"I heard crashing, fighting," she said, as if he hadn't spoken. "I heard my mother scream. But I stayed in the closet. I... I was too scared to go help her."

No wonder she hated Prendarians. At least he hadn't witnessed his own mother's death. He reached out and touched her arm briefly. "She wanted to protect you. She wanted you to stay safe."

"Oh, I stayed safe all right." Her voice was thick with tears. "I stayed in that closet while they tore the house apart. I heard them. Then I heard a siren go by, and everything got quiet. It must have scared them off."

Her chest was heaving with deep breaths. "I waited for hours. Well... I don't really know how long. It seemed like hours. Hiding in the closet like a coward."

"Daria," he said sharply. "You were only a child."

She rubbed at her cheeks, but tears kept flowing. "When I finally opened the closet door, the room was pitch black. I couldn't see a thing. There was so much rubble on the floor -- busted furniture, I guess -- that I kept tripping. Finally I stayed down and crawled around in the dark, screaming for my mom. I got something sticky on my hands..." Her voice faded to a whisper. "I didn't know it was blood until later. All I know is that I crawled right into my mother's body."

He slid across the seat and took her in his arms. She pressed her head against his chest, wiping her cheeks on his shirt.

"I'm sorry."

A sniffle answered him. "I don't want you to forgive me just because you feel sorry for me." Still his proud Daria. He stroked her hair behind her ear, hoping to look into her eyes, but her face was hidden against his chest. "I've been planning to forgive you since this morning."

She looked up at him then. Her beautiful eyes were rimmed with red. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yes, I --"

Movement outside the craft caught his attention. A couple walked past in the dappled sunshine, staring curiously at him and Daria. In a neighborhood this exclusive, people sitting in a hovercraft drew attention. And he wanted to be alone with her.

He opened the door. "Come with me."

She climbed down and closed the door. He didn't take her hand, didn't touch her, merely walked up the stone-paved entryway to a house shrouded by trees. He took a keycard from his pocket and slid it into the command panel next to the door. The lock clicked open.

He pushed the door wide open and stepped back for Daria to walk in first. The lights turned on automatically.

She said nothing, merely wandered across the huge open, empty space of the main chamber, her feet soundless on the thick carpeting. She went straight to the enormous windows -- just as he had yesterday, when he'd first seen the house.

"My God," she breathed.

He came up behind her. The view was truly spectacular -- the gray-green water of the ocean spread out below as far as he could see. With a dull roar, a wave crashed against the cliff the house sat on, sending droplets of water spraying up right in front of the window. If he craned his neck to the side, he could see the top of a bridge that marked the entrance from the ocean to San Francisco Bay.

She looked around the empty room. "Does anyone live here?"

"Not at present." He took her hand and put the keycard in her palm, then wrapped her fingers over it. "This is the gift I spoke of yesterday."

Her mouth dropped open. "You can't give me this house."

He smiled at her shock. "I'm giving you the key. The house, I hope we can share."

Her eyes grew wet, shiny. She blinked rapidly. "You want to live with me?"

"I do. Very much."

She threw herself against him. He staggered, but caught his balance before he fell. His arms came around her, clutching her warmth closer, and his mouth found her forehead. Touching his lips to any part of her skin felt sublime. When she rubbed her stomach against him, his cock stirred.

"I love you, Gray." The words were muffled against his chest, but still impossibly sweet to hear.

He could never hear them enough. "What?"

"I love you," she said again, more clearly.

He pulled back just enough to see her face. Why hadn't he noticed how beautiful she was right from the beginning? He could happily drown in those huge brown eyes. For the rest of his life. "Marry me."

She dropped her gaze and bit her lower lip.

Sanwar. Why did she resist? "I want everything, Daria. I want all of you."

She took his hand and pressed it to her chest, where the steady thump of her heart beat under his palm. "This is all yours," she said, her eyes solemn.

