when we arrived here, although her love for her aunt and uncle is evident, she’s more reserved. The fact that Holly thinks that Kailey would pull a practical joke, introducing me as someone she hitched a ride from when in reality I’m her boyfriend, intrigues me to get to know her even more.

Clyde jokingly asks me about my tattoos and the meaning of a few. Why would I permanently destroy my body and why do I have earrings like a girl? He doesn’t appear to ask them to be offensive, just matter of fact from curiosity. Kailey does try to save me by saying she likes my plugs. I don’t miss that it’s her second time mentioning that in just a short few hours. Clyde cocks a skeptical eyebrow at her, and she giggles in response.

After the meal, I say my thanks and shake hands like my parents taught me. Kailey says she’ll walk me out. I open the screen door, holding it open for Kailey. Without her jacket, she wraps her arms around herself, rubbing her arms. Man, I wish I were those arms right now, giving her a big hug just to feel her body pressed against mine.

“Do you think you’ll have time to get together while we’re here?” I ask her, fumbling with the keys in my hand.

“Um...I don’t know,” she shrugs her shoulders up and down. “I guess.” Shit, she’s confusing. First no and now yes. Why am I doing this to myself? Just go find another quick fuck!

“Can I have your number?” I pull my cell out from my pocket, and she takes it out of my hand.

Her fingers move rapidly over the keys, and I’m praying she doesn’t notice all the other girls’ names and numbers I have programmed in it. She hands the phone back to me, wrapping her arms around herself again. “I’ll call you,” I tell her and from the tight smile she returns, it’s confirmed that she indeed did see the numbers. “How’s tonight?” The words spill out of my mouth before my brain can stop them due to a desperate need to make her aware that those other girls are nothing to me, even if I don’t fully understand why.

“I just got in, I’m not sure...”

“We can stay in, watch a movie.” Hell at this point, I’ll settle for a thirty minute sitcom. The anticipation of being in a dark room with her is the most hope I’ve had in a long time.

She looks at the cabin apprehensively, and then back to me as my own hope that she’ll say yes rises. “Okay,” she agrees.

Trying to act cool and collected, I nod my head and lean in. She lets me wrap my arms around her and the smell of crisp apple mixed with flowers on a spring day embeds in my senses as Kailey. From this point forward, I’ll never be able to eat an apple without it reminding me of her.

I release her and step back, not wanting to linger like some creep. Opening the door, I crawl into the soccer mom minivan. She waits by the porch until I pull away, giving me a wave good-bye. Even though, I haven’t figured her out completely, I find myself eager peel back every layer of her.

I’m finding my way back to the cabin, the anticipation of seeing Kailey again growing with every mile. The streets are pitch black in Colorado; my headlights the only help to light the way as I retrace my drive from earlier, which only cause a whole new set of nerves to flow through me. You would think with all the mountains, there would be streetlights. Surprisingly, the van climbs the mountains with grace, and I start to feel in complete control. Well, at least in control of the car, as far as my emotions, they’re all over the place.

When I pull up to the cabin, I spot Kailey waiting by the front door. I texted her when I left Jessa’s parents’. Seeing her there, as though she’s just as excited as I am, brings a smile to my lips. I climb out of the van, and she opens the front door for me to enter. The room is dark except for the dim light from the lamp in the corner and the glowing television without much sound.

She’s all wrapped up in a sweater, keeping her arms around herself just like earlier. Probably trying to protect her body from my prying eyes. I have to admit, my eyes inadvertently veer to her ass or tits, just as much as her glittering green-gold eyes that remind me of a precious gem. The kind only multi-millionaires can afford, yet here they are staring back at me.

“So...” she squints her eyes my way, most likely trying to figure out what I’m thinking. I wish I could tell her, but it’s too fucking soon for that. Shit, she’d go running into those mountains.

“What are you watching?” I glance back at the television and then back to her. The newness between us is present, but underneath it I’ve never felt so relaxed with a girl.

“Just flipping around.” She shrugs her shoulders, finally making her way to the couch.

Following behind her, my eyes peruse the room. “Where’s your aunt and uncle?”

“They’re in bed. Early risers.” She takes a seat, curling her legs up under her body.

Pausing briefly, I debate for a millisecond between sitting right next to her or being polite and taking the cushion over. Fuck it, I plop down next to her. “So, let’s do humor.”