Lelah liked to wrap up filming early on Saturdays, so Daniel wasn't terribly surprised when her call came at about 9:15 that evening.? He'd been shopping in the Market, putting together ingredients for the dinner he planned to cook for her.? Her timing was quite good; she called to say she was finishing up just as he entered the last shop.? He told her he'd be there in fifteen minutes, and quickly selected a nice, freshly plucked chicken.? Then he took everything to the Alfa, and drove over to the Studio gates.? It certainly was nice having access to a car, he though as he drove.? Maybe he should buy one.

Lee was standing in the guard house at the gate, chatting with the two night guards.? They were discussing baseball, of all things.? Lelah had admitted to being a huge Yankees fan and was delighted to learn that both guards were as well.? She spotted the Alfa trundling along and said good-night before stepping out of the little house and heading towards her car.

He pulled up next to her and hopped out, leaving the motor running, and gave her a hug, pressing his cheek to hers and murmuring, "Hello there."

"Hi," she said and turned her head a bit to plant a firm kiss against his cheek and lingered in his embrace for a moment.? "I'm so happy it's Saturday."

"You and me both, Phūla," he purred in her ear.? "I've been thinking of you all day."

She grinned and squeezed him even tighter.? "Me, too," she admitted.? "We had a closed set today.? Filmed the first sex scene with Noah and Juliana.? Aimee was very nervous and shy, which is totally understandable, I guess.? Anyway, long story short...I thought of you."

"Oh my," he said softly, a slow grin curling his lips as he imagined her thinking of him as she filmed the couple.? "That sounds...exciting."? His fingers wandered up and down her back as he spoke.

"Well, if there weren't like twelve other people watching and telling the actors where to put their hands or tilt their heads back a certain way, and the lights and mics, and people darting in to fix Aimee's hair or touch up Daniel's makeup, and of course, the cameras, too, it would have been really hot."? She gave him a little smirk and then went to stand by the car.? "I'm really looking forward to a long, hot soak in the tub tonight.? Maybe some wine, some music, some candles...? Sound good?

"Yes, sounds lovely.? I've been at the Market, picking out ingredients for dinner ? if you're hungry."? He went to the passenger side door and pulled it open for her.? "Unless you feel like more driving practice," he added.

She made a face and him and then sighed deeply.? "I really should, shouldn't I?"? Then with a little nod, she went to the driver's side and climbed in.? "You don't have any eggs or glass bottles back there, do you?"

He chuckled softly.? "No, neither.? Don't be so hard on yourself.? You're much better now than you were when we started your lessons."? He slid into the passenger side and sat back against the seat.? The car smell of herbs and spices, onions and mangoes.

"That's true.? Okay.? Ready or not, here we go."? She push the clutch all the way to the floor, poised her foot above the gas, shifted into first, then took off the emergency brake.? Somehow, she managed to pull away smoothly from the curb and out into the street

"Well done," he said softly, smiling at her.? "You'll be driving like a pro in no time."? He reached over and squeezed her thigh softly.

"Not if you keep distracting me," she said with a smirk.? She shifted smoothly into second and soon they were cruising past the Red Dragon, the Red Orc Brewery, and then into New Haven.

"Distraction is a part of driving," he said, smirking back at her, "but I shall behave.? For now."? He leaned back in the comfortable seats and tried not to distract her too much as they rode home. Soon, they were turning into Mr. Oxley's estate, under the wrought-iron arbor that was covered with white climbing roses with vines as thick as tree trunks.? She parked in the little space at the foot of her stairs and shut the engine off.? "That wasn't too bad, was it?" she asked removing the car keys and turning to face Daniel.

"Not even a little bad," he replied, leaning in for a quick kiss before hopping out of the car and coming around to her side to hold her door for her.

"What will you do when I'm driving myself home at night?"? She climbed out of the car and held her hands out to help carry stuff up to the loft.

"Be lonely and bereft," he said teasingly, placing a bag in her hands and taking the other two himself.

She grinned.? "Phooey on that.? You can come and hang out with Oscar until I get home."? She hefted the groceries onto her hip, fumbled in her bag for her house keys, and then headed up the steps.? Oscar was already yodeling out his happiness to see his mistress and the Cat.

He cracked up at that at that.? "I don't know, some girls make quite a killing that way," he said between laughs, coming out to help with the setting of the table.

"Someone once told me that in most of Earth's languages, the words for 'prostitute' and 'actress' are the same."? She shook her head.? "I think he was trying to pick me up with that line."

"Not the best choice, I would say."? It sounded like a typical RDI patron to him.? The majority of them were a rude, crude and annoying lot.

"No, but then, it was Hollywood.? It probably had worked for him in the past and why fix something that's not broken, right?"

"I can't imagine someone falling for that, honestly."

She laughed.? "You've never known many actresses, have you?"

He shook his head.? "You're the first real actress I have ever met.? I've never moved in the right circles before, you could say."

"Most girls who move to LA to make it in movies end up working as waitresses or receptionists or barristas.? Those are the lucky ones.? The rest end up in porn, hooked on smack or coke or even crack."

"That's very said," he said softly, meaning it.? All those young and innocent girls, ending up addicts, selling their bodies and their souls for a few dollars.

She nodded.? "It's a rough business.? Much more cut-throat than most people think."

"I'm beginning to understand that."? He went back into the kitchen, peeking in at the chicken and the naan.? "Ah," he said.? "Looks like it's finished.? He pulled everything out and started serving.

She sat down and poured them each glasses of lassi.? "The ones who succeed - the Angie Jolies, Sandra Bullocks, Glenn Closes - they have very strong, forthright personalities and surround themselves with people they trust, people who have only their best interests at heart and really care about them."

He put a chicken breast on her plate, and a piece of naan, then the same on his own.? "You already have the former," he said.? "I hope your staff at the studio is the latter."

