I place my hands on his chest and sway to the song of us.

Twenty-Nine.

The joke is on State today.

"Stop laughing."

I roll on the bed barely able to catch my breath. My lower abdomen aches with laughter pain. Every time I settle down, I look right back up to the tower that is State staring down at me in a spandex lime green body suit and break down all over again. Rowe busts into the room squealing. Panic flashes in State's eyes.

He hisses, "My junk."

He points down to his crotch to a perfectly outlined ding dong and set of nuts.

"Out, Rowe. We'll be out in a second."

She sticks out her bottom lip.

"You can't see your prince until he's fully dressed."

State remains panicked with his back to her. She finally gives in, sticks her tongue out at me, and shuts the door with an extra dash of vigor. He leaps onto the bed covering my body. The suit is slick causing him to slide all over.

"If you think this is funny I can't wait to see you dressed up as a jackass." He bites down on my neck.

I bust into another fit of cackles that have no promise of stopping. My core still aches from our all night love making session. We both finally collapsed at five in the morning which now, looking back, was a terrible idea since we have a day filled of pumpkin picking and trick or treating with Rowe.

"I can't even piss. I have to take the damn thing off."

"Stop." I press up on his shoulders.

"Who in the hell invents this shit?"

"Shrek lovers."

"I'm going to kick your ass," he growls down at me with a playful smile.

"You love my ass too much to kick it."

"Fuck, my weakness. You're right."

"I bought you lime green gym shorts. I didn't know how to explain to Miss Tami that you had too much junk for this outfit."

"Are you ready yet?" Rowe drums her fingers on my door.

"God, I need sleep, Shrek," I whine.

"Oh no, you don't. There's no Shrek without his cute and adorable jackass."

I'm pretty sure Miss Tami took a shot or two before venturing out for the day. Damn, I should've taken a note from that smart woman's page book. We are trotting down the third neighborhood in full force trick or treating.

"Turn around," I holler to State and Rowe.

I snapped a picture of their backsides holding hands walking down the sidewalk before I interrupted their moment.

"Say cheese," I sing out and snap a picture of Shrek and Fiona.

They stop only long enough for a quick picture before they're off again. State's plastic pumpkin has just as much candy in it as Rowe's. I'm chalking it up to all the lonely housewives ogling my ogre.

"Time for dinner," Miss Tami announces.

Rowe whines when they're at the end of the block. I'm thankful Miss Tami is taking the lead role of fun cop tonight. We end up at a local pizza parlor. Shocker, I know! State orders for us girls and even pays. I was ready for a full-blown wrestling match between him and Miss Tami. He's lucky he caught her on a night she's exhausted.

State has Rowe on his hip while they pile their salad plates high.

"You feeling okay?" I ask Miss Tami.

"I've just been so exhausted lately."

"Doctor," I ordered.

"Yes, mother." She rolls her eyes. "I have an appointment Monday."

"Good little girl." I pat her hand and laugh.

"It's just old age, you know?"

"Or a man keeping you up late at night."

"No, Tom has been away on a business trip the last month."

I stick my fingers in my ears and chant. "La, la, la, la, la, la."

"What's going on?" State sets Rowe in the booth and slides his mask over his neck.

"Nothing," I fire off a bit too quickly while getting up to get my salad.

State doesn't just stop after pizza. He orders him and Rowe an Oreo dessert pizza. I'm stuffed and can barely watch them eat. Something catches my attention and when I turn I nearly lose my dinner and grounding.

I come eye to eye with Dylan Burnett. I look around quickly to make sure his family isn't with him. I don't see any of them and more importantly his younger brother. State reaches over the table and grabs my hand. When I look up at him, I see the question all over his face. It only takes a quick nod for him to catch on.

State is up and out of the booth. Rowe bounds out, but I catch her before she follows him.

"He's using the restroom, honey." I brush her bangs back and stand up. "Sit between us for a bit."

I track State, trying not to alert the rest of the table to the new patron of the pizza place. State walks right up to Dylan, grabs his collar, and drags him right out of the restaurant. There are a few hushed murmurs that float around for a few beats. It takes everything I have to stay in my seat.

