1.12

"What are we doing here?" Kaylee asked after Ty ushered her into another store a short distance away from the mall. Crossing her arms she looked around at all the pet beds and collars. In the background she could hear growls, yips and meowing. She turned quickly to Ty to see him with a huge grin on his face. "Are we-?"
He nodded cutting her off. "I wanted to get you a puppy or a kitten so you'd have someone to come home to when I'm on the road. I don't ever want you to be lonely again Kaylee. So," he waved his hand. "Pick one."
Nibbling on her lip Kaylee looked around the store before shaking her head. "I want to adopt one from the shelter. I want to get one that no one else wanted."
Ty stared at her a moment then pulled her into his arms. "Of course. Let's go."

Getting out of the truck Kaylee tried to keep a firm hold of the puppy in her arms but he wiggled out, land on the ground with a short yip then took off across the road. Heart pounding Kaylee rushed across the street and quickly scooped him up. She frowned down into his little face. He only growled before reaching up and licking her chin. Laughing she turned to see Ty staring at them.
"What?"
He shook his head. "He's going to have you wrapped around his paws."
Kaylee shrugged. "I'm okay with that," she said over her shoulder as she started back to the house.

"Are you going to come to bed babe?" Ty asked from the bed as he heard her talking to Buster. She kept getting in and out of bed to check on the "baby". She didn't even want to get undressed in case he needed to go outside.
"I thought he might be hungry," she said.
"Trust me, that little bugger knows where his food bowl is. Let him get used to the house Kaylee. You'll have plenty of time to play with him tomorrow." He leaned up to see Buster licking her fingers and a radiant expression on her face. "Or," he said with a defeated sigh as he laid back down, "You can play with him right now."
He didn't know how much time had past but he must have dozed. He stirred when he felt the bed dip and Kaylee curl around him. He grinned when she pressed a kiss to his shoulder.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Rolling over he pushed her on to her back so he could peer at her face. The moon gave her skin an ethereal appearance. Cupping her face he rubbed his thumb back and forth over her cheek. This is what it felt like, he thought in amused amazement. This is the love that his parents shared, the love that had endured for so many years. The love that he had always wanted for himself.
"What?" she whispered reaching up to wrap her hand around his wrist.
Shaking his head he slowly leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth before shifting to the side and curling around her. "Get some sleep. Buster is probably going to wake us up early tomorrow."

"So, what do you think?"
Kaylee yawned and rubbed at her eyes before closing the book. Buster had woken up early this morning and had refused to go back to sleep. That is until they were wide awake. She absently glanced to the side before doing a double take.
Ty stood there, doing a ridiculous pose, in what had to be his new football uniform. The jersey stretched over his broad shoulders which were made even broader by the padding underneath. His pants,leggings...whatever you wanted to call them, hugged his large thighs. Kaylee swallowed dryly. Of course she had watched Ty play football in college but this...this was completely different.
"Wow," she whispered faintly then burst out laughing when he struck another silly pose. Grinning he walked over and sat down on the couch.


"Number fourteen huh?"
"Yep!"
"So, when do you leave for training?"
Ty flung his arm over the back of the couch and she could hear his fingers doing a rapid tempo through the cushions. Her heart froze in her chest for a moment and she stopped breathing.
"Ty?"
He let out a groan. "Coach called me this morning when you were out with Buster. We're leaving out tomorrow for training camp."
"What?" she wheezed out. She had thought that they'd have a few more weeks before he left. True, she started work in less than a week but they would have still had time to just enjoy being together before he starting having to travel across the country. Wondering why her fingers had went numb she looked down to see that her hands were squeezed into fists.
"Hey," Ty said as he slid off the couch and crouched at her feet. He gripped her calves. "Look at me."

Sucking in a breath, when did she suddenly become asthmatic she wondered inanely, before she forced herself to look at Ty. He was waiting patiently with a smile on his face. He gave her leg an encouraging squeeze.
"Kaylee, babe, I don't know what to tell you. It blindsided me too but...this is an opportunity that few people get. To play in the NFL. I may not want to do this for the rest of my life but at this particular point in time I can honestly say that I can't imagine doing anything else. But, I won't do it if-"
Reaching down she pressed a finger to his lips. "How can you even think of giving up your dream for me when you've given me so much?" Removing her finger from his mouth she brushed a hand over his head.
"How can you give up something that so much a part of you?" she whispered.
"Because you're a much bigger part," he said without hesitation. "And don't start crying!" he exclaimed as he watched her lower lip tremble. "If you start crying I swear Kaylee I'll leave right now."
She gave a watery laugh and blinked rapidly. Ty was so much like his father. He hated to see a woman cry. Sucking in a breath she nudged him with her foot. He stood and she followed suit. Studying him she brushed wrinkled out of his uniform.
"You look like the star quarterback of the Serenity Cove Pirates. And I couldn't be more proud."
"Yeah?"
Wrapping her arms around his waist she rested her chin on his chest as she looked up at him. "Yeah. Now get out of the uniform so we can hang out on the beach."

