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Chapter Thirty Three - July 2

"I picked the redhead."

"Of course you did."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You let the three T's rule your decision."

"Nick, I didn't even notice the three T's."

I sat on my suitcase and zipped it. I figured there wasn't much I could do about AJ. I had other important things on my mind.

"Well, I hope it works out," I finally said.

"I'm giving her a ninety day trial," AJ added. I had to give him kudo points on that decision.

"Good thinking," I said. "Well, I'll talk to you later."

"Alright. Later."

I hung up and tugged the last few inches of the suitcase closed.

"Nick?"

Liv's voice sounded like it right outside our bedroom door.

"Shit!" I whispered. I hopped off the suitcase and kicked it under the bed. Just as I was sitting back down on the bed, she poked her head in.

"What are you doing up here?"

"I was talking to AJ."

"Oh."

She took a look around; she was suspicious. I smiled.

"Why do I think you're hiding something?" she asked slowly.

"Me? Hide something? No way. Uh-uh," I said, shaking my head. Liv walked over and studied me intently. I fidgeted. Her hands went to my waist. She started to pat me down.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"You're hiding something," she said.

For the third year in a row I had presented Liv with her all-yellow birthday breakfast. Of course, today wasn't only her birthday. It was also our first wedding anniversary.

Her hands pressed into my ribs and I jumped.

"Jesus, Liv. Do you want to crack me open and look inside? I'm not hiding anything."

She stood back up, her hands on her hips. My eyes went to her little short shorts. For a mother of two, she pulled off the look well.

"Alright," she said, holding up her hands. "I believe you. I'm going to go back downstairs."

"Okay. I'll be down in a minute," I said.

The moment she walked out, I closed the door and went for the phone. Liv's mom answered on the first ring.

"I'm almost there," she said.

"How was Hawaii?"

"If I didn't already adore you before I went, I would love you now. I've never seen anything like it."

For Christmas, Liv and I had given her mom two tickets to Hawaii. For the past week, she had been laying on the beaches of Maui with her boyfriend, Mike. They had arrived back home late last night. Now they were on the way to the house.

"Does she suspect anything?" she asked. I laughed.

"No clue."

"She's going to kill you."

"She'll get over it."

"Anything I need to know?"

"Just keep an eye on both of them at the same time. They're trouble magnets."

"Got it. We're about a mile away. See you soon."

"Okay, love you."

I hung up and opened the window. I rigged the suitcase up to a sheet and lowered it to the ground. Then I headed downstairs.

"I'm going to let the dogs out!" I called.

"Alright!" Liv called back. From the sound of her voice, she was in the living room.

I let the dogs out and headed out in the backyard to retrieve the suitcase. I hauled it over the fence and climbed over. I walked around the long way to my convertible and tossed the suitcase in the trunk. I wiped my hands.

Mission one was accomplished. I climbed back over the fence and walked back in. I headed into the living room. Liv was on her laptop. Brooke and Noah were in the playpen. Brooke was walking around looking like she was trying to devise an escape route.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

Liv looked up. "I'm posting a poll to the fanclub so the fans can vote on their favorite songs off the new album."

"You don't have to do that," I said.

"With Sam gone, you need someone to keep the fanclub interesting," Liv said. She smiled. "I have a little experience."

When I had called Sam to tell him about the tour delay, he had regretfully resigned. I couldn't blame him. It wasn't fair to keep him from taking any other potential jobs. It just meant we were back to square one with finding a videographer.

"You have more than a little experience," I said. I had my ear trained on the front door. I thought I heard footsteps. Sure enough, thirty seconds later the doorbell rang.

"Hunh, wonder who that could be," I said. I headed out to the front door and swung it open.

Liv's mom looked tan, relaxed, and extremely happy. She hugged me tightly. She smelled like coconuts.

"Surprise!" she called out. I heard the sound of the laptop being set on the coffee table. Liv skidded into the hall.

"Mom!"

Mike came in at a leisurely pace. We shook hands while Liv and her mom hugged.

"How was your trip?" Liv asked.

"Amazing."