My heart thuds with fear. State will kill him. I struggle to keep up with Rowe's conversation as I wait for State to return. It feels like endless hours before he strides back to us. I can tell he's putting on a face for us.

"Did you pee outside?" Rowe asks.

"Uh?"

"I told her you went to the restroom," I offer.

"No, honey, just went and checked on our candy stash."

"Is it okay?"

"Everything is just fine, princess."

Once we're at the pumpkin patch there's enough distraction to corner State.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I think he got the point."

I grab his face and force him to look down at me. "Don't let him ruin this. We're safe with you in our lives."

"I'll try."

"No, you will just leave it alone."

"They hurt her."

"I know. We have her. Don't let it ruin us."

He nods. "Okay, I'll try, but I will be tracking the fucker."

"Of course you will, and that's why I love you." I kiss him on the lips.

"I won't feel comfortable until he's gone to California."

"State," Rowe squeals and points. "I want this one."

Of course, she'd pick the biggest and brightest pumpkin in the whole damn patch. He strides over to it, snaps it from the plant, and hoists it on his shoulder. I pick a fat, round one for me and a tall, skinny one for State.

Rowe and I pull the two pumpkins in a little red wagon behind us, while Shrek packs his up to the stand to pay. We sit on the straw bales and let Miss Tami snap a few pictures. As exhilarating as State's football games are, it has nothing on this moment. I sneak in a quick kiss on State's cheek while him and Rowe smile brightly for the camera.

We spend hours gutting the pumpkins and carving them. Rowe sets her LED lit candle in the pumpkin before being tucked in bed. I perform our ritual as State sits on the other side of Rowe. She snuggles down in her blankets clutching her Rapunzel doll to her side.

Through sleepy eyes, she says, "I love you guys so much."

"We love you, too, Rowe," State whispers. "You're so beautiful, smart, and brave. Thank you for the best day of my life."

She stares him down. "Don't you dare eat my Snickers."

He wraps his pinky in hers. "I promise."

"Will you wait until I fall asleep?" She asks.

He lies down next to her with his feet hanging over the bottom of the bed. I pull another string of pumpkin innards from my hair.

"I'm going to shower," I whisper.

He winks up at me. "Take your time, Queen."

I take my time cleaning the remnants of the Halloween make-up from my face while the shower heats up, then strip off my clothes. I turn slightly so I can see the top of my back in the mirror. It's so bare. State owns all of me, yet I'm bare.

The hot water feels good after a long day of running around on fumes. Even though I wore my comfiest pair of Nikes the pads of my feet ache. I lather up my hair and let the sudsy water flow down the drain.

I shave my legs while I allow the conditioner to soak in my long locks. I feel a whoosh of cold air and look up to State stepping in the shower.

"Good girl."

I wrap my arms around his chest and let the water relax both of us. Our worries and stress all sink down the drain. State has a Monday night game. It's some celebration and is being televised on national television. The only bad news is it's on the west coast. It will be another long two weeks not seeing him.

"Hey." I look up at him and pat his chest. "No packages this time. You spoil us too much."

"Okay."

"Okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, okay."

"You never give up that easy."

"I already hid them around the house and will text you clues."

"Of course, you did."

"You'll never find them without my clues."

"Won't stop me from trying."

He smiles widely before lowering his lips to mine. We move slowly working our mouths around each other. His hands roam down to my ass and then he hoists me up to him. My ankles lock right above his ass. I trace my name on his back even though I can't see it. I let my fingerprints soak into his ink, connecting us forever. State pulls back, kissing along my jawline until he's sucking on my neck and then down to my collarbone. My back is pressed up against the wall of the shower.

The water continues to massage our skin pouring down on us. I widen my legs around him being careful not to slip from his hold. I feel his hard cock bobbing between us and need to devour it, but he has me pinned.

"Please, baby," I whine.

I flex back my hips and he follows my plea for him. His tip rubs up and down my folds. I seal our lips together to stifle my moans. It feels so good, sending greedy need through me. I want him inside me, controlling my every move, but what he's doing now is so delicious I can't find my voice to beg for more.