Twilight was edging into true darkness ? at least, as dark as it ever got in RhyDin City ? and the scent of blooming roses filled the air. With the heat of the day fading, and the children down to sleep, Johnny and Sianna had taken a blanket out onto the patch of lawn that was their garden. The house, perfectly sized for two people, was distinctly cramped with the addition of the twins, Caitir and Val. The small garden wasn?t much better, but at least it was in open air and the rosebushes kept it feeling private. Fireflies glimmered occasionally, and Johnny amused himself by lowering the silver film over his eyes for the sake of the low-light vision mode.

He was leaning back on the blanket, somewhere between sitting and lying down, and Sianna had her head in his lap with the chestnut tumble of her curls draped over his legs. One of his hands was absently toying with the silky softness of hair while he spoke, quietly. He?d been telling her a story, for a change, while they looked at the stars. ?So th? man spen? th? res? of his life lookin? fer th? woman he?d turned away, th? other half of his missin? soul?. An? never did fin? her. Tha?s why tha? one?s th? Seeker.?

Her eyes lost focus, the spangle of stars blurring before regaining their rights, the constellation Johnny'd been talking about standing out strongly from the rest. One arm arced over her head, fingers seeking until they found his. "Well, it isn't as if I was ever asked tae do so, but I'd gladly give up bein' a spectre in th' sky if it meant I could hold m' soul in my arms, aye?" Shifting her head so that her cheek rested agains the denim-clad thigh she gave the shadowed blur of his features an intimate grin.

?Always did think th? guy was a plain fool, passin? up love fer money.? He laced his fingers with hers, lifted her arm up so that he could kiss her knuckles. He loved the curve of her cheek when it lifted in that particular smile, so his other hand lifted to trace the line. She was painted in shades of grey but otherwise the scene was as clear as daylight to his eyes. ?Makes ya think a bi? abou? wha? things are worth to ya, though.?

At the feel of mesh tips to her face, she let out a long contented sigh, her eyes fluttering closed. A spinning merry-go-round of faces spun behind them; brothers, sisters, children, and friends all spun around and around. Yet his face trumped them all, and lead off every cycle. "Ye can be a fool tae pass up love fer any number of things, but aye, money's th' coldest. A cash box canna hug ye back."

Something about that phrase triggered an abrupt snort of laughter. ?Some folks seem ta think tha?s th? only way ta go, though. Ya see tha? stuffy guy tha? was in th? shop t?day, th? one with th? bowler hat on??

"Th' one who wanted th' watch chain an' fob? Aye, I saw him. Bound sae tight I could no' tell which was squeaking more -- his fancy shoes or th' strings of his purse." Her eyes opened to watch his shoulders shake in the outline of the light emanating from the house.

Her description was dead-accurate, so Johnny?s shoulders were indeed shaking with a rumble of baritone laughter. ?He was askin? abou? gettin? a piece made custom, fer his wife ? abou? shocked me when he said he was married ? bu? then he kep? tryin? t? barter me down when I tol? him th? base price. An? I was only askin? thirty gol? fer th? thing, plain bracele?. He dropped more?n tha? on th? fob fer his chain, bu? din? wan? ta spen? th? money on th? woman he married. Don? tha? bea? all??

Sianna muttered an unkindly sentiment in quick Gaelic. "It must be hard tae live yer life as such a horse's arse, but harder still tae have tae live life married tae one." Brows furrowed and then relaxed, as she pushed all thoughts of the man aside. She far preferred the one in front of her. "Just another thing fer me tae thank Mary, Michael an' th' Bride for. I would no' have managed tae be sae blessed wi' out their blessing."

A gentle fingertip moved to trace the place where her brow had furrowed, and Johnny grinned down at her suddenly. ?Lor? an? Skies know I?m grateful fer ya, love. Especially when yer callin? someone a horse?s arse with tha? voice of yers.? There was laughter under his words again, and he lifted their laced fingers to brush another quick kiss onto her knuckles, over her ring.

"Gratitude is a two-way street, mo charaid." A light laugh escaped as her fingers applied a bit more pressure at the brush of his lips. "Th' next time ye see him come tae th' shop, come fetch me and I shall tell him just what I think of him wi' all th' sweetness and civility ye could ever hope tae see."

This time the laughter was full-throated, and Johnny curled over to press a firm kiss to Sianna?s mouth before he grinned broadly at her. ?I?ll jus? be sure ta clear ou? th? other customers firs?. Don? wan? ta frighten them away or anythin?.? His eyes were still flat silver, his vision keyed to the dark. ?Been thinkin? abou? somethin?.?

Her mouth made a small moue, as the firm but fleeting taste of him only left her wanting another and another, as always. Batting her eyelashes theatrically, she chuckled low. "As long as th' other customers dinna ken what th' words really mean, there willna be any harm." His green eyes were alluring. In the darkened haze of twilight, his silver stare was only that much more haunting. A dark brow arched at his declaration. "Oh? Will ye share it with me or will I have tae try and guess?"

This time his chuckle was low. ?Nah, no guessin?. Jus? thinkin? lately tha? it?s a li?l bi? crowded in th? house, migh? be time ta look fer another place or think abou? addin? on some ta this before we bust th? seams.?

"Aye, and will only get worse as they all grow bigger." It seemed as if they climbed over each other to do everything, and Sianna employed every trick she knew maximize their dwindling space. Still, she was reluctant to part with it. The cottage had been their first home together, and sentiment threatened to cloud judgment. Seeking out his eyes in the shadow, she tried to read his thoughts ahead of time. "We'd have tae be quite daft tae think of adding tae th' situation while tacklin' construction, life and business all tae th' once, aye?"

A frown creased his face for a moment while he thought over the question. ?Mos? likely, yeah. Bu? ya wan? ta go with construction, then, an? add on ta this house? We?d have ta keep th? shop here an? open, no choice abou? tha?.?

She nodded. "Aye, I think there's ways tae do it. If we could get th' lot next door, would be easy tae add a wing tae th' left tae balance th' shop and studio tae th' right. And we wouldn't have tae disrupt much of th' yard as it is, just fix th' new section tae blend." Her thumb brushed idly against the back of his hand as she continued to think outloud. "And with yer mother out tae th' farm with Gabby fer th' summer, we could probably manage a couple weeks at her house wit'out disruptin' much?" It was hopeful, but she had the tendency to be a Pollyanna.

?In th? Market, yeah. I ain? sure abou? th? lo? nex? door, who we?d have ta talk to abou? it, bu? I ain? seen anyone there in months. We?ll have ta do some lookin? for someone who knows how ta build more than simple stuff, though, especially if we wan? ta keep th? house from lookin? like it?s been added ta.? He traded the hands that were twined together, and went back to toying with strands of her hair with the now-free hand.

"We'll work somethin' ou'."