A/N: I know readers have been asking for an update and I'm sorry this took longer. There's been a lot going on and then the holidays and all that. This chapter's a little shorter than normal but seemed like the right place to end. Thanks all for reading and reviewing! I hope everyone had a great holiday season.

It was the last full day they would all be spending in Mexico, before heading back to LA. She looked forward to this every year, getting together with a small group of girlfriends for a fun-filled, sun-filled week. She was laying on a lounge chair by the pool, with surprisingly few other guests scattered around the pool deck. It was a small high-end resort, a splurge for the whole group. The week had been filled with real Mexican food, lots of margaritas, music and laughter, and a ton of relaxation. Yoby was back in LA with a nanny and, while she missed him, it was nice to just be able to enjoy the time with her friends and feel free to spend her time as she wanted. She would leave LA the weekend after New Year's and head back to Nashville.

And Chip. She smiled to herself. She knew his Christmas had not been what he'd hoped for, but from what he'd shared he'd still enjoyed being with family. At the last minute he'd considered coming to LA for a couple days, but flights were full and prices were high and, in the end, it just hadn't been feasible. But now, in a few days, they would see each other again. She knew that after New Year's he planned to file for divorce. She felt little butterflies dancing in her stomach and placed her hands there, breathing in deeply. She didn't think she'd be able to breathe normally until that happened and maybe not even until everything was final.

The sun was warm on her face and she pushed all the uncertain thoughts out of her head. While she'd been in LA she'd gotten good news on her benefit, with a firm date and location. Once she got back to Nashville she would start planning the event and choosing the artists who would help her support the cause. She had also been invited to a White House event honoring school counselors. She was invited due to her portrayal of Tami Taylor on Friday Night Lights and she felt honored to be included. She would have the chance to spend time with the Obamas, something that was definitely a bucket list type experience. Her 2015 was shaping up to be a good year for her.

She let her mind wander. It landed on the future, a future with Chip, something she rarely did. She purposely chose to live in the moment, but she couldn't stop imagining a beach and sunshine. And him. It wasn't Mexico, it looked different. Someplace she thought she'd seen before but she couldn't place it. The buildings were white, the skies a brilliant blue. She could imagine sitting on a balcony looking out over the ocean, everything perfectly simple and beautiful. A place with romance, seclusion, and privacy. She breathed in and then sat up, opening her eyes. I can't think like this. I need to take everything day by day. She knew in her heart, though, that she wanted it more than anything she'd ever wanted before in her life.

As soon as she got home from Mexico, she called Chip. "Hey, how are you?" she asked when he answered.

"Missing you."

"I'm missing you too."

"You back from your trip?"

"Yeah. I had a great time, but I was really ready to come home." She paused. "I fly into Nashville on Saturday."

"Can I come see you then or do you need time to get settled in?"

"I would be disappointed if you didn't come see me."

"Number one on my list then."

"I can't wait."

It felt so much longer than just a couple of weeks, but she was glad to be back in his arms. Feeling him holding her, his skin against her own, gentle kisses on her forehead. It was heaven. He breathed in deeply, tightening his arms around her for a moment, then running one hand over her hair. Then he sighed. She turned her face towards his. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No, of course not," he said. Then he smiled. "I'm in bed naked with the most beautiful woman in the world. Just made love to her too and there's just nothing better than that."

She smiled. "That's nice to hear. I could say the same about you."

"There is something I want to tell you though."

"What's that?"

He turned onto his back, one arm still around her and one hand swiping down his mouth. He looked back at her. "I have a meeting with my lawyer Tuesday, to finalize the divorce papers. Then they go to Patty and her lawyer. My lawyer will file at the end of the day Tuesday."

She felt the butterflies in her stomach. "So, it's going to be real."

He nodded. "Yep."

"Does she know? Will it be unexpected?"

"Shouldn't be. I told her it was my plan. I think she's still disappointed, but we've gotten to a place where she understands we're not going back." He turned towards her and kissed her. "It'll be our turn."

"I think we need to continue to be discreet. Not rush right into anything."

"We will. There will still be things to iron out, but I think the good news about all the counseling we went through is that we came to an understanding on most of it. I'm going to be fair, to her and to the kids."

She put her hand on his face and smiled up at him. "It still feels like we have a ways to go, but I'm hoping you feel good about where things are."

