Several days had passed since the drowning incident at Meredith's parents house.

Calum had been ignoring phone calls from her parents, every time they called he sent it to voicemail.

He had also been very adamant about me staying the nights with him.

The first three nights had been good, but after that I needed a bit of space. I wanted to be able to walk around in my underwear and horribly sing to the Spice Girls without judgement.

On the fourth day he came up to me after getting his sandwich and leaned over the counter to kiss me.

"So i'll pick you up after work. I was thinking we could order take out for dinner."

"I think i'm going to stay at my place tonight." I said and watched him pause.

"Why?"

"Because I haven't been to my house in days and I need to go home and do things."

"Oh." He looked surprised. "I just assumed you'd be staying at my place..."

I gave him a small smile before stepping around the counter and taking his face in my hands.

"Calum, I love you, but we're not married, we're not engaged, and we don't live together. I have a home of my own, and as much as I love spending time with you I do need time by myself."

He looked a bit hurt.

"I want to walk around naked and eat pizza in my underwear and just not have to worry about people or kids walking in on me, and it's not that I don't love them it's just that I need me time."

He nodded.

"Okay."

"I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

"Yeah." He smiled before coming in to kiss me.

I waved when he left and once the door closed I looked at Kate who gave me an understanding smile.

"He loves you, what do you expect?"

"I know, and I love him too but he keeps wanting us to go faster than i'm ready to. He's done the marriage and babies thing, but I haven't. He thinks we're at the same place in life but we're not."

"Maybe you should tell him that?" She raised an eyebrow and I rolled my eyes.

Ever since our heart to heart at the courthouse I found myself being able to let my guard down more and more around Kate.

"I feel like he's trying to move me in without me knowing it." I said and Kate busted out laughing.

"It's true!" I laughed. "He bought me shampoo to keep in the shower!"

"That's just being sweet!"

"Yes but he's making it like our house. He has our pictures everywhere which is nice, and he gave me a key which I understand. But I feel like any day now i'm going to walk in and find a stack of my mail on the counter."

She continued to giggle.

"He's the sweetest man in the world and I love to be with him at his home, but I want to freaking pee without Cade sticking his hand under the door."

"But that's what you're going to have to put up with if you're going to be a mom."

"But i'm not a mom." I shook my head. "If he wants me to be a mom to them then he can ask me but i'm just his girlfriend."

"And if he did ask you to be their mom what would you say?"

I looked down at the ground.

"I don't know."

After work I went home, ordered a pizza, stripped down to my panties and a tee with no bra, and then curled up on my sofa to watch television.

I was watching Grease when my phone rang, and I picked it up to see Calum's name.

"Hey." I answered.

"Hey. What are you up to?" He asked.

"I am watching Grease while eating pizza." I said, staring at the half eaten pizza box. "What about you?"

"I just put the boys to sleep and so i'm laying in bed reading one of those trashy magazines you left on the nightstand."

I laughed.

"People magazine is not trashy."

"Yeah, okay." He said and I could just imagine him rolling his eyes. "So how is your night to yourself going?"

"Fine. But I found expired milk in my fridge so that was gross."

He chuckled.

"So are you laying on your couch in your underwear?"

My eyes went wide.

"Calum Hood are you coming on to me over the phone?"

"No i'm asking a simple question. You said you wanted to be in your underwear so i'm seeing if that's what you're doing."

"Yes." I laughed.

"You know, you could walk around in your underwear here if you wanted."

"No I can't, not with your kids there."

"Nessa, I do it."

"Yes but you're their father, it's different."

He sighed.

"Okay. Well it's still not too late for you to come over." He offered.

"Calum, one night by myself, that's all i'm asking." I sighed.

"I know, it just feels weird to have you be there when you could be here."

"This is my home, Calum. It's not that strange for me to be in my own home."

"Yes but I want you in my home. In my bed, with my kids in the other room, and you in my arms."

"I want that too but don't you think if I stay the night every night the boys are going to get the wrong idea?"

"Wrong idea?"

"Like they'll think I live there."

He sighed.

"I still don't understand why you're so opposed to that."

"Because we have not been together long enough, that would be way too soon."

"But when we're together it's good."

"I'm not disagreeing with you, i'm just saying that it's too soon for me."

He sighed.

"Then when will it not be too soon?"

"I don't know, why can't we just enjoy now and cross that bridge if we get to it."

"If?"

I winced.

"Calum I didn't-"

"You don't think we'll make it?"

"I never said that. I want a future for us but I don't want to have this conversation over the phone."

"Fine." He said. "But we're having this conversation."

