Kayson and I headed to Tarpon Springs by nine, and I felt like a kid.

“You’re bouncing, why so excited? It’s just a town?”

“You don’t get it. I’ve only left my home town one time in my entire life other than moving here and that was to visit the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.”

“Why the Grand Ole Opry? Weren’t there more exciting things to do?”

“Uh no, Tammy Wynette was performing and she grew up in my town, she’s sort of a legend. When I was about five, I was addicted to her song ‘Stand By Your Man.’ Don’t say a word, I know, I’m a walking contradiction. Anyway, Mama took me and out comes Tammy, when she finally gets to that song and starts singing, there was nothing my mama could do to shut me up. I sang to the crowd around me about how it was to be a woman and told them to stand by their man. Before the song ended, so many people were staring at me because some thought it was funny and some probably just wanted me to shut the hell up.”

Kayson laughed, “Well, your singing voice is something, I’ll give you that.”

“Hey! I’d been singing at the top of my five-year-old lungs. Well, next thing I knew, there was this bright light on me and someone was escorting me up on stage. I was standing next to Tammy Wynette herself. She started the song all over, and we sang it together.” Looking over at Kayson, he had the widest grin on his face. “What? Don’t look so smug.

“No, I can just imagine it. And, I’m wondering if I could find it on YouTube. Don’t they record those shows?”

“Seriously, this happened way before YouTube was even a thing.” I smacked his arm. “Besides, I have a VHS copy of it anyway, and I’m not telling you where.”

“Shit. Who has a VHS player? We’ll get it moved over to a DVD. I’m not worried, I have my ways. I’m sure that I can get it out of you.”

He squeezed my hand before grabbing the steering wheel and turning left onto Dodecanese Boulevard. “Is that the name of a Greek god?”

“No, a group of islands in the middle of the Aegean Sea. Where did you learn geography?”

I stuck out my tongue, “Sorry but they didn’t exactly teach the Greek islands in Alabama.” Kayson parked on a side street, and we got out and walked down the main thoroughfare. It was very touristy, but I loved seeing the women in dresses that were obviously Greek attire. Kayson greeted them, and their faces lit up to have someone speak with them in their native language.

“What are these?” I held up a scratchy brown porous looking thing.

“They’re sponges.”

“Like you use in the shower?”

“Yeah. You can use them in the shower. The divers find them and dry them out before selling them. They are supposed to be great for the skin.”

I picked up two and headed inside to pay, but Kayson continued speaking with the lady and before I was aware, he had paid, the thoughtful Neanderthal.

Back outside, we walked along the road, he always took the edge near the road. He held my bag in his right hand, I took a deep breath and reached out and grabbed his left. He gave me a light squeeze. Yeah, that was the right thing to do, I felt it in my heart. Damn, I forgot I had one of those.

We walked for a while, and then Kayson led me into a restaurant named Hellas.

“Kalispera,” he greeted the people as we walked in, leaning over he whispered. “Means Good day.”

We sat in a booth, and to my shock, Kayson sat on the same side as me. I read down the list of foods on the laminated menu.

“What’s good?” I flipped the menu and read the back. “I have no clue what half of these things are. What do grape leaves taste like? I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted lamb.”

“Trust me?” He raised one brow, daring me to say I didn’t.

“Fine, order for me.” I wasn’t going to answer the trust part.

When the server returned Kayson ordered, “E thelo saganaki, spaniópita kai tous kououmpiédes gia epidórpio.”

I stared at him wide eyed, my mouth gaping open, “Huh?”

“I like that look.” He smirked. “You agreed to trust me, I ordered an appetizer, entree, and dessert.”

Our server returned with water, tea, and a few minutes later, a man came out carrying a pan. He struck a match and lit what was in the pan on fire. Everyone around us shouted “opa,” then he squeezed a lemon over the top to douse the flame before setting the whole thing onto a hot pad in the middle of the table.

Kayson picked up a piece of warm pita bread from the basket they’d sat in front of us and dipped it into the gooey stuff in the sizzling pan.

“What is that?” It was creamy colored but also had the brown coloring from the fire.

