Serenity landed on Boros in the middle of a thunderstorm, lightning flashing all around. Hank settled her gently down, just as a particularly bright flash lit the interior of the bridge.

“We gonna be okay?” Mal asked, only a little bit nervously.

“We’re fine, Mal,” Hank assured him. “Just a little bit of noise, that’s all.”

“Good. Can’t be having anything going wrong today.”

Hank grinned. “It won’t. And the weather’s supposed to clear up soon enough.”

“Better. Or Freya’s likely to throw a hissy fit and refuse to get married at all.”

“A hissy fit?” Hank couldn’t believe it. “A hissy fit?” He laughed. “What’s it worth not to tell her you said that?”

“How about keeping your job?”

“Nope. Not even that.”

“Then I’ll just shoot you and be done with it.” Mal stomped off the bridge back towards his bunk, hearing his pilot in the background.

“Hissy fit!” ---

They’d pulled by Persephone only long enough to pick up Inara and get paid, although for once Badger had wanted to talk.

“’Ear you’re gettin’ married, Mal,” he said, his apple peeler squealing slightly.

“Wanna get that greased,” Mal offered. “Wouldn’t want a fine piece of antiquerie like that to break down, would you?”

Badger wouldn’t be side-tracked. “To Freya, no less.”

“How did you hear about that?” Mal asked, sighing, letting the little man have his fun.

Badger grinned. “Got my fingers in a lot of pies, Mal. I ‘ear lots of stuff. And one of ‘em was about a certain Malcolm Reynolds making plans to get ‘isself hitched on Boros. That you?”

“It is,” Mal agreed, settling himself more firmly. “Just as soon as we get there.”

“Now you shoulda done it ‘ere,” Badger said, opening his arms to indicate his own personal den of iniquity. “I coulda done you a real good deal.”

“Well, as appealing as that may sound, Freya had this real hankering to get married on Boros,” Mal said regretfully. “And as she can make my life all kinds of hell, I kinda let her have her way.”

“Hen-pecked already?” Badger tutted. “Ain't the way you want to start out, Mal. And I find myself slightly ashamed of ya.”

“One way or the other, it has to be Boros,” Mal said, shaking his head.

“Pity. I’d’a liked to see her walk down the aisle, if only to stand up at the right time and declare some form of impediment.” He grinned, mostly at his own use of such a long word.

“I'm sorry you can’t come,” Mal said, sounding almost sincere.

“But I can at least give the bride a gift.” Badger reached under his desk and pulled out a box. “’Ere, give this to Freya. Tell ‘er it’s from an admirer.”

Mal took it gently, wondering whether it would be a good idea to submerge it in water. “Why, thanks. I'm sure she’ll be most grateful.”

Badger grinned again. “And tell ‘er I want to know if it fits.”

Mal suppressed the shudder that ran through him. “I will. Now, if you’ve got our money …”

“No problem.” He motioned to one of his men who tossed a bag to Zoe. “And since you’re ‘eading to Boros, you might like to drop a small parcel off for me.”

“We’re leaving soon as we get back,” Mal pointed out.

“Got it right ‘ere,” Badger said, tapping a crate on the floor. “Be worth it to you.”

Mal nodded at Jayne, who picked it up easily under one arm. “Who’s it for?”

“It’ll be picked up.” Badger smiled. “Oh, and … congratulations.” ---

“It’s beautiful,” Freya said, holding the dress up against her. “Thank you.”

“When I saw it I thought of you,” Inara said, sitting back on her sofa and smiling. “I’m so glad you like it.”

Freya put it carefully back in the box, smoothing it down and sighing. “Thank you.” She sat down next to the Companion.

“Are you all right?” Inara asked, putting a hand on the other woman’s leg, concerned at the sudden look of pain on her face.

“I was just …”

“Alice?” Freya nodded. “Look, I’d rather get you something else if –“

“No, it’s perfect.” She looked up. “I just … I wish she was here.” She put a hand on her belly.