They began to chatter excitedly. Mike leaned into me.

"What time does your flight leave?"

I glanced at my watch. "Two hours."

"Do you want me to shoot a blank to shut them up?"

I laughed. "Let me think about it."

We all walked into the living room. Once Liv's mom zeroed in on Brooklyn dangling halfway out of the playpen, her attention was successfully diverted.

"Alright," I said. "Mom, their bedtime is at eight. Brooke's favorite sippy cup this week is the blue one with dolphins."

Liv's head spun so fast towards me I was pretty sure it was going to do a full circle.

"What?"

"We'll be back home late tomorrow night."

"Wait...what?"

"You two have fun," Liv's mom said. "I can't believe it's been a year already."

"Wait...you knew about this?" Liv asked her mom. "What is this?"

I wrapped an arm around her.

"If you keep your mouth open so wide, bugs are going to fly in," I whispered in her ear. "Just go with it, okay?"

I walked over to the playpen and gave Brooke and Noah a kiss. Liv did the same.

"You guys be good for grandma," I said. Liv looked at me.

"Where are we going?"

I pretended I didn't hear her. Instead I started to pull her towards the door.

"Wait! Do I need clothes?"

-------------------------------------

"I don't believe it. This is what you do for our first anniversary?"

After a three hour flight, we had arrived in beautiful St. Thomas. I hailed a taxi and we slid in.

"Ritz-Carlton," I told the driver. I sat back and wrapped my arm around Liv's shoulder.

"I thought we deserved a kids-free night," I said.

"I'm not arguing, but we could have gone to St. Petersburg. We're in the Virgin Islands."

I leaned towards her; my lips brushed her neck.

"I was aiming towards romantic," I whispered. I saw Liv's tongue run over her bottom lip.

"You aimed right."

We pulled up to the Ritz-Carlton around four o'clock. I grabbed our one large suitcase and took Liv's hand.

"What did you pack?" Liv asked suspiciously.

"Just some clothes and junk," I said. I leaned against the counter.

"Reservation?" the clerk asked.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Rection," I said.

The clerk hit a couple keys on the computer and then handed me a set of keys.

"Enjoy your stay, Mr. Rection," he said.

Liv was staring at me hard. She didn't say anything until we got to the elevator.

"Hugh Rection?" she asked.

"My middle initial is G." I said.

I saw Liv's mouth move - 'Hugh G. Rection.' She groaned.

"Nick..."

I couldn't help it. I laughed.

"What?"

Liv's arms went around my waist. I was glad we were the only two people in the elevator. She looked up at me, her eyes sparkling.

"I love you."

I was prepared to be lectured on using porn star names for hotel check-ins. I preferred an 'I love you' anyday.

"I love you, too."

We ended up in a long wet liplock until the elevator doors opened. Laughing and giggling like two teens, I grabbed Liv's hand and the suitcase and we tripped our way down the hall. Liv leaned against the wall, slightly breathless as I unlocked the door. I let it swing open and then I swung her over my shoulder.

"Nick!"

I loved the sound of my name coming out of her lips. I kicked the door closed and took her into the bedroom. I flipped her backwards on the mattress. She landed with a grin. I saw her eyes flutter over to the suitcase.

"So, what did you pack?" she asked huskily. I propped the suitcase on a large chair and unzipped it. I held up a tiny scrap of lace.

"The skimpiest underwear I could find," I said. I flicked the lacy panties at her. They came to a rest on her bare leg. I held up a box. "Trojans, ribbed for your pleasure." I tossed the box at her. She fumbled, but she actually caught it. "And, last but not least, some sensual massage oil."

Liv set the box of condoms on the nightstand and grabbed the panties.

"Why don't I go slip into something more comfortable while you call room service and see if they can send up two margaritas?"

My plan was unfolding perfectly.

"Are you going to get drunk and have wild monkey sex with me?"

Liv wiggled out of her short shorts. My mouth went dry.

"Would you settle for wild giraffe sex?"

My eyes narrowed; she giggled and shut the bathroom door.

"Not funny, Liv!" I called. "Not funny!"