Rayanne woke up when Houston jumped on the bed and started licking her face.

“Morning Houston.” she said still half asleep.

“Nick what are you doing?” she yelled when she realized he wasn’t in bed next to her.

“Just a sec!”

A few minutes later Nick walked in the room, followed by the rest of the dogs. He was carrying a big wooden tray. He walked over to Rayanne and set it down over her legs, after telling her to sit up.

“Happy Birthday.” he said beaming with pride at the breakfast he had made.

“Aww...sweetie. Thank you.” she said looking over her breakfast of toast with peanut butter, lucky charms cereal, eggs, waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, and a huge glass of orange juice.

“You do realize I can’t eat all this?”

“Yeah, I just didn’t know which you wanted. I knew they were all your favorites, so I made them all.”

“Thank you. You can help me.” she said as he leaned in and gave her a kiss.

She started with the waffles. Before she knew it, they were gone. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was.

“Guess I’m not helping with the waffles, am I?” he teased.

“Sorry, guess after all that junkfood yesterday real food tastes good.” she said taking a big drink of her orange juice.

“So, are we going to the fall first?” he asked taking a bite of her eggs.

“Yup, I wanna spend the day there, then go get the tattoos and come home.”

“OK, I’ve got dinner planned, but it’s a surprise. Go take a shower and I’ll clean up and feed the dogs. Put your bathing suit right on and we’ll go.”

He picked up the tray and walked out of the bedroom, all puppies in tow. She got up to take a shower while he began loading the dishwasher. The shower was relaxing and she quickly lost track of time. She heard the door creak open and Nick walk in the steamy room.

“Ray? You almost done?”

“Yeah. Sorry, I’m enjoying this shower a little too much.” she laughed.

“It’s OK, want me to go pick out your clothes?”

“Sure.”

A few minutes later Rayanne turned off the shower, wrapped her towel around her and stepped out onto the green bath matt on the floor.

“Nick?”

“I’m in the bedroom.”

She dried herself off and reached for the pile of clothes Nick had put on the sink. When she picked up her bikini bottom she heard something drop onto the floor. She bent down and looked to see what it was. A ring and a medal of some sort were laying on the ground. She picked them up and sat on the toilet after wrapping the towel back around herself. The ring was a silver band with a light purple stone set in the middle. She was about to slip it on her finger when Nick appeared in the doorway.

She looked up at him. “Nick, I love it. I don’t know what to...thank you.”

He knelt down in front of her taking the ring out of her hand. Taking her right hand in his he gently slid the ring down her ring finger until it was perfectly in place.

“Perfect.” she said leaning her head forward. Her lips met his and she gently slid her tongue past his lips.

“Did you get the other thing?” he asked as they pulled apart.

“Yup, I haven’t looked at it yet though.”

“Look.”

She leaned her head closer to her hand and inspected the medal she was holding. It was a tag about the side of a quarter, in the shape of a stop sign. It was silver, and had an inscription on it.

“Nick, what is-?”

“Read it.” he didn’t let her finish her question.

Bringing the medal even closer to her face he saw that it read:

At the bottom was Rayanne’s cell phone number. There was a sun in the background of the writing. She looked up at Nick, her eyes huge with excitement.

“Nick!!!"

“Come here Sunshine!” Nick yelled out the bathroom door.

Just as Nick had planned, in walked a tiny pug wearing a purple collar.

“Come here girl.” Nick called. She walked over to him and jumped on his leg. He took the tag out of Rayanne’s hand and attached it to her collar, picking her up when she was done.

“Rayanne, meet Sunshine.”

“Hey girl, you are just the cutest little thing, aren’t you? Oh yes you are!” Rayanne talked baby talk to the puppy. “She’s so tiny!”

“She’s only 2 months old, she’s so adorable.”

“So she’s ours?” she said, unable to contain her smile.

“Yup. Ours.”

“I love her. I love the ring. And I love you.”

“I love you too. I love her a little more though, can’t get much cuter than that!”

“Hey!” she protested.

“Get dressed hun, I’m gonna take her out.” he laughed.

Nick and Sunshine walked out the door, Nick talking to her the whole way. Rayanne shut the door and got dressed. She wore her bright green and blue checkered bikini. He had picked out her navy blue drawstring cargo shorts from Old Navy and a small white tee that said Backstreet Boys on it in blue letters. She smiled to herself at his choice for her shirt. She walked into the bedroom and rummaged through her jewelry. She slipped the silver dolphin pendant Nick had given her her second day in Europe around her neck and closed the clasp.

