Disclaimer: This fic is rated 'M' for language and sexual content. I do not own any of the characters of The Hunger Games (although I wish I did).

Early August…

Over the course of a month, Peeta had come to the conclusion that Katniss Everdeen was one thing—exhausting.

Not his typical 'fall into bed face first after a long day of back breaking physical labor' kind of exhausting. No, not even close; she redefined the term. It was the kind of exhaustion that left him walking around in a haze most mornings, his hair a rumpled mess that he hid under his ball cap and his face unshaven for longer than usual thanks to hitting the snooze button one too many times.

Just yesterday, as he stared blankly at the wall during breakfast while smiling dumbly behind his coffee cup, Prim had to intervene when he almost dumped a spoonful of salt into the extra caffeine kick he now needed to get him through the morning. It was all because of her. Katniss Everdeen. The farmer's daughter who left his heart racing, lips tingling, and body thrumming in a heaping mess almost every night. And what a beautiful mess it was.

The woman was insatiable. That hot, steamy night back in July when all this had started was only the tipping point. Around her family it was business as usual; contact was kept to a minimum and conversation was kept casual. But when they were alone—well, that was a different story.

It'd start out subtly at dinner, with the biting of her lower lip when she locked eyes with him from across the table. The slow and steady slide of her foot up the inside of his calf. A seemingly innocent touch that lingered just a tad too long when she reached across the table for something.

Each one was a promise. A promise of something more, which without fail always led to a late-night visit to his room once the rest of the Everdeens were tucked away sound asleep in their beds. And each morning it grew harder and harder for him to drag his sorry ass out of the cushy confines of his covers when the screech of his alarm went off at 5 a.m. Especially since his pillow was now infused with the scent that was purely Katniss Everdeen.

But now Peeta was faced with a new dilemma. The red "x's" on his calendar demarking his remaining days at the farm were being crossed out way too fast. He was down to his last month with the Everdeens, and cruelly enough, things between Katniss and him were only just getting started.

The clock was ticking, and worry was starting to set in. Did they have a future past August? Or was this destined to go down as the best summer of his life…nothing more? Obsessing about it only depressed him, and so he found it much easier—and much more pleasurable—to just give in and enjoy what little time he had left with her.

Peeta stumbled into the tool shed late one afternoon, still in a daze, and with a grin stretched from ear to ear after returning from the barn. He'd spent the better part of the day up in the loft, sorting and tossing down bales of straw, when Katniss had snuck up on him when his back was turned. Thanks to her inhuman ability to scale the ladder in absolute silence, he'd nearly leapt out of his skin when her arms snuck around his waist, sending them both tumbling head first into a pile of fresh straw.

She'd pinned him, arms up over his head and chest heaving, before leaning down to kiss him senseless, licking and nipping and exploring every inch of his mouth. He'd pretended to resist, knowing full well he could turn the tables and pin her lithe body beneath him in one swift move, but the way her eager hips ground into him from above had felt way too good. Everything about her mesmerized him, from her soft mewls when he ran his fingers through her hair to the little sighs she released when his thumb grazed the patch of skin just above her waistband. Was it even possible to tire of hearing all her little noises?

The moment her eyes had locked with his and her teeth had sunk into her bottom lip he knew things had switched from an innocent romp in the hay to something more. His hands had clung to her hips, grounding her as she moved above him, dragging her center forward and backwards against his erection, eliciting from him a hiss when her wet heat had begun to seep through the layers of fabric.

It didn't take long. He reached up to pull her flushed face to his when her eyes screwed shut, swallowing her moans as her body pulsed and shuddered above his. When she had finally stilled, she'd managed to lift her boneless body up off his just enough to snake a hand between them to undo the fly of his jeans, lower the zipper, and bring him to completion after just a few fervent tugs.

Not a word had passed between them during their heated tryst, just the exchange of a satiated smile and an impassioned stare as she tucked him back into his pants. But that was just the way it was between them when they weren't hidden away up in his room. After a quick peck to his chin, she was on her feet and down the ladder just as quickly and quietly as she'd appeared.

The image of Katniss's face as she'd rocked back and forth above him in the barn was still so fresh in his mind that he nearly tripped over a rake leaning against the wall. After regaining his balance, he ran a hand through his disheveled locks, his fingers finding a stray blade of straw that he'd missed after trying to rid himself of any evidence afterward. He tossed it to the ground with a dopey grin on his face, but when he looked up, he startled at the sight of Mr. Everdeen seated at the workbench.