"Okay."

It was a bit awkward around Calum, knowing we had so much to talk about and he was waiting to pounce.

He told me we were going on our date and to pack for two nights.

We both took Friday off, and after he had taken the kids to his parents house he came to pick me up.

"So where are we going?" I asked him.

"My parents have a cabin in the mountains so I thought we could go up there." He said.

"Sounds nice." I smiled.

It was a two hour drive up into the mountains and when we arrived I looked ahead to see a wooden lodge tucked away in some trees.

It looked old a tiny bit run down, and I bit my lip, unsure of how this was going to go.

"We have a bit of work to do but it still looks in pretty good shape." Calum said as we got out of the car.

"Calum, I love you, but I am a city girl. Camping is not my thing." I said as I moved over the pine needles and leaves in my sandals.

"It's not camping." He laughed. "There's electricity and running water."

We took our bags from the back seat and then he led me up to the cabin.

He unlocked the door and let us inside. It was a bit musty from no one being inside, but it looked rustic and cozy.

There was a living room with a kitchen towards the back, and then a hall then led to the bedrooms, all of the furniture covered up with sheets.

I followed him to the bedroom where he set the bags on the bed.

"Okay, i'll get everything else out of the trunk if you want to start taking the covers off the furniture." He said and so we went to our respective jobs, Calum turning on the lights as he left.

I opened the windows to let the air in and began to uncover all of the furniture, Calum coming in and out with the supplies and food he had brought.

We placed the food in the fridge and unpacked the other things, and by the time we were done it was lunch time.

We made sandwiches and then Calum went to go get firewood while I made our bed and put our clothes away.

When I left the bedroom Calum wasn't inside and I heard a noise coming from outside, so I stepped out onto the front porch, finding my very hot and shirtless boyfriend chopping firewood.

"Maybe camping isn't all that bad." I called out and he turned around to see me wink at him.

"Does it seem more enticing now?" He laughed.

"Just a bit." I smirked. "But please don't stop on my account."

He grinned before continuing, his muscles rippling as he swung the axe down with enough force to split the wood in half.

When he was done he stacked the wood against the house, and when he walked up on the porch I grabbed onto his biceps.

"How about we put that shower to good use?" I lightly tugged on his bottom lip with my teeth.

"Yeah?" He kissed me before picking me up by the back of my thighs and carrying me inside the house.

We kissed as he walked, him stumbling around making me giggle until we reached the bathroom where he set me on the counter.

We broke the kiss so he could pull my shirt over my head.

I went to unhook my bra while he worked on the button of my shorts. Once those were gone I did the same to him and he then picked me up and moved towards the shower, opening the door so he could turn on the water.

He set me down so he could slide off his boxers and I took off my panties before he took my
hand and led me into the shower.

The hot water rained down on our skin and I kissed his chest while Calum moved his hands down my sides so he could pick me up, my back pressing against the shower wall.

"You are so beautiful." Calum placed his head in the crook of my neck.

"Yeah? Well I think you're handsome, and incredibly sexy." I laughed as he began to kiss my neck.

"Hmm i'll leave the sexy to you." He moved his head to look into my eyes.

Our time of love making in the shower was hot and steamy, and we finished by actually showering, Calum getting a bit handsy.

I changed into one of Calum's flannels and a pair of underwear while he went to start on making dinner for us, staying in a tee and boxers.

"So what's for dinner?" I asked him as I entered the kitchen.

"Steak and potatoes." He smiled at me.

"Yum." I hugged him before sitting on the counter. "So what's the plan for tomorrow."

"I don't know, I was thinking we could go on a hike or maybe go down to the river and fish."

"Fishing?" I raised my eyebrows. "I know nothing about fishing."

"Then I can teach you." He smiled at me.

Calum put the potatoes in the oven and while the steak was marinating he came up to me and placed his hands on my knees.

"So can we have that conversation that we've been putting off for a long time?" He looked into my eyes and I sighed.

"Yes, talk away."

He moved back to sit on the other counter.

"Nessa I am very aware that you and I are in different places. I've been married before and I have kids, you haven't experienced that, but that doesn't make me think any less of you or feel like you're not able to handle it."

"But I feel like you're expecting me to be your kids mom...and if that's what you want from me I need to know."

He stared at me before exhaling.

"Where do you see us in...say a year." He shrugged.

"I don't know. Still dating I guess."

"Okay." He nodded. "What about two years?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well do you see a future for us?"

"Yes but i'm not good at planning ahead. I'm more of a spur of the moment kind of girl."

