I laughed—I couldn’t help it. He’d painted such a vivid picture in my mind, though I couldn’t imagine any human girl ever saying no to him. Or Jax for that matter.
Trent placed his hand over his heart, feigning a wound. “Ouch,” he said.
“Stop.” I playfully swatted at him, then leaned over the wall to give him a quick kiss on the lips. “I’d love to skate with you.”
I met him on the rink, and he took my hand, lacing our fingers, and then we looped around the rink, slow and steady, and for the duration of that song, I felt like a totally normal girl on a date with a totally normal—but incredibly hot—guy. The night couldn’t have been more perfect if I’d planned it myself.
We skated for another hour, then headed back to the cabin. My legs were tired, and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but I was wide awake, ready for whatever else Trent might have planned. When we arrived at the cabin, Trent ushered me inside and locked the door behind us. He tossed his keys onto the entryway table.
“So, now what?” I asked.
“We can curl up on the couch and watch a movie,” he suggested.
Now that was the perfect way to spend our last night here. “Okay, I’m going to go change. I’ll be right back.”
I rushed upstairs and quickly changed into one of Trent’s oversized T-shirts, then met him back in the living room. He stood in front of the couch, flipping through channels on the TV.
He handed me the remote. “Find something to watch,” he said, his gaze rolling over the length of my body. “I’ll be right back.” He disappeared upstairs.
I stared at the TV for a moment before my gaze wandered to the fireplace, which Trent had already lit. Most of last night I’d complained how cold it was in here. He must’ve started a fire so I wouldn’t do the same tonight. He really was sweet.
I shut off the TV and gathered every blanket and pillow I could find, then piled them on the floor in front of the fireplace. I turned off all the lights and settled on the floor.
“Chloe?” Trent said as he came down the stairs, a hint of panic in his tone. “Where are…?” He came to a sudden stop when he saw me. “What’s this?”
He’d changed into a pair of cotton pajama pants, and the sight of his bare chest ignited a burning desire deep in my belly. I still couldn’t believe this gorgeous, thoughtful, funny, caring guy was going to be my husband.
“When you first brought me here last summer, I fell in love with this little space and figured it would be a perfect place to curl up together,” I said.
“And do what?” he asked, his tone deep and seductive and packed full of understanding.
I sat propped up with my hands behind me, ankles crossed. The T-shirt I wore rode up my legs, exposing my thighs. “I’ve always thought it would be romantic to make love in front of a fire,” I said.
He sauntered toward me, then lowered himself to his knees. He placed his hands on the floor on either side of my waist, effectively boxing me in. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat ratcheting my anticipation.
“By all means, then, let me make your fantasy a reality,” he said, his voice smooth as silk. His eyes darkened several shades before his lips landed on mine.
I LAY CRADLED AGAINST Trent’s side, my head on his chest, and I trailed my fingertips across his abs. He definitely made my fantasy a reality—twice. Every kiss and caress had been beyond perfect. I dragged my fingers up his chest.
He groaned softly and tugged me closer. “I hate that we have to go home tomorrow,” he said.
“Me too.” I sighed. “This weekend has been so amazing. I really don’t want it to end.”
“Neither do I. But soon enough, we’ll be married, and then we won’t have to sneak around like this,” he said.
“What is going to happen after we’re married?” I asked. Folding my arms on his chest, I rested my chin on my hands and peered up at him.
“What do you mean?” He tucked one hand behind his head and rested the other on my back.
“Well, what’re we going to do? I mean, I really don’t want to go off to college. At least, not right away. Are we going to travel? Do we get jobs? Where will we live? How are we going to support ourselves?” I asked.
I felt kinda silly asking him those questions, like I was somehow invading his privacy asking about money and living arrangements, but I couldn’t exactly avoid them, either.
He chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest. “We can do whatever you want to do,” he said.
“I hate it when you do that.” Sighing with frustration, I sat up, hugged my knees to my chest, and stared at the fire, my back to Trent. “I don’t want to be the only one making decisions about our future. We’re supposed to be in this together, remember?”
Trent shifted so he was sitting upright behind me and showered my shoulders with tiny kisses. “Chloe, baby,” he whispered, and for a split second, I forgot why I was annoyed with him. “I don’t say that to upset you, or to force you to make all the decisions. But I’ve been around a very long time, and I’ve already done everything I’ve ever wanted to do. Well, almost everything.”
I twisted to look at him, waiting for him to continue.
“Once I marry you and know that you’ll be mine for eternity, then I’ll have done everything I’ve ever
