"Bryce?"

"Yes."

"Believe it or not, I have missed being here with you like this." I leaned my head into his neck as he carried me to his room. I expected our destination was to be the bed, but he walked straight past it and continued into the bathroom. As we entered, I was met with golden candlelit hues flickering across the tiled walls. The bath was full of hot steamy water, and floating on top were several rose petals. I could see the steam rising from the surface, and it occurred to me this had only been set up within the last half an hour, if that. He set me down gently and unzipped my dress.

"The water is still hot! How did you pull this off?" I asked confused.

He chuckled. "House-keeping, I rang them after our dance."

"How did you know I would come back here?"

"You didn't have a choice."

"Is that right?" I turned round and crossed my arms in front of my chest. "Technically, I shouldn't be here. We haven't even gone on a date yet! You made me break my rule. I think I should leave." I smirked at him. Yes, my smirk will rival yours very soon, you wait and see.

"Hunny." He placed his hands on my shoulders and threaded his fingers underneath my bra straps. "You are not going anywhere right now...Other than into that bath, then I am going to kiss and lick every single inch of your body, make love to you again, fall asleep with you in my arms, wake up and stare at you for a while, go and make you breakfast, make love to you again, and then we can go on a date." He moved his hands behind my back and unhooked my bra.

"It's supposed to be the other way around. We are supposed to go on a date first." I stepped out of my shoes.

"That's just stupid."

I scoffed and smiled at him. "Why?" I held his hand as I stepped into the bath.

"Because if my date sucks, then I have already slept with you." He shot me a satisfied look, so I playfully punched him in the arm then lowered myself into the water that was gloriously perfect in temperature. He climbed in after me and sat at the opposite end. We sat there staring and smirking at each other for minutes, and I tried catching the rose petals with my toes as he watched me, amused.

"Tell me something, Bryce. If I decide that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, what happens next?"

"Hunny, you've already decided that." He said with a c.o.c.ky look on his face.

Smarta.r.s.e. "I haven't decided anything." I smiled in defence.

"Yes, you have, it's written all over your face."

"You are so unbearably c.o.c.ky, Bryce."

"And you are so unbearably beautiful, Alexis."

"Stop trying to distract me with your compliments."

"I'm not," he laughed.

"Okay, say I have already decided it's you, and only you. What happens next?"

"We live happily ever after."

"Where do we live happily ever after?" My eyes softened from playful probing to seriously seeking an informative answer.

"Where do you want to live?"

"I don't know, but I'm not sure this apartment is very child friendly." I waited to hear his response. I'm not sure he had even considered what changes he would have to make in order to have me and my children in his life. He grabbed hold of my foot, stilling it from swirling the water in front of him, then lifted my toe until it was resting on his lips. I glared at him with a warning that if he even tried to stick it in his mouth, I would unleash some form of fury on him.

"It's simple, my love. We can live anywhere you want, whether it be in a house by the sea, on a mountain, in the city, or on the moon. If you want to live here we can, and I'll do everything possible to make this place just as much a home to you and the kids as it is for me. You just have to say the word, Hunny, that's all."

"So you have thought about this?"

"It's all I think about. I will live, breathe, eat, and sleep, anywhere you want me to. So long as it is with you. That's all I care about."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why give up your life for me, that's a lot to ask."

"I'm not giving up my life at all, Hunny. I'm simply starting a new one." He gripped my foot tighter and put my toe between his teeth.

"Bryce Edward Clark, I'm warning you." He closed his mouth and I felt the tip of his tongue caress my skin. He is still so f.u.c.king s.e.xy, even with a foot hanging out of his mouth. I dipped my head down under the surface and opened my mouth to fill it with water. He watched me curiously as I position my head on an angle, an angle I hoped was perfect for what I had in mind. Then with a heaving breath, I expelled the water from within my mouth launching it like a fountain in his direction. It hit him fair and square in the face, even surprising me at my accuracy.

I held my breath and pending laugh, waiting for his reaction, which could have been anything from laughter, to disgust, to anger, to arousal or he could have been simply impressed by my marksmanship. He gave nothing anyway, not even his devilish glint as he wrenched my legs towards him sinking me under the water again. He pulled me back up and sat me on his lap. I had managed to get a little more water in my mouth during his payback-dunk, so I fountained that at him too. He pulled me aggressively to his lips, and wrapped his arms around me, then after what felt like minutes without oxygen when we separated our mouths.

"I don't care where I am Alexis, as long as it is with you."

"I know, I just want you to realise it's not always going to be like this, like how we are now in this bath. Young children don't want to see their naked mother in a bath full of water, straddling her new boyfriend's lap."

"Oh, what a shame."

