Disclaimer: This fic is rated 'M' language and sexual content. I do not own any of the characters of The Hunger Games (although I wish I did).

Peeta tapped the horn twice before reaching over to the glove box in search of relief from the afternoon sun that beamed in through the spotless windshield. The rays caught the crystal teardrop that hung from the rearview mirror just right, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the dash. It was a gift from Katniss, inspiration she'd called it, for when he painted, producing every color imaginable, depending on how the light refracted through the prism. He'd mentioned to her once before how he hadn't quite mastered a rainbow yet, since they appeared so quickly and left so soon. But with the crystal, he always had a reference—and a reminder of the love of his life.

A bead of sweat trickled down the side of his neck, evidence that summer was just around the corner. It was days like these that made him wish he owned a convertible; when there was no hope in hell of the scorching heat to dissipate as the hours passed but rather hung around like an invisible cloak well into the night. He eyed Katniss's Jeep on the other side of the driveway, the lack of doors and a roof a tempting alternative to the growing stuffy confines of his own vehicle.

No, not today. With a shake of his head, the thought was banished from his mind and he inhaled a deep and steady breath.

Thirteen months, twelve days, and two hours (not that he was counting).

That's how long it'd been since Katniss had asked him to take a leap of faith and seek out what possibilities lay between them. To leave behind his life in the city and start over again back at home, where she assured him he belonged. To reopen his father's bakery and breathe life back into the storefront that lay dormant for far too long.

It wasn't more than a few months after that life-altering night in the back of Haymitch's auto shop that he'd officially asked Katniss to move in with him. Things had started innocently several weeks before when he'd noticed an increasing number of her possessions slowly appearing throughout his house. An extra toothbrush on the bathroom counter. Her hairbrush on the nightstand. A box of her favorite cereal in the pantry. Before long, she'd taken over the top drawer of his dresser. Not that he minded.

It didn't take long for them to fall into an easy routine either. During the week, Peeta spent the majority of his days at the bakery, up to his elbows in dough and with flour streaked across his brow. Weather permitting, Katniss spent the better part of her work days out in the woods, maintaining hiking trails or tracking and tagging wildlife.

The two were equally dedicated and passionate about their day jobs, but thanks to baker's hours and the longer days of summer, it usually wasn't until the evening when they were finally able to catch up with each other.

Katniss still volunteered a few hours at the auto shop on Saturdays, graciously helping out Haymitch, even though he swore he didn't need her (which they both knew was far from the truth). During that time, Peeta would take to the spare-bedroom-turned-makeshift-art-studio, where he continued to work on commissioned pieces from clients he'd kept in touch with. It was a pleasant surprise how his departure from the city actually worked in his favor, as demands for his pieces from the bigger name galleries began to roll in.

Sundays, however, were by far his favorite. It was the one day a week they were guaranteed to spend solely in each other's company. Regardless of how they'd spend their morning, whether it be lazing about in bed or catching up on chores about the house, every afternoon they went for a Sunday drive.

In that regard, today was no exception.

As he continued to wait, his hand settled behind the passenger-side headrest, where he proceeded to idly drum his fingers against the leather. The haphazard trail of a lone water droplet caught his eye as he stared out the window, forging a path down the glass and stirring up an image from earlier in the afternoon. It caused him to shift uncomfortably in his seat.

After lunch, Katniss had decided their vehicles were in desperate need of a wash. As expected, his offer to help was dismissed with a flick of her wrist, so instead he'd spent the entire time watching her from the kitchen as he made a lame attempt at tackling the pile of dishes in the sink. Despite the icy blast from the air conditioner, it was no match for the view outside the window. Just the sight of Katniss's ass and toned thighs as she had danced about, barefoot in her cut off jeans, swinging her hips and head to the rhythm of whatever song was playing on her iPod as she lathered down the hood of his car…fuck. It had been…distracting. Enough so that a half hour later, he was in a complete daze, still toweling off the same plate he'd started with.

