I looked out the window behind her for a second, thinking of all the things I'd done in the last three months, answering the question she had asked me outside. I went to restaurants, coffee shops... I went to the movies once. I smiled a small smile and her eyes flew to my face.

She blinked at me, her tears drying up. "You did?" she whispered. I nodded.

Her eyes searched my face for several seconds before she asked. "What'd you see?"

Thor, I spelled out.

She laughed softly and the sound was like music to my ears. "Did you like it?"

I loved it. I sat through it twice. I even ordered popcorn and a drink, even though there was a line of people behind me.

"How'd you do it?" She looked at me with wide eyes.

I had to point and gesture a little, but the kid got it. He was nice. I paused for a minute. I had this realization about a month after I'd been gone. Whenever I went somewhere and had to communicate with someone, and they'd see my scar and understand why I was gesturing, they each had a different reaction. Some people were awkward, uncomfortable, others were kind, helpful, and there were even some that were impatient and put-out. Bree's eyes softened and she was listening to me raptly.

I realized that people's reactions had more to do with them, more to do with who they were, than anything about me. It was like a bolt of lightening hit me, Bree.

Tears sprung to her eyes again and she reached out and touched my leg, just laying her hand on me.

She nodded. "It was like that with my dad too. What else?" she asked.

I got a job, I smiled and a look of surprise came over her face. I nodded. Yeah, I stopped in this small town in New York state and I saw an ad about needing guys to unload delivery trucks at the airport. I wrote a letter about my situation, explaining that I could hear and understand directions and that I was a hard worker, but that I couldn't speak. I handed it to the guy in person and he read it and hired me on the spot. I grinned with the memory of the pride I had felt in that moment.

It was boring work, but I got to know another guy there, Luis, and he spoke incessantly, telling me his life story while we worked. How he had come over from Mexico without knowing the language at all, how he still struggled to support his family, but that they were happy, they had each other. He talked a lot. I got the impression that no one had ever just listened to him. I smiled with the memory of my first real friend other than Bree.

He invited me to his home for Christmas dinner and his little girl learned a few signs before I got there, and I taught her a few more. I smiled, thinking of little Claudia. She asked me the sign for love and I spelled out your name.

Bree let out small sound, somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "So now she's going to go around saying, 'I Bree you?'" she asked, smiling softly.

I nodded. Yeah. I turned toward her more fully, focusing on her face. I stand by my logic though. I think love is a concept, and each person has an individual word for what sums it up for them. My word for love is Bree.

We stared at each other for several beats, me drinking in her beauty, her sweet compassion. I had known that about her before, but not to the extent I did now.

Finally, she asked me, "What made you decide it was time to come home?"

I looked at her for a couple seconds, considering her question. I was sitting in this small coffee shop a couple days ago and I saw this old man sitting at a table across from me. He looked so lonely, so sad. I was too, but it suddenly occurred to me that some people go through their whole lives never being loved or loving as deeply as I love you. There's always going to be the chance that I could lose you in this lifetime. There's nothing any of us can do about the possibility of loss. But in that moment, I decided that I was more interested in focusing on the great privilege I've been given in having you at all.

Tears shimmered in her eyes again as she whispered, "And what if I hadn't been here when you got back?"

Then I would have come for you. I would have fought for you. But don't you see, I had to fight for myself first. I had to feel like I was someone worthy of winning you.

She stared at me for a second, more tears coming into her eyes. "How'd you get so brilliant?" she asked, letting out a small, breathy laugh and a small sniffle.

I was already brilliant. I just needed some world experience. I needed Thor.

She let out another small laugh and then grinned at me. You being funny?

I grinned back at her, noting that she was finally using her hands to speak. No, I never joke about Thor.

She laughed and then looked at me silently again, her face going serious.

Mine went serious too and I asked, Why did you stay, Bree? Tell me.

She breathed out, looking down at her hands in her lap for a second. Finally, she brought them up and said, Because I love you. Because I'd wait for you forever. She gazed into my eyes, her beauty taking my breath away again. Take me home, Archer, she said.