"I am. And I'm ready to move on with you."

"I am too, but I think we still need to be careful about going public too soon." She could see the beginnings of a frown. "We can still see each other, Chip, just lay low. We've done it all this time."

The frown faded a bit. "I guess you're right. At least until everything is final, I'm okay with that." He bent his head down to hers and kissed her. "As long as you're okay with seeing me more behind the scenes."

She smiled. "Always." She gently traced a finger down his jaw. "Over the break I was thinking about being someplace with you. Where the sea and sky are a gorgeous deep blue and everything else is all scrubbed and white. A place that's both private yet full of life."

"Is it a real place?"

"I think so, but maybe it's just something I put together in my head."

"Mexico?"

She shook her head. "No, not Mexico. Someplace else."

He smiled. "I'd go anywhere with you. And that sounds like a perfect place."

She kissed him. "Anywhere is perfect with you," she murmured. His eyes seemed to be staring deeply into hers and then he rolled her onto her back. He moved on top of her and she could feel how aroused he was. She put her arms around his neck and then ran her fingers through the hair on the nape of his neck as she gazed back at him.

"I'm glad you're back. I'm glad I'm with you right now," he whispered.

She smiled. "Me too," she said and slowly slid her legs apart. "Oh," she whispered when his fingers touched her and then explored for a moment how very ready she was. Then he gently pushed his way inside her as she adjusted her hips to take him in fully.

He kept looking at her as he began to move, being tender and gentle, taking his time. Occasionally he would lower his head and brush her lips with his own but never changing his rhythm. There was a moment when she wanted him to be more forceful, but then she decided to just let him continue what he was doing. It kept the heat going but not so hot as to put her over the top. It allowed her to think about what he felt like, the length and girth of him, and how that made her feel. When she began to think about how much she enjoyed him being inside her, she felt a little flicker deep down inside. She began to concentrate on that, as she continued to hold his gaze.

As soon as she did, though, he seemed to slow things down. A warmth seemed to wash over her. While she definitely enjoyed more vigorous lovemaking, this felt different. It made her feel cherished...and loved. I do love this man. So much. She felt safe, content, and like he wanted only to give her pleasure. He leaned down again and kissed her, but this time the kiss was filled with heat and passion. And just like that, the little flicker from earlier became a flame and it wasn't long until she came, nothing explosive but so very satisfying. And then he came right after her. He pulled his lips from hers and smiled at her. Then he pushed her hair back.

"I love you," he murmured.

She put a hand on his face. "I love you too."

Eventually he moved to lay next to her, turning her in his arms so that he could hold her against him. She loved sleeping with him this way, with his arm around her and his body tucked in around her. She sighed contentedly and he kissed her shoulder. She knew he would have to get up and leave before dawn broke the next day, but she had him that night and that was what mattered.

The script for episode 15 was delivered the day before she was to go into the studio to record The Rivers Between Us. She knew it was a duet with Chip, so she was sure this was finally the episode where they would reunite. She skimmed through, looking for her scenes. First it was a scene with Laura Benanti where Sadie commented on Deacon always being there. Then it was the scenes with Lennon Stella and Maddie wanting Rayna and Deacon together. And there were the Opry scenes, culminating in the duet Rayna and Deacon would perform at the end. She was slightly disappointed that the episode ended just as Rayna arrived at the cabin, but she was sure the following episode would be the one. It did end on an explosive note, when Deacon told Rayna he had cancer. A lot to dive into.

She had a busy month. They had 2 episodes to complete plus she was working on more of the planning details for her benefit show. She would be in Park City, Utah for the Sundance festival late in the month for the premiere of Me, Earl and the Dying Girl. She had arranged for a long weekend and was taking Yoby with her. It would be a slightly delayed birthday celebration for him. And then there was the White House event at the very end of the month. She loved being busy and now that Yoby was older – practically 4! – he was a fun companion. She wished Chip could come with her to Utah, but maybe sometime in the future that would be possible.

She had her calendar out. She pointed at the dates. "That's when Yoby and I are going to Park City," she said.

He smiled. "That'll be fun. He'll get to see a lot of snow for sure."

She laughed. "He will." Yoby loved snow. They would occasionally get snow in Nashville – sometimes a lot – but then it would be gone. He loved throwing snowballs and making snowmen and snow angels. He would definitely love it. "He keeps asking every day if we're going to see the snow today." She sighed. "I wish you could come."