"I think so.? I think I've got a really good crew.? I've been very happy with them so far.? I hope they continue to perform just as well as they have been."? She waited until he was seated before digging in.? "Oh, this is really good," she said around a mouthful of chicken.

He gave her a big smile.? "I'm glad you like it."? Now that she'd tried it, he started eating.? It wasn't perfect, not without a tandoor, but it was quite tasty nonetheless.? "The people from your crew I've met do seem very professional and talented.? I'd like to meet the rest sometime."

"We'll have a big wrap party in early September and you can meet everyone then.? But you're welcome to come down to the lot, too, you know.? The guards know you.? Just let me know ahead of time so we can make sure it's not a closed set day."

"All right, perhaps I'll do that sometime next week, then."? He took a sip of the mango lassi, and finished off his chicken, starting in on the naan.

"I'd like that," she said softly and reached across the table to hold his hand.? "How's the house hunting?? Find anything promising?"

He slipped his fingers into hers and shook his head slightly.? "I've seen several nice places, but nothing that...fits me quite right."

"What are you looking for?"? She'd finished most of the naan and at least half the chicken, eating more slowly than he, probably because she was talking more.

"Someplace secluded.? I need to be near the forest, and not a lot of neighbors around me."? He gave a one-shouldered shrug.? "I don't do as well in crowds as I used to."? They left him feeling to vulnerable.?

"I'd think your best bets would be in this neighborhood or clear on the western side of the city.? Maybe down south?? Near the Glen?"

"Hmm..perhaps.? The Glen is a lovely place."

"We could go skinny dipping in the lake," she said with a grin.

He grinned back.? "It's fun."

She sat back, plate clean, cradling the half-full glass of lassi in one hand.? "That was wonderful, Daniel.? Thank you."

She stood up, slipped her hand into his and let him lead her into the bathroom.? "Draw the bath and pick an oil.? I'm going to go collect candles."

"All right."? He went into the bathroom and started the water, then began sniffing the various oils she had sitting near the tub.? After some examination, he picked one that smelled of vanilla and verbena.? It fit with the need for relaxation she wanted.? He poured some into the bath and waited for her to return.

She came back, carrying an armload of candles and her silver lighter.? She set them down on the counter, the closed toilet lid, and on the windowsill, lit them and then stripped out of her clothing, tossing everything in the hamper.

He sat on the edge of the tub, watching her undress with unblinking eyes.? She was so beautiful it was almost a physical sensation to see her thus.

She smiled softly, feeling a warm flush just from the physicality of his gaze.? It sent a shiver down her back and raised the hairs along her forearms.? "I love when you look at me that way," she whispered in a sultry voice.? "It makes me feel like the most desirable, most beautiful woman in the whole of Creation."

"You are," he said softly, heatedly.? "You are."? His eyes devoured her body, and he felt himself reacting with hot arousal.? He stood, reaching up to slowly tug his shirt off, tossing it into the hamper with hers, then started in on his pants.

She watched, eyes even darker with desire moving with his hands.? Her hands curled into loose fists with the sudden need to touch him, to run across his shoulders, down his chest, over his stomach.

He smelled her desire, and saw that little motion of her hands, and stepped from his pants towards her.? He put his hands on her hips and pulled her gently in.? "Touch me," he whispered.

She reached out and stroked her hands down his back, grabbed his perfect, muscular backside and squeezed, before moving up and over his hips, stomach and chest.? She lowered her head, kissing the tender skin in the hollow between his collar bones, then up the column of his throat, nipping gently at the skin above his Adam's apple.

With his high body heat, her hands always felt cool on his skin, yet his reaction to them was anything but.? Searing desire radiated from every part of him that she touched, and he tipped his head back, baring his throat to her - a gesture of complete trust from a predator like him.

She loved the way his skin tasted - slightly salty, slightly spicy, thoroughly Male.? Leaving a hot, wet trail of kisses up his throat and the side of his neck, she sucked his earlobe into her mouth, clasped it for a moment between her front teeth and then drew away.? "We need to shut off the water or we're going to flood the bathroom," she whispered and smirked at him.

A shudder rippled through his body when her teeth closed on him, and it was a moment before he could form the words to reply, "Can't have that."? He stretched out an arm and twisted the knobs, stopping the flow of water.

She slipped silently into the water and scooted far forward, leaving him plenty of room to get in and settle down behind her.? "I have a confession for you," she said softly.

"Oh?"? He stepped into the water, lowering himself carefully into it, trying not to splash any out, and tilted his head inquisitively at her.

Once he was settled, she leaned back against his chest, scooting her bottom firmly against his body, and rested her head on his shoulder.? "I've never done this."? The water was the perfect temperature and the oil he'd added was perfect.? She could feel the heat and the calming scent draining away the tension of the past week and she slowly relaxed, letting her eyes fall shut.

"Never done what?" he asked, pulling her hair back gently and nuzzling his cheek on hers.? With her bottom pressed against him like that, there was no way to prevent his very physical reaction, nor did he want to.? "Bathed with another person, do you mean?"

"Yes," she said with a sigh and closed her eyes.? "It's very...decadent, isn't it?"

He kissed the side of her face and nodded.? "It is," he murmured.? "And very, very intimate."

"What do Riley and David think of you spending so much time here with me?"

"They like seeing me this happy," he said softly.? "Though I must admit Riley has some concerns for my emotional well-being."

She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his, her lips nearly touching his, and sang along with the song that was playing, "I love you, I love you, I love you, I do.? I only make jokes to distract myself from the truth, from the truth."

He tasted her scent, the mix of desire and fear that warred within her, and over it all, the sincerity of the words she sang.? A human might've asked something like 'Do you really?', but he had no such doubts; his senses were all the confirmation he needed.? "I've asked myself more than once," he said, their heads still pressed together, "if I wanted to hear those words coming from you."? His voice dropped lower.? "The answer is yes."

She sighed deeply, closing her eyes and letting go of the fear she'd felt after saying those words.? "Do you feel the same?" she asked, her voice barely audible, the fear coming back now.

