Reese and I have been sitting outside on the porch for a while now, while Wren tends to the children, getting them all settled down for the evening. Watching her run around all day had me exhausted for her. I don't know how she does it. I would have probably lost my mind by now.

Reese comes back out on the porch with a beer in each hand and hands me one. I thank him and take a large swig of the cold beverage. He takes a seat next to me on the porch swing, and slouches back comfortably. We both sit silently, enjoying the quiet evening.

I have to give Reese a lot of credit as well. I have always viewed my brother as being this reckless individual who would never grow up. But after seeing him with Wren and all these children, I was wrong. I seen a side of him I never thought I would ever get to see. Our parents will be proud of the man he has become. I know I am.

I take another swig of my beer and think back to the somewhat private moment, Wren and I shared on the porch earlier today. The look on her face when I opened up to her, was a look I will never forget. You could definitely tell she wasn't expecting it.

At first I wasn't going to do it. I feared she would throw my past in my face and reject me on the spot. But after having a heart to heart talk with Reese, he assured me that Wren would never hold my past over my head. He also suggested that I had a talk with her children before I went along with it and I did.

Grayson seemed a little timid about the whole thing at first, which I don't blame him. He along with his mom and sister have been through a lot together and I understand his uneasiness. In the end, I eventually gained his trust. Oakley on the other hand didn't take much convincing. The moment I told her what my intentions were she wanted me to do it right then and there.

A smile makes it's way onto my face. I can't remember the last time I have smiled this much.

"So I have to tell you something, but you have to swear you won't get mad," Reese's voice pulls me from my thoughts.

I turn to Reese giving him my undivided attention. "Has anyone ever told you, you shouldn't start a conversation out with, 'I have to tell you something, but you have to swear you won't get mad'? Cause nine times out of ten that person is going to get mad?" It's true. When someone starts a conversation off with those words, it's never good.

I laugh at his annoyance.

" Are you done? It's about Wren!"

My laughter immediately ceases with the mention of her name. I nod my head allowing him continue.

He proceeds to tell me that, Wren has been 'secretly' taking self-defends class and that James, called him a little worried he may have went a little too hard on her today and wanted to make sure she was okay. I am a little upset that he left a mark on her perfect body, but after hearing that he called to make sure she was okay, put my mind at ease. Even though I really don't like the fact that she is working with a man as dangerous as James, I know him well enough to know he wouldn't do anything to harm her intentionally.

I went to speak but, Reese cut me off by raising his hand, " That's not all." He then went on to tell me that there was a little heated moment between James and Wren. I felt my blood begin to boil. She didn't mention any of this to me. He said that James apologized for his misconduct, saying that he got caught up in the moment and didn't mean for it to go as far as it did.

My breathing is heavy now.

How far did it go?

"Did he...kiss her?" My heart begins to pound wildly in my chest, knowing there is a possibility that he did. I know this all happened before I asked Wren to be mine, but in the back of my mind, she has been mine since the moment I laid my eyes on her in the gas station. Reese shakes his head. A breath I didn't even know I was holding leaves my lungs.

"He almost did!"

I don't respond and turn my attention to the evening sky. I'm not sure if I feel comfortable with her being alone with James, anymore. If it happened once it can certainly happen again.
I take a sip of my beer before responding, "Can I trust him with her? I mean if it happened once, it can always happen again."

Reese sits up straight, making direct eye contact with me. "If you feel threatened by something that happened before the two of you started dating, then maybe you should let it be known that she is taken." He turns his attention to the front of him. "She wouldn't appreciate you walking around threatening every man that she comes into contact with on a daily basis. If you can't trust him, you can trust her."

He does have a point. I can't be mad about something that happened before me. Nobody but Reese, knew how I felt about Wren, until now. Reese and I both finish what's left of our beers and head inside. The house is so quiet, you would think that we were the only people here.

Oakley appears in the kitchen and grabs some chips from the cupboard. She smiles warmly at us before heading back upstairs to here room.
She seems to be in a better mood.

Reese gestures for me to follow him and I do, and we make are way up the stairs. He stops at the first door on the left and opens it. Grayson lays on his stomach at the foot of his bed, while the other two boys lay on the floor, each with a controller in their hand.

I take a quick look at his room. He has a wide screen television sitting on a black stand to my left and his full size bed to the right, directly across from the television. He has one large dresser against the back wall and a closet next to it. I noticed that he has a lot of posters with game characters of all kinds pinned to his white walls. It's nice to know him and I share the same game interest. I'm not a huge gamer, but I enjoy playing when I have the chance.

Grayson glances at us, and pauses the game.
As if Reese could read his mind he says, " Just checking on you," and closes the door, leaving them to their game.

Reese heads further down the hall and knocks on the door to the right of us. When he doesn't get a response he opens the door slowly. All the girls lay spread out on the floor in their sleeping bags sleeping. Except for Oakley, who is sitting against the backboard of her bed on her tablet. When she notices Reese and I standing in the doorway, she pulls her earbuds out of her ears and makes her way towards us.

Reese steps back allowing her to exit the room. "I was just checking up on you guys that's all," he whispers.

She glances behind her looking at the bodies spread across the floor. "So much for a fun sleepover." She sounds a little sad they all went to sleep.

She yawns. "I think I'm going to head to bed myself." She give Reese a big hug and then me. "Goodnight," she says before shutting the door.

Reese turns and heads back down the steps and I follow. We make our way into the living room to see Wren laying on the couch watching television. She looks exhausted.

When I approach the couch she moves her legs for me to sit. I shake my head earning me a look of confusion. I have a better idea. "Move over," I gesture with my hand. She scoots to the edge of the couch, allowing me to slid in behind her.

When I was comfortable. I put my arm around her waist and pull her back, so that her back is now pressed against the front of me. She winces and I freeze. I completely forgot about her ribs.

"I'm sorry, are you okay?"

She nods her head and continues watching what ever program she had on. After a while, I noticed her breathing became steady. I lift my head up to peak at her, only to see that she had fallen asleep. I climb out from behind her, trying my best not to wake her.

I look over at Reese who had also fallen asleep. His head is leaning back against the chair in a very uncomfortable manner. Feeling bad, I walk up to him, shaking him until he wakes up.

"She fell asleep. You want to show me to her room?" I whisper. Reese nods. He stands slowly and stretches his body. I can hear his bones popping as he does.

He makes his way over to Wren, in an attempt to carry her up to her room. I place my hand on his shoulder stopping him. I think I should be the one to do that. As if he knew, he steps aside, allowing me to pick her up.

She stirs a little in my arms, but never wakes up. Reese leads me up the stairs to the last door at the end of the hall. He quietly opens the door and steps aside letting me enter her room.

"I'll be on the couch," he says pulling the covers back, before heading towards the door. "I'll see you in the morning.

I lay Wren softly on the bed and crawl in beside her, pulling the covers over both of us. Wren shifts closer to me and snuggles her face into my chest. The feel of her body pressed against mine, makes my heart skip a beat.I run my fingers gently through her long soft hair until my arm got tired. I kiss her hair and drift off into a peaceful sleep.