"Happy birthday, baby." Daniella whispers into Morgan's ear the following week. She's dressed in some soft blue lingerie, her lips against his neck. "Wake up." He groans in response. "Don't you want to open your present?" He rolls onto his back slowly as he makes eye contact before he rakes his eyes over her long tan legs and fucking perfect figure in the set she's wearing, smirking at the sight.

"Holy..." he goes to sit up but she's quick to stop him, straddling his lap with hands on his bare chest, her finger tracing his necklace chain. She usually doesn't dress up like this but it's a special occasion; it's his birthday. "You look-" she puts her finger to his lips, leaning close to place soft kisses across his heaving chest. "C'mon now, baby..." He whines, his toes curling as he's still half asleep. She bites his ear gently, his eyes shut as he moans quietly. "Daniella..." She smirks against his hot skin,

He suddenly grabs her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pins her down on her back making her gasp. "'Bout time." She licks her lips as his hand slides to her throat, not squeezing it hard. She's about to get fucking pounded if she doesn't straighten up. Morgan starts kissing her neck down to her chest, his hand sliding down her side with the other still around her throat, the straps of her set falling off shoulders.

Morgan can't handle it anymore. He yanks the blue lingerie off her body, actually ripping the fabric in some places and throws it onto the floor, his boxers following. "You're lucky I'm feelin' pretty generous today."

+++

The couple lay together on the bed, their skin sweaty and flushed, laughing quietly. "You sure know how to get me worked up, darlin'." He smiles, reaching down to smack her ass. She giggles, looking over at her fiancé, his hair is wavy and sticking to his skin as his chest is shiny and his necklace is hanging over his side. She reaches over and fixes it for him, her hand lingering as she slides it down his abdomen. He makes a sound and looks at her.

"What?" She giggles when she pulls away. He leans over and starts kissing her neck again then moves down her chest to her belly. She runs a hand through his sweaty mess of a hair in anticipation as he goes further down to her thighs, nipping and sucking marks on her skin. He gets closer to where she wants him to be but he pulls away and lays back making her roll her eyes. "That's mean."

"It's payback, darlin'." He smiles, sitting up to lean against the headboard. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, baby. Happy Birthday." She sits against him, her head getting comfortable on his sticky chest. They drift back to sleep together quickly.

+++

"Look nice, Morgan!" Dani shouts to him from the kitchen as she gathers some things for his party. She can practically hear the eye roll as she sets her gift by the door, picking up homemade mac and cheese. "Hurry up, c'mon now!"

He comes down the stairs in a plain burgundy t-shirt, a gray and black flannel jacket, gray jeans and black boots. "Nice enough?" She bites her lip as she checks him out. "Don't gimme that look, baby." He can't help but smile. "We're gonna be late." She sets the glass dish down on the counter, making her way to him, running her hands over his chest.

"You look good." She mumbles, he chuckles leaning down to give her a loving kiss that quickly turns deep when she holds the sides of his head, pulling him down to her height. He tries to pull away but she grabs his hand and pulls him back up to their bedroom, the two stripping themselves as they go up the stairs.

+++

"There y'all are!" Morgan's mother shouts. "Y'all are late!" The two blush, Dani looks down at her sneakers. "C'mon now!" She pushes them into the kitchen, taking the dish from Morgan while Dani sets his gift on the table. "Everyone is in the den."

Morgan takes Dani's hand and leads her through the house, grinning when he sees everyone smiling back at them. Hardy is the first to greet him. "Happy birthday man!" He gives him a bro hug and Dani a kiss on the cheek. "Y'all are late. Lesli was losin' her mind over it."

"Somethin' came up." He responds before greeting old friends and family.

Dani stands off to the side with Hardy. "How're you doin', Miss. Dani?"

"I'm doin' alright. How's Knoxville?"

"Not the same without you." He chuckles, putting a hand on her back.

"I'm gonna see if Lesli needs help in the, uh, in the kitchen." She says, turning to leave the room. Hardy follows behind her, pushing her into a small bathroom. "What the hell?"

"I miss you."

She rolls her eyes. "I'm with Morgan. I'm gonna stay with Morgan. I'm gonna marry Morgan." She says, poking him in the chest with each word. He smacks her hand away before grabbing her jaw to kiss her. "Stop!" She shouts, pushing him back. "Not here, not now." Hardy huffs, crossing his arms. "We can talk about later." She shuffles her way to the door so she can join Lesli in the kitchen.

"Hey Daniella." She says from the stove.

"Do you need any help, ma'am?" She asks.

"Sure." She smiles. "Do you want to slice up some green tomatoes? I gotta get the catfish outta the oven." Dani washes her hands before slicing up the tomatoes then tosses them in the hot oil for a couple minutes, putting the fried slices on a plate. Lesli grunts as she picks up the sheet tray from the oven and sets it down on a couple of trivets on the island of the kitchen. "I got cornbread bakin' and slaw in the fridge..." she wipes her hands off on her apron. "Sounds like the guys are havin' fun in there, huh?"

