A Case of Defamation Pt. 08

TWENTY-TWO

Still smiling, Shay and Dan quickly trotted down the steps of the magistrate's office. Dan had an injunction that prevented Neil K. Mitchell from posting comments related to him on any social media platform, and a warrant for him to appear was going to be issued for coercion and extortion. The Sheriff's department was going to attempt to serve the injunction and warrant, but if Neil decided to go missing, he knew a crack PI that was willing to track the asshole down and make sure justice was served.

He felt better now than he had in months. The shit with the rumors was finally behind him, he had Shay in his life, and he wasn't letting her go. Feeling their success last night, they had fucked---no, he mentally corrected---not fucked, made love, long into the night. He didn't fuck her anymore, he made love to her, and there was a difference.

They'd started just after the video finished and didn't finish until they left her house this morning to see the magistrate. For fifteen hours they'd done nothing but make love and sleep. If they weren't sleeping, they were making love, and if they weren't making love, they were sleeping, and it was wonderful. Whichever of them woke up first, woke the other by doing something wonderfully wicked, and then they'd start again. She'd be hard pressed to top him swimming out of the darkness of sleep with his hard cock deep in her mouth, and he'd returned the favor this morning by burying his face in her womanhood when he woke first.

They'd gone hard and fast, and slow and easy, and sometimes both in the same session. She'd dragged him into the shower last night to fulfil one of her fantasies, and they'd made love long, hard, and loud as they competed with the neighbors to see who could make love the longest and loudest. He couldn't tell if they were the loudest, but they certainly outlasted them, and by a lot.

They'd made love on her bed, in her shower, and once, for a change, against a wall. She'd bound his hands by wrapping the belt from her robe around her bed and ordering him to hold it, before he'd done the same to her, and they'd finished with their hands tangled together in the belt above their heads as she rode him, and herself, to orgasm.

After their tumble this morning, they were both sore, tired, and hungry. They'd missed dinner and breakfast, but he hadn't cared, and he didn't think she had either. They'd napped for an hour or so after their early morning romp before those fucking birds on her phone woke them again. Even though he could think of nothing he'd rather do than lay in the bed while holding and kissing her all day, since he didn't think he'd be able to do anything else to her for a couple of hours yet, he knew they had to get up and get moving.

They'd showered together, and though she'd tried out of pure mischievousness, he couldn't keep a hard erection. That had never happened to him before, but he'd never made love to a woman five times in such quick succession before either.

And the hell of it was, even after he'd come gallons last night, and thought he'd be useless for days, after spending three hours with her as she walked him through the legal system, he wanted her again, and he'd have no trouble keeping his end up, so to speak.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving! I feel like I haven't eaten anything in days." Dan waited a heartbeat. "Not food anyway."

She giggled, and the sound made his heart sing. "You know what I'm in the mood for?"

"Same thing I'm in the mood for?" he asked, pitching his voice so she'd know he wasn't talking about food.

"Well, that, but how about an In-N-Out burger until we can do the other?"

The thought of it made his mouth water. "That sounds great! I haven't had one of those in a year or more."

"You poor thing!" she purred.

Using the Porsche's satnav, they found the nearest In-N-Out where they laughed and talked as they ate their burgers and fries. He couldn't believe how something as simple as a ground beef patty between two pieces of bread could be so tasty. Sometimes he got so wrapped up in his life he forgot life's little pleasures. Simple things, like a well-prepared hamburger, or the laugh of the woman he was starting to fall in love with.

The thought hit him like a brick to the head, his mind supplying the sound of a phonograph needle skidding across a record. Did I just think that?

"Dan?" she asked. "Everything okay?"

"What?" he asked, trying to recover.

He was still reeling from the realization that he was falling in love with Shay. In his mind, he was furiously rifling through his memories, trying to pick out when he'd started falling for her. It wasn't last night. No, in hindsight he already had the feelings. He went back farther. The night he first took her to bed? No, they weren't there then. He examined his feelings more closely. Or were they? Was that why their fucking was so intense? Had the tinder already been in place and the sex had struck the match to set it ablaze?

"Dan? You okay?"

"What?" he asked, shaking himself out of his musings. He grinned. "Yeah, great. Sorry. I was just lost in thought there for a moment."

"I'll say. You were so gone, I wasn't sure you were still on Earth."

"Something just hit me, that's all."

"What?"

"I can't tell you here, but remind me and I'll tell you tonight."

She frowned a bit, and her eyes narrowed slightly. "Is it bad?"

He couldn't help but smile. "I think it's wonderful, but you might have a different opinion. I'll tell you all about it over dinner tonight. My place. Deal?"

"Okay," she said slowly.

He took her hand and kissed it gently. "Nothing to worry about, I promise."

"Then why won't you tell me now?"

"The time and the place aren't right." He could tell she didn't like that answer. "I'll make you this promise. If you guess it, I'll confirm it, but what I have to say, I don't want to say in a fast-food joint, that's all." He tugged on her hand and pulled her close. He first kissed her on the lips, a quick public smooch, before placing his lips close to her ear. "It's a surprise. I hope you'll like it."

She leaned back. "You better tell me at dinner. You know how I am. I hate secrets."

He grinned. "I'm dying to tell you now, but not here. Tonight, at dinner, I promise."

He felt giddy. He knew now that he'd been right. The month or so when they'd spoken on the phone almost every night had primed the conflagration, but taking her to bed had been the spark that had started the blaze. Now the fire was consuming him, and he never wanted the flames quenched.

So this was what love feels like! He wanted to climb onto the table and scream his feelings for the world to hear, but she deserved to know first, and he needed to know if she felt the same for him.

Keeping his secret chilled their meal a bit, but he was resolute. She could wait six hours for him to make the biggest leap of faith of his life. He was, for the first time, going to tell a woman he was falling in love with her and wanted no other.

He sat back in his chair and munched on his burger. He felt like an idiot, but he couldn't wipe the damned smile off his face to save his life. It was all because of the incredible woman sitting across the table from him, eyeing him with equal parts amusement, suspicion, annoyance, and trepidation, and damned if he didn't love her for it.

On the way to her place to get his clothes, and a change of clothes for her, they played twenty questions. She seemed obsessed with the idea of having done something wrong and upsetting him, and he kept telling her she'd done nothing wrong, but in fact, had done everything right. She wasn't even close to guessing his secret, which made the thought of telling her that much more exciting. She finally gave up after they left her house. He could tell his refusal was bugging her, but after he told her, he was sure she'd understand.

He was coming down off his high, and doubts were starting to creep in around the edges of his euphoria. What if she didn't love me? He refused to let the possibility bother him much. He'd wait on her.

But what if she didn't love me, and she didn't think she ever would. That thought was a little scary, and he shoved it aside. He was a big boy, and he'd recover, but he didn't want to lose her.