“I know.” Inara’s voice was gentle, persuasive. “But you’re getting married in just a few days, and I know she wouldn’t want you to be sad.”

Freya glanced at the dress. “Do you think Mal will like it?”

Inara laughed unexpectedly. “Sweetie, Mal would like it if you wore a sack as long as you said ‘I do’.”

Freya joined in. “Maybe an off-the-shoulder sack,” she suggested. “With a little beadwork along the seam.”

“Perfect.” Inara grinned. “Tea?”

“Please.” As the Companion busied herself with the kettle and cups, Freya sat back. “What’s Mal wearing?” she asked, almost as if it was an afterthought.

Inara hid the smile. “Oh, probably just his old clothes.”

Freya sat up. “He can’t!”

Inara looked over her shoulder. “Why not? It’s just a piece of paper.”

“’Nara, you can’t let him! He has to …” Her words trailed off. “You’ve made him buy something, haven’t you?” she accused.

“Would you rather I hadn’t?” Inara turned to gaze at her.

“No, I …” Freya sighed. “Am I making a total fool of myself?”

“Not total, no.” Inara put the small tray down on the table between them. “And don’t worry. We made him get something entirely suitable.”

“We?”

“Simon and me.”

“Simon?” Freya burst out laughing. “Oh, I wish I’d seen that.”

“Don’t worry,” Inara said, pouring out the hot water. “We’ve got pictures.” ---

“What do you think?” Kaylee asked, holding up a little pink top.

“It’s pretty,” Simon agreed.

“I want Bethany to look her best.”

“She will,” he assured her. “She’s your daughter – how can she not?”

Kaylee smiled. “You always know the right thing to say.”

“I try.” He dropped a kiss onto the back of her neck and made her squirm.

“I'm trying to decide here,” she said.

“And I'm trying to be spontaneous.”

She turned and looked at him, her eyes bright. “Really?”

“Really. Everyone’s busy, there’s just you and me, River’s got Bethany –“

“Have you seen Jayne?” River asked from the doorway, Bethany on her hip.

Simon didn’t move, just closed his eyes. “You are such a brat,” he whispered.

“And you’re a boob. So we’re even.” River smiled. “Have you seen Jayne?”

“Not for a while, honey,” Kaylee said, holding up the top. “What do you think?”

River considered carefully. “She prefers the yellow one.”

Simon stared. “She told you that?”

“Of course not,” River said, giving him her look.

“She’s not going to wear that, it’s too old,” Kaylee said firmly, ignoring their banter. “I think this one’ll look just shiny.”

“She’ll look pretty,” River agreed. “Well, if you see Jayne, tell him I’m looking for him.”

“Why?” Simon asked, unable to bear it any longer.

“Bethany needs changing, and he’s good at it,” River said, a serious look on her face. “Unlike some people.”

“I'm getting better,” Simon ground out.

River just stared at him, then moved away. As she headed towards the cargo bay she called, “Actually Bethany said she preferred the one with the geisha on it.”

Simon stood with his mouth open. ---

“From Badger?” Freya stared at the box, her brows drawn down. “Do I really want to look inside?”

“I think it’s a wedding gift,” Mal said, shrugging. “He really likes you.” He looked at her. “What did you do to him?”

“Nothing!” she insisted. “And if he really knew, he’d never be sending me anything.” She stopped. “Unless he does know and it’s a bomb.”

“Freya …” He only tended to use her full name now when he wanted something, like an explanation.

She looked embarrassed. “It wasn't anything. Just when you were sick, I gave him one of those geisha dolls.”

“With the big heads that wobble?” She nodded. “Well, people do love those.”

“Mmn.”

He stared at her. “Is there more to this?”

“No, no,” she said quickly. “Except … maybe … according to Simon we were all still infectious.”

Mal couldn’t take his eyes off her, then began to laugh. “You mean you …” He sat down on the bunk, still snorting.

