Now she grinned. "Just a little something I picked up along the way. I can actually whistle a lot louder than that, when I'm not out of breath, freezing, and quivering with terror."

"I love you."

"I'll demonstrate sometime when...What?"

"I never thought to say those words to any woman I wasn't related to. I was just never going to go there."

If she'd been given a hard, direct jolt of electricity to her heart, it couldn't have leaped any higher. "Would you mind saying them again, while I'm paying better attention?"

"I love you."

There it went again, she thought. Leaps and bounds. "Because I can whistle with my fingers?"

"That might've been the money shot."

"God." She shut her eyes. "I want you to love me, and I really like to get what I want. But." She took a breath. "Cal, if this is because of last night, because I helped get Lump, then-"

"This is because you think if you eat half my slice of pizza it doesn't count."

"Well, it doesn't, technically."

"Because you always know where your keys are, and you can think about ten things at the same time. Because you don't back down, and your hair's like sunlight. Because you tell the truth and you know how to be a friend. And for dozens of reasons I haven't figured out yet. Dozens more I may never figure out. But I know I can say to you what I never thought to say to anyone."

She hooked her arms around his neck, rested her forehead on his. She had to just breathe for a moment, just breathe her way through the beauty of it as she often did with a great work of art or a song that brought tears to her throat.

"This is a really good day." She touched her lips to his. "This is a truly excellent day."

They sat for a while, holding each other while the dog snored in the corner, and the snow fell outside the windows.

When Cal went downstairs, he followed the scent of coffee into the kitchen, and found Gage scowling as he slapped a skillet onto the stove.

They grunted at each other as Cal got a clean mug out of the dishwasher.

"Looks like close to three out there already, and it's still coming."

"I got eyes." Gage ripped open a pound of bacon. "You sound chipper about it."

"It's a really good day."

"I'd probably think so, too, if I started it off with some morning nookie."

"God, men are crude." Cybil strolled in, her dark eyes bleary.

"Then you ought to plug your ears when you're around our kind. Bacon gets fried, eggs get scrambled," Gage told them. "Anybody doesn't like the options should try another restaurant."

Cybil poured her coffee, stood studying him over the rim as she took the first sip. He hadn't shaved or combed that dark mass of hair. He was obviously morning irritable, and none of that, she mused, made him any less attractive.

Too bad.

"You know what I've noticed about you, Gage?"

"What's that?"

"You've got a great ass, and a crappy attitude. Let me know when breakfast is ready," she added as she strolled out of the kitchen.

"She's right. I've often said that about your ass and attitude."

"Phones are out," Fox announced as he came in, yanked open the refrigerator and pounced on a Coke. "Got ahold of my mother by cell. They're okay over there."

"Knowing your parents, they probably just had sex," Gage commented.

"Hey! True," Fox said after a moment, "but, hey."

"He's got sex on the brain."

"Why wouldn't he? He's not sick or watching sports, the only two circumstances men don't necessarily have sex on the brain."

Gage laid bacon in the heated skillet. "Somebody make some toast or something. And we're going to need another pot of coffee."

"I've got to take Lump out. I'm not just letting him out on his own."

"I'll take him." Fox leaned down to scratch Lump's head. "I want to walk around anyway." He turned, nearly walked into Layla. "Hi, sorry. Ah...I'm going to take Lump out. Why don't you come along?"

"Oh. I guess. Sure. I'll just get my things."

"Smooth," Gage commented when Layla left. "You're a smooth one, Fox."

"What?"

"Good morning, really attractive woman. How would you like to trudge around with me in three feet of snow and watch a dog piss on a few trees? Before you've even had your coffee?"

"It was just a suggestion. She could've said no."

"I'm sure she would have if she'd had a hit of caffeine so her brain was in gear."

"That must be why you only get lucky with women without brains."

"You're just spreading sunshine," Cal commented when Fox steamed out.

"Make another damn pot of coffee."

"I need to bring in some wood, feed the generator, and start shoveling three feet of snow off the decks. Let me know when breakfast is ready."

Alone, Gage snarled, and turned the bacon. He still had the snarl when Quinn came in.

"I thought I'd find everyone in here, but they're all scattered." She got out a mug. "Looks like we need another pot of coffee."

Because she got the coffee down, Gage didn't have time to snap at her.