There was no stopping the lewd thoughts that had spun around inside his head as he'd continued to gawk at her. He couldn't help it, the evidence of the inner workings of his mind was beyond obvious from the tent that had formed in his pants. His shameless state was all thanks him picturing Katniss, bent over the hood of his car and dripping wet with soapy water as he took her from behind. It was the slam of the front door that had eventually startled him from his daydream, blissfully unaware that she'd already finished washing both vehicles.

It was the slam of the front door yet again that caught his attention, and he swung his head towards the sound. He couldn't contain the grin just from the sight of her. Katniss was effortlessly beautiful. Even in cut-off jeans and an old high school wrestling t-shirt of his that she'd found in the back of his drawer and claimed as her own, she managed to take his breath away. He loved it when she wore her hair down, and the way it was pulled back away from her face with a blue bandana allowed him to further appreciate her natural beauty. And then there were her cowboy boots. Damn it. It was ridiculous how incredible she looked in them.

As she sauntered up to the front of the car, she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a pair of aviators, slipping them on as she ran a finger up the length of the hood of the car. She leaned over and peered into the open passenger-side window, sliding the sunglasses down the bridge of her nose until he could just make out the quicksilver hue of her eyes. The smell of wintergreen wafted into the space between them as she opened her mouth to speak.

"Nice wheels, you headin' my way?" she asked before popping her gum.

Peeta grinned. "I just might be, why? You lookin' for a ride?"

"Well, I don't normally accept rides from strangers, but in your case…" she paused as her eyes roamed down his body, blatantly lingering on his crotch. "I think I can make an exception."

With a playful smile that showed off the brilliant white of her teeth, she burst out laughing. He couldn't get enough of the lighthearted and laid-back side of her, and the fact that he was the only one she allowed to see it made him love her even more. There was no doubting it. He was head over heels in love.

Not wanting to delay any further, he started the engine and patted the empty seat. "So, where to today?" she asked as she slid into the spot next to him.

"You up for an adventure?"

"With you? Always." She reached over and grabbed a quarter from the pile of coins they kept stashed in one of the cup holders. "So, destination or direction?"

"Destination."

She rubbed the polished surface of the coin between her fingers and raised a curious eyebrow in his direction. "Alright then, heads is what?"

"That's a secret."

"Oh-kay," she said, dragging out her response, her tone laced with a hint of suspicion. "Then tails is what?"

"That's a secret too."

He spied the not so discreet roll of her eyes as he checked the rearview mirror and backed out of the driveway.

Katniss hated surprises. And Peeta sucked at executing them. She knew all too well how to coax anything out of him, so he was thankful when she didn't pry any further.

The destinations of their Sunday afternoon drives always varied. Some days they visited their favorite spots such as the meadow or the lake, a special spot of hers that she'd showed him not long after they started dating. Other times they were more daring, letting luck dictate what direction they took with a flip of a coin whenever they reached an intersection or a junction. But today Peeta had a set goal in mind, regardless of where the quarter told them to go.

Once at the end of the driveway, he stopped and raised his eyes expectantly for her to toss the coin. With a heavy sigh, she flipped the quarter into the air and with her cat-like reflexes, she reached out and grabbed it midair before gravity had a chance to intervene. She slapped it onto the back of her other hand, revealing the profile of George Washington as she lifted her hand.

Peeta grinned. "Heads it is."

He steered the car towards the outskirts of town, and after a few familiar turns, he knew it wouldn't be long before she caught on to where they were headed, whether she believed it was the fate of the coin flip or not. She knew every road in the district, regardless if it was marked on a map or not, and so it was no surprise twenty minutes later, when he glanced over and caught a trace of a smile as he turned down the familiar dirt road that lead to their "spot."

"Good choice," she said as she stuck her hand out the window, moving her fingers sinuously up and down as if riding an invisible wave of air.

"No clue what you're talking about." Despite his straight face, she chuckled and reached over to squeeze his hand.