What if me telling her I was falling for her scares her off? Should I keep it to myself until she told me? But what if she already felt something for me, but was waiting to see if I felt the same way? If she was waiting for me, and I was waiting for her, we might never know.

He shook off his doubts. It didn't matter now. He'd promised her he'd tell her at dinner, and he would. He wouldn't lie to her. If she didn't love him, and never would, better to know now before he got in any deeper. It'd be hard, maybe the hardest thing he'd ever done, but if she felt nothing for him and only wanted him for sex and a little companionship, he could treat her as he'd treated Brooke until she grew tired of him. He wouldn't try to hold her. If she doesn't want me, I want her to find someone she did want.

"Dan?"

"Yeah?" he asked, looking at her.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"A half hour ago you were practically bouncing off the walls, and now you look like your dog just died. What's going on?"

"Dinner. I swear, it'll all make sense after dinner. Just... bear with me, okay?"

She gazed at him for a long time. "We're having an early dinner, even if I have to go out and buy takeout."

Her teasing lifted his mood slightly. "An early dinner it is."

-oOo-

Shay and Dan were working in the kitchen. They weren't practiced yet, so they sometimes got in each other's way, but it still felt so natural and right, and he certainly didn't mind feeling her body against his as he had to reach around her for something.

He'd been up and down all afternoon. Thinking about her and how he felt, he'd soar so close to the sun he thought he'd go blind, and in the next minute, he'd sink into the depths of despair with the thought that she might never feel the same way about him.

It was maddening, and he'd almost told her several times to end the uncertainty, but he hadn't. He was also a guy, so he kept it bottled up inside. She could tell something was going on with him, but she'd stopped prying, and when he began sinking, she sensed it and would go to him. She'd take him in her arms, he'd take her in his, and within moments, the sun would come out again and banish the darkness of his thoughts.

They were close to having dinner ready when the bell chimed at Dan's door. He frowned as he glanced at the door. He hadn't buzzed anyone in, but he knew it was the door because the building chime was a bing-bong, while his door chime was a bing-bong-bing. "Would you mind?" he asked, nodding in the direction of the door as he flipped the chicken and vegetables in the pan.

"Dan?" Shay called from the door.

There was a Santa Ana police officer standing in the door. He stood frozen for a moment, the pan still in his hand, trying to think of a situation where having a police officer at the door was a good thing. Recovering, he set dinner aside so it wouldn't burn and went to the door.

"Mr. Daniel Beckette?" the young officer asked.

"Yes?"

"May I come in? I have a few questions I'd like to ask."

"In regards to what?" Shay asked.

"You are?"

"Shay Caddel, his girlfriend."

"May I come in?" the officer asked again.

"If you'll answer her question," Dan said, following Shay's lead.

"Do you know Ms. Lindsey Rohmer?"

"Yes."

"She was assaulted last night and badly beaten."

Shay and Dan looked at each other before he stepped back. "Come in."

"Thank you. How do you know Ms. Rohmer?"

"I don't, not really. She accused me of sexually assaulting her, but it turned out to be a scam."

"You've never met Ms. Rohmer?" the officer continued as he took notes.

"No, why?"

"Any idea why she would name you as her attacker?"

"What?" Shay and Dan cried at the same time.

The man looked up from his notebook. "She's pretty busted up. Her jaw is wired shut, and she can't talk, but she muttered your name when we asked if she knew who attacked her."

"It damn sure wasn't me!"

"Can you account for your whereabouts last night between the hours of nine and midnight?"

"He was with me at my place," Shay said quickly.

The officer looked at her. "You're certain it was between those hours?"

"Positive."

"Can anyone corroborate that?"

"Absolutely. My neighbors. They heard us screwing our brains out in the shower. Their names are Rachel and Demetri." She gave the officer her address. "They're in apartment A."

"And Mr. Beckette was with you the entire night? He didn't leave and return at any point?"

"No. We were... busy... all night."

She could tell the officer was trying not to smile as he wrote in his small notebook. "And you have no idea why she would name you as her attacker?"

Dan shook his head. "None."

The officer glanced back and forth between them before nodding. "Thank you. Sorry to bother you."

"Where is Ms. Rohmer now?" Shay asked as the officer turned to leave.

"Orange County Global."

Dan closed the door behind the officer as he left. "What the hell?" he muttered.

Her face hardened. "I think we need to pay Ms. Lindsey Rohmer a visit. Looks like dinner is going to have to wait."

After making sure the stove was off, and quickly putting their uneaten meal in the refrigerator, they hurried to Dan's car. They stopped for flowers on the way, and Dan added a small teddy bear. "It has to be Neil," Shay claimed as they waited for the elevator to take them to Lindsey's room.

"Then why would she say it was me?"

She shook her head. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out."

Lindsey was sharing the room with another patient, but at least she was on the window side. They stood close to her bed, and Shay pulled the privacy curtain around. Dan grimaced. Lindsey was one big bruise, her face was swollen and her left arm was in a cast.

"Lindsey?" Shay said softly. She looked at them, her eyes bleary. She was probably on some heavy-duty pain meds. "You remember me? I spoke to you about Daniel Beckette?"

Lindsey nodded slowly and then looked at Dan. He handed her the foot-tall teddy bear. "I'm sorry we're meeting like this." She nodded slowly as she started crying, tears running out of her eyes, but she made no sound.

"Did you tell the police Daniel assaulted you?" Lindsey slowly shook her head. "They said you did." Another shake of her head. "Was it Neil Mitchell?" She looked at them but gave no indication. "The man that hired you to setup Daniel?" Shay added.

Lindsey nodded slowly. "Couldn't remember name," she said softly as she winced. It obviously hurt her to speak.

"I'm going to kill that motherfucker," Dan growled. Beating a woman nearly to death like this because Neil had some misplaced grudge against him? He couldn't let that slide. He was going to gut the fucker and put his head on a pike.

"You told them Daniel because it was the only name you could remember?" Shay asked. Lindsey shook her head. "You told them Daniel because it was related to him?" Lindsey nodded.

"Can I video you answering some questions, so we can string Neil up by his balls for doing this to you?" Lindsey nodded slowly. Despite the damage to her face, Dan could tell she was struggling not to cry. Shay pulled out her phone. "Is your name Lindsey Rohmer?" Shay asked. Lindsey nodded slowly. "Did Daniel Beckette assault you?" A slow shake of her head. "Was your attacker Neil K. Mitchell, the man who hired you to implicate Daniel Beckette in a false sexual harassment case?" A slow nod. "Would you like to press charges against Neil K. Mitchell for assaulting you?" Another slow nod. "Will you testify in court that Neil Mitchell is your assailant?" Lindsey slowly nodded again. "Will you testify in court that Neil Mitchell paid you to falsely implicate Mr. Beckette?" Lindsey responded with a final slow nod.

