Ch.3

June 9th, 2017

"Hannah, honey, can you grab your pillow and put it in the car for me?" Michaela called out.

"Yeah," she answered before retreating to her bedroom.

Michaela began to swiftly look through the two small pink and purple duffel bags making sure she had packed everything the girls would need. Upon confirming that she had everything, she looked through her own bag one last time. Looking through hers, however, proved much more difficult as Sully still refused to tell her where they were going.

"Do ya have everything?" he questioned as he entered the room approaching her from behind.

"Well the girls have everything, but I have no clue if I do since you refuse to tell me where we are going," she answered teasingly.

"Trust me ya have everything," he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

She leaned back slightly, captivated by the feeling of being in his arms. She closed her eyes as her mind flashed to all the time they would have this weekend to spend in each other's arms. He began placing slow, sensual, kisses down her neck, and she let out a soft moan in response. He had always been so good at knowing exactly how to touch her, and where she longed for his touch the most. His hand slowly moved down her body, and he smoothly slid it under the waistband of her shorts.

"Stop…" she uttered softly, knowing how hard it would soon become to resist him.

"I want you so bad," he whispered against her ear as his free hand moved slowly up her body.

"Mommy," Hannah called from the other room quickly pulling her back down to earth.

She let out a frustrated sigh that was quickly echoed by her husband who very reluctantly released her from his grasp. She turned around to face him, and as she stared into his eyes that were full of longing they both heard the cries of her name fill their ears once again.

"I'm coming," she called towards the door before turning back to Sully.

"Hold onto those feelings… Only a few more hours…" she said with a sensual smile before leaning in closer and whispering in his ear, "Because I won't soon forget how badly I need you…"

He smiled down at her as their lips came together in a heated embrace both longing to be closer, but fully aware it wouldn't happen right now. She soon swiftly pulled back and made her way out of the room knowing the girls wouldn't stay patient for much longer. He looked towards the wooden framed doorway wishing she were still standing before him. She's right though…only a few more hours and it will be just the two of you. He grinned to himself as thoughts of the weekend to come danced through his head.

"Bye Mommy," Hannah said sweetly.

"Bye sweetie," Michaela replied as she hugged her tight. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mommy," she said as she planted a kiss on her mother's cheek.

Michaela returned the gesture, and then slowly released her hold on Hannah turning towards Katie.

"Don't leave Mommy!" Katie cried as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Oh baby, it's okay," she soothed pulling her daughter into her arms. "You'll have so much fun with Aunt Rebecca."

"No, Mommy don't leave!" she cried in anguish as she wrapped her arms tightly around Michaela's neck.

She quickly picked her distraught daughter up in her arms. Her cries only grew stronger as Michaela held her close.

"Shhh," she soothed trying to calm Katie down.

"Bye Daddy I love you," Hannah said with a smile as Sully kissed her on the cheek.

"I love you too, honey. Be good while we're gone and take care of Katie for me, okay?" he asked.

"Okay," she said with a big grin.

He kissed her goodbye once more before placing her back down next to Rebecca. He then turned to Michaela who was still holding a sobbing Katie in her arms.

"No! Please don't leave," she cried again.

Michaela looked toward him helplessly, completely unsure what to do. He arrived by her side saying, "Here give her ta me."

"I don't know if I can do this. I can't leave her like this. I just can't," she said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Kiss her goodbye, and I'll meet ya in the car," he said gently.

She looked at him skeptically, doubting whether it would be as simple as he seemed to believe.

"I'll take care of it," he said as he put his arm around her. "Trust me. She'll be fine, and we aren't goin' very far. We'll come back if we need to."

She nodded and kissed Katie before attempting to hand her over to Sully. However, Katie was unwilling to unclench her fingers that were tightly gripping her mother's shirt. Sully skillfully pried her off of Michaela, and she quickly latched onto Sully. Michaela waved to Rebecca and Hannah before quickly ducking out of sight.

"Shhh sweetheart, it's okay. It's okay. Hannah is goin' ta stay with you. Hannah will take care of you," he explained soothingly. She calmed down a little upon hearing his voice, but still her cries continued.

"Goodbye baby," he said as he kissed her forehead.

He pulled back slightly and slipped his Cheyenne necklace over her head. Then, motioning for Rebecca, he placed a very distraught Katie into her arms.

"Sorry about this," he said with remorse.

"It's fine. She'll be okay in a little while," she replied reassuringly as she rocked Katie back and forth in her arms.

Her cries only grew fiercer upon being taken from his arms, and it took everything inside of him to hold back the tears in his eyes.

"Sully, trust me on this one. This is very normal. She'll be fine in about fifteen minutes," Rebecca said with a small smile.