"You done in the barn?" the man asked, studying the knife blade in his hand before taking it to the grinding block in front of him.

Heat bloomed across Peeta's face as he cleared his throat, hoping to god there weren't any other telltale signs of straw hidden in his hair.

"Yes, sir, all done. Just came back for, uh, my gloves." Although his gaze was fixed on his task, Mr. Everdeen nodded in response. "I'll just grab them and be out of your way." Peeta urged his stubborn feet forward as he scanned the room frantically for his work gloves so he could make a quick getaway, but when the sound of metal against stone came to an abrupt halt, he froze in his tracks.

"So, how you been liking it around here so far?" The blade of the utility knife caught a beam of light as Mr. Everdeen held it up for inspection, the flash causing Peeta to blink repeatedly.

The question hung in the air as Peeta struggled to swallow back the panic and guilt he was sure was written all over his face. Was this a trick question?

"Oh, it's been great. No complaints here." He smiled at the older man and in an attempt to keep his cool, approached the tool bench and leaned back against it. It took more effort than he thought to drive out the image of when Katniss had him pushed up against the very same tool bench not more than two days ago, her wandering hands digging into the bare flesh above his jeans.

"Good, I'm happy to hear it." With one final swipe of the blade against the back of his pants, Mr. Everdeen finally looked up and set down the knife. He grinned at Peeta, crossing his arms over his chest. "I worry we're working you too hard some days, but you seem to be up for the challenge. I'd say you're fitting in just fine around here."

An awkward feeling began to settle in the bottom of Peeta's stomach, unsure of where Mr. Everdeen was going with the conversation. Or perhaps he was just paranoid, reading too much into it and letting his guilty conscience get the better of him. He didn't mind idle chit-chat, but when it was with the father of the girl who he'd been sneaking around with, well, that was something else entirely.

"So, you getting excited about heading off to school? Just over a month now, is it?"

"Just about," Peeta replied, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"Listen, I'm not going to beat around the bush. You're a fine man, Peeta. Kind. Respectable. A hard worker with a good head on your shoulders."

Uneasy, Peeta swallowed thickly. "Um, thank you, sir."

Mr. Everdeen waved a hand in dismissal. "Ah, no need for such formality. Like I've said before, call me Jack." Peeta nodded in understanding but remained quiet, still hesitant about being on a first name basis with his boss. "I'd like you to talk to Katniss."

Peeta's shoulders tensed as he exhaled a heavy breath. "Oh? About what?"

"College. She still hasn't made up her mind yet and well, time's ticking and I feel as though she might need some…persuading." Peeta narrowed his eyes as Mr. Everdeen settled back against the bench. "I know she feels pressured to make a decision, and I'm probably not helping the situation by any means, so I got to thinking, if maybe she saw the opportunity from a different perspective, from someone in the same boat like you, then well, maybe it'd help."

Peeta stifled a laugh. Over the two short months he'd grown to know Katniss, even he knew for a fact that there was no telling her what to do or how to think. But he couldn't ignore the desperation etched on Mr. Everdeen's face. It was obvious the man loved his daughters fiercely, Katniss especially, and only wanted the best for them. He wasn't exactly sure what he'd say to Katniss, but he'd think of something. "Sure, I'll talk to her."

Grinning, Mr. Everdeen scrubbed his hands against the front of his jeans. "That's great, thank you, son."

The swell of pride that used to fill his chest whenever Mr. Everdeen referred to him as "son" was beginning to weigh heavily on Peeta's conscience. It was as if he'd been accepted into this world he'd grown so very fond of, and yet here he was, indulging in far-from-innocent nightly rendezvous with the man's daughter, and right under his nose to boot.

"Anyway," Mr. Everdeen continued, "I won't keep you any longer. I know that fence on the south side of the field needs fixing, so I'll leave you to it."

Holding his breath, Peeta made a grab for his work gloves off the tool bench, shoving them into his back pocket before reaching over in search of a pair of pliers.

"Oh, and one more thing."Peeta's hand froze in mid-air as he turned and found himself face to face with Mr. Everdeen."Just because I'm busy running around this place from dawn till dusk doesn't mean I don't know what's going on right under my own nose." Peeta swallowed thickly, a bead of sweat at his temple finally trickling down the side of his face. "Katniss…she's sweet on you, and if I'm not mistaken, I'm in the mind to think that you might feel the same about her."