Shay ended the recording and pulled her phone down. "Thank you, Lindsey. You're safe now. I'm truly sorry this happened to you. Is there someone I can call for you? Family?"

Lindsey shook her head again and began to cry. Dan felt so bad for her that he took her hand and squeezed it gently. No matter what she'd done, she didn't deserve this.

"We're going to get this bastard, and he's going to pay for doing this to you, I promise you that," he said while giving her hand another gentle squeeze. "When you get out of here, stop at one of my fitness centers. We'll help you get your strength back. On me."

She stared at him as tears rolled down her cheeks, and nodded. "Thank you," she murmured, her face crinkling in pain.

"I'll check on you in a couple of days, okay?" Shay said, and Lindsey nodded. Shay looked at Dan. "We need to get this to the police, tonight," she said, giving her phone a shake.

He looked at Lindsey one more time. "Get better," he said, and she nodded before he turned and followed Shay out.

"You're too nice to her. She doesn't deserve it. Have you forgotten what she tried to do to you?" Shay asked as they walked to the elevators.

"No, but she didn't deserve what happened to her, either."

"No, she didn't, but you need to stay away from her, Dan. That can go sideways in so many ways."

He nodded and sighed. "Yeah, I know."

She softened. "You're a good guy, and I know you want to help, but I'm telling you, in my professional opinion, do not be anywhere alone with that woman. The last thing you want at this point is to have your named dragged into this. Think about how it looks. She accused you of the next thing to rape, then she ends up in a hospital beaten half to death. And no more 'I'm going to kill that motherfucker' either. You need to stay squeaky clean on this."

"You're right. I shouldn't have called him a motherfucker where that other woman could hear." She glared at him and he smiled. "I know what you mean. Okay, I won't say things like that again, but just between you and me, Neil needs a good ass kicking."

She nodded as they stepped out of the elevator. "The cops are going to give him one, and you can keep your hands clean. What I recorded in there is enough to get them to stop looking at you, which is the main reason I wanted to record her. There's no way that recording will stand up in court on its own since she looks like she's drugged out of her mind, but it's enough to get the ball rolling and get the cops pointed in the right direction. They can come back later and get a sworn statement from her that'll put Neil's ass in jail."

It took an hour at the police station, but by the time they were done, Neil was in a world of hurt. Now he was wanted for felony battery and attempted murder. If the police caught him, he was going to be taken off the streets and was probably going to pull a few years in the clink. Good riddance to him was all Dan could think.

That was twice now that Shay had pulled his ass out of the fire. Dinner was ruined, but he still owed her a meal... and some news.

.

.

.

TWENTY-THREE

Shay carried the pizza into Dan's apartment. With him eating In-N-Out and pizza in the same day, she half-expected his body to go into toxic shock.

"It's finally over, isn't it?" Dan asked as he pulled two beers from his fridge, opened them, and poured them into glasses.

"Yes, I think it's finally over. I'll try to get Lindsey to agree to release the video I took of her in the hospital. We'll package that up with the footage of Neil admitting he was setting you up, and we'll try to get that some airtime. Maybe we can go back to the Lunch with Lois show and see if they want to air it. I'd also recommend you put it up on your websites with the post where you denied any wrongdoing with Lindsey. I want to burn that bastard Neil good."

"Can I do that?"

"Check with your lawyers, but I think if we blur his face and beep out his name, it should be legal. He can't claim invasion of privacy if you can't tell who he is. It doesn't matter who said it, you just want people to hear it said."

He nodded as they sat down at his table, the pizza box between us. "I'll check on it," he said as he flipped the box open, dragged a slice onto a plate before handing it to her, and then doing the same for himself. He took a bite.

"Good," she said, toasting him with her slice. "Pizza, beer, and In-N-Out, all in the same day. I'm corrupting you."

His lips twisted into a teasing smile. "You gotta do what you gotta do, and besides, I get a cheat day once in a while. I'll put in some extra time working this off."

"That's good to know. You can start tonight."

He looked at her over the rim of his glass, his eyes playful, before he took a sip. "My God, woman! After last night, how can you still be horny?"

"Just lucky, I guess. You up for it?"

"You'll find out," he said and looked down. "Telling you this over a takeout pizza wasn't what I had in mind, but..."

He looked at her, his apprehension clear on his face. She said nothing, waiting for him to tell her whatever he needed to tell her. She'd been dreading hearing the news all afternoon. She'd forgotten about it with the news about Lindsey, but now the dread was back.

He'd said it was good news, but she couldn't shake the feeling she wasn't going to like what she was about to hear. If it was good news, why couldn't he have told her at In-N-Out? Why did it have to be in private? Was he afraid it was going to make her cry? She steeled herself for whatever came. If he was going to toss her aside, or if he was sensing her growing attachment to him and wanted to be clear that he only wanted her for a fuck-buddy, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry, and she wouldn't beg him for more.

He looked at her, his face soft and kind as he took her hands. He was a good man. Even after what Lindsey had tried to do to him, he was willing to help her get back on her feet, and Shay wanted to be more like him. Being around him this last month made her feel like she was a better person. She was still a cynic and was skeptical of people's motives, but she was changing. He'd shown her there were still good, kind people in this world, people who didn't think only of themselves.

"I don't know how to tell you this, so I'll just come out and say it. Shay, I'm falling in love with you. I don't know when it happened, but I am."

He pursed his lips, as if he was likewise steeling himself for bad news. She whimpered softly. Was he afraid she'd reject him? Was that why he was so up and down throughout the day? She whimpered again. Despite her promise to herself, she was about to cry because she was starting to fall for him as well. She wanted him like she'd wanted no other man. She wanted to be with him, to fall asleep in his arms each night and wake up there the next morning. She wanted to start her day with his kiss, and finish it the same way, wanted to make love to him and go shopping with him, wanted to cheer his successes and kiss away his disappointments. She wanted to share meals and memories, to see new things and revisit old, all with him at her side. She wanted to be there for him, to make him part of her life, but most of all, she wanted him to want her in the same way.

She whimpered again as all the feelings, all the things she kept shoved deep and locked in a box, afraid to let herself experience them lest she be hurt, broke free from their shackles and flowed over her, warming her in a way she'd never experienced before.

"Do you mean that?" she asked, holding his gaze and forcing her tone into neutrality. "Do you really mean that?"

"More than I can find the words to say."

He was still waiting for her to respond, to give some indication of her feelings. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but was afraid, afraid of making the commitment, unsure of her own feelings and afraid to believe in his.

"If you don't love me... that's okay," he said softly as he looked down, unable to hold her gaze. "I'll wait for you if you think you can grow to---"

She threw caution to the wind and lunged out of her chair to kiss him. She wanted this! She wanted this more than she'd wanted anything in her life! His arms went around her to pull her in and hold her close. She felt hot and out of sorts. Was it love? She didn't know, but she wanted more of it. Lots more of it.