"Alright, I'll take your word for it," he returned softly.

He gave Rebecca a hug and thanked her again, before giving Hannah another quick kiss and departing for the car.

As he sat down in the driver's seat, he looked over to see his sweet wife in uncontrollable tears. He pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back softly as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"She's goin' ta be fine," he said softly.

"I know. I just hate to hear her cry like that. It tears me up inside," she said with a sob.

"I know, 'cause it hurts me the same way. But she's goin' ta be alright in about fifteen minutes here. We are only makin' it worse sittin' in the driveway," he expressed.

She pulled back from him slightly nodding her head. "Yeah, you're right. And as hard as it is to leave them, we really do need the time alone," she said with a small smile.

"I couldn't agree with ya more," he replied as he wiped the tears from her eyes. "Just think about how much fun they're goin' ta have destroying Becca's kitchen tonight when they make cookies."

She smiled and giggled slightly at the mental picture he had created.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered softly.

"Alright then," he responded as he stroked her cheek gently before putting the keys in the ignition and backing down the driveway.

"I've got something I wanna ask ya," he began as they drove down the coast.

"All right," she said with a big smile.

"I have an idea I would like ta propose for this weekend," he explained with a boyish grin.

"Okay, what's this idea?" she questioned a smile still dancing across her face.

"I want ya to agree ta it first," he said.

"No way that's happening," she replied with a laugh. "It's probably some wild and crazy idea that's likely to get us into trouble."

"What makes you say that?"

"I know you very well," she responded simply.

"Alright, I'll tell ya what it is first. But I want you ta keep a very open mind," he explained.

"Open mind?" she repeated.

"Yes…"

"See I knew where you were going with this. I've said this a thousand times over, no sex on the beach," she stated in a somewhat serious tone.

He burst into laughter not expecting her to say that at all. "No," he said shaking his head. "It's nothin' like that."

"Really? What is it then?" she answered clearly surprised.

"I think we should ban all conversation about Hannah and Katie."

"What?" she cried in shock.

"Hear me out here. Ya know I love our girls. They are two of my three favorite women. But I want this weekend ta be about just you and me. Not, you, me, and the kids. Does that make sense? Sometimes it seems like all we talk about now are the girls and work. I think it would be fun to spend three days talking about just us," he finished before looking towards her trying to read her expression.

"I see your point," she said with a smile. "But I don't know if you can make it three days without mentioning them."

"You don't, do you?" he teased.

"No, I don't," she returned confidently.

"Well I don't think you can go a day without mentionin' them," he retorted.

"All right then I have a deal for you. Other than conversations with Becca on the phone about the girls, I bet I can go longer than you can without mentioning them," she quipped.

"What do I get if I win this bet?" he said with a smirk.

"What do you want?"

"Sex on the beach," he said with a clever grin.

"No," she said trying, but failing to hold back her laugher. "I told you that's never happening, and I wasn't kidding on that one. What else?"

"I want ta blindfold you," he stated with a seductive smile.

"What?" she answered not quite following his line of thought.

"I want to blindfold you one time…" he replied.

Although his answer was still very cryptic, she still caught his meaning this time.

"Sully, seriously!" she exclaimed as she playfully slapped his arm.

"No, really. I'm not messin' with ya. I think we could have some fun with that…"

Her stomach jumped slightly when she realized he really wasn't kidding. "I don't know…" she said with an embarrassed smile, quickly averting her eyes.

"Well ya are convinced you aren't goin' ta loose, so you have nothin' ta worry about anyway," he replied.

"Well I guess that's true…" she responded still unsure she wanted to agree to this.

"You haven't told me what ya want if you win," he asked.

"You mean when I win. And I want you to drop everything and play hookie from work with me for one day. But you won't know what day it is until the morning I come to you and tell you not to go," she explained.

"Well, I'm definitely game for that one. That's a win for me too," he said with a wink.

"So, I'm in. What about you?"

She sat silent for a few moments contemplating exactly what she was agreeing to do. If I win…well there isn't a problem there. But if I loose… She didn't really know if she was comfortable with this suggestion of his. On the one hand, it made her uncomfortable to imagine being that powerless and out of control ever. And why exactly did he want her that vulnerable? But on the other, this wouldn't be the first time he had proposed an idea she initially wasn't crazy about that turned out to be worthwhile. I'll just have to make sure that I win…

"I know I'm going to win, so it's a deal," she replied confidently.

"Alright then," he said with a smile. "Let the games begin."

