luke didn't say a word to me the whole way back to his house. i parked his truck, and he got out and started walking to the barn.

"luke, i'll leave the keys in the truck."

he raised his hand and called out, "thanks, will. i appreciate it."

i shook my head and made my way to my truck. lex had jumped out and moved to the passenger side.

once i got in, i looked at her and sighed. "jesus, our friends are like a damn soap opera."

lex giggled and grabbed my hand. "i'm just glad libby came to her senses."

i ran my hand down my face. "god, so am i."

"so, what's this surprise?"

i put the truck in drive. i smiled at her, and then i headed toward my house.

"will, where are we going? we're not even on the road anymore!"

i laughed. i had come through our property's back gate so that my parents wouldn't know we were back. i was driving on one of the old trails that libby and i had made with our horses years ago when we would go to our secret fort. we'd spent three years building it. my father had helped us with a few of the things, but we'd mostly built it ourselves. it was our secret place that none of our friends even knew about. libby and i had camped out there so many times that my parents had ended up buying us twin beds for it. looking back now, i couldn't believe that we hadn't been afraid to stay there alone.

"just a little bit more, and then we'll be there." as i pulled up, i could see the faint outline of the building.

"what is that?" lex asked.

i put the truck in park. "hold on, babe." i jumped out and opened the back door. i grabbed the two duffel bags that i had packed earlier today and a flashlight. i walked around and opened lex's door. then, i turned on the flashlight.

we made our way up, and lex let out a gasp.

"will, is this your and lib's secret house?"

i stopped and looked at her. "what? how do you know about it? it's supposed to be a secret!" i felt betrayed by my own sister.

lex giggled. "libby accidentally let it slip about two years ago. she made grace and me swear that we would never let you know that we knew. oh my word...y'all built this, will?"

i looked back at the tiny hideaway. "yep. my dad helped put the windows and door in, and he built us a few things inside, but lib and i did most of it. we would spend hours down here, just me and her talking."

lex bit down on her lip. "i love the bond that you and libby share. it's amazing."

i nodded my head. "libby had the idea to use this place for you and me. kind of like our own little cabin in the woods." i grabbed her hand and led her up to the door. "let me just make sure no snakes or anything got in here. my dad made sure we were doing things right along the way, but ya never know."

she giggled and nodded her head. "okay."

i unlocked the door and walked in. i dropped the bags onto the small round table and started digging through one of them. i pulled out the bigger flashlight and turned it on.

"oh, damn, lib. i freaking owe you big time," i said to myself.

the room was filled with unlit candles. a bouquet of flowers was sitting on the little table that separated the two twin beds. i shined the light over and saw the two beanbag chairs. an image of lex on top of me in one of those chairs filled my mind, and i had to adjust my growing dick.

i quickly reached in a bag for the lighter and began lighting a candle. "hold on, lex!" i shouted.

she laughed. "you either found a snake, or you're up to something! is that light i'm seeing?"

"patience, baby. i promise, it will be worth it."

"you do know you left me outside...in the dark...with no flashlight."

i closed my eyes and silently cussed as i ran back over to the second bag and unzipped it. i pulled out a gift box and set it down on my bed. i swallowed hard, thinking about the gift i had bought for lex when luke, grace, and i went into austin last week. grace had helped me pick it out.

i walked over and lit the candle by the beanbags. then, i put the lighter and big flashlight back into one duffel bag and threw it down on the floor. next, i pulled out a box of chocolates and a few bottles of water from the other bag. i set them on the small table before putting that bag on top of the other. i walked over to the door and slowly opened it, but lex was gone.

"lex? baby, where are you?"

the light in my truck came on as lex opened the passenger door. "i kind of got spooked, so i ran back to the truck."