She began feverishly kissing his neck while holding him tight, as if she were to loosen her embrace, he might disappear. She wanted to say the words, needed to say the words, but she couldn't. She writhed in emotional anguish, desperately trying to utter those three little words, but she lacked the courage, afraid of being hurt if she let herself believe. How could she believe him? So many people said the words, only to later start fucking around and breaking someone's heart.

He grabbed her head, his hands holding her firmly but gently so that she had to meet his gaze. "I'm starting to fall in love with you, Shay. I want you. I want you and no other."

How had he known? Could he read her so well? She could see the truth in his eyes. He did love her!

"I... think... I love you too!" She blubbered, forcing the sentence out, each word easier to say than the previous as her need to say them became unstoppable and pushed aside her fear.

As she finally admitted her feelings, a great weight suddenly lifted from her. Saying the words gave them power and made them real. She did love him. She was falling hopelessly, madly, deeply in love with him. If she felt this way for him after only seven weeks, she tried to imagine how she'd feel after seven months, seven years, or seventy. She wanted it. She wanted it badly. She wanted to love him and be loved by him in return.

In the last thirty seconds, since he'd admitted he was falling for her, and having admitted the same, her feelings for him had doubled, and then doubled again. Daniel Beckette said he loved me! She wanted to scream it to the world, the thought terrifying and thrilling her at the same time. Other than her father, she'd never felt love, not as an adult, but what she was starting to feel for Dan was different. It was the difference between a candle and the sun. Both gave light, warmth, and comfort, but only one was blinding in its intensity.

"No," she whispered. "No... I don't think... I know. I know I'm falling in love with you!" she said before kissing him again. He returned the kiss and her feelings for him grew deeper still.

It was the single best kiss she'd ever received. Her passions roaring, the heat of the kiss melted away her fears and doubts, thawing her as if she were an ice cube in the desert. He rose from his chair, dragging her up and pulling her in tight, so tight she thought her ribs would break, but she wanted him to hold her tighter still.

"I love you," she murmured again, each repetition making the words easier to say. She wanted to say them again and again, and go on saying them forever.

"I love you too," he breathed as he held her, his lips dancing over her neck.

God, how she loved to hear those words!

She'd eaten less than a half-slice of pizza, but no amount of food could satisfy the hunger clawing at her. She needed him in her arms and inside her. He must have felt it too, because before she could order him to take her to his bed, he turned to his bedroom. She loved how he handled her! His strength made her feel safe, like nothing could hurt her when she was with him.

He carried her into his bedroom and gently, as if she were made of the finest porcelain, lowered her to his bed. He hovered over her, watching her and holding her gaze. Her eyes, he always came back to her eyes.

"What?" she whispered.

"I was just thinking how you are the most beautiful woman I have ever known."

She went all gooey inside. She didn't think she was ugly, but she didn't consider herself beautiful either, especially when compared to all the beautiful people that filled Los Angeles. She'd have described herself as average, or maybe cute if she was having a good day. Women like Maranda, the waitress, Lindsey, the porn queen, or Mairead, the pop star, with their full, ripe bodies, were the type of women men lusted for.

Hearing Dan's words made her feel, for the first time in her life, like the most desirable woman in the world. He could have any woman he wanted, but he'd chosen her. Me! Shay Naula Caddel! The sexiest man on the planet has chosen me!

She smiled at him, a smile she couldn't wipe away if she tried. "You're not so bad yourself," she purred.

His smile made her heart flutter as she pulled him down to take his lips, luxuriating in the feel of his weight as his hard, muscular body pressed her into the mattress.

He kissed her, really kissed her. The kiss was slow, and deep, and full of desire and promise, but there was more. It was different than all the other heated kisses they'd shared. It touched her in ways she couldn't describe, like trying to describe how a beautiful piece of art spoke to someone. There were some things that couldn't be described, things that simply had to be experienced.

She felt safe and protected in his arms, like she was no longer alone in the world, as if together they could face and overcome any threat, any obstacle life might throw at them. She moaned softly, the kiss filling her to overflowing with emotion. She wanted to cry and laugh, so she did a little of both as she pulled his lips from hers and held him with all her strength as he buried his face into her neck, his breath soft and warm on her flesh. She never wanted to let him go, and she'd cut the heart out of the first bitch that tried to take him from her. He was hers, and she'd guard him jealously.

After a long nuzzling of her neck, he gently forced himself out of her embrace. "I want you," he whispered, his mouth so close to hers that when he spoke his breath caressed her lips. A chill raced through her. He'd said them to her before, but now they held so much more meaning.

"I want you... more," she murmured in return.

She was in the first blush of new love, and it excited her in ways she'd never experienced before, but she knew as their feelings for each other developed and matured, as their love deepened, what she was feeling now would pale in comparison. She'd love Dan like no woman had ever loved a man. He was giving her his heart, and she'd treat it like the treasure it was.

She began to remove her blouse, but he gently brushed her hands aside. "No. Let me."

He slowly drew her from the bed and proceeded to undress her with near infinite slowness. He kissed and nuzzled her neck as his fingers worked at her various fastenings, slowly opening her to his inspection and touch, and it was one of the most sensual things ever done to her.

Dan was the master of seduction. With his slow undressing, or washing her in the shower, or cooking for her, or holding her as they soaked in the tub, he'd always made her feel like there was more to her than just a place for him to bury his cock, more than just a life support system for her vagina, and she loved him more for it. She knew he wanted her, but he made her feel like he wanted all of her, and that made her want him. Want him badly, and often.

As the last of Shay's coverings were slowly removed, he stared at her, his gaze slowly traveling her length. "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met," he said as his gaze returned to her. She couldn't stop her smile. It was always the eyes.

"You said that already," she teased, but she didn't mind him saying it as often as he wanted.

"And I'm going to keep on saying it... until everyone I know has heard it at least a million times."

She melted a little more inside as she glanced down to admire the bulge in his pants. "My turn," she whispered as she began to undress him.

She started slowly kissing her way down his body, her lips following the spreading V of his shirt as her fingers worked his buttons. Her lips dancing and playing over the ridges and valleys of his body, she slowly pushed his shirt over his shoulders and allowed it to fall to the floor. His chest bare, she took a nipple into her mouth before using her tongue to scrape it gently against her teeth. He hissed as his big, strong hand went to the back of her head to hold her mouth in place as she battered the point with her tongue.

She'd said he 'wasn't so bad himself.' There had never been more of an understatement. Daniel was fucking amazing. His body was the stuff women dreamed of, perfect in form and without a blemish. His face was handsome, angular, and strong, with eyes that could look deep into your soul. He was kind and thoughtful, and his prowess in bed was second to none. She would never want for another.