She walked out into the living room where Nick was watching TV. She sat on his lap.

“Ready.”

“I was just getting comfortable.” he joked.

“Get uncomfortable Carter.” she kissed the tip of his nose.

Five minutes later, they were in the Durango on the way to the pond. Nick had packed them a light lunch and remembered the towels after they were already in the car. Rayanne had packed sunscreen and brought hats and sunglasses for both of them.

When they arrived at the fall, they carried the picnic basket, blanket and backpack the quarter mile it was from the Durango to the actual waterfall.

“Wow...it’s beautiful.” she said slowing coming to a stop.

“I know, come on.” he said grabbing her free hand and pulling her along the edge of the pond. They sat down and took of their shoes, Rayanne spreading the blanket out on the ground while Nick set the picnic basket in the shade and got their towels out. She was amazed at the beauty of this place she had only heard about from Nick. A small pond was in front of them, with rocks around most of the outside, beautiful flowers between the rocks. Off to the right was a small waterfall, running into the pond over a rock wall. The top of the wall stuck out far enough to create a sort of small cave with no sides behind the running water.

After they took off their clothes and settled in they lay on the blanket talking.

“You better put sunscreen on your back, you can’t get a tattoo sunburned.” Nick reminded her.

“Crap, thanks. You wanna do it?” she winked at him.

He let out a small laugh as he sat up and squeezed lotion onto his hands and applied it gently to her back. They lay in the sun long enough to get hot before Nick suggested they go for a swim. They walked over the small rocks and waded out to the middle of the pond, which was only about 5 feet deep. Nick reached up for the top of her head and dunked her.

“Brat!” she said breaking the surface.

He just smiled sideways at her. “So?”

She reached up to dunk him back, but before she got to him he had gone under by himself.

“You don’t play fair.”

“But I’m fun. Right?”

Rayanne wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Are there fish in here?”

“I don’t think so.” he laughed.

She looked at him intently, studying his face. “Guess what?”

“What?”

“This is the best birthday I’ve ever had.”

“It’s like noon. We haven’t even done anything yet.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m happy.”

“It’s good to be happy.”

She leaned her face closer to his and kissed him softly running her hands through the back of his wet hair. She felt his tongue slip past her lips. It felt warm against hers. He ran his hands along her back and sides. She picked her legs up and wrapped them around his waist, deepening the kiss.

After a few minutes she pulled away and tightened her arms around his neck hugging him. She didn’t let go right away.

“Something wrong hun?”

“No. I’m just happy.” she said pulling back and looking at his blue eyes. “I wanna get on your shoulders.

“Uh, OK.” he said turning around and ducking under the water. She slid her legs around his neck and he stood up as she balanced herself.

“Hmm, it would be really fun to play chicken if there were other people here.” she joked.

“Yup, why did you want to get up there?”

“To see.”

“Oh.”

“I’m done.” she said leaning back, throwing him off balance as they both tumbled backwards into the water.

“Rayanne Elizabeth! Warn me about that shit next time!.” he said trying to sound upset, but laughing.

She pretended to be afraid, turning and running slowly through the water toward their stuff.

“You cannot get away from me and you know it!”

She ran to the edge of the pond and climbed out on the rocks, Nick not too far behind her. She ran to the blanket and flopped down on it. As soon as she sat down he was next to her, pinning her down. As their laughing died down, he laid down next to her and wrapped his arms around her. She turned her head to face his and kissed him again.

He returned the kiss, propping himself up, so the top half of his body was above hers. She ran her hands up and down his arms, pulling him closer as he reached behind her neck and untied her top. She let him slide it off and lay it on the ground next to her. She moved her hands from his arms to his chest, lightly caressing with her fingers, down to his stomach. She pulled her lips away from his long enough to speak before kissing him again.

“I’m ready.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

She pulled down his shorts and put them with her top. He rolled so his whole body was on top of her now and slipped off her suit bottom. She put her hands on his back and ran her fingertips lightly across his still wet skin. He pulled away from her lips and kissed her neck moving gently from her ear down her chest and to her stomach. He ran his hands up and down her legs and returned to her lips.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” she said as she felt him inside her. She winced and bit her lip. “Mmmm.”

“Are you alright?” he looked her in the eye.

“Yes.”