He wouldn't pressure her for commitment. Not yet, not with his cock rising and urgent, pressing against her belly. He moved his hand and cupped her breast. "And this?"

Her husky laugh hit him right in the gut. As usual. "All yours."

He reached low... low enough to slip his hand under her skirt and cup her nest... her pussy... her cunt.

"Yours," she whispered.

His fingers stroked her through her thin undergarment, and she swayed against him. She felt so hot in his hand, in his arms. "Tell me again."

"All yours."

He smiled. "Not that."

"What... Oh! Oh, I can't think when your hand's between my legs."

He wriggled his fingers more firmly. "Tell me how you feel about me."

She gasped. "I love you."

He kissed her then, his mouth urgent, his tongue questing, mating with hers. Somehow they ended up on the plush carpeting, kissing, groping, pulling at clothing. They struggled to get each other's clothes off, to get to skin. Her jacket came off easily. She stripped off his shirt and nuzzled at his chest. Her hot mouth felt so good... he lay back and let her kiss and nip his flesh.

But he needed to touch her again. He grabbed at her own shirt, tugging the fabric loose from her skirt. The buttons somehow opened beneath his clumsy fingers, but her bra blocked his view. Gray pulled the thing down, desperate to get at her breasts. Ah, there. He pushed her onto her back and bent over her, sucking one nipple fervently while she held his head against her hot flesh and moaned, her pleasure sounds deep and needy.

He lifted his head, panting. "Tell me again."

Her eyes were glazed, heavy-lidded; her fingers tangled in his hair. "I love you," she whispered. "With all my heart."

Irresistible, those lush, wide lips. He kissed her. "As I love you. And now I will make love with you."

"Yes."

Before he could move, she tugged at his pants, pulling them open and down to his knees.

Her hand grasped his cock and pumped. He groaned and rolled to his back, letting her stroke and tease him. Oh, how he'd missed the feeling of her warm hands on his body.

Her hair tickled his skin when she slid lower and pulled his pants all the way off. Then she took his cock into her hot hand and planted sucking little kisses on his chest. "You have a great chest," she murmured. "I really meant that. Even on that very first night."

With her hand wrapped around his cock, he could barely understand her. And then he felt silky hair against his stomach... and the wet heat of her mouth sucked his cock inside.

He tangled his hands in her hair, felt her head move as she suckled him. Her motions were hesitant, inexpert... but enthusiastic. As if she wanted to pleasure him, but didn't quite know how. Gods, she pleasured him like no other woman could. Her hot mouth would force him to climax in a moment.

"Enough." He took her shoulders and pulled her up over his body. She came willingly... but paused, kneeling over him, to strip off her shirt and bra. Her smile was warm and tempting... and open, so very open. As if she trusted him completely. As if she wanted him with every fiber of her being. The way he wanted her.

He couldn't wait to get inside her. He fumbled with her skirt, pulling the fabric up, and she shimmied out of her undergarment. With her hands planted on his chest, she shifted and wriggled her hips, struggling to settle on his cock, until he nearly screamed with frustration. In another second he'd roll her to her back and ride her.

After endless moments of squirming, she finally reached down and grasped his cock, holding him still while she sank down, taking him inside. Such heat, glorious heat. He groaned... she whimpered.

Her hands pressed against his chest as she thrust, and he grabbed her hips, helping her go faster, harder. Her hair swung back and forth with their mating rhythm.

"Come for me, Daria."

She moved eagerly, making hungry, desperate little noises deep in her throat that drove him higher. Her face looked taut, strained with desire. So beautiful in her need... her need for him. Only him. She bit her lip, riding him steadily, urgently, her rhythm fast and fierce. Sanwar, he couldn't wait much longer.

"Hurry," he pleaded.

A little whimper left her. He slid a hand between their bodies, forcing his way down until he reached her nest, pressing his fingers as close to her clit as he could, giving her the hard strokes he knew she liked.