She smiled, watching his face from under her eyebrows as she kissed lower, her lips caressing the ripples of his abdomen. She slowly lowered herself to the floor, allowing him to anticipate as she opened his pants to free the object of her desire. She continued lower while sliding his pants over his taut, muscular ass, until he stepped out of them with his hands resting feather light on the back of her head.

He didn't try to force her. He'd nudge, indicating his desire, but he never tried to make her do anything she didn't want to. With an almost imperceptible smile, she teased him, kissing all around his manhood, but never where she knew he wanted to be kissed.

Her smile broadened slightly, enjoying how he was weeping with his desire for her. Using a finger, she slowly wiped away his slickness and deposited it on her tongue as he watched her, his soft groan of desire her reward.

"You want me?" she whispered as her lips caressed the tip of his member with butterfly kisses.

"Yes," he murmured.

She took him into her mouth, holding against her gag reflex as she took him deep. Dan was larger than most men, as large or larger than any lover she'd ever had. It tasked her to take all of him into her mouth, but for him, she'd try anything, do anything.

His hands urged her down his shaft as he groaned, but so gently she knew she could easily pull back when she wished. She held him there until she felt her control over her gag slipping. She backed off, caught her breath, then swallowed him again, grabbing his ass as she tried to force herself to take the last tiny bit of him into her mouth.

"Fuck!" he barked as he threw his head back.

He was too much, and she could take all of him for only a moment before being overwhelmed with the need to gag. When she threw herself back, he hauled her up with a growl before kissing her passionately, his tongue snaking into her mouth as he ignored his slickness coating her tongue. He pulled back from the kiss before picking her up and throwing her onto the bed. She scrambled to the center to accept him, but he pulled her back and buried his face in her womanhood as he draped himself over the edge.

He savaged her sweetly with his lips and tongue. She tried to escape, tried to urge him onto the bed so she could please him as he did her, but he was too strong and held her in place. After a moment, she stopped struggling as her pleasure swelled. He smacked and slurped, as if he were starving and she was a banquet, while his hands gently kneaded her breasts and teased her nipples.

"Don't make me come! Please don't make me come!" she softly panted as she gently writhed while clawing at the bed's linens.

She wanted him inside, but it was too late. Her orgasm began to spool up, her skin heating as if she were lying under a desert sun. She tried to close her legs, but he was too strong and held them open as he continued to kiss and lick.

"Please!" she begged as she took his head into her hands, no longer sure if she was begging for him to stop, or to make her come. "Fuck... fuck... fuck" she began to chant, her voice and body no longer hers to control as he destroyed her with his lips and tongue. He did this shit to her all the time, and she fucking loved it. "Fuck!" she wailed quietly as her climax rolled over her in a great wave, massive and unstoppable, her flesh alive as she tingled in erotic agony.

She pushed at him, but he held her tight, her back arching as her body tried to pull itself apart. Crying out softly, she twisted, desperate to escape the pleasure, unable to remain still as every muscle became taut with the power of her orgasm. His lips and tongue never slowed, moving with her as she writhed.

She couldn't take his kisses anymore. "Stop! Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop..." she begged as she slapped and pushed. He was going to simultaneously give her a heart attack and an aneurysm.

Then his lips were on her, kissing her slowly and gently as her rapture slowly seeped out of her. She needed a moment to recover, lacking the strength to do anything except kiss him in return. Summoning what energy she had, she draped an arm around his neck and pulled him to her chest as she drew power from his kiss.

He slowly pulled back and smiled at her as she relaxed with a long, slow, cleansing exhale. "I love you," she breathed with the last of her breath as she held his gaze.

"I love you... more," he replied, his face and voice gentle.

With his reply, she knew they'd created a new game between them, and she could tell from his smile, he knew it too. She tugged him, and he came to her willingly. He entered her slowly while holding her gaze. She couldn't stop her smile. The eyes. He always watches my eyes. He took her gently, lovingly, settling lightly over her, caressing her face with fingers and lips as they made love in the most intimate position. Their joining didn't have the white-hot heat of some of their other times together, but it was special in its own way.

There was no tumbling around in the bed. No Dan throwing her around while fucking her good. No Shay on top riding him to orgasm. She was certain they'd go back to those things, but tonight he was taking her gently, sweetly, and murmuring of his love as he made her his.

After many long moments, she felt a second orgasm stalking her, lurking in the shadows and waiting to be called into the blinding light of their passion.

"Make me come," she whispered, the hovering climax teasing her with expectation. He was beginning to sweat from his slow, steady efforts, and their combined body heat, the glow of his flesh exciting her, while the dampness between them became another source of pleasure. He knew what to do. "Make me come," she purred. "I want you to come with me. Please... come with me."

He smiled at her, his finger brushing a bit of hair out of her face as he began driving into her with purpose. Slowly, his eyes and face hardened as his face began twisting with pleasure. Seeing the rising bliss written across his features, her eyes closed as ecstasy bloomed within her.

"Fuck," he muttered as he picked up the pace of his strokes even more.

He was winding himself up and dragging her along with him. Knowing he was close always twisted her up, and this time was no exception.

"I'm going to come," he growled.

"Don't stop!" she hissed, their code word that she was getting close to her climax.

"I'm going to come," he repeated, his voice strained.

"Don't stop! Please don't stop!"

He reared. She didn't want to lose the feeling of his flesh against her, so she clung to him as he lifted her head and shoulders from the bed. She was so close! With a low and deep growling moan, he began pounding into her furiously hard.

"Fuck... fuck... fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck... fuck!" she snarled as her womanhood clamped down on him.

"Fuck! I'm coming!" he barked over her soft cry of completion, spilling his wetness into her as they clung to each other, two bodies straining in the moment of perfect pleasure, before they collapsed back to the bed with a gasp. Panting from their efforts, they held each other a long moment before his lips found hers.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you... more," she replied and smiled, enjoying their new game. "Before you said you were falling in love with me," she pointed out as she drew a finger down his cheek.

"I am." He offered her a teasing smile. "Think of it as falling into a well. Once you fall, you're in the well even if you are still falling." His smile spread as he touched her lips with a finger. "This is a deep fucking well, and I don't think I'll ever stop falling."

She smiled, warming with his words while drawing his lips back to hers. As their kiss dissolved, she nudged him. After another quick brush of her lips, he tumbled to his back so she could snuggle close. They could make love again later, but right now, she wanted him to hold her. This had been some day, and she wanted nothing more than to go to sleep in his arms... and wake up the same way.

"I love you," she breathed as sleep stalked her. She couldn't believe how easily those three little words came off her tongue now, when less than an hour ago she was afraid to say them.

"I love you... more."

She smiled. It was impossible for him to love her more than she loved him, but she didn't say anything. After a long moment, the steady thudding of his heart and his slow, rhythmic breathing, lulled her into sleep, and she slid peacefully into the darkness with a small smile still on her lips.

.

.

.