They rode in a comfortable silence, until the dirt road came to an end at a somewhat secluded grassy area with a rock face overlooking the shimmering surface of the lake. The sun was at least a foot above the horizon, so he still had time. Sunsets here were like none other in the district, a well-kept secret Katniss said only her father knew about.

With a deep inhale, he killed the engine and squeezed his keys against his palm. Well, now was as good a time as any.

"Katniss?"

"Mmmhmm?"

Peeta turned to face her, but her attention was otherwise occupied as she stared out the window at the view. He ran a shaky hand through his locks that were already starting to dampen from the sweat collecting on his brow. He'd planned this day for months and now that it was finally here and the pressure was on, he felt like a fish out of water. Deep breaths. He swallowed thickly. Fuck, when did it get so hot in here?! The sudden need for relief from the stifling heat was maddening, now that the AC was off.

"Let's go sit outside," he blurted out, grabbing his keys from the ignition and shoving them into his pocket. Any excuse to get some fresh air in his lungs.

She followed him to the front of the car, where he perched himself on the hood, offering a hand and pulling her to stand between his legs. He attempted to turn her body away from his so they could watch the sunset together, but Katniss planted her feet firmly, and with a wry grin, reached up on tiptoes to steal a kiss. Which was followed by another. And another. And another. Before he knew it, the innocent touch of her lips grew more demanding and her arms had snaked around his waist, clutching his shirt between her fists.

As much as it pained him to do so, he pulled back to rest his forehead against hers. "Katniss, I need to ask you something—"

"Later," she said with a grunt, before leaning in to grab hold of his bottom lip between her teeth.

Well shit. Things weren't going quite as he'd expected. It was obvious she had plans of her own, and they sure as hell didn't involve talking or sunsets. Leave it to Katniss to throw a monkey wrench into his well thought-out plans.

She released him, and with a slight push off his thighs, was already backing away from his grasp as the corner of her mouth slowly lifted.

"Hey, get back here!" He reached out, but his fingers just barely grazed her arm as she twisted away.

Peeta's eyes narrowed as she took another step back, toeing off one boot, then the other before rounding the hood of the car. As much as he loved her playful side, he was on a mission, and she wasn't making things any easier on him. He craned his head over his shoulder when the flutter of something white passed through his peripheral vision, causing his mouth to fall open when realization hit that it was her shirt. The backdoor opened with a slight creak and the way she'd bent down and positioned herself behind it, he could only make out her head and bare shoulders as her body wiggled back and forth, obviously shedding what was left of her clothes.

With a curl of her finger in a come-hither motion, he slid of the car and rounded the hood just in time to catch a glimpse of her tanned backside as she crawled into the backseat.

Damn his plans, he had time for a detour.

His shirt had barely hit the ground before he'd followed her into the car, slamming the door behind him as he crouched awkwardly half on the backseat and half on the floor. Sweet Jesus, he swore under his breath when he caught sight of her, positioned with one leg propped up on the seat and the other on the floorboard, her legs spread open as two fingers leisurely stroked up and down through her slick folds. Even with the windows open, the scent of her arousal mixed with the humid air flooded his senses, and he fumbled at the button and zipper of his shorts, pulling them down awkwardly with one hand. He still had enough presence of mind to place them, along with his already damp boxers, carefully onto the floor at her foot.

There wasn't much room in the backseat with the doors closed, but it'd never stopped them before. After the fourth time they'd fooled around in the confined space, they'd eventually figured out the best position that didn't leave their muscles cramped and sore. And it just so happened to be his favorite.

With their bodies moving on their own accord, Katniss retracted her propped-up leg as Peeta slid over to the center of the seat. With only the speed and agility that he'd seen when she meant business, she straddled his waist in a heartbeat. The heat from where her knees touched the sides of his hips burned into his skin and he swallowed thickly as his erection twitched upwards in anticipation, eager to be wrapped in her wetness.

But she didn't move. She just hovered there, eventually placing her hands on either side of his head as she studied his face. Blood was pounding in his ears and he followed her gaze as it roamed across his face. Her eyes settled on his mouth for what seemed like hours before flitting back up to look him in the eyes.