Her eyes went wide, then closed tight. "Oh... Gray... oh..."

Her incoherent little sounds almost made him smile. Gods, he'd never felt anything as wonderful as this. "Fuck me, Daria. Make me come."

She cried out then, her body jerking with quick little contractions of release that forced her pelvis down hard on his, forced his cock deep inside, until he felt the blunt, welcoming edge of her womb. Her mouth opened as she spasmed, but her expression stayed trusting... so trusting, so loving... and awestruck, as if she couldn't believe the pleasure she felt. The pleasure he felt, as her wrenching orgasm squeezed his cock hard. He grasped her hips, kept her moving, until he burst inside her with blessed spasms of his own.

They were mated. Partnered. Whether she acknowledged this or not, truth would be truth.

She collapsed on top of him, her breath hot against his neck. He felt her hair draped across his shoulder, tickling him as each harsh breath stirred the fine strands. Her heart thumped rapidly against his chest.

Gods, she robbed him of all control. One day he'd restrain himself -- somehow -- and give her the five orgasms he'd promised her the night they'd met.

"Tell me again." Lack of breath kept his voice soft.

Her own breath huffed against his neck. "Such a demanding man," she murmured. She propped her chin on one hand and looked down at him. "I love you."

Her face was a little too close for him to focus on. He turned to his side, taking her over with him. His cock left her body, and the rush of cool air on his wet skin made him shiver. He'd be inside her warmth again soon. Very soon. He cupped her perfect little breast, and the areola contracted. Mmm. Very soon, indeed.

She settled her head on his arm. "I do love you, Gray."

He left her breast and stroked her hair back over her shoulder. "Even though I'm arrogant?"

He meant to tease, but her glow faded and her expression grew troubled. "I'm sorry. I never should have said that."

"You can always speak truth to me, Daria."

"Well, it may be true... but it's one of your charms."

She must truly love him, to consider arrogance charming. "Tell me more of these charms I possess."

"Oh, now you're demanding compliments."

He loved hearing that playful, teasing note in her voice. "Yes. And you will oblige me, woman."

She grinned. "If you insist. Let's see... Hmm... I should be able to think of something."

He tickled her side. She giggled and grasped his hand. "All right, all right! You're smart.

And funny, in your own quirky way. You're determined, and generous, and idealistic. And you care about doing the right thing."

Nothing about his wealth, his power, his fame. To Daria, those were probably detriments. "These are not remarkable qualities."

"When they're all wrapped in you, they are."

He laughed. "As you will. Please continue to list my remarkable qualities."

Her smile warmed him. "You have a sexy accent. And you're very... reliable."

He restrained his laughter this time. "Reliable? By the gods, Daria, you certainly know how to flatter a man."

She looked adorably flustered, blushing and struggling for words. "Well, I haven't met all that many reliable men. Trust me, it's a real turn on."

"A real turn on? What does that mean?"

"It means you make me volshano."

A turn on. He'd remember that phrase. He kissed her. "That's another feeling we share, dahsh'kara."

She suddenly looked troubled. "Gray..."

"Speak truth," he encouraged.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. For lying to you, and for that mess with Henry.

Honestly, I thought I could help you. Find out what he was planning... find a way to stop him..."

He pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I know. In future days, you will tell me when you wish to help."

"You forgive me?"

She sounded forlorn, as if she truly didn't know. "As I said, I decided to forgive you this morning. I could see that you were trying to manipulate Jamison." He'd never reveal that Hento had pointed out her machinations. No reason to tell her how deeply the recording had wounded him.

"But how did you know you'd have the chance to forgive me? How did you know I'd come back?"

As if he would leave such a thing to chance. "I planned to find you, Daria. I had an alert attached to your ID today, right before the meeting began." When her anonymous credit ran out, he'd have found her.

She sat up straight, which took her out of his arms. "But the guards let me in. One of them even brought me to the top floor."