Oh…shit. Peeta's heart stopped, the muscles of his throat constricting as he eyed the utility knife still sitting no more than three inches away from Mr. Everdeen's other hand. So much for secrecy.

"Now listen," Mr. Everdeen continued, bringing a hand up to scratch at the stubble along his chin. "You're both adults, and I know my daughter well enough not to tell her what she can and can't do. If it was anyone else interested in her, well, I just might have a problem with it." He grinned then, the gesture putting Peeta somewhat at ease. "I trust her and I trust you, and so that's all I got to say really. Well, that and," he paused to chuckle. "I'll tell ya, my girl's got fire. I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

Straightening to his full height, Peeta's face turned serious. "Sir—I mean, Jack—I just want you to know that when it comes to Katniss, I only have the best of intentions."

Mr. Everdeen rose from the bench, tucking the utility knife back into his belt and giving it a good pat. "Good, that's what a father wants to hear." Peeta followed him on his way to the door, but stopped when the man paused to turn and grip Peeta's shoulder. "Now get on with ya, that fence isn't going to mend itself."

His work on the fence was almost complete when the sputtering of a truck's engine caused Peeta to pause and turn, wiping the sweat from his brow with his forearm. For once the weatherman had been right, and the day had proven to be quite the scorcher. Not more than ten minutes into the job when he'd been forced to shed his sweat-soaked shirt.

As the vehicle approached, he held up a hand to shield his eyes and smiled at the sight of Katniss's smirking face through the windshield. Leaning back against the fence post, Peeta propped his arms up over the railings and watched as Katniss killed the engine and disappeared below the dash. When rusty driver's side door swung open, the corner of his mouth lifted.

Just when he thought it couldn't get any hotter, out hopped Katniss, sauntering towards him in the pair of cutoff jeans she knew drove him crazy and his old wrestling shirt that had "mysteriously" disappeared from his dresser a few weeks ago. It was two sizes too big for her petite frame, but the way the stretched-out collar pretty much hung off her shoulder…he didn't dare ask for the garment back.

"Well this is a pleasant surprise."

"Sure is," she replied, raising an eyebrow as her gaze blatantly roamed over the planes of his bare chest.

When she was close enough, he reached out and tugged at the hem of the shirt. "Aren't you worried someone will see you in this?"

A nonchalant shrug of her shoulders was her only answer as she thrust a thermos in his direction; the condensation on the surface causing it to almost slip through his already sweaty grip. "Thanks." Twisting off the lid, he took a generous gulp, the cool water hitting the back of his throat like a boulder. "So, what brings you out here? I thought you were mucking out the stalls?"

"I finished that ages ago. Doesn't take some people four hours you know."

"Not everyone's an expert in shit-shoveling I guess." Despite Katniss's quick reflexes, he swung a hand up just in time to block her incoming jab as he barked out a laugh.

"Yeah, whatever, I'm leaving now." She turned to stalk away but he caught her arm, pulling her to him to trap her body against his after tossing the empty thermos to the ground.

"You don't fool me," he whispered before brushing his lips against hers. "What do you want?"

"Can't a girl just stop by for a visit without wanting anything?" He lifted a skeptical brow, which earned him her trademark roll of the eyes. "Maybe I'm here to do something for you."

Peeta tensed when her hand slid between their bodies, her wriggling fingers on a direct path to the fly of his jeans. "Whoa, whoa, wait a minute!" Shifting his hips slightly to the side, he frowned. After his earlier conversation with Mr. Everdeen, he glanced around nervously, expecting to find someone spying on them out in the open.

"Why?" she purred against his ear, grasping the hardness pressed against the front of his jeans.

Reaching down, he gripped her waist. "Because," he hissed. "Your dad knows."

Her hand stilled as she pulled back, the look of bewilderment causing a crease to form between her brows. Not a second later, she shoved both hands against his chest and took a step back, narrowing her eyes. "What do you mean he knows—knows what exactly?"

"About…about us."

"What?!" Under different circumstances, he'd find the stomp of her foot and clenched fists to be cute, but the fire in her eyes was borderline scary. "You told him? What the hell, Peeta! What's the matter with you!?"

Fire alright, she was chock full of it.

Peeta blew out a breath. "I didn't tell him," he said calmly. "He found out for himself." Katniss crossed her arms over her chest, blatantly waiting for further explanation. "I don't know how he found out, but come on, you have to give your dad some credit," he paused and chuckled. "He's not oblivious."

