The next morning, Melina woke up to the soft sound of Tucker shuffling around the kitchen, the smell of coffee drifting through the cabin. Sunlight streamed through the curtains, casting everything in a warm golden glow. The cabin, cozy and familiar, felt like an entirely different world when it was just the two of them in moments like this.

For a moment, she just lay there, watching him from where she was curled up on the couch. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of sweatpants, his back muscles flexing slightly as he reached for a mug. The tattoos on his arms and torso caught the morning light, and Melina let her eyes linger, tracing each one with her gaze like she had memorized them a thousand times.

She smiled to herself. Even now, after all this time, he still made her heart race.

Her heart squeezed. He was so effortlessly him. And in two days, he was going to ask her to marry him.

She knew it. She felt it.

She stretched her arms above her head, letting out a content sigh. "Morning."

Tucker turned, mug in hand, grinning when he saw her. "Hey, sleepyhead."

She sat up, rubbing at her eyes. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep," he admitted, crossing the room to sit beside her. "Figured I'd make you coffee." He handed her the mug, still warm, steam curling up into the air.

She took a sip and hummed. "You spoil me."

Tucker smirked. "I like keeping you happy."

Melina tilted her head, studying him. His knee was bouncing slightly, fingers fidgeting against his thigh. Suspicious. He was nervous about something.

She leaned into his side, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "You okay?"

He let out a breath, then nodded quickly. "Yeah. Just... thinking about stuff."

Melina hid a smile against his skin. Sure, babe.

They spent the morning lounging around, soaking in the quiet. Tucker kept checking his phone, which only confirmed what Melina already knew—he was talking to someone about something important. Probably his mom. Or maybe Liv.

At one point, she caught a glimpse of his phone screen when he turned slightly. A text from his mom:

"You should do it on your birthday. Make it special."

Melina quickly looked away before he could notice her staring, her heart skipping a beat. Oh, Tuck...

By the time noon rolled around, the heat outside had settled into something almost unbearable, and Tucker was still acting weird. He kept looking at her like he had something to say, then shaking his head like he was psyching himself out.

Melina decided to be patient. Let him stew in it.

Instead, she stood up, stretching with a little too much dramatics. "It's too hot in here."

Tucker raised an eyebrow. "What do you suggest?"

A slow smirk spread across her face. "Sprinklers."

Five minutes later, they were outside in their swimsuits, running through the backyard as cold water from the sprinklers sprayed over them. Melina let out a shriek when Tucker grabbed her waist, spinning her around before dropping them both into the damp grass.

He landed beside her, breathless and grinning. "That was a trap."

She rolled onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow. "You should've seen it coming."

His eyes flickered over her face, then lower, taking her in. Her bikini was damp, clinging to her skin, and droplets of water slid down her collarbone. He swallowed, a little too obviously.

Melina smirked. "You okay there, Pillsbury?"

Tucker cleared his throat. "Yeah. Yeah, totally fine."

She laughed, reaching out to push his wet hair back from his forehead. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

For a second, he just looked at her.

Then, he exhaled and forced a grin. "I know."

Liar.

She decided to let it go. For now.

Instead, she leaned in, kissing him—slow and deliberate, her hands settling on his warm skin, fingers tracing the ridges of his muscles. He responded instantly, pulling her against him, his lips moving with an urgency she could feel.

Melina smirked against his mouth. "Distracting yourself?"

Tucker huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "You are the distraction."

She let him pull her closer, let herself get lost in him for a while. But in the back of her mind, she knew—whatever he was holding onto, he wouldn't be able to keep it in much longer.

Two more days.