Kie's POV:

I was out of college and living on the mainland in North Carolina. I was about two hours away from the Outer Banks.

I have been dating this really amazing guy, Jack for about two years now. Work has been super busy and I have been super stressed. I just got a huge promotion at work and I should be happy about it but honestly, it made my whole life chaos.

Jack was a CEO of a super fancy business and doing very well. He made a shit ton of money and we were living in this gorgeous house. I didn't work, I was just a stay-at-home girlfriend. I did pilates, went shopping, and out to lunch with my friends. I was basically going to be a trophy wife. Jack proposed to me and I said yes and the ring was huge. It was a very expensive look-at-me type ring. Jack's mom already had a bunch of ideas for the wedding and with just the venue and the food the price was already at fifty thousand dollars.

We had been engaged for two months and I was driving to the Outer Banks. I didn't tell anyone that I was coming. I just needed to get away from my life for a bit. I found myself parked outside of Luke's house, well JJ's house now. Luke pretty much just up and left one day and never returned. JJ missed him, but we all knew it was for the best.

I don't know why I came here, but I was busted when JJ walked outside. He smiled and I got out of my car, "Welcome back to the cut, princess"

I smiled back at him and said, "Hey, sorry... I just needed to get away for a little while and I found myself here. I just can't be on Figure Eight right now"

"Let me bring your stuff inside" He said going to the back to grab my bags

He brought them inside his old childhood and put them on the floor.

"Wow, it's so clean in here" I teased him

"After my dad left, I cleaned up and even bought a new couch. I hope my old room is okay for you. I know it's a twin bed, if you want you can take my room"

"J, it's exactly what I need right now" I said just wanting to go back to the simple life

"You could probably buy the whole cut with that rock on your finger" He said noticing my huge engagement ring

I quickly took it off and put it on his dresser. I looked at him and said, "Yeah, it's embarrassing"

JJ was cooking a frozen pizza and he apologized as it wasn't gourmet and I didn't care. Jack had a personal chef who would bring us food when we weren't eating out. I went to bed pretty early and JJ had to work the next day so it was just me. I made him promise not to let anyone know I was here, not even the other pogues or my mom and dad.

I slept in a bit and then I found myself doing the dishes from last night and doing JJ's laundry. Why you might ask. I miss doing simple things in life. I ran to the store and bought some groceries to make JJ dinner tonight. I was making his favorite seafood pasta. He came home from work and he was pretty tired as he did a lot of physical labor at work.

"Wow, it smells amazing in here. I can't wait to eat but I gotta shower quick" He said going into the bathroom

He took a super quick shower and I caught a glimpse of him walking from the shower to his bedroom in a towel wrapped dangerously low around his waist. He changed quickly and came to the table and we started eating.

"I could totally get used to having an incredible meal after work. This is amazing" He said taking seconds

"I miss cooking so much" I said

"You don't cook?"

"We have a chef and eat out all the time" I admitted

"I could get used to that too" JJ said

Tomorrow was Saturday, and JJ and I headed to the beach in the morning to go surfing. I haven't surfed in years, but I picked it up pretty quickly. JJ enjoyed watching me fail my first few times but then I kicked his ass in our surf off.

JJ then took me up to the lighthouse to smoke and watch the sunset. I haven't smoked weed in a long time. It was so peaceful up here. On Sunday, JJ went and borrowed the HMS from John B and we spent the whole day out on the water. I ended up staying another week and it was Friday night. JJ got home from work and he asked, "Kie, what's going on?"

"Nothing" I lied

"Listen, I love having you here and I've missed you but I also know that your fiance probably misses you"

"Fine, then I'll leave tomorrow" I said walking outside and slamming the door behind me

I went and sat in the hammock as I started to cry. I saw JJ peek out the window at me and then he disappeared for a few minutes. He came outside and he gave me a blanket as it was a little chilly. He carefully got in the hammock with me and he hugged me as I cried.

"I hate my life" I said sobbing

Once I was able to control my crying, I looked at JJ who wiped my tears with his thumb.