"I know that, but I am a planner. I like to have an idea of what's going to happen and what I want. I want you, and therefore I want to know where you see us ending up, because I have an idea but I want to know if you have the same one."

"...What's your idea?"

"I mean, I don't plan on breaking up with you."

"So what does that mean?"

"It means that if all goes well I think that a permanent relationship is on the table."

"And by permanent relationship you mean marriage?"

"Yes."

I laughed.

It wasn't a mean laugh or like I was laughing in his face, it was an incredulous laugh.

"What?" He asked, looking offended.

"No, no i'm not laughing at you, it's just that, you see me as someone you could marry?"

A smile broke out on his face and he let out a laugh.

"Yes, Nessa, I could see you as my wife."

I shook my head.

"I don't know if I would make a good wife."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I barely cook, I hate cleaning, my go to dinner is pizza or boxed macaroni...that's not wife material."

Calum smiled before sliding off the counter and coming up to me again, wrapping his hands around my thighs.

"When I look at you, I see a strong and very passionate person, who will do anything to protect her family and friends. I see someone who cares deeply for others, and wants what is best for them. I see someone who is amazing with kids, and can charm people like no other. And I see a person that I wouldn't be opposed to spending a lifetime with."

As he spoke he looked up in my eyes, his brown orbs full of sincerity.

"Don't sell yourself short, Nessa, because you're a pretty big part of my life."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and moved in to kiss him.

"I really love you." I whispered.

"I really love you too." He said before kissing me back.

After a quick make out session I went to look through the closet to find some board games for us while Calum cooked the steaks.

"Okay we can play checkers, cards, poker or monopoly." I said as I looked through the shelves.

"Uh, how about poker. Do you know how to
play?"

"I'm Italian, of course I know how to play poker." I laughed.

"You're right. Why did I even bother asking." He chuckled.

I helped him set up the table and plate our dinner before we went to sit at the table.

"So how long have you had this place?" I asked him.

"It been in the family since I was a kid. We used to come up here every summer and stay for weeks at a time. I haven't had the chance to bring the boys up since they were born but i'd like to."

"Why didn't you bring them with us?"

"Because I wanted us to have some alone time. And also I want to have sex with you without fear of a child walking in."

I smiled.

"So can I ask you a question without you freaking out?" He said and I gave him a look.

"Possibly."

He sighed.

"Have you ever thought about having kids?"

I bit my lip.

"You're freaking out aren't you?" He gave me a scared smile.

"No. No i'm just... I mean yeah. Yeah I have before."

"Before? So you don't now?"

"No I do, but you already have two kids."

"I know that, and I love them very much, but i'm not opposed to having more."

"How many more?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "But i'd like more."

"With me."

He looked up at me.

"Yes. I would like to have kids with you one day if allowed the opportunity." He said and I smiled. "And I think we'd make cute kids together."

"Yeah?" I laughed.

"Look at us." He gestured between us. "We're hot."

I shook my head as I laughed, reaching over to hold his hand.

"Nessa, this obviously isn't going to happen now. This is just talk for down the road. I just want us to have a good understanding on where we both are."

"I think that's smart."

After dinner we poured some wine before setting up our poker game.

"Alright, I say we make this game a little more interesting." I smirked. "How about strip poker?"

"I like the way you think." He winked.

"Me too. Get ready to get naked, Calum."

"Touché."

The game ended to my delight with Calum in just his boxers.

"This isn't fair." He narrowed his eyes at me.

"I love you." I smiled.

"Yeah. Well prove it." He smirked.

I set down my cards and then stood up, making my way over to Calum and straddling his lap.

"Okay."

He smirk widened as I leaned in to kiss him.

His hands went to my waist to hold me on his lap, and I moved my lips to his neck, sucking on the skin until he moaned.

"Did you just give me a hickey?" He chuckled and I kissed the red skin.

"Yes, because you're mine."

"Well then if that's the case." He began to return the favour, sucking harshly on a spot just below my jaw until he was satisfied with the mark he made.

"Beautiful." He traced down my neck with his fingers before standing up with my legs wrapped around him.

"Let's finish this in the bedroom."

He walked us to the bedroom and laid me down on the bed, hovering over me so I could look in his eyes.

I smiled before pulling him down to kiss me, allowing his love to fully immerse me the rest of the night.

In the morning I woke up to the sounds of nature outside the window and Calum's arm around my bare waist.

When I opened my eyes I saw Calum holding my hand in his sleep.

I smiled and brought our hands up closer to me, Calum shifting over to hold me tighter.

"Morning, baby." He breathed in my ear.