My heart soared as I started up the truck and pulled back onto the road. We drove the rest of the way in comfortable silence. When we were almost there, Bree reached her hand out for mine and we held hands between us for the remainder of the ride.

I pulled up in front of my house and we walked through the gate and down to my front door, not saying a word.

When we got inside and she turned to me, I said, You kept my house clean.

She looked around as if she was just remembering, and then nodded.

Why? I asked.

She seemed to consider. Because doing it made me feel like you were coming back, like you'd be home soon.

My heart squeezed tightly. I'm sorry, Bree.

She shook her head and looked up at me with wide, vulnerable eyes. Don't leave me again, please.

I shook my head and moved closer to her. Never again, I said and then took her in my arms. She lifted her mouth to mine and I pressed my lips to hers, silently moaning at the taste of her as I slipped my tongue into her mouth. I couldn't help the shiver that ran through my body as the taste of peaches and Bree exploded on my tongue. My cock stiffened immediately and I pressed it in to her. She sighed into my mouth and impossibly, I got harder. It felt like a lifetime since I'd been inside of her.

She tore her mouth from mine and said, "I missed you so much, Archer. So much."

I let go of her for a second and signed, I missed you too, Bree. So much.

I started lowering my mouth to hers again when she brought her hand up to my hair and said, "It's longer. I'm going to have to give you another haircut." She grinned. "Maybe you won't throw me out of your house when I try to molest you this time."

I chuckled silently and then grinned and brought my hands up. Chances are good that I won't. Also, Bree, I'm going to stop talking now and use my hands for other things, okay?

Her eyes widened, her lips parting slightly as she whispered, "Okay."

I scooped her up and carried her down the short hallway to my bedroom and stood her up right next to my bed.

I kicked off my shoes, unknotted my tie, and started unbuttoning my dress shirt as she kicked off her heels and turned around for me to unzip her dress.

I brought the zipper down slowly, exposing more and more of her skin. Her tan lines were gone now and her skin was creamy and lighter than it was the last time I'd seen all of her. She was so beautiful. And mine, all mine. A deep satisfaction filled me and the desperation I felt to be inside of her ratcheted up another level.

She turned back to me and let her small, black dress fall and pool at her feet. My cock pulsated as she looked up at me through her lashes, her pink lips parting.

I reached down and removed my socks, and then stood back up and undid my belt and unbuttoned my pants and let them fall to the floor where I kicked them off. Bree licked her lips and looked down at my straining erection and then back up into my face. Her eyes were shiny and dilated.

I reached for her and unhooked her strapless bra and let it fall to the floor. I felt a drop of pre-cum bead on my tip as I took in her perfect breasts, the pink nipples already pebbled and begging for my mouth.

I looked behind her and nodded my head, indicating the bed, and Bree sat down and laid back as I came down on top of her, skin to skin. Her heat caressed me, sending bolts of pure arousal down my spine and her eyes told me I was loved. I was loved by the beautiful woman lying beneath me, ready to invite me into her body.

All the times I had made love to her before, my head had always screamed, Mine! desperately, but now it felt like a gentle acknowledgement, a comforting truth. Mine, mine, always mine.

I leaned my head down and took a nipple into my mouth, laving it with my tongue as Bree moaned and pressed her hips up into my hardness. Oh God that felt good. The taste of her, the feel of her hot, silky skin beneath me, the knowledge that I was going to sink into her tight heat soon... but not too soon. I wanted this to last.

I sucked and licked her nipples for several minutes as she ran her fingers through my hair, tugging gently. My body pressed into her belly of its own accord, trying to ease the intense throbbing in my cock.

Bree arched her back and moaned deeply, "Archer, oh God, please," she breathed out.

I reached a hand down to her folds and felt the slippery liquid that meant that she was ready for me, more than ready for me. I brought some of it from her opening to her clit and massaged it gently in slow circles as Bree panted. "Oh God, Archer, please, I'll come and I don't want to. I want to come with you inside me. Please."

I leaned up and took her mouth again, her tongue dancing with mine, soft and wet and unbelievably delicious. I'd never get enough of her mouth, of her.