He gently kissed her nose then her lips. She kept her hands on his back to pull him closer as she kissed him back, more passionately. It hurt a little less with each passing second and he was always gentle. When it was over they lay naked holding each other, Nick rubbing her back.

“You OK? You’re awful quiet.”

“I’m fine. No, actually I’m perfect.” she smiled planting a soft kiss on his lips.

After a few minutes of silence, she suggested they go sit under the waterfall and eat.

“OK, I’m getting a little hungry too.”

After putting their bathing suits back on they sat behind the waterfall and ate the lunch he had packed them.

“Ray?” Nick said hesitantly, his drink halfway to his mouth.

“What?” she snapped out of the half daze she had been in.

He laughed. “Just wanted to make sure you were still with me.”

“Yeah, why?” she looked at him confused.

“Cause you’re just sitting there smiling. You haven’t eaten anything, you just look like you’re zoning.”

She got up and placed herself on his lap facing him.

“That would be your fault.”

“I have a way, huh?”

“You’ve got a way with me.” she sang.

“You singing to me now?”

“It’s in the way you want me, it’s in the way you hold me. The way you show me just what love’s made of, it’s in the way we make love.”

“Better call Jive when we get home!” he smiled.

She smiled sarcastically and slapped his arm lightly.

“Just teasing, you do have a good voice though. Really.”

“Oh how I adore you, like no one before you, I love you just the way you are.”

He didn’t let her finish before he pulled her close and kissed her. They were still kissing when her cell phone rang. She jumped up to go get it from the blanket.

“Hello?”

“Where are you?! I’ve been calling all day, was the phone turned off?”

“Oh my God, mom I forgot to tell you...Nick got a little sick so we decided to come back to Florida for the week. We’re staying at his house.”

“Nice to let me know!” her mom teased. “Happy Birthday Bear!”

“Thanks mom.”

When Rayanne hung up the phone she walked back over to where Nick was sitting in the water, directly in front of the fall. He held his arms out as she got back in the water. She sat down in front of him and let him wrap his arms around her and pull her back against him.

He kissed her neck and her ear very softly. “Are you gonna sing to me some more?”

She laughed as she turned around to look at him. “Nope, I don’t know where that came from, I think that was a one time thing.”

He smiled at her and shook his head as if he understood. They spent a few more hours at the pond, before they decided they should get home and take showers before going to get their tattoos.

“Do you think Sunshine will be OK? Should we have left her home alone that long?” Rayanne asked on the way home.

“She’ll be fine, hun, don’t worry. I left them all in the backyard, so she wouldn’t go the bathroom inside.”

“You left her outside?”

“Ray, she’s a dog. She likes the outside. The other dogs are out with her, it’s a nice day. Stop worrying about her.”

“Sorry, I’ve just never had a dog before.” she giggled.

As soon as they pulled into the driveway Rayanne ran through the gate to the backyard to check on the dogs, more specifically Sunshine. After assuring herself their new puppy was fine, she walked them all around the front of the house and let them inside. She found Nick in the bedroom getting more clothes out of the dresser.

“Do you want to take a shower first...or do you want to take one together?” he walked closer to her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Together.”

They grabbed the clothes they were going to wear and threw them on the bed. They took a quick shower to get the pond water off them and out of their hair. They got dressed quickly, Rayanne making sure to wear a tank top so she wouldn’t have to take off her shirt to get the tattoo.

About halfway there she started to get nervous.

“Oh God Nicky, how bad is this gonna hurt?”

“Do you want to do it?”

“Yes! I do, I really do. I do. Oh man.” she said her breathing loud.

Nick smiled and reached over to take her hand. “We’ll get there and take a few minutes to look around, OK? I know this guys clean, so he’s OK, but I’m not gonna get this and then have you back out on me!” he said jokingly trying to calm her down.

“I know, let me go first, cause I know you’ll do it.”

Once they parked the Durango and walked into the extremely clean place Nick had selected, most of Rayanne’s nervousness had faded away. She watched as Nick pulled out the piece of paper on which he had drawn the very same dolphin and shark heart he had drawn on her back. He paid for them in advance and walked over to her, taking her hand.

“Ready? It’s now or never.”

“Yup.” she took a deep breath.

“I’ll hold your hand and you can squeeze as hard as you want.” he promised.

They walked over to the black chair and Rayanne sat as she was instructed. Nick showed Jeff where to put it. She jumped when she felt his hand touch her back.

“Ahh!”