TWENTY-FOUR

Dan's eyes flicked open. The apartment was dark. Had it been late enough that he'd turned the lights on before he and Shay had gone to bed? He couldn't remember, but it must not have been. He listened, wondering what had pulled him from sleep, but he heard nothing. He yawned, still drowsy, but seeing Shay's sleeping form beside him, the edge of her breast, the sensuous curve of her hip and ass, thrilling him. Reaching under the sheet, he adjusted himself as he began to harden.

Earlier, he'd made the ultimate leap of faith and told Shay he was in love with her. Falling in love, more precisely, but that was just semantics. He'd bedded plenty of women, but he'd never been in love with any of them... until now, and having her tell him of her own feelings had been like a sunrise.

After that... it was even better than their first time, when he'd thought it couldn't be any better. He'd never been more wrong. She'd given him harder orgasms, but none had been as satisfying as the one last night when they'd reached the peak of pleasure at the same time. They'd come close together a couple of times, but that was the first time they'd managed to time it exactly right. It was the perfect finishing touch to what may be the best day of his life... and it was all because of Shay.

She had quickly exposed Lindsey as a fraud. She'd then managed to tie Neil to Lindsey, and it was her plan that had brought him down, and best of all, she said she was in love with him.

He smiled into the darkness. Shay Caddel, the most beautiful woman he'd ever met, and one of the best, brightest, and most determined private investigators in Los Angeles, was in love with him, the farm boy from South Dakota. Now that he knew she loved him, he'd work every day to earn that love, and he'd gut the first asshole that tried to take her from him. She was his, and he'd protect her with his life.

He slowly, carefully, squirmed under her until he'd positioned them so he could feather slow kisses lightly over her face. He didn't know how long they'd slept, but he wanted her. She excited him like no other woman, and he couldn't get enough of her.

She took a deep breath as she rolled away from him, and her lips opened slightly in invitation. She was bewitching in bed and always seemed eager to have him, something he'd never take for granted. He took her lips in a more passionate kiss, and after a moment she responded by placing her arm around his neck to draw him to her.

Their kiss was lazy but deep. He had a head start because he'd awoken first, but he could sense Shay catching up fast. He left her lips and kissed his way to the hollow of her throat, pausing there to slowly lick and kiss, before moving lower still. He'd just taken one of her nipples into his mouth when he heard a noise that shouldn't have been there. He paused his ministrations to wait and listen. She'd heard it too as she suddenly stiffened before pushing his face away and sitting up in bed.

"Did you hear that?" she whispered.

"Yeah. You too?"

His apartment was on the tenth floor, so the only way in was the door. Suddenly the lights being off chilled him. In the still silence, he heard the sound of what could be a soft footstep. He tumbled out of the bed. He didn't have a gun because... California... but he kept a bat by his bedroom door for this situation. He hurried to the door and picked up the bat. He was naked as the day he was born, so he quickly returned to the bed, softly tossed the bat on it so it was within easy reach, and quickly tugged on his pants. He picked up the bat and turned toward the door, but Shay grabbed his arm and held it tight. He pulled the phone out of his pants pocket and handed it to her.

"Call the cops. Do you have your gun?" he hissed in her ear.

"In the living room."

"Shit. Stay in here and lock the door," he whispered before he silently crept across the room and into the short hall.

His apartment was arranged so that the master bedroom and main living area shared a wall of windows, with the kitchen, the two baths, laundry room, and the second bedroom tucked behind. He crept down the hall until he saw a man moving against the lights of LA streaming through the windows. He could also see the door. All the apartments in the building had decorative glass panels along the sides and above the door. The glass was textured and beveled for privacy and appearance, the openings too narrow for a person to squeeze through, but the window to the right of the door was broken at the same height as the doorknob. That was probably the noise that had pulled him from sleep. When he didn't appear, the burglar had probably assumed nobody was home and had opened the door. What he couldn't figure out, though, was how the goon had gotten in the building. Nobody was supposed to be able to get in without an access card, or a resident buzzing them in.

"Hey! I've called the cops! Get out of here before I cave your fucking skull in," Dan snarled as he approached, the bat held high in threat. The burglar was a big man, about Dan's height, and heavier, but Dan had a Louisville Slugger to even the odds.

Rather than retreat, as Dan expected, the other charged him with a roar, lifting something in his hand as if he was going to swing it at Dan. Dan swung the bat as the goon brought his weapon down. The intruder's crowbar rang against Dan's bat with a crack that stung all the way to his elbows. The goon swung again, and Dan dodged back before he swung his bat in a counterstrike. He missed. Dan had never been in a fight in his life, and it was clear enough neither of them knew what the fuck they were doing, but they were keeping their distance so the other couldn't get in a lucky shot. One blow from either of their makeshift weapons would be devastating.

"Get out of here!" Dan bellowed as he took another swing at the man.

The intruder either blocked Dan, or was swinging at the same time, but however it happened, their weapons cracked together again, causing the other man to drop his crowbar with a bellow of pain. Despite the pain radiating up from his hands and wrists, Dan managed to hold onto the bat. He drew it back to swing again, but the other man screamed as he charged. Dan brought his bat down, but hit the charging man on the shoulder with his wrists just as the goon plowed into him.

Between the thug driving into Dan, and the bat over-torqueing Dan's wrists, he lost his weapon. The two men tumbled over the back of the couch with a crashing, spine-shattering, thud. The fall broke the two men apart, but Dan got the worst of it as the goon had landed on him. Dan was a fraction slower getting to his feet, giving the thug an opportunity to try to cave in Dan's ribs with a vicious kick.

Air whooshed out of Dan before he scrabbled away, trying to get to his feet before the man could kick him again. He didn't make it, but he did manage to get his arm down enough to block some of the goon's follow-up kick.

"You took everything from me, you fucker!" the goon roared. The thug was wearing a ski mask, but Dan recognized the voice immediately. "You and that fucking cunt! I took care of her, and now I'm going to take care of you!"

Dan became red with rage. Neil kicked him again, and Dan bellowed in pain. Dan again tried to scramble back. As Dan tried to escape the punishment Neil was dealing him, he saw Shay standing at the edge of the hall dressed in nothing but his shirt with her hands at her mouth, his phone in her hand. Dan's rage instantly went from red to white. He had to protect Shay.

Neil went after Dan and again tried to kick him. Dan couldn't take many more blows to the ribs, but he was ready for him. At the last moment, Dan twisted and took the kick on his shoulder. It hurt like a bitch, but not nearly as much as if he'd taken it in the ribs. With Neil off balance, Dan exploded from his crouch, roaring in rage as he slammed into Neil.

Dan hit Neil hard, his legs pumping as he drove him back. They slammed into one of the large windows. It wasn't the smartest move because if the glass had broken, they would have both gone through and fell the ten stories to their death, but Dan was beyond rational thought. He had to protect Shay, and if he died doing it, that was a price he was willing to pay.

