Chatoyer Parrish was Katrina's favorite place to be. As the wheels of her rental car kicked up the loose dirt of the road she felt most of the pressure and anxiety that weighed her down in California swift to the back of her mind. Her jaw relaxed and her shoulder muscles uncoiled as the warm, humid March air brushed across her face once she neared their estate.

Yes, their estate. The Dandelion House, named for the flower that flourished on the grounds as soon as Spring arrived, was a property she discovered on Zillow when Keir was busy revitalizing dilapidated homes into newly renovated chateaus. After four weekends of visits, she knew Lousiana was where she wanted to spend her time permanently and with Keir. He wasn't the only reason she fell in love with the boot-shaped state but he was one of the three.

She didn't know how it was going to work with her business in California, Keir's hour commute from the city, and having to inform Terrence about her and Nori's future residence in the country but she had a feeling it would all work out. She hoped it would.

Believing in the impossible what Keir's doing. He made her believe things could work without logical proof. He had that gift. Granted she accomplished something she thought was implausible; getting her to relinquish her doubts and hurt to fall in love again and trust another man after what she'd been through.

"Aww, Sweetheart. I'm sorry." Katrina started, entering the kitchen as he moved containers around in the fridge. "One of the twins came by and devoured the last of the peach cobbler."

"Which one? Ehsan or Colm?" He asked standing back up. As soon as his eyes fell on her all thoughts evaporated from his mind.

"What?" She inquired, stopping at the island with her hand settling around the neck of the wine bottle. "Did I get sauce on me?" She looked down giving  herself a once over thinking she should have waited until all the food was done before getting dressed.

"You're immaculate," Keir answered like a man enamored. He let the fridge door handle flee from his hand as he let it close back and chip away at the distance between them that felt like yards instead of the mere inches that it was. His sight drunk in the gold satin spaghetti-strap dress that clung to her body delicately with a pair of slits that gave him a tantalizing glimpse of her thick legs and soft thighs that made his hands yearn for her soft body. "I thought we were staying in."

A giggle fluttered from her as she realized why she had captivated her attention. The outfit she arranged did the task she constructed it to do.

"We are." She handed him one of the glasses she deposited wine into, "That's why all I put on was this dress."

The glass paused at his lips as she sauntered to the stove. His noses breathed in the rich herbs simmering that swirled around the kitchen as she lifted the lid and while his eyes surveyed her body closer; the curve of her ass that abundantly filled his hands and moved to its own rhythm as she stirred the contents in the pot. He pulled in another breath and realized the dish she had prepared. It had become his new favorite dish since he started working in the Cresent City. However, once she faced him again jambalaya was the last thing he wanted upon the tip of his tongue.

"No bra, huh." He quipped, setting the glass down.

She shrugged nonchalantly, picking up her glass. "It's hot ass hell. Why put on extra things that are not needed?"

"I like the way you think," Keir said joining her on the other side of the island. He slipped his finger under the strap of her dress and slowly pulled it down needing to see the nipple that had been calling to him free of the fabric. "The way you look. The way you are. You don't even need this on."

She chuckled as swallowed the fruity, tart elixir. Her humor simpered and morphed into desire as the palm of his hand massaged her breast then an easy moan escaped past her glossed lips as his thumb brushed her erect nipple. His supple lips peppered kisses down her neck sending shockwaves of pleasure between her legs that she almost forgot her purpose for the night's festivity.

"Wait, man." She said, breathlessly pushing him back. The wildness of desire and adoration flooding in his gaze was more intoxicating than the wine in her glass. "There's a reason I've been practicing this recipe." She gestured to the pot and remembered all the other pots she went through back home to get the creole dish to the way it was right now.

As she pulled the strap of her dress back up, Keir loosened his tie. "I'm sure it's a great reason. Very important but you can't come downstairs looking like that after I have seen you in days and think talking was happening first."

"I did." She watched him slide the tie from around his neck. "I thought we were going to eat, too."

"Oh, I'm eating." His eyes dipped and lifted back to her with such haste that one could easily miss it.

"Keir," She laughed, wrapping her hands around his thick wrist still the movement of his fingers undoing the buttons of his shirt. "I get it. I love it that the sight of me backs you horny but...I have something very important to tell you. And after I tell you, you can do anything you want. It is your birthday after all."

He smiled with a nod. "Okay." His hands retreated from its task of freeing his body of its clothes. "What's the important news..." He uttered a guess that came to his mind. "Terrence has finally stopped bullshitting and accepted the divorce agreement."

She sighed sadly, "I wish but this has nothing to do with him." She grabbed the green gift bag from the counter and handed it to him. "This is about what we discussed last month. Open it."

She watched him remove the decorative paper and dig deeper for the precious contents inside the bag, "You know I never want to get married again. This entire ordeal has scarred me but..." She wrung her fingers as her heartbeat picked up. She exhaled a nervous breath. "I can't think of anyone else I want to do this relationship thing with and if you're okay with just being in love and committed without the documentation...for a while then I gladly accept your proposal."

He looked at her like a kid on Christmas morning who received the present they'd been praying for since March. The gold chain hung on his hand as the rays of the fading sun made the diamond-encrusted pair of linked 'K's at the end of its dazzle. "Really."

"Yes." She lifted up her goddess braids. "I'm committed to being yours forever if you're committed to being mine."

He nodded as if his brain had forgotten how to compose spoken words. He went behind her and draped the necklace around her then fastened the clasp. "Locked in."

She turned around reading the serious emotions in his sight. Although, in the back of her head doubt still murmured and fear whispered she knew she didn't want her worries to prevent her from the possibility of what their love could be so she repeated, "Locked in."

After a smile etched on his face he softly kissed her. With each taste of the other, it became more passionate. She released her breath into him giving him the oxygen he needed and his tongue caressed hers giving her the touch she yearned for.

She broke away from him noticing a pungent aroma in the air. "Shit!" She hissed quickly shifting the pot to another burner free of heat. She lifted the lid to check her food but Keir freed it from her hand and turned off the stove.

"I'm sure it's still good." He affirmed drawing her attention back to him. "And I'm sure all go back for seconds but right now..." He plucked both of the straps of her dress from her shoulders and let the dress slide down her torso then pushed it off her hips. "All I'm hungry for is you." He grabbed the back of her thighs and she didn't protest him lifting her up.

Her ankles instinctively linked behind his back as his hands settled under her ass and she whispered. "I'm yours to devour, forever."

It was how she felt with every ounce of her essence. But two months later everything would heartbreakingly change and render this moment to nothing more than a memory that she fought to eradicate from her mind because remembering it felt like a million daggers to her soul.

Is a love like the one Keir and Katrina shared easy to move on from?

After getting a flashback, do you think Keir will be able to commit to selling the house?

What do you think will happen if Katrina knows he's thinking of selling the house?

What does it mean that Katrina is still wearing the necklace in the present?