"Me too. I guess it's good I've got my kids that weekend. I won't have time to wish I was there." he grinned. "Too bad I can't be the secret you have locked up in your dressing room."

She laughed again. "I know. But Yoby would probably out us. He'd be too excited you were there." He leaned in and kissed her, one hand lightly resting on her thigh. The kiss was passionate. She was breathless when he pulled his lips from hers. "I'd be too excited too," she whispered. He kissed her again, letting his hand slide under her sweater and trail over her skin. He covered her breast and then one finger slid just under the top of her bra. She moaned, heat washing over her. He let go of her mouth and leaned his forehead against hers. She swallowed and found her mouth was dry. She placed her hand on his crotch, feeling his erection, and it was his turn to moan. Then, without words, they got up and headed for the bedroom.

She sighed. She would be grateful when the time came that they didn't have to do everything behind closed doors. While she didn't court publicity in her personal life, it would certainly make things easier to not have to worry about it.

She felt a nervous excitement as they headed out to the house along the river that doubled as Deacon's 'cabin'. I don't get it. It's not a cabin like I would imagine a cabin. And why does Rayna sort of act like it's something that totally belongs to Deacon? He bought it for her. The first time they'd done any filming at the house was for the first episode of the second season, during Rayna's flashbacks. The set designers had completely emptied out the front room of the house, the one that faced the river, and created first an empty house and then one that looked casual and more masculine. They had recreated it a few times afterwards, most notably for the scenes around acknowledging Maddie's paternity. It still had a more masculine feel to it, but it was also cozy and homey. She'd seen pictures of the river house when it was being rented out and it looked completely different to her. Definitely more feminine.

They had filmed the final scene of the previous episode at the house, but Rayna and Deacon's scenes for this episode would almost all be filmed there. She and Chip had made a conscious decision this time not to dissect their scenes the way they usually did. She knew how she wanted to approach Rayna and he knew how he wanted to play Deacon. The only thing they had discussed was motivations – Rayna's for being ready and Deacon's for changing his mind about pushing her away.

"I just think she was finally ready to accept that she needed to just do this. She was afraid but she needed to do it afraid. She had recognized what she'd been doing and had had to sit with it a minute. But I think it was what Maddie said to her that really made sense." She grinned. "She really looooved him." Then she laughed.

"Too bad she picks the time when he's determined to fight his fight alone." He shook his head. "I think he really did think that somehow he was just going to die and someone would tell her afterwards or he'd survive and they could have a good laugh over it later."

"Which would never have happened."

He nodded. "Which would never have happened."

"What made him change his mind?"

"I think probably a lot of what you said. He was afraid and he knew he needed to do it afraid. Doing it without her would hurt more than doing it with her." He grinned. "And she asked him so nice." They had both laughed at that.

They would do 2 days of filming, one day during daylight hours and the other at night. She was nervous about the next day, when they would do their nighttime scenes. She had a flight to catch early the following morning and she knew she'd be exhausted. But she also felt exhilarated. She looked forward to many more scenes with Chip and being able to express her personal feelings on film in a way that was appropriate. She loved being able to be with him and she was glad the weeks and months of no onscreen contact were over.

It always amazed her what it took to make a person look on camera like they weren't wearing any makeup. She felt sure the hair stylist was disappointed in the 'I just rolled out of bed with this bed hair after tossing and turning all night' style. At least Rayna's casual 'I don't care what I wear or even if it matches' wardrobe was on point. She pulled on the boots she would be wearing and then got out of the makeup chair and headed for the front room of the house. She saw Chip immediately. He was standing next to the sliders talking to one of the crew. That man never knows a stranger. She smiled. She was pretty sure that no one who ever met him felt like he was fully invested in them. He was one of the kindest people she'd ever met and made everyone he knew feel appreciated. He didn't always remember people's names, but he knew faces and he was always ready with a smile and a hug.

As if he knew she was watching him and thinking about him, he turned towards her. He smiled and immediately headed her way. "Hey," he said when he reached her.

"Hey yourself." She briefly squeezed his arm. "You look like you just got out of bed."

He laughed. "As do you." He pointed in the direction of where he'd been standing. "So I heard that the outside light is perfect for what they have planned. They didn't necessarily want a bright sunny day but wanted a bright cloudy day."