Fortunately the window didn't break, but their impact caused it to thrum like a huge drum. Dan wasn't a fighter, but neither was Neil. They had their hands on each other's faces as they tried to tear each other's heads off, grunting and straining as they stumbled around while locked in a deadly embrace. Neil might be a fat slob, but carrying all that extra weight for so many years had made him strong as hell. They bounced off the window a second time, the glass again rumbling with their impact. Neil shoved Dan away, using the glass for leverage, and as Dan stumbled back, he ripped the mask from Neil's head. Now that Dan had a little space, he drew back and threw the hardest right he could, hitting Neil straight in the face before he could recover and react. His nose exploded in blood, but Dan was enraged beyond caring.

Neil must have been equally enraged because rather than backing off, giving up, or falling, he swung wildly. It connected, but hit Dan on his head, and while it hurt, it did no major damage.

"You fucking bastard!" Dan bellowed as he grabbed Neil, spun him around so he couldn't see Shay, and then delivered a full power right cross to Neil's shattered face.

Neil roared in pain and rage as he rushed his foe. Dan tried to drive him back with another punch, but Neil rushed right through the blow before driving Dan to the floor. They twisted and squirmed as they fought for advantage. Dan threw some punches, and so did Neil, but they couldn't hurt each other enough to take their opponent out. Dan finally got his hands around Neil's throat and squeezed with everything he had left to give. Neil was on top of Dan, his hands around his opponent's wrists as he struggled to escape Dan's grasp, Neil's blood dripping all over Dan as the two men strained. Dan didn't notice, his entire world having focused down to the task of killing the son-of-a-bitch for what he'd done to him, for what he'd done to Lindsey, but mostly for what he feared Neil would do to Shay if he faltered.

"Die... you... mother... fucker!" Dan snarled, his arms burning as he held Neil up by the neck.

Dan could feel the fight flowing out of Neil, but he kept the pressure on, his face twisted into a sneer of hate. When Neil began to sag, he threw the injured man aside and staggered to his feet. Dan wasn't moving very well as he stumbled for his bat, but Neil was in worse shape.

When Dan rounded the couch again, bat in hand, Neil was coughing forcefully and gagging, a hand at his throat as he tried to get to his feet. Glaring at his adversary, Dan twirled the bat slowly, rotating it with his wrist to wind up and harden himself before he brought the club down and around in a whistling arc, like he was swinging a golf club, with as much force as he could muster. The club contacted solidly with one of Neil's knees, causing the man to shriek in agony as he collapsed to the floor, but he didn't care.

Dan stood over his screaming opponent as Neil grabbed his shattered joint, rocking in agony, watching to make sure he was down for the count, before he turned to look for Shay. Dan located her on the other side of the room, standing in a shooter's crouch, her weapon pointed with unwavering stillness at Neil. Neil didn't know how lucky he was that all he got was a busted knee. As Neil lay on the floor, whimpering, moaning, and rocking in pain, Dan stumbled to her, being careful to not step between her and Neil, then slowly took the weapon from her hand.

"It's over," he whispered.

She looked at him. He was covered in Neil's blood and was walking with a list, favoring the side with the aching ribs. He hadn't noticed his painful ribs when he was fighting for Shay's life, but he was starting to feel them now.

"The cops are on the way," she said as she turned back to look at Neil.

-oOo-

Dan used Neil's mask to wipe most of the blood off himself while Shay slipped on a pair of pants. While Shay dressed, Neil decided he was going to try to make his escape, and was struggling to his feet, using the couch to compensate for his non-functional left leg.

"Going somewhere, asshole?" Dan asked as he tapped him gently on his ruined leg with the bat.

Neil wailed as he collapsed to the floor again. "You broke my knee! You broke my fucking knee!"

"You're lucky I didn't cave in your fucking skull for what you did to Lindsey."

"She deserved it! She deserved everything she got, just like you! I'm---"

"Shut the fuck up," Dan growled as he kicked Neil gently on the bottom of his left foot, the impact, as soft as it was, traveling up Neil's leg to his ruined knee to make him cry out again.

The cops finally arrived ten minutes after Shay had called them, with paramedics in tow. While the paramedics worked on Neil, the two officers talked to Shay and Dan separately. Dan told them straight up what happened. They'd examined the bat, the two deep creases in the wood where the crowbar had connected clearly visible. The broken glass by the front door, the smashed lamp, his split knuckles, the out of place furniture, all corroborated their story. It was an open and shut case, and Dan had clearly acted in self-defense.

The apartment door was open as the cops came and went, and Dan could see his neighbors milling about in the hall as they watched the goings on in his apartment. The rumors would be flying tomorrow, but he didn't care. All he cared about was that Shay was safe.

She stood to the side, watching with downturned lips as the paramedic looked Dan over. The gloved woman cleaned his knuckles and was examining his ribs, causing him to hiss and twist in pain as she probed and pressed.

"I don't think anything is broken, but you probably should get some x-rays, just to be sure. You're going to be sore for a week or so, so take some acetaminophen or ibuprofen for the pain, and you need to take it easy for a while, but I think you'll be okay." She gave him a camaraderie slap on the knee as she rose.

For the first time since the circus started, Shay stepped close. He turned and pulled her in. She was considerate, and though she draped her arms around him, she didn't squeeze. He held her as the paramedics wheeled Neil out. His place was a mess, but all he could think about was that Shay was safe.

The cops were there for another hour before they finished what they were doing, and it was nearly three when he closed the door behind the last of them. In the two hours it had taken the police to finish their business, he had started hurting badly.

"I need a shower," he muttered, thankful he didn't have to pull a shirt over his head.

They retreated to the bathroom where Shay started the water and helped him out of his pants. Having her kneeling in front of him as she pulled down his pants would normally make him steel hard in an instant, but tonight wasn't normal. He stepped into the shower. He was standing under the water, head down, waiting for the heat to leech some of the pain from his body, when he heard the shower open again.

She stepped in and pressed herself loosely against his back and rested her head against him. "I was so scared."

"I know. So was I. I was afraid something would happen to you."

"When he was swinging that crowbar... if he'd hit you... and I was terrified the glass would break."

She whimpered once. He slowly turned. Everything he did would be done slowly for the next few days. He pulled her close and held her, but not too tightly as his ribs were making their displeasure known, but after a moment the pain began to lessen. He needed this. He needed to feel her in his arms, and his aching ribs could go fuck themselves.

"You could have died," she whispered, and he heard the tears in her voice.

"But I didn't," he replied softly as he rested his cheek against her head. "I'm a little sore, but I'm okay."

She nodded and his lips twitched in discomfort. How could such a small movement hurt that much? They stood in the shower for a long time, until the water began to run cold. Using the last of the warm water, she carefully washed him clean, being extra delicate around his ribs, before they stepped out of the shower and she patted him dry with the lightest of touches.

