Talia laughed, not minding that her head was spinning. Then his words sank in. "What exactly do you mean?"

He let her feet slide to the ground and looked into her eyes. "I mean what I

said. My family is complete." His expression sobered. Except for the pa.s.sion in his dark eyes. She felt the thrill of it down to her toes. "I know I took too long in coming back and I regret the worry I caused you. But I didn't want to come until I could-" He broke off, then blurted, "I knew I'd botch this."

She didn't know what to say, or even what he meant.

"You know, this isn't at all how I planned this."

She was so touched by his obvious distress but she couldn't help the dry smile

that curved her lips. "You? Planned?"

He pretended to look offended. "I'll have you know I've spent long hours planning this very moment."

Her mouth tilted up, but she knew she was going to cry.

"Oh, no, we'll have none of that. Wait, wait."

She sniffed through her smile. "What is it I'm waiting for?"

He scooped her up again, carried her outside, and almost tripped over

something. Swearing colorfully, he maintained his hold on her and barely got

his balance back.

She looked down. "What is that?" Just outside the kennel door was her backpack, another larger one, three duffel bags, and several oddly shaped cases. "I, um, packed. Just a few things."

Talia did cry then, even as she laughed outright at the color that crept into his cheeks. "Just some stuff, huh?"

"Yeah." He dried her tears with his fingertip. "Do you think you're feeling

well enough for a short walk?"

Right at that moment, Talia was fairly certain she could fly if she put her mind to it. She nodded.

Archer let her slide to her feet. "Wait just one moment." He turned and dug into her pack, then came back with Beatrice's hat in his hands. "Here." He plopped it on her head. "I've actually dreamt of you wearing that horrible thing." He hoisted another pack on his back, took her hand, then said, "What the h.e.l.l," and scooped her back into his arms.

"Devin-"

"Yeah, yeah, you can walk. I just want to hold you." He looked down at her.

"Okay?"

"Okay." She realized then they hadn't even kissed yet. And it was suddenly a

yawning, gaping need inside her. But he'd "planned" and she was going to let him call the shots.

"Almost there."

Talia had a pretty good idea where they were going, but she still found herself holding her breath until they got there. She let it out when Archer stopped by the flat rock. Their rock.

He let her slide to her feet once again. "Okay, now turn around.""What?"He motioned with his hand. "Turn around. Don't peek."He was actually nervous. She smiled, touched. "Really, you don't have to-""Tali, please."She raised her hands, totally charmed. "Okay, okay." She turned around, but listened unashamedly. Zippers whizzed open, things rustled, something broke, Archer swore, another zipper whizzed, more rustling, more swearing. And she thought her heart might just burst with how much she loved him. "I didn't know kangaroos could do that," she said. "Do all Aussies swear so creatively?"

"We're creative in all kinds of ways, sweetheart. I thought you knew that

about me by now."

Talia felt the heat climb inside her. And then his hands were covering her eyes and the heat spiked clear through the top of her head.

"Okay," he said next to her ear. "You can turn around, but don't open your

eyes. Promise me."

"I promise." He turned her around, and into his arms. Then his lips were on hers and her eyes stayed shut anyway. It was better, so much better than all her fevered dreams and wistful remembrances. And once wasn't nearly enough.

"You make me want things I've never wanted, Tali," he murmured against her

mouth.

She opened her eyes, but looked only at his. "I know what you mean. I was all set to live alone, me and my animals. Animals I gave away to someone else to love. I can't settle for that anymore. You taught me that."

He looked honestly shocked. "I did?"

She nodded. "You taught me that I have a lot more to give if I am willing to risk my heart."

He was trembling. "I didn't even know I had one. Not really. My whole life

has been focused on security. Making sure I had enough, that I'd never want for anything ever again. And that I'd never depend on anyone else to give it to me. And then I met you, and I needed you. In ways that had nothing to do with independence or material wealth." He took her hand, kissed her palm, and

placed it on his heart. "You gave me back this. And I want to share it with you."

Tears sprang to her eyes again.

"You once asked me if people still get married in my time. The answer is yes, they do, if that is how they wish to show their commitment to one another. I never, ever, believed in that romantic type of love, much less any kind of commitment. But I've already committed my heart to you, Talia. And I find that I want the rest." He shifted and turned so she could see what he had set up.

There was a silk blanket, suspiciously woven in the royal colors, and a bottle of champagne with two gla.s.ses. But it was the petals, the hundreds of petals, that caught her attention. Some were blackened and crushed from their arduous journey-perhaps those touched her the most.

"My romantic bower," she whispered.

"You deserve more, and I want to give it to you."

She turned back to him. "I want only one thing from you. I want your love."

"I do love you, Talia. That I most certainly do."

"Then the answer is yes."

Archer tipped his head back and shouted to the skies, then once again swept

her up in his arms. "She loves me! Did you hear that?" His words echoed across the pond.

"I'm fairly certain they heard you all the way to the Lodge."

He spun her about, then stopped. "Say it, Tali. I need to hear you say it."

"I love you, Devin Archer. I love you with my whole heart."

A loud purring intruded and they turned to find Ringer, in sleek, black cat mode, luxuriating among the rose petals.

"Thinks I did all this for him, most likely."

He'd tried to sound irritated, but Talia saw the love and the relief in his eyes as he looked at his other life companion.

"I won't tell him if you won't."

Archer looked back to her. "Let me give him the boot."

She traced a hand over his face. "You do know how much what you did means

to me.""I just wanted to-""I know," she said, reaching up to kiss him. "You need the romance as much as I do." His face reddened adorably, but he didn't deny it and she kissed him

again. "Now, about all that other stuff you packed, does that mean-?"'Yeah. I'm home." He looked down into her eyes, and winked even though his eyes were gla.s.sy. "Our home. I quite like the sound of that."

She held his face in her hands and kissed him long and hard. "Me, too.""I'm thinking that, at the moment, our bed has an even sweeter ring."She grinned. "I'm thinking I agree with you.""See? We're starting this marriage out on the right foot, then.""Don't get too used to it," she warned, still smiling."Oh, I plan to get used to a lot of things. Mostly, I plan to get used to seeing you smiling up at me like that and knowing I am at least partly responsible fork."

"Oh, Devin." Her heart melted completely.

He winked and swung her up the path, toward home, toward their future.

Behind them, Ringer stretched out among the petals and smiled.