"I don't see how any of this is funny." Looking away, she began to pace in front of him, kicking her feet every so often at the dirt. "What are we going to do?"

"We don't have to do anything, if you don't want to. But if it makes you feel any better—" Katniss halted her steps and cut a pointed glance in his direction. Peeta scratched at the stubble beneath his chin. "Well, he kinda gave us his…blessing, so to speak."

Katniss's mouth fell open, staring at him in disbelief. "He what?"

Unsure of how to take her reaction to the news, Peeta turned away, resting his arms along the fence and dropping his head to rest on top of them. "You make it sound like what we're doing is a bad thing." Shutting his eyes, he inhaled a deep breath. It never crossed his mind that this would change things between them. If anything, he thought it'd simplify things. They didn't have to sneak around anymore or keep up the ruse that there was nothing between them.

The light touch of her fingertips against his skin caused Peeta to exhale, but when her arms came around his waist and he felt the side of her face against his bare back, it helped to relieve some of his tension.

"Sorry," she mumbled against his skin. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that, well, this is all new to me. I've never…" Her words trailed off as she buried her face into his back. He waited patiently as she searched for the right words. "I've never been in an actual relationship before, and I just…I don't know, I was just hoping I could keep this between us for a bit longer. Does that make any sense?"

Pushing back against the fence, Peeta then turned in her arms. The genuine concern in her eyes made her appear younger somehow, but the frown lines formed by her pursed lips were evidence enough that she a little scared. Framing her face in his calloused hands, he tried to smooth away the worry lines with his thumbs. "Yeah, it does actually." He smiled down at her. "But I don't see this as a bad thing, and if it helps any, this is new to me too."

Her features softened. "But I thought you said…you know, the whole not-so-innocent-city-boy thing. I just assumed with the selection of girls you had to choose from at home, you'd be an expert at this kinda thing. You know, have any girl you wanted."

"Not exactly." Peeta chuckled before leaning down to press a quick kiss to the tip of her nose. "But, there was this one girl. I'd had a crush on her from the moment I first saw her."

"Was she hot?"

"Fucking gorgeous," he answered, not missing the hint of jealousy he detected in her voice. "But for the longest time, I'm pretty sure she didn't even know I was alive."

Katniss wrinkled up her nose. "Did she have a boyfriend or something?"

"I wasn't sure at first, but a girl like that, I had a pretty good feeling a lot of guys liked her. No matter what I did though, she wouldn't give me the time of day." Pursing his lips, he tried to hold back a smirk when Katniss shook her head in disbelief.

"Well, she sounds like a complete idiot to me, and if I were you I'd have—" She paused when Peeta finally burst out laughing, no longer able to contain himself. It was priceless, the moment it finally dawned on her that he was talking about her. "Ha ha, very funny."

Wiping away a tear, his laughter finally subsided and he pulled her in close for a chaste kiss. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I didn't look at other girls, but until now, no one really caught my eye."

"Well, if you ask me, I think you need to have your eyes checked."

"It's a good thing I'm not asking then." Grinning, he slid his hands to her arms to run his fingers up and down her skin.

"Besides, it's not like I have much competition out here." With a scoff, she gestured to the corn fields that seemed to go on for miles and miles around them.

"Believe me, you don't have much competition anywhere." He leaned in again, this time capturing her lips in a gentle kiss, but as he'd quickly come to learn, with Katniss Everdeen nothing ever stayed gentle for too long. The corner of her mouth twisted into a wicked grin before she nipped at his bottom lip. Snaking a hand up around the back of his head, she held him firmly in place as she took control of the kiss. From the glint in her eye, it was obvious she was up to something.

"Katniss," he hissed when she abruptly pulled away and dropped to her knees. Urging him to lean back against the fence post, he froze, the sheer shock of what she was intending to do leaving him immobile. "What are you—are you crazy? Not here!" He reached down to still her hands that were now fidgeting with his zipper, but she

"Relax, there's no one around," she said, brushing his attempts to the wayside as she unhooked the button of his jeans. "Daddy and Prim just left for Dalton's ranch to check out his new cattle stock," she explained. Making quick work of the zipper and with a swift tug, she had both his jeans and boxers pooled at his ankles, allowing his erect cock to spring forward. "I think he's trying to wrangle my daddy into diversifying the farm to include a few head of cattle. Prim just wanted to see the calves."