As they stepped into the brightly lit room, she couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. Her gaze wandered around the room from the small kitchen complete with a bar, to the electric fireplace beneath the plasma television. He tossed his keys gently on the small glass table by the door, and sat down on the large, plush couch somewhat drained from the two and a half hour drive. She set her bag down gently next to his before turning towards him.

"This is beautiful," she said in awe, a surprised smile dancing across her face.

He smiled in return his heart dancing with happiness knowing his surprise had thrilled her as much as he had hoped.

"Palm Springs," she said shaking her head slightly. "You are good."

"So, ya like your surprise then?" he asked remembering the way her eyes lit up as soon as they stepped into the hotel lobby.

"Of course! I am still truly amazed that after all these years you still continue to surprise me. This hotel is amazing," she exclaimed her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"You deserve nothin' less," he answered.

"We are going to have some fun here this weekend," she said with an alluring smile.

"We are?" he responded.

"Yes…"

"What kind of fun?" he questioned wanting desperately for her to continue.

"I think you know what kind of fun. The kind of fun we have to be careful about back home," she replied suggestively.

"Ahhh, yes. That kind of fun," he responded with a wink.

"Mmm hmm, yes…" she whispered.

"That's my favorite kind of fun, too," he added completely charmed by the look on her face.

"I'm going to go look at the bedroom," she returned before turning and walking towards the door on her left.

He thought about following her, but before he made a move towards the door she had returned and quickly stated, "The bedroom is beautiful, too."

"What about the bed?" he teased.

"Well, pretty isn't the most important quality in a bed now is it?" she returned eager to take part in his verbal play.

"No, not really. I think I rather it be comfortable," he responded.

"I would agree with that," she said with a nod.

"And is it?"

"Comfortable? I don't know, I didn't sit on it," she answered with a playful smile.

"You didn't?" he said holding back laughter.

"No."

"And why not?" he countered eager to hear her response.

"I was waiting to try it out with you," she said flashing a sensual smile his way.

"Well that sounds like a plan ta me," he said before appearing by her side and pulling her into his arms.

She wrapped her arms around his waist affectionately and gazed up into his eyes, seeing such a deep love behind them it truly touched her soul. Their lips soon met in an amorous kiss full of familiar feelings of deep love mixed with passionate infatuation. His hand softly cupped her cheek as hers wrapped around his neck bringing them even closer together.

When their lips eventually parted, she turned her gaze towards the royal blue trimmed glass doors directly to her right. Suddenly eager to see the view from the balcony, she made her way towards the glass doors walking past the small wooden table with seating for three. She swiftly slid the doors apart and stepped out onto the balcony admiring the spectacular site in front of her.

"You have to come out here. This view is incredible," she cried out in wonder as she looked down at the resort pool below and then to the bright blue sky above.

Upon her request, he joined her on the balcony marveling at the beauty of the site below as palm trees graced the poolside and courtyard.

"I want to go swimming," she said with the excitement of a small child.

"Alright," he answered with a laugh.

"Go put your suit on," she requested.

"You want ta go now?" he responded in shock.

"Yes," she said before grabbing her bag and bouncing towards the bathroom.

"Ya don't want to unpack at all first?" he questioned.

"Nope. I want to start having fun this second," she explained before closing the door behind her.

"Oh my God," he exclaimed as she stepped out of the bathroom.

He stared in awe at the woman in front of him. He simply couldn't get over how stunning she looked in the white and gold polka dot string bikini. The very small bottom had a sweet ruffle along the top edge and was only held together by two small ties on each hip. He couldn't stop thinking about how easy it would be to untie one of them. The triangular cut halter-top had a ruffle along the top edge as well, and a gold ring in the very middle hitting the center of her chest. All he could think about was how she looked more beautiful and even sexier than she had the first time he had taken her swimming nine years ago.

"What?" she replied upon seeing his starstruck grin.

"Did ya not look in the mirror before ya stepped out here?" he replied, although he was still having a difficult time concentrating enough to form words.

"No…" she said looking down at herself slightly confused as she finished tying a knot behind her neck in the spandex ties of the top.

"You are tryin' ta kill me aren't you?" he stammered.

"What?" she said with a grin as he pulled her into his arms.

"You are so beautiful… And makin' me keep my hands off of you simply isn't fair," he explained as his hands softly caressed her bare hips.

"Who said you had to keep them to yourself?" she replied running her hands slowly across ever inch of muscle in his chest. Her mind quickly flashed back to the first time she had seen him without his shirt on so long ago. She hadn't thought it was possible for him to become any more attractive, but she had obviously been very wrong.

"Well ya said you wanted to go down to the pool, and I think we have to behave there," he answered longing to just stay in the room.

"Yes, but we don't have to behave when we get back," she said with a wink before taking his hand in hers and leading him towards the door.