"Why?" She said the word aloud.

Zain grinned. "I've been told I have great hands." Then he nodded at the house. "Looks like this is going to be quite a job. It might take me awhile." His dark eyes met hers. "Unless you already have another candidate."

She shook her head, careful not to dislodge it from her fragile body. "Why are you here?"

His dark eyes softened enough for her to see torment behind them. They probably looked a lot like hers.

"I want what's mine," he said in a voice raw with feeling. "You took something from me when you left."

"I gave you back the painting," she said, confused.

He stepped toward her. The singular move brought him within a touch of her body, which responded with a sensual sigh. "I'm not talking about the painting," he said gently. He leaned closer. "You stole my heart, Lacey."

She'd stolen his heart? "You stole mine!"

A small smile touched his lips. "Then I guess we only have one choice. You keep mine and I'll keep yours."

"How?" she asked. He wasn't making sense. He didn't belong on Earth, and she couldn't survive in his world.

He reached out and stroked her cheek. Just a touch, but it zinged her senses like an electric current. "Here with you."

Her mouth dropped open. Was he serious? How could he ever be happy here? Give up everything he'd always wanted just for her? Impossible. Did he really think this through? She needed to know before she could unleash her heart.

She clenched her fists. "This is a permanent position. I can't take anyone who's not willing to commit one hundred percent."

He nodded silendy and looked off into the woods. "I see."

"Don't start something you can't finish," she added. Her heart was pounding.

"Well, in that case ..." He put his hands on his hips. "I guess I'd better tell you what my long-term plans are."

She waited, holding her breath. One false move and she was sure she'd crumble into a million pieces on the floor.

"I plan to fix your house just the way you want it, take you to bed at every possible opportunity, and tell you I love you in all the languages I know until the day I die." His gaze locked onto hers with riveting power. "But only if that's okay with you."

Emotions flooded her, swamping every attempt she was making to regain control, but she didn't care. Tears rolled down her cheeks unchecked. "And when you get tired of the job, will you up and leave?"

His gaze intensified as he watched the tears. "I won't run if you don't."

"What about adventure? Exploration? Freedom?"

Zain gazed up into the sky, and she waited for the wistful look. It never came. His voice was clear and sure. "Freedom doesn't just mean you can run when you want to. It means you can stay if you choose."

She still couldn't believe he would give up everything for her. "You'll be doing the same thing every day, every year, for the rest of your life."

When he turned to face her, she saw it-the yearning, love and commitment. A flicker of hope welled up between the cracks in her heart like rays of sunlight after a storm.

With a smile, he said, "I know. I get to spend the rest of my days with you. I love you, Lacey. You're all the adventure I ever need. But the choice is yours."

Her choice. And she could see without a doubt that he'd let her decide their fates. If she said no, he'd leave forever even though he wanted to stay. Even if it hurt him as much as it hurt her, he'd give her the power and the freedom to make the biggest decision in their lives. The truth was right there in front of her in his eyes.

She watched them narrow in concern as she took a step toward him. Her fingers stroked his cheek, felt the jaw muscles clench, and the warmth of his skin.

He was real, he was here, and he was hers. No force in the universe could keep them apart now. She gave it all-her heart, her soul, and her dreams-as she wrapped her arms around his neck, binding them in reality.

"Hang up your spurs, cowboy."

Epilogue.

"It's so ... spatial," Mrs. Curry said with a wave of her hand. "The colors, the technique, the balance are all very masculine, but there's an exotically primitive quality to your abstracts."

Zain stood next to her and tried to keep one eye on his best client and the other on the door to his barn studio. Lacey was late. She'd promised to be back in time for dinner. He tried not to worry, but old habits died hard.

Mrs. Curry pulled him along to his next painting: a churning mass of blue flames at the peak of their explosive fury. It still amazed him that his paintings had generated enough interest to draw buyers from the nearby cities and rack up a loyal clientele in such a short amount of time. To him, they were simply captured memories of a life left behind.

"Such savage beauty. Simply marvelous. I just love your work," the matronly woman said and her perfectly coiffed head turned to Zain. "Where do you get your inspiration, Mr. Masters?"

He smiled benignly. "I've traveled some."

Her etched eyebrows rose. "I see." Then she looked at the painting of the Great Burning Forests on the planet Rrrhan again. "I'll take this one."

"Thank you," Zain said. "I hope you enjoy it." A flash of movement caught his eye and his heart quickened. Lacey stood in the doorway in a light gray button-up suit dress and formed a kiss with her lips. Then she gave him a long, sexy, dangerous look, which didn't help his concentration at all, before disappearing toward the house.