Despite her words, Peeta looked around frantically, his thoughts a tangled mess of panic and lust. But there was no getting around the fact that he now stood stark naked out in the open, with Katniss hovering just inches away from his crotch.

"As for Momma," she continued, as if there was nothing at all out of the ordinary, "she's busy cleaning out the pantry. Making room for all the canning she and Prim have been busy with." Turning her attention downward, she wet her lips then titled her face, dragging the flat of her tongue along the underside of his erection.

Peeta's legs gave way and he finally gave in to the inevitable. Leaning back against the fence post, he couldn't bring himself to give a damn about the rough wood against his bare, sweaty back. Splinters be damned. His eyes fell shut and he fisted his hands against his eyelids as she slowly circled the circumference of his cock. A low, feral groan reverberated in the back of his throat.

"Mmm…you like that?" she asked, taking hold of him by the base as she began a slow yet rhythmic pumping of his shaft. It was a rhetorical question. She knew damn well he was putty in her hands the minute her lips brushed any part of his body. He nodded dumbly before lifting his face up to the sky, struggling to keep himself upright as she teased the tip of his cock with the warm, wet suction of her mouth.

It was obvious from the start that he wasn't going to last long. Not when the mere sight of her on her knees sent his mind on a lust-driven tailspin and his cock pulsing almost to the point of pain in less than 0.2 seconds flat. Her free hand settled against his thigh and when her fingertips dug into his flesh, he glanced down, releasing a strangled gasp. She was staring up at him, eyelids heavy as her hand worked in tandem with her mouth. It was too much. The sight of himself disappearing past the seam of her lips in combination with how she couldn't take her eyes off his—it was his undoing. At the sign of the telltale tingling in his balls, he cradled the back of her head with his hand.

"I'm close…fuck…so close…" he stammered, fighting the urge to screw his eyes shut in favor of watching her bring him to completion. The pure determination in her eyes as she sucked him off like this, out in the open as if they were the only two people in the world, the thrill of it was maddening. The erotic high had every last one of his nerve endings pulsing in tandem with the bob of her head.

Flexing his fingers into her hair, he leaned forward. It was the only warning he was able to offer before spilling into her mouth, considering his own was failing miserably to form anything remotely coherent. The few other times they'd done this (in the confines of his room, of course), she'd always pulled away at the last second, but this time she didn't show any signs of stopping. She wanted him—every last drop of him, it seemed, as she continued to leisurely suck and lick every inch of cock after her initial swallow.

His entire body shuddered when his now overly sensitive skin couldn't take anymore stimulation. "Katniss, look at me," he mumbled. Finally releasing his softening cock, she wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. "You didn't have to do that you know." Caressing her chin in his palm, he brushed the pad of his thumb across her lips.

"I wanted to." A slow grin stretched across her flushed face. "And I've been dying to know what you taste like."

Peeta released a breathy chuckle as he lifted Katniss to her feet. "And?"

"Nothing compared to the peach pie you made last night, but I'll take it, if only to see that look on your face again."

The urge to take her in his arms and just hold her was overwhelming, but the fact that his jeans and underwear were still wrapped around his ankles, leaving him bare ass naked against the fence, was something he needed to deal with first. He quickly bent down to cover himself then drew his arms about her waist, pulling her body flush against his. "And what kind of look was that, exactly?" he asked.

"One of pure and utter bliss."

"Well," he said, taking a moment to lick his lips. "Now you know why I love going down on you so much."

"Oh my god, Peeta." She groaned, tightening her grip on him as she buried her face further into his chest. "Is that a promise? For later?"

"If that's what you want." He stroked her hair, letting his hand trail over the braid down her back. Any other girl he knew would shy away from him in his current sweaty state after hours of working in the dusty summer heat. But not Katniss. That was one of the things he loved about her; she never pushed him away or was grossed out by the effects of manual labor.

The idea of stealing away to the creek so they could cool off crossed his mind, but he wasn't completely finished with the fence and the sun was already starting to make its decent over the horizon. With a heavy sigh he released her. "Mind helping me with this fence? After that pleasant distraction, I'm not sure I'll be able to finish before dinner."

Grinning, Katniss tossed his discarded shirt at him before slinking back to the truck to fetch a pair of work gloves. They worked in a comfortable silence until the last of the railing was nailed in place. Afterwards, once they'd packed up the tools and were headed back to the house in the truck, Peeta reached over across the seat and laced his fingers with hers. He stole a glance over at Katniss who seemed occupied with her own thoughts as she stared out the windshield.