“Ray, he’s just putting the drawing on, it’s OK.” Nick said laughing at her.

“OK. Tell me before you touch me with that needle though.”

“I will.”

After the drawing had made it’s way to her back without her jumping and she looked at it in the mirror, she sat back down. Jeff shaved the spot where it was to go and rubbed it with alcohol. Nick took a seat directly next to her so he could hold her hand and watch at the same time.

*Bzzz* Rayanne heard the needle start.

“Oh my God.” she said quietly squeezing Nick’s hand.

“OK, I’m going to start now.” Jeff warned her as promised.

She flinched as she felt the needle pierce her skin and drag along the line. She groaned and squeezed Nick’s hand tighter.

“Ouch, careful Ray, I need those fingers.”

“Sorry.” she apologized through clenched teeth.

After a while, the spot went numb and it became just a dull ache, but she didn’t let go of Nick’s hand. An hour and 5 minutes after she had first sat down, Jeff wiped her back one final time and told her to go look. Still not letting go of Nick’s hand she stood up and went to the mirror once more.

“Wow.” she whispered getting closer to get a better look.

It looked exactly like the one Nick had drawn on her back two nights earlier. The shark and dolphin were a blue mixed with green. The letters inside were a deep green that matched the rest of the tattoo perfectly.

“Like?” Nick asked.

“Yes. I love it.”

“Me too. Let’s go get me one.”

“Want me to hold your hand?” she teased.

“Oh please!” he said in a scared voice playing back.

“You sit again first.” Jeff instructed. “I need to bandage it.”

Rayanne sat intently letting him put gobs of Neosporin on the fresh tattoo and gauze with medical tape.

Nick took his spot in the chair next, taking his shirt off.

“Well now, there is another girl in here.”

“Ray.”

“Joke.” she said looking back down at the magazine she had started reading. After Jeff had shaved and disinfected Nick’s shoulder blade, Rayanne heard the bzzz of the needle.

“You gonna watch? It’s pretty cool.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“Come here and see for a minute.” Jeff coaxed her.

She sat in the chair Nick had been in, taking his hand in hers, more for her sake than his. She saw the needle go in his back and drag through his tender skin making a line of blood appear at the surface.

“Oh, ewww.” she said, barely out loud.

“Ow!” Nick flinched.

“Just hit a nerve.” Jeff said.

Rayanne held onto his hand the whole time, sometimes watching, sometimes not until he got up to look at his in the mirror. He got medicated and bandaged and put his shirt back on. Jeff explained to them how to care for them and 2 1/2 hours after they had pulled into the parking lot they were walking out the door, with something that would bind them together for life. As soon as they were out the door, Rayanne stopped, pulling on Nick’s hand to bring him back to where she was standing. She put her hands on the back of his head and pulled it down to kiss him.

“Do you realize what we’ve done today? I gave you something I can never give anyone else. We’ve got something on us forever that no one else will ever have. It’s us now Nickolas. Us.”

“It always has been Rayanne, we just didn’t know it.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, kissing her.

“I want you. Right now.” he said half joking, half serious.

“Hmm...how about we go somewhere a little less...paved and public.” she smiled.

“Sounds good.”

They stopped at a grocery store on the way home to buy Neosporin as Jeff had suggested they do. They arrived home at 6:30 and let the dogs out while they lay on the couch watching “The Simpsons.”

“Hungry?” he asked her as the episode ended. All the dogs were still outside except Sunshine who has decided she was tired and wanted to lay with her new mom and dad.

“Yeah. I’m kinda sore too.”

“You are?”

“Yeah.” she said rubbing her back.

“Oh, there! I thought you meant from...”

“Well, that too. Trust me.” she smiled kissing him.

“Well, go take a bath while I make dinner. In fact, hang on. Do not move.”

“Yes sir!” she said saluting him as he crawled over here.

She cuddled with Sunshine watching “Married....With Children”. Less than ten minutes later Nick returned.

“You’re bath is ready.”

“Awww...you got my bath ready?”

“Yes, it’s a special bath.” he said taking her hand and pulling her off the couch to lead her to the bathroom. She walked in and saw a bathtub full of water, with yellow rose petals floating at the surface. The CD player was playing softly, “Genie In A Bottle”. She looked at the toilet and saw a pile of silk.

“What’s that?”

“Your pajamas I bought you.”

She giggled. “The kind you sleep in or the kind you wear before you’re ready to sleep.