"Until the Volunteers lose." She chuckles. "Morgan kept sayin' they're gonna win because it's his birthday, it would be the best gift ever if they won." There's loud cheering coming from the den. "Boys will be boys." She sighs as she heads to that room. "Anyone wanna beer?" Morgan and Hardy are the only ones without one, they nod at her. "Alrighty." She grabs two Bud Lights and hands them to em.

"Thanks darlin'." Morgan smiles as he twists the top off and hands it to her.

She sighs as she tucks the cap in her front jeans pocket, returning to the kitchen to help Lesli get dishes and utensils out. "Lunch is ready!" She calls her voice echoing off the tall ceilings. Soon the kitchen is filled with everyone, Lesli and Dani at the back of the line with Morgan in the front.

Everyone is sitting at the long dining room table, talking and laughing together. Dani can see the love in Lesli's eyes as she sits quietly next to her. She reaches over and gives her hand a squeeze, she pats it in return. "I'm so glad you're gonna marry my son. I always liked you."

"Thank you." She zones out, looking at the table in front of her. Were there other girls he brought home? Of course there were other girls, they were broken up for three years. Morgan glances at Dani, she looks like she's having an existential crisis. She sits in silence as everyone else chatters around her, messing with her necklace.

She doesn't realize the table is void of people until she feels hands suddenly grab her shoulders. She whips around before she realizes it's Morgan. "Sorry, you scared me." She says with a hand on her chest.

"You okay?" He asks as he sits next to her.

"Yeah." This whole experience is kind of bumming her out. "I am."

"I can tell when you're lyin' baby. What's wrong?"

"Guess bein' 'round your big lovin' family is just gettin' to me." She exhales. "It was always my dad and me, now it's just me."

Morgan puts his hand on her knee. "Now it's us and them." He smiles. "They love you, darlin'. This is your family too, well not officially until you take my name."

She nods. "I need to get some air." She whispers to him, grabbing her purse for a cigarette. She's been trying to quit since her dad passed but things just keep getting more and more stressful.

Dani sits herself on the porch swing with a smoke in one hand and a lighter in the other. She lights it and relaxes against the back of the swing. Hardy comes out and sits in a chair next to her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." She says back, smoke rolling out of her mouth and nose. "Just feelin' alone, I guess." He nods and gives her lighter holding hand a squeeze. "So, what do you think 'bout his family?"

"I love em." He smiles. "They're givin' me shit for bein' from Mississippi. Turns out one of Morgan's sisters has a friend from Ole Miss that she'd be willin' to set me up with."

"That'd be good for you." She taps the ash off the end of her cigarette. "Bein' with someone who isn't engaged." She says quietly.

"For sure." He chuckles.

She stubs her cigarette out, holding onto the filter as she stands. "I'm goin' back inside, you comin'?"

"For you? Always baby." He says as he checks her asks out in her tight pair of jeans. "Oh yeah, I'm comin'." He clicks his tongue as he winks.

"You're gross." She says, opening the door, Hardy following behind her.

"There they are!" Lesli shouts. "Morgan's 'bout to open gifts." Dani can see the uncomfortableness on his face as he forces a smile at his friends and family. She has to bite her lip to keep from laughing, actually laughing out loud when he gives her a look.

He starts with his parents' gift, then sisters, then Hardy's followed by buddies from high school, cousins, and aunts and uncles, leaving Dani's for last, mostly because it's at the opposite end of the table. He opens it, his face going red when he sees the deep cherry red guitar. "Holy sh- moly." He runs his fingers over the yellow signature and strings. "Where- how did- wow." He stands and plays a few chords. "Thank you, baby." He says kind of choked up as he gives her a hug. "Wow."

"You're welcome." She smiles.

There's a sharp gasps from his dad. "How in the hell did you get a signed Joe Walsh guitar?"

"Hey!" Lesli scolds from the kitchen.

"Sorry, darlin'." He turns back to Dani. "Seriously!"

"Luck I guess." She laughs nervously. His dad gives her a hug before joining his wife in the other room. "Well, plug it on it and play somethin."

"Already on it, baby." Hardy says as he sets the amp from the den on the floor of the dining room, handing him a cable and a pick.

Morgan almost squeals as he plugs it in and plays a few chords of a song that sounds familiar but she can't place. "Wow." He laughs incredulously, looking down at the guitar. "Wow." He sets it back in the case, giving his fiancé another hug, kissing her gently. "Wow." He giggles, his hand on the case.

"Is that all you can say, Wallen?" Hardy says from the opposite end of the table.

"Hey, thanks for the t-shirt, Michael." He teases, laughing loudly as he gets flipped off. "C'mon now, y'know I'm just kiddin'." Morgan turns back to Daniella. "I can't thank you enough."

This makes up for cheating on Morgan, right?

Now she stop worrying about it because it definitely makes up for it.

"I love you."

"I love you too, darlin'."