It occurred to him that if Mr. Everdeen was already clued in to their attempt at a secret relationship, there was a good chance that Mrs. Everdeen was as well. And for all he knew, Prim too. It was reassuring though that the worry from earlier had left Katniss's face. Perhaps she'd come to terms with their relationship being out in the open and with the farmhouse finally in view, he sure hoped so.

Katniss was quiet as they approached the porch steps, no doubt wondering what to expect once they reached the dining room where the rest of her family was already seated at the table. Reaching out, he took hold of her hand, hoping the gesture would let her know she wasn't in this alone. She glanced down to where they were joined, and with a heavy breath, looked back up at him with a timid smile.

"Together?" he asked.

She gave his fingers a tight squeeze. "Together."

After a quick wash up in the kitchen and another reassuring smile, they both entered the dining room where Prim was in the midst of animatedly retelling her visit to Dalton's farm to her mother. Mr. Everdeen glanced up as Peeta followed Katniss to her usual spot at the table, pulling out the chair for her before taking up his own spot across from her. All the while Prim continued on with her story as if nothing was out of the ordinary, and when Peeta chanced a quick glimpse at Mrs. Everdeen, he swore she was trying her best to hold back a smile.

Well, so far so good, he thought as he poured himself a tall glass of water. He had a feeling his parched mouth was going to need it.

"So," Mr. Everdeen started once Prim had finished and he smoothed his napkin across his lap. "Now that you're both here, there's something I'd like to discuss." Katniss's face tensed as she locked eyes with Peeta. Sucking in a nervous breath and holding it, he mentally prepared himself for whatever it was Mr. Everdeen was about to say. "The word over at Dalton's is that they decided to push the country fair up two weeks."

A high-pitch squeal from next to him left Peeta's ears ringing as Prim bobbed up and down in her seat. "The fair! I almost forgot! Daddy, can I please enter Lady into the contest this year? Oh please, oh please, oh please?"

The look of relief on Katniss face was immediate, and Peeta watched as she stole a quick glance at her father, who gave her a small nod of his head as they shared a secret smile.

The annual country fair was something even city folk took the time to attend at the end of the summer. He had a handful of childhood memories from attending the fair with his father and brothers, but it'd been years since he'd last been to one due to his increased responsibilities at the bakery. Plus, as a teenager, the fair was more of a place a guy took his date and where couples could indulge in cheesy carnival rides and games. But this year, things were different. He actually had someone to take, and the thought of spending the afternoon with Katniss on an actual date sent a ripple of excitement through him.

"Prim, calm yourself," Mrs. Everdeen scolded, frowning at her youngest daughter.

"Now, now, I said I'd think about it," Mr. Everdeen said, raising his eyebrows at Prim. "Thing is, your Momma and I plan on going out into town after the fair, so if I was to say yes, we'd need someone to help take care of bringing you and Lady and the trailer back after. Regular bedtime still applies you know."

"Peeta!" Prim shouted, spinning in her seat to face him, a huge smile stretched across her face as she clutched his arm in a death grip. "Oh please, it'd mean so much to me!"

"What if Peeta and Katniss want to enjoy the fair too?" Mrs. Everdeen interrupted, looking between the two of them before back to Prim, whose shoulders slumped immediately. "But maybe if you asked nicely—"

"Oh Katniss, please? I'll do your chores for a week! A month! I'll do anything!"

Releasing a heavy sigh, Katniss pursed her lips. "I don't know," she said with a serious face, but the lightness of her tone was contradictory. "Promise to entertain yourself afterwards and leave us alone?"

"I promise!"

Peeta narrowed his gaze as he studied Katniss, wondering what kind of a plan she was formulating in that devious head of hers for after the fair. Without Prim hovering around, they'd be alone, and who knew how long Mr. and Mrs. Everdeen would be out on the town…his mind started to drift to the opportunities. But whatever it was she had in mind, the sexy lift of the corner of her mouth spoke volumes.

"Well then, Little Duck, sounds like we have a deal."

Author's Note: Keeping with the country song theme, this chapter was somewhat inspired by Diamond Rio's Beautiful Mess which is how I pictured Peeta at the start of their relationship. Hope you enjoyed this update and thank you for being patient! Big thanks to two amazing ladies, Court81981 and Sunfishdunes, for their beta talents and for just being downright awesome

Thanks for reading and hope you'll let me know your thoughts on this chapter with a review!

You can find me on tumblr anytime: pookieh