"Oh yes," he whispered.? "I've known it for a while now."

She sat back a little and studied his face.? "Why didn't you say anything?? Were you worried about scaring me off?"

He nodded.? "Yes, exactly that.? You told me how quickly Rhys and Ori had said it.? I don't want to be a repeat of them."

She nodded and hugged him close, laying her head atop his shoulder.? "Thank you.? But...? if you don't mind, I don't think I'll say it for a while.? It seems to be the kiss of death for me."

"I don't need the words to know it," he said softly, stroking her cheek and her hair.

"You can smell it."? It was part question, part statement.

"Smell it, taste it...feel it."

"Pretty handy," she said softly and glanced at her fingers.? They were turning pruney and the water had cooled off significantly, too.? "We should get out."

"Mmm, probably."? He slid his arms under her and stood smoothly, lifting her from the water.? He remained standing there, holding her to him, water pouring from their bodies, and nudged the plug out from the drain with one foot, letting the water begin to go down.

"Also very handy," she said with a little giggle, clinging tightly to him.

"Thank you," he murmured, lifting her a bit higher so he could reach her mouth with his, kissing her gently, but with growing desire.

She kissed him back, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair, grasping the back of his head to hold his mouth against hers, even as she tightened the grip she hand on him with her legs. Her head was so full of him - the sound of his breath, the feel of his body within hers, the scent of his skin.? "Take me to bed, Daniel.? Make love to me."

He carried her effortlessly to her bed, laid her down on it, and spent the next few hours enjoying her lush body, her tiny gasps of pleasure, her loud cries of ecstasy, her taste, her scent, and the feel of her satiny skin in his hands.

He woke just before dawn, lying there in Lelah's bed for a while without moving.? Their naked bodies were curled together nicely and he didn't want to disturb that just yet.? He wondered if she would be mad if he woke her up for some early morning lovemaking, but decided it would be better to let her sleep, for now.? She worked way too hard during the week, and could use the extra time.? So he stayed quiet, listening to her breathe, inhaling the unique and delicious scent of hers.? Eventually, he slowly and carefully slid away from her and silently left the bed, padding naked into the kitchen.

When he left, the corners of her mouth pulled down in a frown and she cuddled into the warm hollow left by his body, making a tiny noise of longing as she slipped further back into sleep.? Oscar hopped down from the bed, stretched, and followed Daniel out into the living room.? He sat down by his dish and looked up at the Cat, his soft brown eyes hopeful.

He went and filled the dog's dish, leaning down to give Oscar a little pat on the head.? "What shall we make for breakfast this morning, hmm?" he asked the little dog softly.? "How about pancakes?? Does that sound good?"

Oscar didn't care what the two-leggers ate; his breakfast was right in front of him and being consumed at a high rate of speed.? He graciously accepted the pat on the head, wagging his little curly tail with his nose firmly stuck in his bowl.

"Thanks for your input," he said dryly, straightening up and going to peek into the fridge.? Pancakes sounded good--now what to put in them.? Hmm...blueberries.? Oh, and some lemon? That would go nicely together.? He quietly took down a large bowl and began mixing up some pancake batter, grating lemon zest into it, then adding the blueberries.? He put on a pot of coffee while the griddle warmed, then dug out some bacon to go with the pancakes.? He hummed softly to himself as he heated a frying pan and set the bacon going, then poured the first batch of pancakes onto the griddle.

Finished with his breakfast, Oscar belched softly and then sat down to wash his face before going and sitting in front of the door, looking back and forth between it and the kitchen.? Then heavenly scent of pancakes, bacon, and coffee woke Lelah up and she opened her eyes, smiling hugely.

"Don't leave yet," he said to Oscar, "or you'll miss out on a piece of bacon."? He flipped one strip of the stuff out of the pan and onto a paper towel to cool, then dished up the first batch of pancakes, pouring the second one immediately on afterward.? The bacon went onto a plate next, and then he snagged a pair of mugs for the coffee.

She stretched and then climbed out of bed, digging a fuchsia-colored chemise out of her lingerie drawer and throwing on a shell-pink silk robe on top of it.? Then she left her room, headed for the kitchen, only pausing long enough to open the door for Oscar, who was out in a flash.? "He'll be back up," she said to Dan once she entered the kitchen.

He turned and flashed her a brilliant smile when she came into the kitchen, holding a plate of pancakes in one hand and a spatula in the other.? He was still completely naked.? "Good morning, my sweet.? I trust you slept well?"

She blinked when she realized that he was standing naked at her stove, frying bacon.? Her brows rose and one corner of her lush lips lifted in a smirk.? "I did.? You're naked."? As if he just hadn't noticed...

"I'm aware of that, actually," he replied, grinning.? He carried the now-full platter of pancakes to the table and went back to get the bacon.? "There's coffee in the pot if you'd like some."

"Mmm," she said, deciding that if he was okay with it, she was, too.? She just wasn't going to join in.? She poured out some coffee into one of the mugs he'd set out, added cream and sugar, and then took it back to her seat at the table.? "I'm going to get fat," she said, helping herself to a smallish stack of pancakes, sniffing at them delicately.? "Oh, wow.? Blueberries and lemon zest?? Fancy," she added with a smirk and then drowned them in syrup.

"You work entirely too hard to get fat," he said, shaking his head.? "I'm just making sure you don't waste away to nothing.? I hope you enjoy them.? The combination just struck my fancy."? Since she had clothes on, he went quickly into the bedroom and slipped on a pair of boxers before coming back out to sit down across from her.

She dug in with relish, making happy little sounds as she ate and sipped her coffee.? "This is really nice," she said after her first plateful and before starting on a second.? "What do you want to do today?"

He smiled when at the happy noises she made; clearly she was enjoying it.? "Well, I'm assuming you're going to go to Mass.? Shall I come with you this time?? After that...perhaps you'd like to go look at possible places for me to live nearby?"