I laughed and kissed the tip of his nose. "Even though Nate and Charlotte are well mannered and well behaved, I really don't know how they are going to react to seeing me with you. It might get pretty ugly at times, Nate can be quite jealous and punishing." The thought of how my kids would take this sudden, monstrous change in their lives terrified me, but I was their mother and could handle their wrath and lashing out if that was what it was to be. Bryce on the other hand, did not have to put up with it.

"Alexis, Hunny, stop worrying about things that have not yet happened. We will deal with it, when and if, it needs dealing with."

"Why are you always so optimistic and relaxed?"

"I'm not, well not always. I guess it's because of something my Mum said to me once, not too long before she pa.s.sed away actually. It was just after my year twelve school exams when I had been overcome with stress." He rested his head back on the rim of the spa, and I watched him delve deep into his mind, recalling a very personal memory. I wanted nothing more than to comfort him as he did it, so I trailed my fingers down the sides of his face as he continued. "I had been stressing and panicking about my results, making everybody's lives a living h.e.l.l, my own too, obviously. Mum had dragged me into the garden, her favourite place in the whole world. She told me to alay on the gra.s.s and look to the sky'. I remember rolling my eyes at her thinking it was ridiculous, but I did what I was told. She then held out a beer, a cigarette, and a paper bag. aChoose one,' she said. I thought she'd gone nuts, because I didn't smoke, nor was I eighteen yet, and a paper bag? Why would I need a f.u.c.king paper bag? I opted for what any seventeen year old would, and I choose the beer. She opened the bottle and handed it to me, then lit up the cigarette. I had no idea Mum smoked, so again I thought she'd gone nuts. She lay down beside me and touched her head to mine. aBryce', she said, aLife is too short to worry about things that are out of your hands. Take these results for instance, you've completed your exams and now have to wait, so wait. Don't stress about them, don't think about them, just put them out of your mind for the time being.' I remember telling her that was stupid and naive. She blew a smoke ring just above us, and I laughed as I said to myself, who is this woman and what has she done with my Mum. aIt's not stupid Bryce, she continued, aIt's the smartest thing you can do, it allows you to keep your calm, your sanity, and your wits. Because, if the result or the situation does not pan out the way you want it to, you are then fully prepared to dive in and do whatever it takes to change it. Remember that Bryce, do not dwell on the negative or the unknown, it's foolish'." He looked back into my eyes, as though he had been somewhere else while he was talking.

"Your Mum was a very smart woman, by the sound of it."

"Yeah, she was, and slightly nuts." He smiled and lifted me up. "Now, get out of this bath! I want to taste you for the rest of the night."

Bryce did exactly what he said he would. He kissed, licked, and tasted every part of my body for an hour or so, and then we made love once again. I fell asleep on his chest and woke to him inches from my face, taking in every part of me with his stare. He cooked me bacon and eggs for breakfast, which as per usual stimulated my taste buds to the brink of explosion, then he hungrily devoured me on the kitchen bench.

"You are lucky, Mr. Clark."

"I know, Ms. Summers."

I rolled my eyes at his cheeky answer and smirk. "No, you are lucky because you got screwed without having to take me on a date." He looked at me strangely then frowned.

"I told you I would take you on one today." He walked over to me and cupped my face.

"I know, but you can't. I have to go home and spend some time with my family." I placed my hands on his, removed them from my face, and replaced them on my a.r.s.e. "But I'll take a raincheck, and let me tell you, it better be the best date in the history of dates, or you'll find yourself off my kissing permission list, for...Hmmm, let's say a full 24 hours."

"That sure as h.e.l.l is not going to happen, my love."

"We'll see."

I stepped out of the walk in stadium wearing a pair of jeans and light pink fitted shirt. He was sitting on the end of the bed sulking, so I walked over to him, pushed myself in between his legs and ran my hands through his hair.

"Stop sulking, Mr. Clark. I will see you tomorrow." He wrapped his arms around my backside and pulled me into him so that we both fell onto the bed. "Bryce, let me go, I have to go." My phone rang from within my hand bag which was on the bed just above our heads. I stretched over him to retrieve it, exposing my breast which was virtually pressing into his face. He gripped the edge of my bra with his teeth and yanked on it, then kissed and licked my flesh. "Stop it." I giggled, and grabbed my phone. "I have to answer it, it's Rick." He reluctantly let me go, with an angry look on his face.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Lexi, where are you?"

"I went out with the girls last night, I'm on my way back now."

"Oh, okay. Listen I'm ringing to ask you out on a date." I smiled only slightly, not because I was excited about his proposal, but more so that I found it strange he was doing it over the phone.

"Why didn't you just wait to ask me when I got home?"

"Because, I didn't want to wait."

"Oh, okay." Weird! "Um, what about the kids?"

"They are helping me with it."

"With what?"

"The date, silly. Lex, how much did you drink last night?" It's not the minor traces of alcohol in my body that is confusing me Rick, it's your weirdness right now.