"I know that sounds crazy to you but it's not even my life anymore. It's Jack's life that I live every single day. He's rich, like he could buy most of Figure Eight"

"I kinda figured when I saw you post that picture of your engagement" JJ said

"I know this sounds so shitty but all he does is work and go to conferences. He hired a chef, and a maid, he has a driver for long trips. We're always going out to eat with clients. His mom is planning our whole wedding and it's going to be this massive thing that I don't have a say in and I'm the one getting married. I love Jack, I really do. I just don't love being his trophy wife"

JJ hugged me and he really tried to talk things out and help me. It was super kind of him. We just laid there in the hammock and he said, "You know you can do whatever you want to do. You don't have to marry Jack if you don't want to. Just decide before it's too late."

"What do you think I should do?" I asked just wanting JJ to tell me the magic answer

"I can't tell you what to do, Kie. You have to decide for yourself" He said and I knew he was right

I laid there thinking about what to do and then I stupidly asked, "J, can I kiss you?"

He looked at me not expecting me to ask that. I've never kissed JJ. I've kissed John B and Pope before but never JJ. He paused for a minute before asking, "You do realize you just asked to kiss me, JJ Maybank, right?"

"Yes" I said laughing

Suddenly, JJ looked nervous and he nodded his head yes. I leaned in and pressed my lips to his. He paused for a second before kissing me back and then he pulled me closer to him. He slightly opened his mouth and I slipped my tongue inside his mouth. This kiss was good, better than I could have ever imagined. I knew that I should end it, and pull away, but I couldn't.

I moved so I was now straddling him as we continued to makeout. I could feel JJ getting hard beneath me. I think we reached the point of no return. Our hands started to wonder each other's bodies and I pulled back and whispered in JJ's ear, "I want you"

He picked me up and carried me inside to his bedroom where the fun continued. We both laid there in his bed afterwords not saying a word. I think both of us knew that never should have happened. But we also knew that the tension has been there for years. It had been about ten minutes and the lights were still on. JJ got up and turned them off and crawled back into bed. This time he said, "Come here"

I moved into his arms and rested my head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. I fell asleep in his arms and I woke up in his arms. He was already awake and I looked at the alarm clock next to his bed and it was 10:30 am.

"J, you're late for work" I said

"I already called in sick today" He said and I felt guilty for making him miss work

"We need to talk about what happened last night and this past week" He said sitting up

"I know" I said sitting up with him while holding the sheet up to cover my chest

He looked at me and said, "This stays between us, it never leaves this room. Nobody ever has to know. You just need to decide what you want"

I had tears in my eyes and JJ said, "Kie, I know you're going to go back to Jack. It's okay"

"I'm so sorry" I said crying

"Don't worry about it. You get ready and I'll make you breakfast" He said getting up and getting dressed

I took a quick shower, got dressed, packed my bags, and then had a quick breakfast while JJ brought all my stuff out to my car. I hugged him goodbye and said, "Thank you for everything"

"Have a safe trip home" He said as I left the cut

I got home and Jack was still gone on his business trip. I unpacked from the trip and the next day, he came home. He had no idea I was even gone.

"Kiara, I've missed you" He said hugging me

"Missed you too" I said hugging him back

I grabbed his bags and went to bring them to the laundry room and Jack stopped me. "Kiara, the maid is coming over. Let her do the work. You just enjoy yourself"

I sat back on the couch and just looked at my massive diamond ring. I have to admit that I really didn't miss wearing it when I was with JJ. Life went on as normal for the next couple of months. Tonight, we were leaving for a dinner party in a limo and I got into a fight with Jack. I told him I just wanted to do normal things and have a life outside of being his wife. He tried to understand but couldn't as he wasn't raised that way.

I took off my engagement ring and told him it was over. I packed up all my personal stuff in my car and drove to the Outer Banks. I went to JJ's house and it was late now. I knocked on the door and he opened it confused.

"I ended things with Jack. The truth is, I think I've always loved you and after spending a week with you, it only confirmed that I want to do life with you. I want to live the pogue life with you because I love you, JJ"

He stood there in shock and then he said, "I hope this is real because I dreamed of this moment for years"

"It's real" I said and he kissed me

He broke the kiss after a few seconds and said, "I love you too, Kie"