"Hi." I whispered. "How did you sleep?"

"With you in my arms? Like a baby."

I laughed.

Turning over I rested my head on his chest, enjoying the feel of his smooth skin on my cheek.

"So what are we doing today?" I asked him.

"I say we go hiking."

"Alright. It's a good thing I brought boots with me."

"But for now we can just lay here and enjoy the peace and-"

He was interrupted by his phone ringing, and I laughed at the timing while he groaned.

"I don't want to answer it." He whined.

"It might be about the boys." I said and he finally reached for his phone.

"Yeah." He answered. "Hey, Eli."

I smiled up at him.

"Hold on bud, i'm going to put you on speaker phone."

Calum put it on speaker and then laid the phone on the bed.

"Okay, now say it." Calum said.

"Good morning, Momma." Eli chirped and I smiled.

"Good morning, baby. What are you doing today?"

"Nana and Papa are taking me and Cade to the pool."

"That sounds like fun."

"What are you and Daddy doing?"

"We are going on a hike today."

"Yeah, Momma and I are going to hike through the mountains and then i'm going to make her a nice dinner." Calum said and I grinned at him.

"Can you make me a nice dinner too?" Eli asked and we laughed.

"Sure, when we get home I will."

"Momma can make her famous spaghetti again!"

"You want me to?" I asked him.

"Yeah! It's my favourite!"

"Then i'd be happy to make it for you."

"Cade keeps asking for you."

"Me?" Calum asked.

"No, Momma. He keeps asking where Nessa is."

"Aw. Well give him a hug and kiss from me."

"Okay. Daddy when are you and Momma coming back?"

"Tomorrow. We'll pick you up from Nana's on our way back." Calum said. "Have fun with Cade today and we'll call you tonight. Love you."

"Love you, Daddy!"

"Bye, Eli!" I smiled.

"Bye, Momma!"

Calum ended the call and then rolled over onto me, using his hands so he could push himself up to hover over me.

"I say we start our day with a exercise I think we're both fans of."

"Yeah?" I smirked.

"Mhmm." He hummed before attaching his lips to mine.

After an early morning love making session we decided to shower and then get dressed. I put on my boots and then walked into the kitchen where Calum was making breakfast.

"Do you think you'll be okay to hike with your leg?" He asked.

"Yeah. I'll be okay. If not you can carry me." I winked.

"You wish." He laughed. "Now eat the breakfast your loving boyfriend made you."

After breakfast Calum packed lunch inside his backpack for us and then we headed out on our hike.

It was hot outside but in the shade of the trees it felt nice.

"Where does this trail take us?" I asked him.

"Wherever we want to go." He took my hand.

"I want to go to Paris. Does it take us to Paris?"

"I wish." He laughed. "So you want to go to Paris, huh?"

"I went when I was like three but I don't remember it, so i'd like to go again."

"Paris." He nodded. "Guess I better start saving up."

"Why?" I laughed.

"So I can take you to Paris!" He looked at me like it was obvious. "You're not going without me."

"Would we take Eli and Cade?"

"Sure. I'd like to see them run around in front of the Eiffel tower."

"We could get them little Eiffel tower figurines." I laughed.

"Or I heart Paris tee shirts."

I giggled at this.

We spent our hike talking about crazy college experiences, dream vacations, and then played desert island.

He told me he would take all Harry Potter books which I got a kick out of because he then admitted he was a secret Harry Potter fan in high school.

"I'm not kidding! My parents got me a wand for Christmas!" He said, making me crack up.

We stopped beneath a very shady oak tree to have our picnic lunch, the two of us leaning against the trunk.

"I have never been an outdoors person, but I like being one with you." I nudged his shoulder and he smiled down at me, his mouth full of peanut butter sandwich.

We stayed under the tree for a while, enjoying the relaxing sounds of the nature around us.

Finally we decided to head back and he helped me up before digging in his back pack for something and coming back with a pocket knife.

"Oh my God did you bring me out here to kill me?" My eyes went wide.

"No." He rolled his eyes. "I was about to be romantic."

I watched as he then went to carve something on the tree.

After a few minutes he stepped back and I could see C + N with a heart around it carved onto the tree trunk.

"Okay yeah that's pretty cute." I admitted and he gave me a grin before leaning in to kiss me.

"This is now our tree." He smiled.

"I like our tree." I leaned my head on his shoulder, admiring his handy work.

Yeah. I think I picked a really good guy to fall in love with.

--

Long wait, I know, but i'm back with an update!

I promise I won't take this long again!

Much love xx-m