“Probably nothing happened! It was just …”

“Oh, something happened,” Mal said, trying to stop the chuckling. “I hear tell Badger was real sick. Couldn’t even threaten anyone for weeks.”

“Oh.”

“Oh indeed. I think we’d better not tell anyone about the doll, don’t you?”

“No,” she agreed. “But what about this?” She held up the box.

“Only one way to find out.”

She took a deep breath and removed the lid. “Oh my.”

Mal peered over her shoulder. “He really must like you.”

“You have to take this back. I can’t … not after what I did.”

“I ain't taking it back,” he said firmly. “You want to, you do it.” He looked down. “Do you think it’ll fit?”

“I don’t think I want to find out.”

Mal lifted out the thigh sheath and jewelled knife. “I wonder who he stole it off?” ---

It had stopped raining and the sun was poking through the clouds.

“See,” Hank said, standing in the cargo bay looking out. “Told you it was going to clear up.”

Mal fingered the collar of his new shirt. “Just so long as it stays that way.”

“Sir, you’ll make it dirty,” Zoe said quietly.

“It feels wrong.”

“It’s fashionable,” Simon put in.

Mal was wearing a suit of very dark blue, so dark it was almost black. The pants were fitted, tapering down to his ankle, where he was wearing hightop shoes instead of his usual boots. The shirt was highnecked, collared, but without revers, and buttoned all the way up. A sort of cravat sat around it in a gold colour, picked up again in the stripes on the waistcoat.

“Freya’s gonna laugh herself silly when she sees me in this get-up,” Mal complained.

“She’ll think you look very handsome and wonder why she never married you before,” Hank assured him.

“You think?”

“I wouldn’t be at all surprised,” Zoe agreed, a softness in her voice.

“Wash would’ve loved to be here,” Mal said quietly. “He would’ve had no end of comments to make.”

“So I’ll just have to make ‘em instead,” Hank promised, pulling a capture from his pocket. “Now, everybody, smile!” ---

“You look beautiful,” Inara breathed, standing back so Freya could see herself in the long mirror.

“Oh …”

The dress was dark red, as tradition dictated, bias cut so it clung to every curve, with pleating across the breasts to break up the line. Full length, it skimmed the floor, only showing the tips of her shoes.

“You sure it’s gonna stay up?” Freya asked, reaching up to touch the silver pin holding the single shoulder in place. “If I get fractious, I might end up showing the Prefect a whole lot more than he bargained for.”

Kaylee, sitting on the sofa with Bethany on her lap, giggled. “Make it a wedding to remember, though, wouldn’t it?”

“It will stay up,” Inara said. “Until you want it to come down.”

“Just so long as you’re sure.”

Inara ran a fingertip across Freya’s collarbone. “You need a necklace.” She went to her bedside table and rummaged in a large jewellery box. “Here.” She turned around, holding up a blood red stone set in a silver cage, hanging from a fine chain.

Freya touched it. “I can’t. It’s too beautiful.”

“Then it goes perfectly,” Inara said, fastening it around Freya’s neck.

“Something borrowed,” River said, sitting cross-legged on the bed.

“That’s right,” Inara said. “And it’s old, so that fulfils two parts of the rhyme.”

“Rhyme?” Freya asked, still looking at herself.

“Something old, something new –“ Kaylee began.

“Something borrowed, something blue,“ Inara added.

“And a silver sixpence in her shoe,” River finished.

“Really?” Inara looked at the young girl. “I've not heard that.”

“Old,” River said. “Earth-that-was.”

“Well, I’m not too sure about the sixpence, but you’ve got the new – the dress – and the borrowed.”

“Ooh, wait!” Kaylee handed Bethany to River and hurried out of the shuttle. The baby gurgled happily and reached out to play with River’s hair.

“I wish my hair were longer,” Freya said, looking at the soft curls they’d managed to make around her face. “It used to be long.”

“Why did you cut it?” Inara asked.

“It got in the way.” Freya shook her head. “I've just never grown it back.”

“I think it looks lovely.”