She screwed up her face. "A bright cloudy day? I've never heard of that." But as she said the words she realized that's exactly what it was. She hadn't paid a lot of attention on the way over, but it definitely wasn't sunny. It wasn't exactly cloudy either, at least from the standpoint of dark clouds or even medium gray ones. It was just like a film had covered the sky, letting light in but no color.

"Well, me either, but that's what they said. So I guess we've got that going for us."

She smiled. "Are you excited about this?"

"Yeah." Then he bent his head close to her and lowered his voice. "But more about tomorrow actually."

She swatted at his arm. "Dirty thoughts," she said.

He raised his eyebrows and nodded. "Definitely." She smiled. He had told her earlier that he thought he might need some 'practice' on the sex scene so he'd know how to make it look real.

"You know they'll just give us all kinds of directorial instructions on where to put hands and lips and such."

"But maybe we could have it so choreographed already that they'll just go with what we come up with." He gave her a salty grin.

She laughed. "You just want to doit. Under the guise of practice."

He shrugged and pretended to look innocent. "No harm in that, is there?"

"If you were looking for an invitation, you know you don't have to ask." She rubbed his chest. "And you know how to do it anyway, you know."

"You don't mind humoring me though, do you?"

She gave him a side eye and smiled. "Never."

She could see that he was thinking about that night, just as she was. "I like how you think," she whispered. Then they were called to set up their first scene.

Once Yoby went to bed, they didn't even pretend they were going to wait to follow. They quickly undressed and then he reached out for a blanket at the end of her bed. She got on his lap and he wrapped the blanket around them. She smiled as she brushed her lips against his. "You really do like to realistically practice," she said.

"All the better to fuck you, my dear," he replied and she laughed. Then she put her arms around him and the blanket as he entered her slowly. She sucked in her breath, then flattened her breasts against his chest, as she took him all the way inside her.

She loved being able to look into his eyes, kiss his lips and his shoulders, and he did the same to her, all to a gentle rocking motion that was sexy and sensual. The trick, they had found, was how to prolong the experience yet spice it up enough to keep things on the edge. It took some patience and a lot of deliberate focus on what they were doing. Kissing, while not off limits, was limited to the brushing of lips or soft kisses placed on cheeks, necks, foreheads, shoulders. And when things threatened to get too electric, they consciously slowed things down or even stopped, giving themselves a chance to take the heat down a notch. Sometimes they whispered things to each other, other times they were mostly quiet.

He reached up and pushed her hair back. "Why don't we do this all the time?" he said softly.

"Sometimes we don't have time." She smiled. "Or you're too, um, aroused."

He raised his eyebrows. "Ah. I see." He placed kisses on her cheeks and neck. "It's not ever you?" His breath was hot in her ear. She didn't answer, just smiled.

Eventually though they both wanted the heat and the fireworks and the result of building all that up resulted in an extremely satisfying climax. He let go of the blanket as he threaded his fingers through her hair and kissed her hungrily. She held him close to her as he changed the rhythm and the slow build she'd been experiencing suddenly roared to life and she cried out as she came. He buried his face in her neck and murmured her name over and over. They sat that way for several minutes and then she shivered.

He pulled back. "You cold?"

She smiled. "Yeah, kind of. You let go of the blanket."

He chuckled. "Guess I did. Sorry." They disengaged from each other and crawled under the covers. He reached for the blanket and laid it over them. Then he pulled her close. "God, you're just, I don't know, amazing. I know that I use that word too much but it just feels so, um, intimate, I guess. Like I've never experienced before."

"I know. It's like that for me too." She sighed. "I know most people wouldn't understand all this. It wouldn't make sense that we would have built this kind of relationship, with all these complications that would probably scare most people off. But it makes me happy. You make me happy. And it's all that matters to me."

She could see emotion welling up in his eyes. He kissed her then, a tender kiss filled with love. Then he looked at her. "It's all that matters to me too." Then he wrapped his arms around her and she lay her head on his shoulder, one hand on his chest, just enjoying the closeness.

She woke up sometime in the night, not sure what time it was. She didn't want to wake Chip, so she tried to stay still. "You awake?" he said softly.

She moved her head to look at him. "Yeah. Did I wake you?"

He shook his head. "I was already awake." He reached out and pushed her hair back off her face. "I'm really glad we're gonna be working together more."