He was exhausted, hurting, and the tablets he'd taken weren't helping. Or maybe they were, but if they were, he didn't want to know how badly he'd be hurting without them. Getting into bed and lying down was sheer torture, and lying on his back was the only possible position.

"I may spend the next week in bed!" he gasped as the pain slowly receded.

She slowly crawled in beside him, being careful to shake the bed as little as possible. "Normally I'd say great, but..."

He chuckled and then gasped. "Please don't make me laugh."

They tried to snuggle. He wanted her in his arms so badly he thought he'd die if she weren't there, but they simply couldn't, no matter the side nor the position. Finally, she lay beside him, her hand on his chest as he slowly caressed her thigh. It was the best they could do.

"Love you," he whispered.

"Love you... more."

He smiled as his hand slowly stroked her. It wasn't possible for her to love him more than he loved her, but he said nothing as sleep slowly took him.

.

.

.

EPILOGUE

"Lucy! I'm home!" Daniel called in his best Desi Arnaz voice as he closed the door between the kitchen and the garage. There was no answer, but that wasn't unusual, at least not for the past three months.

He walked back to the nursery and paused in the door. Shay was sitting in her rocker, her eyes closed and her face at peace as she slowly rocked. Circe, wrapped in a blanket, was nursing at her breast. A year ago, when Shay had told him she was pregnant, he would have sworn he couldn't love another as much as he loved his wife at that very moment. Now, as he watched the two people most important in his life rock in a leisurely rhythm, he had to admit, he loved his little Bird, his nickname for Circe, as much as he loved his wife. He'd discovered for himself that truism which said love was infinite, and a heart would grow as large as necessary to hold it.

He stepped into the room as Shay opened her eyes and held a finger to her lips with a smile. Circe---pronounced SIR-see, the Latinized form of the Greek word for 'bird,' and also a Greek enchantress---was almost asleep. He kissed his daughter softly on the head, then gave a longer, more intimate one, to her mother. As he slowly pulled back, Shay nodded, slowly offering Circe to him.

He draped a thick cloth over his shoulder and took Bird as she snuffled and fussed. He draped her over his shoulder as he bounced and cooed, patting her gently on the back. He was the best baby-burper in the business, and Shay smiled as she tucked herself away.

It'd been tough the past three months. Dan had been endlessly patient with her as they tried to adjust to their new lives. She'd closed Clearview Investigations to concentrate on her family. It didn't matter if she ever went back. After they'd married, she'd cut way back on her caseload. They didn't need the money, and she could afford to be choosy, taking only the cases that interested her, normally some kind of fraud.

Her reputation had skyrocketed after the Squarepeg case. The sordid affair had first broken in the local newspaper with a long article on how Neil Mitchell had set out to destroy Dan's reputation. That had led to Dan and her appearing on Lunch with Lois, where the story was sensationalized, particularly the part where Neil had broken into Daniel's apartment and they'd fought, if not to the death, at least to Neil's destruction.

That had been picked up by one of the national tabloid papers, which had spun the tale as a love story of how the hard-bitten private eye had fallen for her client, and how he in turn had risked his life to defend her against the man that had broken into his apartment, intent on killing them both.

That story had gone viral, and her phone began ringing off the hook with clients, people who were being blackmailed or otherwise extorted, and she'd finally felt she was doing some good in this world.

Circe burped, a wet sounding rumble that made Shay want to laugh. Daniel placed his daughter in her crib and covered her. She fussed and whimpered, the child missing the comforting touch of her father and mother, but they crept out of the room. They knew from experience within five minutes, she'd be asleep.

In the hall, Dan pulled Shay into a more proper kiss. She still looked a little tired, but she positively glowed, and every time he saw her, he felt his love for her increase a little more. Even after almost two years together, he was still falling in love with her.

"How was your day?" he asked as they stepped into the kitchen and away from Circe's room.

Their house was a split bedroom design, where the master suite was on the opposite side of the house from the other two bedrooms. That detail had been a must. He didn't want to have to worry about waking up kids later down the road as he and Shay demonstrated their love. He stopped in the kitchen, intending to start dinner, but Shay took his hand and pulled him through the room and into their bedroom.

"I'm in the mood for an appetizer before dinner. You?" she asked.

He smiled. "I always love a tasty appetizer."

"It was a good day. She slept for almost four hours this afternoon, so I got a good nap."

Like most new parents, their sex life had been drastically reduced, but he knew when Shay had enough sleep, she was as randy as ever. He'd offered to help with the nighttime feedings, but she preferred to feed Circe at her breast rather than using the pump, so feedings were on her. He helped as much as he could by taking over the other chores. He already did most of the cooking, and running a load of laundry every night was no real chore. The cleaning lady and yard service took care of the rest once a week, so Shay could nap during the day when Bird was asleep.

Now that Circe was sleeping longer, and Shay was able to rest more, their love life was coming back, and they stole chances to be intimate whenever possible.

"How was your day?" she asked as she began unbuttoning his shirt.

He nodded, allowing her fingers to work. "We closed another franchise deal today, in Hartford, Connecticut."

After their story went national, he'd started receiving franchise enquiries. He now had eight franchises in three states, with three more slated to open in the next year. The synergy between the fitness centers and his website was driving growth in both, and he expected his website to be the number one fitness destination on the web before the end of the year. Neil might have been an asshole, but he'd certainly been good for business.

Five months later, she'd moved in with him and began renting both sides of her duplex. Seven months after that, a year to the day after he'd told Shay he loved her, he'd surprised her by bringing home takeout pizza. The pizza was the same type, and from the same place they'd gotten it when he told her he was falling in love with her. She was surprised by the unexpected takeout, but didn't connect the dots. After putting a slice on each of their plates, he'd produced the ring from his pocket and asked for her hand in marriage. She'd laughed and cried as she accepted, and that story had been told endlessly during their engagement and at the wedding, Dan always claiming the pizza had worked the last time, and he didn't want to take any chances.

After she'd accepted his proposal, they'd gone house shopping, and when they returned from their honeymoon in Italy, they set about the task of moving out of their apartment and making their new house into a home.

"That's good," she murmured as she kissed him on the chest. "That's very, very good," she purred, but he was pretty sure she wasn't talking about the franchise deal any more. And if she was, he was going to do his best to distract her.

Before Shay became pregnant, they were making love, on average, nine times a week. Every night, plus mornings on Saturday and Sunday. That had dipped to only once a week, or less, when Circe first came home, but they were back to three to five times a week now. They'd missed yesterday, so his desire for her was bubbling over.

He pulled her lips away from his chest and smiled down at her. "Maybe, but it's not nearly as good as this," he rumbled before he picked her up and dumped her on the bed.

She grinned as she kicked back into the bed, her smile calling to him as he followed her into the center. "Nothing ever is."