"Not much. Sorry, I'm just confused."

He laughed. "Don't worry, just tell me you'll accept my date and I'll see you when you get home."

"About that, Rick. Have you arranged for somewhere else to stay?" I turned slightly in Bryce's direction. He was listening carefully and dissecting my every word in my conversation.

"Yes, Lexi, I'm staying in a hotel in town for now, but I don't plan on doing that for long. So, do you accept my date proposal or not?"

"Yes, okay." I lowered my voice. "I'll go on a date with you." I noticed Bryce flinch out of the corner of my eye. "Look, I've got to go."

"Okay, Lex, see you soon. I love you."

"Okay, bye." I hang up. I couldn't bring myself to tell him I loved him too, which said something in itself. I turned back around and replaced myself in between Bryce's legs. His fists were clenched and his knuckles were white.

"I have to go, Bryce."

"You're going on a date with him?"

"Yes, well sort of, he was actually quite weird about it. Anyway, the kids will be with us, so technically I don't think it is a date."

"Do you want to go on a date with him?" He looked devastated, and I hated that I was torturing him like this. I remembered what Jade said to me last night, aLex, decide who it is going to be quickly, or stop seeing them both and take your time. It's just not fair, and it's just not you.'

"Honestly Bryce, I don't want to leave here at all. I want to grab my kids, bundle them into the car, bring them here, and start our new life together. But, I can't. I have to give him a chance, a chance to see if there is anything at all left between us. He didn't cheat on me Bryce, so I owe him at least a chance."

Bryce dropped his head. "He doesn't deserve a chance, Hunny. He gave you up."

"He f.u.c.ked up just as much as you did, Bryce, so he deserves just as much a chance as you do." He stood up, looking angry. I wrapped my arms around his waist. "I'm sorry." It was killing me, I knew I wasn't trying to play them off against each other, but it felt that way and felt horribly wrong.

"You don't need to be sorry, Alexis." He unwrapped my arms. "Go home and give him that chance if it makes you feel better. Deep down, I know you are now mine, and deep down I know you will stop this when you realise that." A tear started to roll down my cheek, he lifted his finger and gently wiped it away. "Don't cry, my love. I love you and I'll see you tomorrow." He started to walk me to the elevator, and I felt he was now in a hurry to kick me out. He pulled a set of keys out of his pocket, and instantly I recognised they belonged to the Charger. "Here, take your car." I smiled at the word ayour'.

"It's not my car, Bryce."

"Like h.e.l.l, it isn't." He placed the keys in my hand then closed my fingers around them. "I'll see you in the morning, my love." Then he kissed me on the forehead and helped me into the elevator.

"Why do I have a feeling you are anxious for me to leave?" I didn't like it, I felt I had upset him, hurt him and he was now keen to get rid of me. He put his hand on the door to stop it from closing, then walked in cupped my face and kissed me deeply.

"Understand this, my love. I am NEVER anxious for you to leave, EVER. And if you feel that way, I'm sorry. It's just, I desperately need to speak to Lucy, which is exactly what I am going to do as soon as these doors close." He stepped backwards out of the elevator, hit the b.u.t.ton and at the same time blew me a kiss.

"I love you, Ms. Summers."

"I love you too, Mr. Clark," I responded quickly before the door closed, and it was in that moment that I realised by being able to say it so easily that Rick really did not stand a chance.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE.

Pulling into our driveway quietly or inconspicuously was nearly impossible behind the wheel of my Charger. My Charger, Oh my G.o.d, it's really mine. As I stepped out and looked at the stunning purple beast, I couldn't help but smile at the personalised number plates Bryce had arranged and put on the car for me. Nate, Charli and Rick all came out through the front door. My smile faded slightly when I saw the look on Rick's face when he spotted the Charger and the fact the number plates said aAlexis'. He knew where I had been, and it drained the colour from his face.

"Mum, this car has your name on it! Is it yours?" Nate opened the door and had a look inside.

"Yep."

"Cool, where did you get it from."

"Bry...Um, Mr. Clark. It was my prize for beating him in a race." I smiled to myself, remembering my sweet victory. Rick turned around and went back inside the house.

"Come on, kids, let's go inside."

"I love the colour, Mum, purple is my favourite." And so is pink, yellow, gold, and silver, Charli Bear. The absence of Rick from the kitchen, lounge, and dining room indicated he was in our room waiting for me to explain. I don't have to explain anything to him. I walked into our room and he was standing by the window looking out at the car with a furious and disgusted look on his face.

"You were with him last night."

I didn't lie to him. "Yes. The girls and I went out for drinks and dancing at Opals and I ended up staying with Bryce." He turned to me and glared. "What Rick? I told you that we had separated, I told you that I was now single, and I told you that if I wanted to date either him or you I would."