"Fuck, you're gorgeous," she whispered. "How are you even real?"

A heated flush bloomed across his chest and up his neck as he struggled not to shrug off her compliment. He wasn't used to flattery and no matter how many times he heard it from her lips, it was still a surprise.

"If anyone's lucky in this arrangement, it's definitely me."

She cocked an eyebrow and pursed her lips. "How about we agree to disagree on this one." He glanced down and responded with an indifferent lift of his shoulders. Her unimpressed huff in response made him to look up, causing his eyes to go wide and almost cross-eyed as her face raced towards his.

Whoa, he thought as her lips crashed into his with a force that sent his head reeling back against the headrest. There was no doubt in who was calling the shots this time, and his fingers dug into her hips as her tongue swept across the seam of his lips. He had no qualms with her using him for her own pleasure. In fact, he welcomed it. He lived to hear the strangled gasps and tiny moans that escaped her when she fucked him, too far gone in her own pleasure to care or think twice about how she sounded.

Their lips broke apart when she tugged at his shoulders, pulling him into her as her eyes closed and head dropped backwards. His hands drifted up her back to hold her in place as he lowered his mouth to the column of her neck, kissing and nipping a path down her sensitive flesh until her body was squirming. With a swipe of his tongue, he circled a nipple before taking it into the confines of his mouth. The taste of her skin was sweet as sin and he couldn't help himself from greedily sucking on the taut peak and grazing it gently between his teeth.

"Oh god," she mumbled, fisting his hair between her fingers as the tip of his cock grazed her inner thigh. Lifting up onto her knees, he released his hold on her nipple and glanced up at her flushed face. "Now," she demanded, her want dripping not only from her voice but from between her legs. Settling his hands on her hips, he shifted slightly, lining himself up at her entrance. He sucked in a deep breath before pulling her down onto him, eliciting a guttural moan from the both of them as she immediately set into a punishing pace of her own. This time it was all about her, but who was he kidding? It would always be about her and he wouldn't want it any other way.

His fingers dug into the soft flesh of her thighs as he desperately held her in place. Based on the rapid pants and hushed obscenities tumbling from her lips, he know she was almost there. The slight quiver of her bottom lip and the succession of three quick breaths as he thrust up into her sent his head spinning. He just needed to hold on a little longer. Almost. Almost there.

"Yes," he struggled under his breath as the first fluttering of her walls constricted around his cock. He pried his eyes open to watch as she shattered above him, mouth open and head tilted slightly back as she ground her hips into his, demanding more friction as she rode out her orgasm. Desperate to join her blissful, boneless state, he tightened his hold on her as he jerked his hips, pushing up into her to the hilt. She was so tight and wet and when she moaned, "I love you," under her breath, his head fell back and his eyes shut. With teeth gritted in eager anticipation, he let pure lust take over his conscience. Thrusting up into her as fast as his now aching muscles would allow, it didn't take long before her mouth was on his, swallowing his grunts and moans as he spilled into her. She squeezed her walls around him, purposefully draining him of every last drop.

Satiated and still struggling for breath, Katniss rested her forehead against his. The scent of their lovemaking hung in the air, and despite her heated breath against his face and the stickiness between their sweaty bodies, he couldn't bring himself to move.

When their breathing had finally evened out, she pulled away and turned in his arms to settle back against his chest. She brought his arms around her as her head found a spot on his shoulder, and sighed as she walked two fingers up and down his thigh. The rise and fall of her breasts caused the corner of Peeta's lips to twitch and the way the curves of her body fit seamlessly against his, it was as if they were one. If there was ever a more perfect moment, this was it.

"Um, Katniss?"

Her head shifted lazily. "Mmmhmm?"

"I, uh, have something for you."