I took myself in my hand and lined the straining head of my cock up at her entrance and pushed inside, sinking in fully on one deep thrust. I closed my eyes at the exquisite feel of her surrounding me so tightly and just stayed still for several beats.

Bree pressed up into me, silently asking me to move and so I did, her extreme wetness making it easy to glide in and out. The tight friction was bliss beyond words.

At first I went slowly, the relief at being inside of her so intense that I never wanted this moment to end. But after a minute, my own body demanded that I move and so I picked up the speed of my thrusts.

Bree moaned out and said breathily, "Yes," and closed her eyes, pressing her head back on the pillow. Mine, mine, always mine, my mind sang as I pumped into her and watched her beautiful, pleasure filled expression, her hair splayed out all around her on the white pillowcase, like a goddess, an angel, her small, white breasts bouncing with my movement.

I pumped into her, holding myself up with my arms as she panted and whimpered in pleasure. I brought one arm under the back of her right knee and pulled her leg up so that I could go deeper and she moaned again, grabbing my ass with her fingernails. God I liked that.

After a few minutes, Bree's cheeks flushed, the sign of her impending climax, I knew from experience, and she opened her eyes.

Her hands moved to my straining biceps and she ran her hands up and down them as her eyes clouded over and her lips formed a silent o, right before I felt her muscles clench even tighter on my shaft and begin to convulse. She gasped out and arched up into me as that beautiful expression of satisfaction rolled over her face, and she moaned out softly as her body relaxed.

She looked up at me dreamily as I continued to thrust into her and said softly, "I love you."

I love you, I mouthed and then closed my eyes as I felt the first tingles along my spine. I came up on my knees, and reached under Bree, grabbing her ass and tilting her hips up so I could go even deeper than before. I was thrusting into her hard and fast now, the pleasure spiraling higher and higher.

"Oh God!" Bree gasped out, pressing up into me as I watched another orgasm roll through her. Her eyes popped open and she looked at me with round eyes. I would have smiled at her look of shock, but the pleasure that was circling through my abdomen, tightening my balls and making my cock strain and thicken with my impending orgasm, was so intense that I was almost out of control.

I thrust into her, once, twice and then my world exploded into a million points of light, the air itself seeming to shimmer around me as ecstasy, deep and intense, raced through my body, my cock jerking inside of her as I climaxed.

When I came back to myself, Bree was still gazing up at me with a look of wonder on her face. I could only imagine that I was wearing the exact same look. I pulled out of her, taking my semi-hard cock in my hand and using it to rub my cum, now running out of her up and over her clit and around her folds.

I wasn't sure why I did that, it was almost instinct, nothing I actually thought about. But I was mesmerized by what we'd just shared, and the visual of her and I together and the proof of my pleasure all over her excited me, made me feel a peaceful possessiveness that I loved.

I looked back at Bree and her face had softened and she looked sleepy and content, her eyes hooded, her expression still filled with love.

I took my hand off of myself and signed, I love you.

She smiled at me and reached her arms up and pulled me to her, stroking her fingers up and down my back until I felt like I was in danger of falling asleep right on top of her. I kissed her lips quickly and then stood up and pulled her with me to the bathroom where we showered and washed each other, not sexual this time, just loving, tender.

When we were done, we dried off and returned to my bed and climbed under the sheets, naked. I pulled her to me and held her there, feeling content and happier than I'd ever felt in my entire life.

I turned her around to face me and brought my hands up, Someday, I said, when we're old and gray, I'm going to look at you lying in bed beside me, just like this, and I'm going to look into your eyes and know that it's only ever been you. And that is going to be the great joy of my life, Bree Prescott. She smiled as her eyes filled up with what I knew were happy tears and I pulled her into my chest, holding her tight, breathing her in.

Just a little bit later, I came to for a brief second when I heard fireworks in the distance. I sleepily realized that it was midnight, a brand new year, a brand new start. I pulled my beautiful girl closer against me as she sighed out in her sleep, and I closed my eyes. I was home.

CHAPTER 33.

