Page 71 of Tension

“I know you're right. I have been running nonstop for the past few weeks,” he told me, wrapping his arms around me.

“Do you know how long it’s been since we had sex?”

He lifted his head. “How long?”

“A week!” I told him with a sad face.

“You lying?!” He was truly shocked as he thought back.

“Nope. I thought you were cheating on me, but you know better. If we ever end this relationship, that dick is coming with me.” I made cutting motions with my fingers.

He started laughing.

“Come on.” He picked me up, tossing me over his shoulder.

“I need to taste my Honeydew before we go.”

When we arrived at the treehouse, it was even more beautiful than I expected.

“I was getting a little scared going through the woods, but this is beautiful, Honey.”

“Right!”

The treehouse sat high in the branches of an enormous oak. The structure wasn’t built around the tree so much as it seemed to have grown with it.

A spiraling staircase wrapped around the tree. Each section curved with the trunk as we climbed. Small lanterns were tucked along the railing, casting a soft golden glow.

By the time we reached the top, we were high enough that the surrounding trees looked like a sea of green.

The bedroom was one giant room with enormous screened windows that could be opened. Floor-to-ceiling curtains hung against the walls.

In the center sat a massive four-poster bed, ridiculously big, covered in soft white linens and layers of cream-colored blankets and pillows.

The private bathroom tucked behind a solid section of the treehouse was surprisingly luxurious. A huge rainfall shower with stone flooring. A deep soaking tub was positioned beneath a skylight.

Outside, the treehouse had a large wraparound balcony, almost like another room without a roof. There was a small outdoor dining table, two lounge chairs, and strings of tiny warm lights hanging between the branches.

In one corner sat a sunken hot tub, built directly into the wooden deck.

And then there was the hammock suspended between two enormous branches, with enough room for two people to lie side by side.

No neighboring treehouses in sight.

No cars.

No televisions.

No city noise.

Just a place for us to take a moment.

Vel put our bags down, then grabbed my hand and led me outside to the hammock.

He layed down and pulled me down to settle between his legs. We swung from side to side, letting the sounds of nature soothe us.

“I’m sorry I've been neglecting you.”

“You haven’t been neglecting me, baby; honestly, you've been very protective and made me feel secure constantly with everything going on. You're neglecting yourself. That’s the problem.”