She nodded.? "Yes to both.? Oscar needs to go for a walk on his leash and I need exercise, too."

"Well, that's settled, then."? He helped himself to some pancakes and bacon, tossing the piece he'd set aside for Oscar into the little dog's bowl. The pancakes did turn out quite nicely, he admitted after the first bite.

"Thank you for coming with me.? I hope it wasn't too excruciating for you."? Lelah and Daniel were driving back from Perp Miz, having just attended mid-morning Mass.? They were on their way to Lee's loft to change clothes and pick up Oscar before going house-hunting.

"No, not so bad.? I went to services with my parents plenty of times.? This wasn't so terribly different.? Besides, I'm always interested in learning more about your life."

She smiled softly and pulled up into her parking spot.? The ride home had been very smooth with only one stall out to speak of.? "You don't know how incredibly flattering that is," she said as she climbed out of the car.? "Especially considering it was said to me by an incredibly fascinating, handsome man."

He smiled at her and came around to her side to give her a hug.? "I like hearing you say that," he replied.? "It thrills me to know that you find me fascinating, for that is how I find you."

She hugged him tightly, sighing softly and closing her eyes, just lingering for a long moment in the safe circle of his arms.? Then Oscar's yapping caught up with her and she tipped her head back to look up into Daniel's eyes, a tiny smile on her lips.? "Himself demands our attention."

"He's probably jealous of how much attention you're giving me, hmm?"? He grinned, kissed her lips softly, then stepped back so she could go up the stairs.

"I think you're right.? Poor baby.? You've usurped his place.? Naughty Kitty."? She dropped a licentious wink at him before heading up the stairs and opening her front door.

"I'll show you naughty," he said, smirking as he followed her inside.

"Mmm," she said and headed immediately to the bedroom to strip out of her clothes and into something more comfortable and practical for an afternoon of dog-walking and house-hunting.? Oscar followed at her heels and then leaped up on the bed and sat down to watch.? He seemed to sense that there was something exciting about to happen.

He was already dressed in comfortable enough clothing, but that didn't stop him from going into the bedroom as well, just to watch her change.? He wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to see her beautiful body.

She felt his eyes on her and deliberately slowed down, provocatively peeling her clothing off, uncovering just a bit of skin at a time, inch by maddening inch.? Soon, she was in just her lingerie and stood facing him.

His eyes followed every lingering motion of her hands, and he took a step towards her each time another piece of clothing fell away until he was only arm's length from her as she stood before him.? "You're beautiful," he told her, not for the first time, and certainly not for the last.

She smiled softly, warmth rushing through her body from head to toe and back again.? Oscar flopped down on the bed with a little grunt and Lee laughed.? "I think he's frustrated with us."? She went over and scratched his head before pulling out shorts and a shirt and putting them on.

"I'm afraid he's just going to have to get used to it," he said, chuckling.? "I can't imagine ever failing to be stirred by the sight of you."

Once dressed, she went to hug Daniel, holding him close for a long moment until Oscar made his presence known by butting in between them and jumping up to paw at Lelah.? "Okay, okay, jealous thing.? Let me put shoes on!"

He glared down at the dog, but there was no heat behind the look.? It really was rather amusing.? "Don't worry," he said to the dog.? "We're going to be taking a nice walk around the neighborhood."

At the magic word, Oscar's ears perked up and he cocked his head back and forth, his stumpy little tail just in the beginning stages of a full-on wag.? "Oh," Lelah said.? "You said the magic word."? Then the little dog let loose a yodel and rushed out of the room, dancing and scrabbling at the hooks near the door where his leash hung.

"Only in the zoo. I've never spent a lot of time outside cities. Even when I was filming on location in places like Morocco or Paris, I pretty much stayed in my hotel room or on set."

"We're going to have change that," he said firmly. "There are so many wonders to see outside of the walls and streets of the city. Beautiful, awe-inspiring things. I'd like to show them to you."

With a soft, almost shy smile, she said, "I'd like that very much." And then they saw it. The trees parted, revealing a grassy meadow with a small log cabin in the middle of it. There was a path that led from the front porch of the house right down to the edge of the lake. "Oh, Daniel," she breathed softly. Even Oscar stopped pulling excitedly at his leash and sprang up on his back legs, gently putting his front paws against Daniel's leg as his nose worked overtime.

He reached down absently and patted Oscar's head, staring fixedly at the cabin. "Perfect," he said quietly. "That's perfect." He turned wide eyes on her. "Let's go see it. If this cabin is for sale, we're done looking."

She grinned and leaned down to unclip Oscar's leash. "Stay close," she told him and then started towards the house. The trees were filled with bird-song and the soft soughing of the breeze through the trees. The waves lapped gently against the shore. The grass was soft underfoot and the whole place seemed magical. "This is amazing," she said softly.

"It is," he agreed. "I can hardly believe we practically stumbled upon it so quickly." He approached the cabin, almost trotting in his eagerness to reach it, nostrils flaring as he took deep breaths. There was no one else nearby, his nose told him. The scent of humanity was faint; no one had been here in weeks, perhaps months. This boded well. "There's no one inside," he called back to her. "It smells like no one's been here for a while.

"How do you...? Oh," she said with a grin. "Right. You can smell it." She looked around for Oscar and found him nose to the ground, rushing from tree to tree to bush to clump of deadwood. Then she set out for the cabin proper, a critical eye moving over the roof line, the windows, the foundation. "How long do you think it's sat here alone? It's pretty sound structurally. The roof line?s straight, no cracks in the foundation or beneath the windows."

"There's a faint scent of a human...male...on it. Perhaps a caretaker? Someone has kept it up, certainly," he said, agreeing with her assessment of the structure. He walked up the stairs to the wraparound porch, and glanced in through the window. He could see what looked like a living room, but there was no furniture evident. Better and better. A small sign at the corner of the window caught his eye. It said 'For purchasing inquiries, contact Adamssen Jerrytra." Below the name was an address he recognized as being in the Temple District. "Lelah," he said excitedly, spinning to face her. "It's for sale!" He pointed at the sign for proof.