Bree We only left Archer's house twice in the following two daysluckily for us, the two off days I had in a row that week. We went to the grocery store once the morning after he'd gotten home, and picked up Phoebe on the way back. And we went to dinner on the other side of the lake that night. The pride in Archer's eyes as he ordered a glass of wine for me and a coke for himself, made me grin and wink at him. Watching him come into himself was a thing of beauty and I felt privileged to be a witness to it. I wanted to sigh and swoon at his easy charm and beautiful smile, and I could see that the waitress who served us felt the same way as she glanced at his scar and fawned all over him all night. I didn't mind though, in fact, I liked it. I loved it. How could I blame her? Like Natalie had said, he inspired women to want to cuddle him and then lick him. But he was mine. I was the luckiest girl on earth.

We talked a lot more about what he'd done the three months he'd been gone, the people he'd seen, the rooms he'd rented, how the loneliness he'd felt was no less than before, but that it was different this time. The difference, he'd concluded, was that he finally had himself, and he was more able than he'd known or believed.

I need to get my license, he said as we ate dinner.

I nodded. "Yeah, I know, illegal driver," I said, raising a brow.

He smiled around his food. If Travis catches me, he'll lock me up and throw away the key. He raised both eyebrows. Speaking of Travis, have you seen him at all? Has he tried to talk to you? His face was wary.

I shook my head. "A few times, but I avoided him. I was short and he didn't push it. And it's been radio silence from Victoria Hale."

He studied me for a second and then nodded. I left you shouldering that whole mess and I'm sorry about that. I'm the one Tori hates though, not you. I guess I thought it might be easier on you in that respect as well if I was gone. He looked away for a second and then back at me. I'm going to go talk to Travis and Tori. I was wondering if you'd come and interpret for me?

I blinked at him. "Of course I will, Archer, but what exactly are you going to say to them?"

I'm thinking of taking ownership of the land, Bree... the town. His eyes held mine steadily as he waited for my reaction.

I gaped at him for a few seconds and then closed my mouth. "Are you ready for that?" I whispered.

I don't know, he said, looking thoughtful again. Maybe not... but I feel like I could be. I feel like maybe there might be a few in this town who will help make it a little easier... Maggie, Norm, Anne, Mandy... a few others. And that's what will make the difference. That's what's making me think I should at least try.

He took a bite and then went on. My parents, they made a lot of mistakes, right up to the very end. But they were good people. They were loving people. My uncle Marcus was not a good personand Travis is mostly questionable too. And Victoria is the worst of them all. They don't deserve to win, here. And maybe I don't either, but maybe I do. And just that possibility makes me want to try.

I reached out and grabbed his hand, pride racing through my blood. "Whatever you need, I'm with you. Whatever that is."

He smiled at me and then we ate in silence for a while, before I remembered the call I'd gotten from the detective the day of the parade and told Archer about it. He looked concerned. Out on bail? Could you be in danger?

I shook my head. "No, no, I don't think so. He has no idea where I am and he's surrounded by lawyers. The police know who he is. It's just... disappointing that the whole process takes so long. I just want the whole thing to be over, and now there's probably going to be a big trial... I'll have to travel back to Ohio." I shook my head again.

Archer reached out and grabbed my hand. He squeezed it and then brought it back and signed, Then I'll go with you. And they'll convict him. It will all be over. And in the meantime, you're safe here with me, right by my side.

I smiled, warmth filling me. "Nowhere else I'd rather be," I whispered.

Me neither.

We finished our dinner and drove back to Archer's house where we spent the rest of that night and most of the next day in bed, re-discovering each other's bodies and just soaking in each other's presence. Happiness surrounded us. The future looked bright and full of hope, and for just that moment, the world was perfect.

The next morning, I got up early, peeled myself off of Archer and kissed him softly goodbye as he slept. His arm snaked out and he pulled me back into him as I laughed out loud, and he grinned a crooked, sleepy grin. My heart lurched at the ridiculous beauty of that early-morning smile and I leaned back in and said, "Stay right here, just like this. I'll be back as soon as possible." He chuckled silently and opened one eye at me and nodded, yes. I laughed again and stood up and headed out the door before I decided to blow off work entirely.