“He likes it,” River said, jiggling Bethany to make her laugh. “Likes to hold it when he –“

“River!” Inara complained, but the young psychic just smiled. ---

“You’ve got to get going,” Kaylee called over the railing. “She’s ready, and you’re not to see her before the ceremony.”

The others looked up at her in her pretty floral dress.

Simon smiled at her. “Just waiting for the hover now. Any second.”

Kaylee smiled back. “I think we can keep her up here until then.”

“Does …” Mal tried again. “Does she look okay?”

“She looks beautiful, Cap’n,” she said. “Just like you,” she added then scampered back into the shuttle.

“And she’s right,” Hank said, clasping his hands in front of him. “So beautiful.”

Zoe thumped him.

“It’s here,” Jayne called from outside as the hover drew up.

Hank thumped Mal genially on his arm in turn. “Time to go get hitched.”

“Thanks, but I'm already spoken for,” Mal said, heading out into the watery sun. ---

“Here!” Kaylee hurried back inside the shuttle and held out a square of sky blue.

Freya took it, examining it carefully. It was a silk handkerchief, with her name embroidered in tiny letters across one of the corners. “It’s lovely,” she said sincerely. “Did you –“

Kaylee nodded, hugging herself. “I did it whilst I was pregnant, that last month. I couldn’t get under Serenity, so I had to do something to stop myself going crazy. And my momma showed me how to embroider when I was small, so …” She grinned. “I was gonna keep it for your birthday, but … it’s blue!”

Freya hugged the young mother and said, “That it is.” Standing back she tucked it carefully down her cleavage.

“So that’s it,” Inara said. “Time to go.”

“Sixpence,” River said. “Can’t go without the sixpence.”

Freya looked at her. “That’s okay,” she said. “I don’t see how we can –“

River held out her hand, a small silver coin resting in her palm. “I found it in a shop when I was ten. The owner didn’t know what it was, and let me have it for a credit. It’s been with me ever since.”

“But how –“

“Even they didn’t know everything,” River said, getting up off the bed and handing Bethany to Kaylee. “It goes in your left shoe.” She knelt down and gently removed Freya’s shoe, sliding the sixpence into the front before slipping the shoe back on.

“It feels odd,” Freya said, moving her foot a little.

“It’s the future,” River said, and smiled up at her. Then she jumped to her feet. “Time to go!” ---

“She’s late,” Mal muttered.

“Brides are meant to be,” Simon said behind him. “It’s traditional.”

The Prefect was looking at his watch.

“Not this late.”

“She’ll be here, sir.” Zoe glared at the Prefect who subsided somewhat.

“Anyway,” Hank said airily, “it’ll give you time to decide who’s best man.”

Mal glanced at him. “No decision to make.”

Jayne grinned at the pilot. “See. Told you. You ain't been on board long enough.”

“Oh, Mal …” Hank was upset.

“Jayne’s right,” Mal said unexpectedly. “That’s why it’s Zoe.”

“No, you can’t have a best man who’s a woman,” Jayne protested.

“Do you want me to take you outside so we can decide that?” Zoe suggested.

“No!” Hank put in quickly. “He’d probably enjoy that.”

“There’s no discussion here,” Mal said. “Zoe’s my best … person.”

“Thank you, sir.” She smiled a little. “It should have been Wash,” she added quietly.

“It probably would have been,” he replied, equally softly.

The doors opened at the end of the room, and Kaylee hurried up, Bethany reaching out towards her father. “Sorry we’re late!” she panted. “Something going on somewhere, and all the traffic …” She took a deep breath. “Still, we’re here now.”

“Where’s …” Mal began, then stopped as he saw his wife-to-be walking towards him down the aisle, her red dress clinging to her, her eyes on him alone. It was as if the entire room vanished, and there was just her and him in the entire ‘verse.

Kaylee snuggled in next to Simon, and Inara and River took their places the other side, watching as the Captain stood with his mouth open until Zoe nudged him slightly.