She grinned and clapped happily. "Oh, this is too perfect! There has to be a catch. It'll be outrageously expensive or zoned for commercial use only." She paused, a frown on her face. "Or haunted. Or in the direct flight path of a dragon's cave. Or in the middle of the migratory route of swarms of locusts."

"I'm not afraid of ghosts or dragons," he said, chuckling. "In fact, I had a friend or two of dragon persuasion when I was here before. There's no locusts around here, either," he said matter-of-factly. "I don't care if it's expensive. I want this place." He put a hand on the wall; the wood was warm from the midday sun.

"Okay. Well, shall we call about it?" She dug in her bag and pulled out her Blackberry to hand to him.

"There's no phone number on the sign. Just an address. If he's a RhyDin native, he might not own a phone."

"Oh, well that's silly," said the person who couldn't live without her Blackberry. She slipped it back into her bag and then shrugged. "We could head over there if you want? Stop by the house, grab the car?" She glanced around, looking for Oscar, finally finding him chasing a butterfly back and forth at the edge of the grass.

He laughed quietly, wondering what she thought about him not owning a phone for years until a couple of weeks ago. He nodded several times. "Yes, absolutely. Let's go. It has be to be karma that we found this place so quickly." Spend a few years living with Buddhists, and the idea of karma becomes rather firmly entrenched.

She whistled for Oscar who reluctantly left his butterfly chase and bounded back to her, sitting down with a big, happy doggie grin. "Such a good boy," she praised him and leaned down to scratch behind his ears and attach his leash. "This really is a wonderful place, Daniel. I can see spending a lot of time on the porch, maybe swimming when it gets hotter. You can throw some wonderful dinner parties here, too. This porch and the yard are amazing."

He smiled at her. "I have a vision of you and I, sitting on the porch and looking out to sea as the sun goes down. Or perhaps watching the sun rise over it, after a night of enjoying each other's company," he added with a wicked glint in his eye.

"I like that last one an awful lot," she said and reached for his hand, using it to pull him close and steal a kiss from him. And another. And one more.

"As do I," he murmured in between the sweet kisses. His arms slid around her waist and he pressed against her. Out in this lovely setting, everything seemed magnified; each kiss lasted for hours.

She slowed down, carefully reading street signs - what few there were - and house numbers. Finally she spotted the right one and pulled up in front. It was a well-kept home that reminded her of places in San Francisco, one of the Painted Ladies. "I'll stay here with Oscar, okay?"

"Okay. I'll try to be brief." He slipped out of the car and walked up to the front door of the small, neat house, then knocked firmly on the door. An older man answered after a minute or two. Daniel introduced himself, and was gratified to see a look of surprised delight cross the old man's features when he heard that someone wanted to buy the cabin. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled at Lelah as Adamssen invited him inside.

Oscar climbed into Lee's lap once Daniel had left and she stroked his neck and back idly. "What do you think, baby? Do you like the cabin? Do you like Daniel?" The dog turned and aimed a lick to Lelah's cheekbone, making her giggle and push the dog's head away. "We have to go to the Market after we're done here," she said. She often talked to the dog, though how much of what she said every made any sense to him was unclear. He did seem to react to her sometimes, especially when she was particularly excited or sad about something. "What should I make for dinner tonight? Fish, maybe? Or no, crab cakes, and pasta primavera. Oh, yes," she said, smooshing a kiss against the top of the dog's head. "That sounds wonderful. And maybe a pear tart or some summer berries with sponge cakes for dessert." Oscar licked her face again, bathing her neck in doggie kisses, which sent her into a fit of hysterical giggles. An older couple walking down the street smiled at them and Lee waved to them as they passed by the car.

Ten minutes passed, then fifteen, before Daniel came out of the house, shaking Adamssen's hand firmly before turning away and heading back to the Alfa, a wide, happy smile stretching his lips.

She matched his expression, her brows raised in curiosity. "So, Mr. Tej," she said. "Are you a home-owner?"

He nodded. "All but. I have to come back tomorrow to bring the payment for it. He's a true RhyDin native ? never ever heard of a credit card or the like. I have to bring gold. But once I do, the cabin is mine. He's had it all of his life, but no one has lived there in twenty years. He goes out once ever few months to make sure it's in good repair."

She squealed happily and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly and squishing Oscar between them. The dog made happy sounds and covered both of their faces in excited doggie kisses.

He was so thrilled, he didn't even care about getting dog slobber all over his face; at least not for the moment. He held Lelah against him and kissed the side of her neck repeatedly. Things were going so well for him now, since returning to RhyDin. It made him wonder if he ever should have left. Of course, if he hadn't, it was unlikely he'd have met Lelah, or been with her.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you! And ooh, I want to help you decorate, too! That porch is going to be so lovely and the big windows will be wonderful for plants. Does it have indoor plumbing? How many bedrooms? How much acreage does the lot have?"

The barrage of excited questions made him laugh as he answered. "I would love to have your help decorating. Yes, there's indoor plumbing. Two bedrooms, and two bathrooms. It sits on 10 acres, going right up to water and out on all three sides."

"Wow. That's amazing. And most of it's wooded, right? Just that little lawn around the house itself?" Oscar settled down in Dan's lap once more, resting his chin on the door as Lelah started up the car and pulled out into the street, headed for the Marketplace to shop for dinner ingredients. "Do you think..." She bit at her lower lip, reluctant to ask something that had been on her mind since they first saw the place in the trees.

"Yes, basically all forest other than the immediate surrounds." He glanced out the window, watching the buildings and pedestrians passed, then looked over at her curiously when she trailed off. "Do I think what?"