"Me too."

"I wish I could come by tomorrow night. Or maybe it's tonight already."

She smiled. "I wish you could too, but I have to get up so early for my flight. I wish people would do a better job of scheduling things."

He grinned. "Yeah. This is a really big deal though, right?"

"I think so. I'm so honored to be invited, you know? I mean, I was never actually a counselor. Just played one on TV." She laughed softly.

"You could've, you know. I'm pretty sure you could do just about anything you wanted to."

"Thank you. I'm not so sure that's really true, but I can say that I did develop a real heart for what school counselors do and how they can impact the futures of their students."

He ran a hand down her arm. "Have I ever told you how much you impress me? I mean, all the things you're involved in and how thoughtful you are about all of them. The things you care about. I'm just in awe of you."

If it weren't dark, she was sure he'd be able to see her red face. "I'm not all that, you know. I just want to do what I can, make a difference where I can. You do that too in the work you do."

"Well, you're out there helping the world."

"I'm just trying to. But you do a lot of good in the world too. Don't sell yourself short." She rubbed his chest. "I know there are things we don't align perfectly on and that's okay. You have such a good heart, Chip, and that makes such a difference to me. I actually appreciate the interest you show in things I care about. I love sharing it, just like I love you sharing with me." She reached up and kissed him. "You're a really good man. I hope you know that."

He kissed her back. "Thank you." He put his hand on the back of her neck and kissed her again, lingering a little. "I guess we should try to get some more sleep, huh?"

She smirked. "I do. But I have no idea what time it is, and we may only have an hour or so."

"Well, I'm awake now and I can always go home and take a nap. As can you." He smirked.

She breathed in. It was hard to resist him, no matter what time it was, and she decided she didn't want to. "Yes, I can," she said, with a short laugh. "What did you have in mind?"

He rolled her onto her back and ended up on top of her. He nudged her legs apart, although it didn't take much effort. She put her hands on his shoulders and smiled up at him. He pushed slowly inside her, then smirked again. "Something like this," he said and then he captured her mouth and she moaned her acquiescence.

They sat together as they waited for the crew to get the area lighted correctly. It was dark and they were starting late. "This gonna mess you up for your flight tomorrow?" he asked.

She thought for a minute, then kind of halfheartedly shook her head. "I don't think so. I have a car coming, so I have to be ready by then regardless. I'm hoping to be able sleep a little on the flight."

"Wish I could be there to cheer you on."

She smiled. "I do too." They sat quietly, not a lot else to say. She watched the crew get things set up. It always fascinated her to see how many people could be crammed into a relatively small space but the scenes always showed everything looking so expansive. She worked to put herself into Rayna's headspace. She'd stayed at the house all day trying to convince Deacon to let her be there for him, to take his journey together, watching him be stubborn. She felt sure, in this moment, she was feeling desperate, which led to the impassioned speech she gave right before Deacon finally gave in. They had already talked some about motivations, but she wondered if Chip had thought anymore about it. She turned to him. "In your mind, why does Deacon finally, after a whole day, give in to Rayna? Or do you see it as giving in?"

He breathed out. "It's hard to tell someone bad news, especially someone who's been there your whole life. He sort of passively kept her at a distance and it didn't hurt that she needed time to think about what she wanted to do. I think he knew what would happen when he sang with her, he just dug his heels in." He smiled. "But he loves her. She loves him. What did he say? It's just that simple. And I think when she said he couldn't protect her from the pain of whatever was going to happen made him really realize he couldn't." He paused. "Or it was just that he wanted to have sex."

She burst out laughing at that and some of the crew turned to look. She waved her hands in front of her face. "He just told a terrible joke," she said, pointing towards him. When she turned to look at him, he was shaking his head and pointing at her. She pretended to be annoyed and then smiled. A few minutes later they were called for the scene, but she couldn't get his last comment out of her head and she couldn't stop smiling.

She was sitting in the back of the car taking her home. They had just finished shooting and it was after midnight. She would not get much sleep before she had to be up to get to the airport. But she felt energized, by both that day's shooting and her visit to DC. The scenes were all just her and Chip and she had really enjoyed having that opportunity with him. They'd spent so much of the season not being in each other's orbit and that had been hard.