“It’s melted cheese.” I gave him a questioning look. “Kasseri cheese. It’s made from sheep’s milk. Don’t give me that look. You eat tons of cattle, cow milk, cow cheese. In Greece we eat lamb and use sheep’s milk.”

I shrugged, grabbed a pita round from the basket, tore off a piece, and dipped it in the melted cheese. It was delicious! “Oh my God, I don’t care if it is chicken milk, okay, I know they don’t milk chickens, but you get my point. I don’t care what the hell it is made from; we have to get some of this cheese. Can we make this flaming stuff?”

“We’ll go by the grocer before we leave. Kayson placed his hand on mine as I reached for another piece of bread. “Great idea, this was a great idea.”

“What was a great idea?”

“Coming here, us getting away. Don’t get me wrong, I loved last night. I fucking loved last night. But I also like this.”

“Me, too.”

Changing the subject, I pointed to woman that had just stood up from a booth in front of us wearing hot pink sweat pants. “What does that mean?” I asked. “I don’t get it. Why would someone have the word ‘Swing’ printed on the seat of their pants?” Kayson and I watched as she kicked her legs, first her left, her right, she jiggled, then reached behind herself and pulled out a wedgie. I felt his hand whip across my mouth before I said anything.

“Don’t say a word. Just don’t fucking move,” he whispered.

I felt his stomach shake as he fought to hold back his own outburst. When the lady finally was out of hearing range, I threw my head on the table and hooted, “Holy fuck, I did not expect that. Who’d have thought all those letters would have been up there?” I looked over at Kayson, who was still trying to catch his breath after laughing so hard. “Sweet Thing, her pants said, ‘Sweet Thing.’”

Our server interrupted our laughter by bringing out our meals, small salads with giant olives, and potato salad in the middle, which was kind of weird.

Kayson must have noticed me examining the salad.

“It’s a Greek thing, eat it.”

And a piece of pie made of flaky phyllo dough filled with spinach and cheese. When I decided that I couldn’t eat another bite, the server brought more. Small cups of coffee and powdered sugar cookies.

“What are these?”

“Kourampiedes, powdered butter cookies.”

When our lunch was over, we continued our walk down Dodecanese Boulevard, stopping at the different shops until we made our way to the grocery store. Kayson grabbed a buggy and we piled in cheeses and spices. He picked up a jar of olives and turned to me with a quirky smile as he dropped them into the buggy.

“Olive in Orlando.”

“I know, Olive with you.”

We finished our day at National Bakery, filling boxes with baklava, those powdered butter cookies, and breads.

When we finally made our way back to his truck, it was after seven. We’d snacked through the day and didn’t stop for dinner so we decided that we’d pick something up on the way home.

“Thank you for today. I know that I don’t always show my appreciation, but I am grateful to you. I feel safe when I’m with you.” Leaning up on my tippy toes, I gave him a kiss for all the things I haven’t said.

“You are safe. I’d never let anything happen to you.

The two-hour drive back to his house seemed to go much faster.

“What time are you meeting the girls tomorrow?”

“They'll be at your house at eight. Oh shit, I didn’t even ask if that was okay. Do you mind them meeting me there? I should’ve asked first.”

“It’s fine. Make yourself at home for as long as you want.”

“By chance, you didn’t grab my leather vest when you got my bike did you? I was working on a surprise for the girls and had it in the pocket.”

“Got your vest and your helmet.” He took his eyes off the road for just a quick second to give me a wink.

Curling against him, I shut my eyes, and within seconds, I was lulled to sleep by the humming sound of his truck tires on pavement, the low beat of the radio, and Kayson’s hand lightly rubbing my arm.

I opened my eyes as Kayson laid me down on his bed. I didn’t protest when his hands worked my jeans off me.

“Raise your arms, sweet,” he whispered.

I did as he asked, and he lifted my shirt off and unclasped my bra. I would have been perfectly happy sleeping naked, but a second later, the silky feel of my nightgown kissed my skin as he slipped it over me.

“I’m so sleepy.”

“I know, sweet. Slide under the covers.”

The bed dipped, and Kayson pulled me against him, wrapping his arms securely around me.