"Do you think I could have a little patch of dirt?" Her voice was soft, vulnerable. "I've always wanted a garden for vegetables and herbs and flowers."

He was touched by the vulnerability in her voice, such a departure from the stone-cold Hollywood princess facade she so often projected. He rested his hand on her knee, fingertips pressing very gently on the skin just left bare by her shorts. "You may have as large a garden as you would like, my flower."

"Really?" She darted a quick look at him as the car drove over the Fishing Dragon bridge that linked WestEnd with the Marketplace. "Oh, Daniel. Thank you so much. That's... I've wanted a garden since I was six or seven."

"Then you shall have one," he said firmly. It made him very happy to be able to give her something she clearly wanted badly. "We can plant all of the herbs and vegetables we like to cook with. And any flowers you would like."

She leaned over and planted a quick kiss against his cheek, grinning like a fool. "Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me." She quickly found a spot in one of the streets that led to the Marketplace and slipped Oscar's leash on him before climbing out of the car. "Is there somewhere we can buy seedlings and seeds here? Also, I was thinking about crab cakes and pasta primavera for dinner, and make a pear tart for dessert?" She reached for Daniel's hand and slung her bag over her shoulder.

The warm, sweet scent of her happiness filled his nose as they pulled to a stop, and it sent a pleased flush through him. He very much wanted to be able to make her happy, and that, more than anything, was a true indication of his feelings for her. "There's somewhere to buy anything in this place ? all we have to do is find it. That sounds like perfectly wonderful supper to me." He took her hand in his and pulled her closer, rubbing his shoulder against hers as they walked.

She gasped and shivered as his kiss brought goosebumps to her arms. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, the knife poised above a tomato slice. "Do they have a nice house?" she asked, her voice a bit tight with restrained emotion.

"Very nice," he murmured, resting his hands on her hips and kissing her again, lips lingering on the smooth skin at the back of her neck. "They...and I...almost completely rebuilt it from the abandoned ruin it was before."

She lowered her head, presenting more of her neck to him, and very carefully put the knife down and reached to cover his hands with her own, slipping her fingers through his and holding his hands tightly. "They rebuilt it?" she asked softly. "That's ambitious."

"It took several months to complete," he said in agreement, moving his mouth down to the juncture of her neck and shoulder to kiss and lick skin left enticingly bare by her off-the-shoulder blouse. He pressed up against her back, purring softly, fingers digging lightly into her hips.

"That's...oh, right there... That's pretty cool. Maybe I should...oh, God, Daniel...I should...do that, too."

Her efforts to continue talking in the face of such distraction brought a brief smile to his lips before he bit very gently on her flesh, sucking it into his mouth where his tongue flicked back and forth over sleek skin. His hands moved up from her hips, pushing the hem of her blouse up so they could rest on her flat stomach.

"Oh, God," she whispered harshly and gave up any attempts at conversation. She spun in his arms, reaching to lock her fingers behind his neck and draw his mouth closer, capturing it and kissing him hard, sending her tongue to dance in his mouth, twining and twirling with his.

Hunger of a different kind rose up to sweep aside the want of food when her mouth found his, and he returned that kiss with a heat and desire equal to hers, making a soft sound of pleasure. His hands rose higher, moving slowly over her rib cage, pressing just hard enough to avoid tickling.

"Crap," she whispered and pulled away. "The eggs." She laughed and shook her head. "You are too much of a distraction, Mr. Tej." She kissed the tip of his nose before going to the stove and turning off the burner beneath the pot with the eggs in it. "Can you get me some ice water? A smallish bowl full?" She carried the pot to the sink and drained the boiling water from it carefully.

"Foiled by eggs," he said softly, ruefully. "After we eat, I'll show you just how much of a...distraction I can be." Was that a threat, or a promise? Both, perhaps. He filled a small bowl with ice water and took it over to her. "Here you are."

"I look forward to that," she said with a smile and placed the eggs in the ice water, instantly arresting the cooking process. "Would you assemble the salad while I peel these and slice them up? I think there's some iced tea to drink. Probably some Coke, too, if you'd rather that."

"I'd be exiled from the ranks of Englishmen if I took Coke over tea," he said, chuckling. He went and put the salad together, tossing it skillfully with the vinaigrette, then went to the refrigerator to get the iced tea out. He carried the pitcher to the table, then came back for a pair of tall glasses.

"Can't have that," she said, peeling the eggs and then slicing them quickly. She laid the slices over the top of the salad - but not before stealing one herself - and then carried the bowl, plates and forks to the table, settling down and serving him and then herself. "It's been a long time since I've had a chef salad. I think the last time I had one was at this little restaurant in Chelsea."

"It smells delicious," he said, inhaling the combined smells of the food. "Where is Chelsea?" He took a large forkful of the salad while he waited for her answer, making an appreciative noise as he chewed.

"It's a neighborhood in New York. It's close to the Garment District. The Chelsea Hotel ? where Sid killed Nancy ? is there. Dylan Thomas, too. He died there, I mean. Anyway, it's a cool little neighborhood with bunch of dive restaurants that make incredible food."

"Oh, I see." He knew who Sid and Nancy were, of course. He'd had some good times in the London punk scene. "Sounds like a good place to visit sometime. I've only been to the Big Apple a couple of times."

"I love the City," she said and dug in. "Good dressing."

He nodded in agreement, eating more of the salad with gusto. By the second helping, his grumbling stomach was pacified, and his pace slowed. He sipped some ice tea and smiled at her. "This is really good. It's rather nice to not do the cooking sometimes, as much as I love it."

"I know what you mean. Does food that other people prepare for you taste better than stuff you make for yourself? I find that it's true. Maybe it's because I'm too critical of myself."

"Mmm, quite often, yes. I know my food is good, but...," he shrugged. "I suppose if it's food you've made yourself, you already know pretty well how it's going to taste. With someone else's cooking, it's more of a surprise."