Try as he might, it still took him another thirty minutes to arrange delivery and to escort Mrs. Curry to her car. Then he turned toward the house where Lacey was waiting for him on the porch. She had changed into a short, silky summer dress that matched her eyes and fluttered against her thighs. Around her, the house gleamed from fresh paint and hard work.

A warm rush of satisfaction rolled over him. All the blessings, all the richness of his new life overwhelmed and humbled him. It had even made him consider having his sterilization reversed. The idea of kids running around-his and Lacey's-made him long for something he never before had longed for.

"Hey there, cowboy. Lookin' for a good time?" she said in a lazy voice that he recognized from the old westerns they'd watched together.

He grinned as he ascended the two steps and tipped an imaginary hat. "What did you have in mind, miss?" he drawled.

She gave him a seductive look. "How about you and me go inside and talk about it?"

He reached out and lashed a hand around her waist. She inhaled sharply as he pulled her to his chest. "I have a better idea."

For a moment, she looked stunned. "You do?"

He chuckled at her confusion. Distracting Lacey had become his favorite pastime. "How about we stay out here and talk about it?"

A look of genuine alarm lit in her eyes and she peered over his shoulder at the roadway. "Are you serious?"

"Maybe," he murmured against her lips.

"You better be careful. I'm the adventuring type, you know." Then she rubbed her body against his, pulling a low growl from his throat. He wasn't the only one skilled at distraction.

"Did I ever tell you how much I love your DNA?" he said, nuzzling her ear.

A soft sigh emanated from her and filled his heart. "A time or two." He felt her hands sculpt his back, then she added, "Yours isn't bad either."

He pulled back and drew her hand to his lips. He nibbled at the soft knuckles. "How did the appointment go?"

She licked her lips and watched him kiss her fingertips one by one.

"Well," she said, her voice a little unsteady. "Robert agreed to settle out of court. I should have my software and back royalties in a few months."

Zain turned her hand over and pressed his lips to her wrist. "So I guess I can't kill him?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I know how disappointed you are but believe me, he's not worth it. And I don't want to find out he's been teleported across the galaxy either, Zain."

He feigned indignation. "Would I do that?"

"In a nanosecond."

He chuckled. It was only because he wanted Lacey to handle her own fight that Robert wasn't outrunning Bobzillas on a desert planet right now. He wouldn't ruin her victory for anything.

A little meow sounded next to them, and Zain glanced over to where Oliver rubbed affectionately against a box near the front door. The Bl-series shipping container raised immediate and genuine concern-an uninvited galactic intrusion into his perfect world.

He released Lacey and walked over to it. "Where did this come from?"

She moved next to him. "I don't know. I found it in the middle of the lawn. It must have been delivered when I was out and you were with Mrs. Curry. But there's no label. I figured you ordered something."

"I didn't." Zain picked up the storage container and set it on a nearby table. Oliver jumped up to watch as Zain popped the release. A lightball zoomed out.

"A lightball?" Lacey asked, voicing his thoughts.

He found a holo card inside and set it on the table, while the lightball bobbed in front of them. "There's a message." He tapped the card to activate it, and the image of his sister popped up.

"Greetings, you two," Torrie started. "I hope mated life is sheer bliss. I finally have a gift for you. Sorry it took so long to finish. Had a hell of a time getting the interface right. See you in a few months for the family gathering." She flashed a big smile. "And I'm expecting to hear about some new additions by then, so get to work." She winked and the image faded.

Zain crossed his arms and stared at the bobbing light. "Why a lightball?"

"Because a spaceship would draw too much attention," replied the orb.

Zain froze in disbelief at the familiar voice. It couldn't be! Hope rolled over him, even as he told himself it was impossible.

Lacey recovered first. "Oh my God. Reene? Is that you?"

The lightball bounced up and down. "Greetings, Lacey. Greetings, sir. Meow, Oliver. It is nice to see you all again."

"Reene, old friend," Zain managed after he swallowed the lump of emotion in his throat. The final remnants of guilt relinquished their hold. "It's good to have you back. What happened?"

"Before I went through the portal to Avakur, Torrie replicated my working memory into her ship's databanks. It was her idea. A most auspicious exercise."

Zain scowled at the holo card. "She didn't tell us that."

The lightball glowed softly. "She was not sure the transfer to another shell would work. It took several months to simplify my program enough to fit inside this unit." Reene executed a few impressive loops. "I rather like this form. I have great freedom. However, I do lack weapons, sir."

Zain chuckled at how far they had come. "I think we'll be okay."

Two fat tears rolled down Lacey's face. "You look smashing." Then she frowned slightly. "You are here to stay, right?"

"Yes, ma'am," Reene replied.

Lacey laughed. "Welcome to the family."

She slipped her arms around Zain's waist, and her eyes shone with a love that had endured across the galaxy.

How much everlasting love and happiness could one man stand?

Exactly this much.

THE END.