“In betweeny.” he said wrapping his arms around her from behind, careful not to rub her tattoo. He kissed her neck gently as the song ended.

“Is this the radio?”

“Nope.”

What a girl wants, what a girl needs...

“Hey! Is this...?”

“Yup.”

“It doesn’t come out till next month!”

“Amanda told me how much you guys loved her. Don’t tell her but AJ’s got one for her too. We pulled some strings.”

“Thank you.” she turned to give him a soft kiss.

“Better get in the tub before it’s not so pretty anymore.” he laughed.

“OK.”

“I’ll be in the kitchen.” He walked out closing the door behind him. She undressed and stepped into the tub before she realized her bandage was still on.

“Nick!” she yelled.

“What?”

“Come here.”

He walked into the bathroom. “What?”

“Take my bandage off for me.”

“OK, but remember you’re not supposed to get it soapy.”

“I know, but I wanna wash it a little and change the bandage. We should change yours too.”

“OK, when you’re out, we’ll change mine and redo yours.”

She was once again alone in the bathroom. The bath was so relaxing, she was in for almost the whole CD and didn’t realize how much time had gone by. She played with one of the rose petals, bobbing it up and down under the water. She picked it up and brought it to her nose, smelling it. She dropped it into the water and watched it float down by her feet.

“How much longer you gonna be in here hun?” Nick walked through the door.

“Forever.” she joked. “It’s so relaxing. I’ve never taken a bath in rose petals before. Even my favorite color roses.”

“I did good, huh?” He sat down on the side of the tub.

“You did so good today Nick. Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome so much. But it’s not over. Get out, dinner’s ready.”

“I am too lucky, ya know that?”

He smiled. “You just remember that next time we get in a fight. Hurry up, and I’ll redo your thing.”

Rayanne got out, dried off and dressed in the silk pajamas Nick had bought her. Little pastel purple shorts with a matching spaghetti strap tank top. She brushed her hair and pulled it out of the way as Nick gently applied Neosporin to her tattoo. “Want it covered?”

“Nope. You’re turn.”

He took off his shirt and Rayanne undressed the spot, gently cleaned it off and reapplied the clear cream. He left his shirt off as they cleaned up the bathroom quickly and headed for the kitchen. The table was set with yellow roses in the middle. On her plate was Italian Chicken and baby red potatoes, her favorite meal. Fresh bread and beans sat in the middle of the table.

Before sitting down she turned to smile at Nick.

“You are too much. How am I ever going to be able to say thank you enough?”

“Don’t worry about it.” he returned her smile. “I’m doing it because I want to.”

“Wow. This is really good. Really.” she said after her first bite.

They talked while they ate and sat at the table talking after they were done. Even though he insisted she not, Rayanne helped clean up the table and the dishes.

“I am so full, but that was honestly one of the best meals I’ve ever had.”

“Bet you didn’t know I could cook. Wait a minute...I didn’t know I could cook.” he laughed.

“You’re such a goofball.”

After the kitchen was spotless they lay down to watch TV. They flipped through the channels deciding what to watch before finally stopping on ‘Happy Gilmoure’. They watched the movie intently, Nick rubbing her back and playing with her hair. Halfway through the movie they switched spots and she rubbed his back.

“Tired?” he asked when the movie was over.

She looked at the clock. “It’s only 11. I kinda am though.”

“Wanna watch another movie or go to bed?”

“Well...we could go to bed...but not go to sleep.”

He kissed her gently, rubbing his hands on her leg. She pulled away before they got too far.

“Let’s go to bed.” she said.

They turned the TV and all the lights off and headed for the bedroom. When Rayanne walked through the door she stopped, causing Nick to bump into her from behind. There were yellow rose petals, like the ones in the bathtub, spread over the bed, the covers already pulled back. After what seemed like an eternity of silence, Nick stepped in front of her.

“Baby, what’s wrong.” he said as he saw the tears in her eyes.

“Not one thing. I love you.”

He leaned down and wiped the tears away from her eyes and kissed them, one at a time. He walked her backwards to the bed and gently laid her down and kissed her.

“Ouch.” she said softly pulling away from his kiss.

“Sorry. Do you want to bandage it?”

“I’ll be fine.” she said starting the kiss over. She pulled him down bringing his body closer to hers and let her tongue find his, her hands find his. They made love again and when they were done, holding each other in the dark Rayanne felt Nick kiss her tattoo and whisper, “I love you Rayanne. It’s us now, and forever....us.”