"Kaylee! Toss it to me! Not into the water!"
"What? I can't hear you!" she exclaimed over the roar of the waves before she lobbed the ball. She hid a grin as Ty leapt to the side to try and get it. She bit the inside of of her cheek when the ball hit the water.
Ty stood with his hands on his hips as he watched the ball sink under the waves. Spinning around he barreled toward Kaylee. Ignoring her shrieks he tossed her over his shoulder then headed back toward the water.
"Don't even think-Ahhhhhhhh!"
"Cold isn't it?" he asked before he started to roar with laughter. "Oomph!" His laughter was cut off when the football hit him square in the stomach. He looked from it to a smirking Kaylee. "Why you little sneak!"
She shrugged. "What can I say? You look like a Greek god getting out of the water."
Arching his eyebrow he studied her. She had insisted on wearing a wife beater over her bikini top but now that she was soaking wet it was see through and her nipples were saluting him. He rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand.
"And you look like a wet dream!"
"TYRESE!" She exploded out of the water to chase after a hysterically laughing Ty.

She could hear Ty muttering to herself as she dozed. Stretching she look up to see him concentrating on making the 'perfect' sandcastle. Shaking her head she stretched before getting up. "I'm thirsty. Did you want something to drink?"
He shook his head absently and with a smile she headed into the house.

Grabbing a glass of water Kaylee walked over to the window to see how Ty was progressing on his masterpiece. She was surprised to see Ty talking to a scantily clad woman. A woman who was standing entirely too close for comfort.

She trusted Ty. What she didn't trust were those women who were going to be trailing after him now that he was a superstar. And it would only get worse once the Pirates started to win. Putting down her glass she headed back outside. She knew that they couldn't hear her coming over the roar of the ocean. Her eyes narrowed as the woman reached up and laid her hand on Ty's chest.

Rejected, she thought with glee, baring her teeth at the woman when she absently glanced at her. She was happy to notice that her slow sauntered picked up into a slight jog when she caught side of Kaylee standing at the top of the stairs.
"Who was that?" she asked as she finished walking down the stairs. Ty turned and smiled at her before shrugging.
"Don't know," he said slipping an arm around her shoulder. "She said she was a fan." He bent down and ran his tongue down her neck. "Hmm...you taste salty."
"It's the ocean. What did she want?"
Ty peered down at her. "What every woman wants. A piece of my hot bod!" He waggled his eyebrows making her snort. He chuckled. "But I told her this little slice of heaven," he gestured to his body, "was already taken." He bent down once again and nibbled on her ear.
"Want me to take you to heaven again babe?"
Latching onto his wrist she responded by dragging him into the house.

Kaylee woke up before her alarm clock went off. Reaching out she shut it off before slipping out of bed. She looked down to see Buster staring up at her. Picking him up she let him outside then bringing him back in went into the kitchen. After washing her hands she went to work on making one of Ty's favorites.

She heard the shower cut off and Ty walk back into the bedroom. Blinking back tears that threatened to overflow she put the crepes on. They finished cooking just as Ty walked into the kitchen and wrapped an arm around her waist.
"Good morning," he said as he placed a kiss on her neck.
"Good morning. Sit down and eat before these things get cold."

"Coach says that we'll be down at training camp for at least a month. And since it's so far away I won't be able to come see you as often as I want to."
"I understand."
He chewed in silence for a moment before he cleared his throat. "I'll call you every day."
"Don't," she chocked out. "That will only make me miss you even more."
"I have to hear your voice Kaylee. Don't ask me not to call you."
She nodded. "Okay, but if you can't get me hear try the lab alright?"
"Okay."
They finished breakfast talking about mundane thing before Ty shoved back his seat. "I gotta go."
"I know."
They walked to the door in silence.

Kaylee stood on the porch and stared up at Ty in the pre-dawn light.
"Show me your beautiful smile," he demanded as he reached out and touched her chin.

"There it is," he whispered as she forced her trembling lips upward into a smile. "Don't lose that smile babe. I'll be back home before you know it."
She swallowed past the knot in her throat. "And I'll miss you ever second until then."
"You'd better."

They both looked down at Buster's whine. With a laugh Ty picked him up and tickled his belly. "I'll miss you too buddy. Take care of my woman will you?"
Buster barked and Ty nodded before passing him to Kaylee.
"I love you," she said before he could open his mouth.
He grinned. "I love you too babe. Now go back into the house and try to get some more rest. You look a little tired."
She shook her head. "No, I want to see you off."
He sighed. "I'll call you when I get there."



He waved at her through the windshield and then...

...he was gone.