A moment passed before Katniss turned to peer at him over her shoulder. He held her in place with one arm and leaned down with his free hand to rummage through the pile of clothes on the floor boards. He finally located the back pocket of his shorts; as his fingers closed around the bundle of metal, a nervous smile overtook his face and his heart rate picked up. As he eased himself back into place, Katniss leaned back onto his chest and continued to stroke the fine hairs of his upper thigh.

With a quick inhale, he brought his hand forward and swung the set of keys enticingly in front of her face. "Here, this is for you." Katniss tilted her head just enough for him to catch the purse of her lips as she rolled her eyes and snatched them from his grasp. He held his breath as she tugged it closer to inspect, the metal jingling loudly as she turned the keychain in her hand. "Hey now, careful!" he gasped. "That's the key to my heart!"

"It's the key to your car," she replied matter-of-factly, but smiling just the same. "So does this mean I can take it for a spin whenever I want?"

Peeta shrugged. "Yeah, I guess it does."

"Bout time you trusted me with your—" Katniss stopped midsentence as something else on the keychain caught her eye. She sat up abruptly and stared into the palm of her hand.

Peeta was frozen in place as he watched her in silence, the words he so desperately wanted to speak lodged in his throat. She was quiet. Too quiet, and it set him on edge before he tentatively leaned forward to try and gauge her reaction.

"Yes," she whispered, almost to herself before turning to him, a beautiful smile threatening to overtake her face. "Yes."

"But I didn't ask you anything yet," he said, finally finding his voice as a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Lifting a leg up onto the seat, she readjusted herself to face him head on, holding out the ring in front of her that she'd managed to slip off the keychain. Despite her state of undress, he couldn't focus on anything but the look of complete happiness in her eyes as he took the ring in one hand and her left hand in the other.

"You don't have to say anything," she said, shifting her attention down to where their hands were joined. "Whatever you have to say isn't going to change my decision, but by all means, proceed." She cocked an eyebrow, obviously holding back a smirk as she wiggled her ring finger.

"Well, I've been planning this for days you know," he said, holding the ring just in front of her finger as he leaned in and placed a kiss to her temple. "Weeks." Another kiss to her cheek. "Months actually." The final kiss landed just on the corner of her mouth. "You'd think I'd have had a whole speech memorized."

"You don't?" She looked up at him, the delicate features of her face etched in surprise.

"Ah, no," he answered with a chuckle. "I tried, but I couldn't find the right words. Besides, I didn't want it to be too contrived, if you know what I mean. So, I thought it was better to just say what came to me in the moment."

Katniss sucked in the corner of her bottom lip, a little habit of hers that he found incredibly sexy. "And?" she asked.

"And, well…" Peeta paused, dropping his gaze to the ring and her awaiting bare finger.

Now that the moment was upon him, he didn't know where to start. He loved her, plain and simple. After so many years of never really feeling like he belonged anywhere, there wasn't a doubt in his mind where he was meant to end up. Next to her. For the rest of his life.

"I love you, Katniss Everdeen, and I can't imagine my life without you. And I never want to. I'd do anything for you, give up anything for you, and no matter where that takes us, I can't stand the thought of going through life with anyone else but you by my side. The way I see it, we're in this..." he paused for a moment and smiled as he finally slipped the ring onto her finger before bringing her hand up to his lips, "together."

"Together," she whispered, holding her hand up just right so that a beam of the setting sun hit the diamond just right, producing a hundred tiny rainbows. "I like the sound of that."

Author's Note: Well, that's all she wrote for this one, it was a blast to write and hope you all enjoyed the ride (sorry, couldn't resist the pun) :) I forgot to mention earlier but inspiration for this fic stemmed from a country music video by Toby Keith called "Whiskey Girl", I love that song and I'd suggest watching it for some Everlark visuals (the dude is Peeta-ish and at least the girl's a brunette :P). Thanks again to Court81981 for all her beta help and to Streetlightlove1 for hosting S2SL, the reason why this fic even exists. Looking forward to the second S2SL next month, be sure to donate and you won't be disappointed! Thanks for reading and feedback is always appreciated!

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