She pointed at him with her fork and nodded. "Exactly." Falling silent then, she finished her salad and then stole cheese, ham, and eggs straight out of the bowl, grinning wickedly as she ate them.

He smirked at her. "Such table manners you have, Phūla." After saying that, he immediately began copying her, plucking the tasty bits from the bowl and eating them.

She chuckled. "Didn't want it to go to waste, after all." After they'd consumed all the more choice bits of meat, cheese, and vegetables, they were left with only a few limp leaves of lettuce. "Well, I think we've done all the damage we can do. Shall we clean up?"

"Mmm, I agree. Yes, let's." He stood, picking up the pitcher of iced tea. "Want a refill before I put it away?"

"Yes, please," she held out her glass for him to fill and then began clearing away dishes, leaving them in the sink to soak. She turned to face Daniel. "So...now what? It's a while yet until dinner. What would you like to do?"

"This winter, that'll come in handy," she said. "I think I could happily sleep curled up with you all night like this. Plus, there's the added benefit of your silence," she said with a wicked grin. He gave her a reproachful look, though it was mitigated by the ever-present purr that still rumbled from him.

She grinned at him and then reluctantly sat up, giving him one last pet. "I suppose you should change back. Oscar's gonna come in soon and I don't want him freaking out at you."

He rose gracefully and moved a few feet away from her, then Shifted again. It was a perfect reverse image of his first Shift, ending with him crouching, hands pressed against the ground. He remained there for a moment, then stood, giving her a soft smile. He could feel a slight edge of fatigue from the rapid Shifting, but it wasn't anything different than he'd done many times in Burma. "So...not too freakish?"

She shook her head. "Beautiful," she answered softly. "So, so beautiful."

A tiny hint of worry that she might find it too strange had lingered in the back of his mind, but her words banished it. He could hear the sincerity in her voice, smell it in her scent. "Good," he said honestly. "I will admit to a small amount of trepidation."

"That's understandable." She paused for a moment, then asked softly, "You prefer that form, don't you?"

"Most of the time, yes," he answered. "I'm safer." Then he smiled at her again. "Lately, I've been far preferring this one, though." Her doing, of course.

She ducked her head coyly and gave him a soft smile. "Good. I much prefer this one." She looked up at him from underneath a coquettish fan of dark, thick lashes. "Even if it means you're not quite so silent anymore."

He smirked. "You only say that because you haven't heard Leopard start wailing yet." He moved towards her, drawn by that teasing, inviting look.

"I think I have, actually. The first time you came here for dinner. When you left after we...um...got all hot and bothered." She scooted closer to him, drawn by his rather animal magnetism.

He looked surprised, then nodded. "I believe you're right. I did go hunting right after that. I had quite a bit of energy to work off." He stopped a few inches from her, reaching up to put his hand on her cheek.

She reached up and covered his hand with her own, raising her face to look up at him. "It gave me chills," she admitted.

"Then I apologize," he said softly, leaning in to kiss her upraised lips.

She let him kiss her, the memory of the sharp fangs she'd just seen in his mouth and the lethal claws that had just been at the end of his fingers sending a thrill of fear down her back.

He cupped her face in both hands, his kissing growing deeper, more forceful as he smelled the heady mix of fear and excitement coming from her. She liked having that edge of fear; it turned her on--and it did the same for him. Already, he felt the first stirrings of desire and lust rising in him.

She moaned softly against his mouth and slowly inched down to lie on the rug in front of the hearth, her hands sliding up his arms to slip across his shoulders and into his hair as the kiss went on and on.

*** *** *** *** ***

She smiled softly and stood up, kicking off her shorts and taking her bra off, leaving them lay on the floor with her shredded clothing. "I'm going to take a shower really quickly."

"Shall I join you?" he asked, smiling, still naked as the day he was born.

"If you'd like," she said over her shoulder before stepping into the shower and turning on the hot water full blast.

"Oh...I would like," he said softly, though she couldn't hear him. He followed her into the bathroom and then slipped into the shower after her. He couldn't keep his hands off of her, moving up behind her and wrapping his arms around her, hands resting on her stomach.

She snuggled back against him, closing her eyes and letting the water sluice over her. "Have you done any of that before?" she asked. "Shifting for your lover?"

"I Shifted with Riley many times, but never like that, letting someone explore and touch me...it wasn't a mystery to her, you know?" He pressed his cheek against the side of her head and kissed her ear lightly.

"You loved her, yes? Very much, I think. That's important. It's nice that you're still friends with her, that you still love her."

"Yes, very much. I will always love her, though no longer in the same way. She has found her happiness, her completion with David, my brother in all but blood."

She hugged him tightly and laid a gentle kiss against his cheek. "I want to be friends with them, Daniel. I want them to like me because I know they're so very important to you." She turned slightly and shut off the water, letting her hair drip a bit before stepping out of the shower and toweling off.

He hugged her tightly, but didn't answer until they were out of the shower and drying off. " "It's very nice to be accepted the way you accept me, Phūla. I want you to be friends with them as well. I want them to see what you mean to me." And he remembered his talk with Riley. "I told Riley I would invite you to dinner at their house sometime soon."

"That would be nice. Any Sunday they want to have us over. I could bring Oscar. They have a dog, right?" She hung her towel up and headed into her bedroom, digging out a champagne-colored chemise that was covered with a floral pattern in bold jewel tones.

He chuckled, walking behind her, watching the play of muscles in her curvy behind as she moved. "Finn, yes. They call him a dog, but I believe he's actually a crossbreed of elephant and dog."

She laughed at that. "Really? I love elephants. They're my favorite animal. Well, next to snow leopards now, of course." She sat down on her bed and began combing out her hair. "What kind of dog is he?"

"Are they?" he asked curiously. "How come?" He comment about snow leopards drew a big smile from him. "He's a Kangal dog. They're from Turkey, I believe." He sat down on the bed next to her, pressing his leg against hers.

