"I've never had anyone ask for my hand in marriage before." Talli mused to the devilishly handsome gentleman in front of her.

"Well then, let me give you a little more encouragement." Derek opened the box and turned it toward Talli.

She let out a loud gasp and looked up at him. "It's beautiful." She lightly ran her finger over the marquis cut three carat diamond ring that lay nestled in the velvet.

"Just like you," Derek murmured, for her ears alone.

"I'm afraid my answer would have to be...." She paused.

Derek's heart plummeted to the floor. All his hopes and dreams exploding in a ball of flame.

"Yes," Talli finished, as she pulled his mouth down to hers for a long awaited kiss.

The crowd in the ballroom erupted in cheers. More than a few of the women dabbed at their eyes, wiping away tears that threatened to spill over and ruin their makeup. Seconds later, Derek lifted his head from Talli's and smiled.

"What took you so long?" He whispered for her ears alone to hear.

"I now p.r.o.nounce you husband and wife." The justice of the peace smiled at the couple before him. Their eyes locked on one another as they moved to embrace. Both sets of thoughts centered on escaping to a quiet corner of the earth and working on Talli's request of more children.

"Any chance you might consider postponing our honeymoon for a few days?" Derek asked, his lips mere inches from hers.

Talli sighed. "Business?"

He shook his head. "Nope, there's a little boy at home who just can't wait to see his mommy again. What do you say?"

"The heck with a honeymoon, for you and Tyler I'll wait forever. Besides, there should be enough bedrooms in that big old house of yours we could hopefully sneak a few hours privacy in, don't you think?"

"Definitely," he agreed, as his mouth settled over hers again.

Their three witnesses nodded, satisfied with the results of the evening.

"You see Edgar, I knew they were meant to be together."

The Mayor of the city of Detroit shook his head in defeat at the woman beside him. He turned to the gentleman on his other side and sighed. "They're never happy unless they're matchmaking, are they?"

Anthony Baretti chuckled. "Mr. Mayor, this time I happen to agree with your wife."

Throwing his hands up in despair, the Mayor shrugged. "Not you too, Anthony."

Anthony tried to look ashamed and failed miserably. "I guess I'm a sucker for happy endings too."

(bm) EPILOGUE

Derek turned to watch the fax come across the machine. He lifted the paper from the machine and read the words scrawled in longhand on the page.

Wanted: A knight in shining armor to warm my bed and body.

Must like kids, Ba.s.set Hounds and Dalmatians. Generous benefits, many perks! P.S. Did I mention the rabbit died, again? Apply outside your office door.

Derek leapt to his feet, a loud whoop of joy filling the office as the paper fluttered to the carpet below. Dashing to the door, he stopped abruptly, turning back to the gentlemen seated around his desk.

"Gentlemen, if you'll excuse me for a minute. I'll be right back. I'm going to be a Daddy again!" Throwing open the mahogany portal, he bounded through the doorway.

Anthony Baretti looked at the bewildered man seated next to him.

"Well Jack, I have a feeling our meeting has just been concluded for the day."

The gentleman scratched his head in wonder. "Did I just see Miss Talli and Sarah out there?"

"You sure did, and unless I miss my guess, their little family is about to grow again."

Jack shrugged, an amused look crossing his face. "I have to tell you Mr. Baretti, if it wasn't for Miss Talli I wouldn't be here today. She is one of the nicest people I've met in a very long time."

"Jack, what you did that night by bringing Sarah home spoke volumes as to the kind of man you are. And the kind of man that you are is just what Derek is looking for around here. You're going to do just fine as the new night watchman for Cameron Creations."

Anthony glanced at his watch, then back to Jack. "Well, since nothing else is happening in here, how about we grab some lunch. I'm starved."

"Only if you let me pay this time. You paid the last two times we went. Since I'm working now, it's only fair I should treat you, Mr. Baretti." Jack hastened to open the door for Anthony.

"Fair enough," Anthony acknowledged, clapping the older gentlemen on the back. "Lead the way, my good man."

Derek fairly flew into the outer office. His family patiently awaited his arrival. Tyler sat babbling up at him from his stroller as "big sister" Sarah knelt beside her little brother, intently doing her part to make sure Tyler didn't try to climb out. Talli, perched on the edge of his secretary's desk, sat swinging her leg seductively back and forth.

"I hope we didn't disturb you?" she asked, a shy smile playing about her lips.

Derek walked over to the desk, slipping his arms around her waist to draw her close. "The rabbit died?"

"Yup." Talli confirmed with a nod, her arms entwining themselves in his dark hair, her fingers toying with the silver strands.

He leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers in a gentle kiss, with a promise of much more to come. "I don't suppose you might be free for a very long lunch this afternoon? I just happen to know a very secluded spot in the back of a long black limo."

"Really? Well, in that case I might be free. Anything I need to bring?" Talli asked, her lips inches from his.

"Something black and lacy perhaps."

Laughing, she looked up into his loving eyes. "That's how we got into this condition in the first place."

"Dada," Tyler's tiny voice peeped up.

Talli and Derek froze, turning toward their son in surprise.

"He called me Dada," Derek exclaimed.

"He talked. Tyler talked, Mommy," Sarah's excited voice chimed in.

"Yes sweetie, Dada." Derek swung Tyler up from the stroller and hugged his little body. Sarah jumped up and down, clapping her hands in delighted glee hearing her little brother speak his first words.

Talli looked at the faces of her son and daughter, then up to the handsome features of her husband. In that instant, she realized life couldn't get much better than this. All her hopes and dreams had come true. The "miracle of birth" is the tie that binds their lives together, forever.

~ The End ~