She thought the sex scene had gone well, although it had taken several takes to get it the way they wanted. It had also felt a little awkward, in a way. She didn't know if it was just doing that kind of thing for the camera or that she wondered if someone would be able to look at them and tell that there was something more to their relationship. Having 'practiced' it really didn't replicate what they did on set. What felt natural to them in the bedroom was not necessarily what looked natural on camera. She hoped it came out well. Everyone had seemed pleased, so she was going to assume it had. Her phone buzzed and she pulled it from her purse, then smiled.

"Hey there," she said.

"Hey. I just wanted to wish you good luck tomorrow. Not that you need it, of course."

"It never hurts."

"When do you get back?"

"Saturday."

"I've got my kids again this weekend, but what if I stop by Sunday night and you can tell me all about it."

"I would love that."

She could almost hear him smiling on his end. "Okay then. I'll see you Sunday."

"Yes, you will." She disconnected and slipped her phone back in her purse. Then she ran her fingers through her hair and leaned back against the seat, closing her eyes.

It was a lot later than she'd expected it to be when he texted he was on his way over. When he got there he'd hugged her tightly and kissed her as though he hadn't seen her for weeks, instead of just a weekend. He asked about the White House event and she had rattled on and on about it, still on a high over the opportunity and the Obamas and all of it. He nodded and listened and it took her a few minutes to realize he seemed distracted.

She frowned. "Chip, is everything all right?"

He looked at her then like he'd just realized where he was. He smiled brightly. Maybe too brightly. "Yeah, great." He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. "Sounds like you had fun then."

She sat back. "You seem a little...wired. did something happen this weekend? Something with your kids?"

He got up and walked into the kitchen. She watched him open cabinets and finally get a glass, although he knew which cabinet they were in. He picked up her bottle of bourbon and poured a glass. Then, barely looking over his shoulder, he said, "Sorry, do you want some?"

She got up and walked over to him, putting her hand on his back and looking up at him. "No, I don't. But there's something on your mind. You know you can talk to me about it. No matter what it is."

He took a long sip of the bourbon, then set the glass down. He tapped one finger against the glass. "It was a tough weekend. Not sure exactly what prompted it, but...it was tough."

She rubbed his back for a second. "Let's sit down," she said. "You can tell me whatever you need to."

He hesitated at first, but then let her lead him back to the den. They sat, facing towards each other. She held one of his hands in both of hers. His eyes looked sad. "I don't want to burden you with this, Connie," he said. "I just need to work through it."

"It's not a burden, Chip. I want to help. If I can." She smiled at him encouragingly. "Is there anything you can tell me?"

He sighed. "I don't even know what started it, but it was just a lot of the 'I don't understand' and 'what happened', 'why does it have to be like this' kind of thing. Stuff I thought we'd gone over already and resolved, you know?" She nodded. "A lot of angst. Especially Addie."

"Well, you've said it's been harder for her all along."

"Yeah, but I thought we were past it. It's not new anymore. I don't live in the house anymore. I thought we were, you know, moving on."

"Maybe it was the holidays? Things being different?"

He shrugged. "Maybe."

"What did they tell you? Were they able to tell you what was different?"

He shook his head. "Not really. When I dropped them off, I stayed and talked to Patty for a while."

"Did she have any insight?"

"Not that she was willing to share, if she did. She talked about stuff I thought she and I had already resolved too. It was like starting over."

She frowned. "Has she changed her mind about things?"

He made a face. "I don't know. I don't really think so, but I guess there's a disconnect between what's happening and...what she always thought would happen." She waited. "Like this wasn't supposed to happen. That maybe we didn't do everything we could have." She breathed in slowly. He looked at her intently, as if he was pleading with her to understand without him having to say too much. "I kind of get it. No one ever expected this. I didn't." He sighed again. "I wish I hadn't disappointed them." He reached out and ran his thumb over her cheek. "I think you were right that we need to take this slow."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I don't think, by the time this is all final, they'll be ready for me to say I'm seeing someone new. I think I do need to give them more time." She could see the dampness in his eyes and squeezed his hand. "I hate to keep doing this to you."

"Don't worry about me. You need to take care of your family. Be sure they're in a good place. I think we'll be seeing a lot of each other, one way or another, from now on, so I'm good. We're good."

He leaned in and kissed. "God, I don't deserve you."

She smirked. "I know." She laughed and he did too. Then he kissed her again, pulling her in closer, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.