When the credits rolled, he looked over at Lelah and said, grinning, "My cheeks hurt from all the laughing."

She grinned at him. "I've never seen that all the way through, you know. It was surprisingly good."

He blinked at her in surprise. "You wrote and directed the movie, and haven't ever seen the whole thing? How is that possible?"

She shrugged. "It's fairly common. Most actors and directors rarely ever see films all the way through. I helped with the edits of course, but we don't watch the movie front to back in the editing room. And I didn't actually stay past the first fifteen minutes of the premiere."

"Why not?" He wasn't really familiar with the common practices of actors or directors, and couldn't quite imagine putting that much work into a movie without wanting to see the finished product.

"I was working on two other scripts that had just been picked up by major studios and I had a deadline. And then...well, I just never found the time to watch it. Or any of my other movies, for that matter." She stood up and put the DVD back in its case and then turned to face him. "What would you like to do now? Dinner? Are you hungry?"

He wondered if authors normally went back and read their books from cover to cover. Probably not, he supposed. "I'm almost always hungry," he answered, grinning at her again. "Dinner sounds great. Did you have something in mind?"

"Crab cakes and pasta primavera, and I was thinking a pear tart for dessert, too. Remember?" She headed into the kitchen and began removing the ingredients for crab cakes from the fridge - fresh crab meat, green onions, an egg, mayonnaise, mustard, panko, Italian breadcrumbs, and various spices.

"Just like you said earlier. Slipped my mind, apparently. Can I help?" he asked, following her into the kitchen. Cooking with her was becoming one of his favorite actives. Their shared love of it seemed to make the food even better.

"Yes," she said without hesitation. "You want to make a dipping sauce for the crab cakes? Maybe tomato based?" She was chunking the crab meat before dropping it into a bowl and adding the spices, the breadcrumbs, onions, and the egg.

He smiled and nodded, moving up to gather ingredients for the sauce. Ketchup, for the tomato, then horseradish and Tabasco to add some nice heat to it, followed by lemon juice and salt. He mixed it all together, then held it out to her for a sniff. "How's that smell?"

She inhaled delicately and grinned. "Divine. That'll be great, I think." Once the ingredients were all combined, she began making roughly palm-sized cakes from the mixture. "Will you put some water on to boil for the pasta and then grab the veggies out of the fridge and start chopping?" There were asparagus spears; red, green, and yellow bell peppers; and snap peas in the crisper drawer.

"Right away, madam," he said in his best Jeeves accent--the one Riley always got a laugh over. He got a pot and filled it with water to put on the stove, then went to fetch the veggies she'd mentioned.

She giggled at that accent. "Ever see that show?" she asked, rolling out the final crab cake before putting them on a baking sheet and slipping them into the oven to bake. Then she washed her hands and helped with the slicing and dicing.

"Of course. I'm contractually obligated as an Englishman to love Stephen Fry." With both of them chopping veggies, it didn't take long at all to finish.

She chuckled. "Hugh Laurie was brilliant in that show. So completely different from House." She glanced at him for a moment. "Did they have House on your Earth?"

"Yes, they did. I watched it a few times, mostly for the novelty of hearing Hugh sound like a Yank. He did a rather good job, I thought."

"David, the creator of the show, had no idea that Hugh wasn't an American after his initial screen tests and auditions. I can't get over that. No matter how hard I try, I can't shake the New York in my voice."

"I can't imagine you without it," he replied, smiling. "It's as much a part of you as your hair, or your lovely smile." He reached up to run his fingers through the aforementioned hair.

She turned her head and kissed the palm of his hand softly and then went to the little rack of wine she kept in a corner of the kitchen. "Hmm, I think a nice Chardonnay will pair nicely."

"I've always wondered how people determined what wines would go with what foods. It's something I ought to know already, but it's a complete mystery to me."

She chuckled softly and selected the bottle and carried it and two glasses to the table. "I guess it's probably just trial and error. Much like cooking in general, huh?" Returning to the kitchen, she checked to see if the water was boiling yet and when she saw that it was, dropped the pasta in to cook and then began sauteing the vegetables in olive oil, basil, lemon juice, and a dash of crushed red pepper flakes.

"Probably." His nostrils flared as he inhaled the myriad scents of the cooking food, and his stomach rumbled. "Yum, that smells awfully good. I can hardly wait to eat it. Shall I set the table?"

"That would be lovely, thank you."

He went to the table and quickly laid out plates, forks and knives. Out of habit, he folded the napkins neatly, just like he used to in the cafe. It looked good that way, after all.

She smiled when she saw that. "That's awfully cute," she said as she took the crab out of the oven and set it aside to cool off slightly while she made the pasta.

He chuckled softly. "I can't help it, it's ingrained in me now. Even though it's been years since I ran the cafe. I guess you can take a guy out of a restaurant, but not the restaurant out of the guy, you know?"

That drew a chuckle and then she ferried the food to the table, setting the plates down and then taking her seat. She popped open the wine and poured them both half-glasses before serving Daniel and then herself.

"Thank you," he said, sitting down after her. He leaned over the plate and took a deep breath. It smelled delicious. "So, after I go back to Mr. Jerrytra and finalize the deal, I'll have a house of my own again. It's been a long time. I'm not entirely sure what do with it, actually. And I'll have to get furniture."

While he talked, she ate and made happy little sounds of pure enjoyment. Sipping her wine before speaking she said, "Would you like help decorating? I can have Liv help, too. She can run down some names and numbers of furniture makers and things like that."

"Of course I want you to help. In fact, I'm counting on it." He grinned. "Otherwise, I'd just sleep on the porch and leave the house empty."

"That might be fine for you, but this body?" she leaned back from the table and gestured to herself, "requires a feather bed with at least 1,000-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets." She grinned at him and started in on her food again.

"That body deserves it," he said, nodding seriously. "I'll have to remember feather beds and Egyptian cotton sheets." Now he started in on his food, finding it just as tasty as it smelled.