“Now that we’re all here, I think we can begin,” the Prefect said, opening his book. ---

“Do you wish to say anything before I make this official?” the Prefect asked, looking from one to the other.

Mal nodded, and turned to Freya, his blue eyes liquid. “Frey, there ain’t no-one in this entire ‘verse I want to be with more than you. I've had more hurts since the war ended than during it, but the worst would be you leaving me. Stay by my side, in my life, in my bed. I love you.”

Hank sniffed, and Zoe elbowed him.

Freya smiled. “Mal, you’ve made me whole, healed me, kept me from the darkness. I've loved you for so long, and I will stay by you, in your life, in your bed. You’re not going to get rid of me that easily!”

Jayne laughed and Zoe elbowed him too.

The Prefect smiled. It took people like this, from outside his usual sphere, to make him aware there was still love around, not just convenience. “Do you have the ring?”

Zoe handed Mal the gold band he’d had made without Freya’s knowledge by the stallholder who’d resized the engagement ring, using a little of the excess gold to tie it all together. It had tiny stars etched all around it. The Prefect nodded and Mal slipped it onto Freya’s finger.

“Then, with the power and agreement of the Allied Federation of Planets, I state in front of these witnesses that you are husband and wife. You may kiss your bride, Mr Reynolds.”

Mal grinned. “Thanks,” he said, and leaned down to place his lips firmly on his wife’s, feeling hers smiling.

Hank clapped and cheered, Kaylee joining in, the others applauding too. Bethany, wrapped securely in Simon’s arms, gurgled happily. ---

“To the happy couple!” Simon said, raising his glass of champagne.

“The happy couple!” the rest of the table called, and the restaurant around them applauded.

“You didn’t have to do this, Mal,” Freya said, leaning over and whispering.

“Yes, I did.” He squeezed her hand which he hadn’t released since putting the ring on it. “It’s the only time we’re ever gonna get married, so we’re doing it right.”

“But it must have cost so much –“

He stopped her lips with a kiss, then leaned back just enough to say, “If I’m left without a penny to my name, it’s worth it.”

“We’ve got sixpence,” she said, smiling.

“What?”

“I’ll explain later.”

Hank looked at the pair of them, then leaned over towards Zoe. “This is making me homesick,” he said.

“Then go home,” she said, gazing at him implacably.

“Wanna come with me?”

The look in his eyes was too much. “Oh, come on,” she said, grabbing his arm. “Let’s dance.”

Hank got to his feet, or rather tried to untangle them and fell over. She pulled him up. “Thanks.”

She just glared at him and let him out onto the dancefloor.

Kaylee, leaning back against Simon, giggled. “See that?” she said. “Maybe they’ll be next.”

“Huh,” Jayne grunted, swilling the champagne around his teeth and deciding it was piss poor. “More likely she’s gonna take him outside and all we’ll find is a coupla bones and a hank of hair.”

“Kinda what I meant, in a more sexy, less like death kind of way.” Kaylee sighed happily. ---

This was a smart hotel, much more so than most he’d been in, but that was why he chose it. At the reception desk he got a smile from the clerk, and the key, then turned to Freya, standing so close to him he could feel her heat. “This is it,” he said quietly. “We go up there, and you can’t back out.”

She smiled. “You mean once we consummate our marriage, I can’t get it annulled?”

“Something like that,” he said, pulling her in closer to him.

“Better give me time to think about that,” she whispered, running her lips across his cheek.

“Well, you got until the elevator takes us to the top floor.”

“Bridal suite?”

“Got that right.”

She grinned and licked his earlobe. The clerk behind the desk coughed and blushed.

Mal laughed and pulled her towards the elevator doors. “Stop that,” he said as she breathed in his ear.

“Why?”

“Because this is a decent hotel, and you’ll get us thrown out.”

She moved back enough so she could look into his eyes. “Mal, I don’t care where we spend our wedding night. It could be back on Serenity, out on a cold moon somewhere, or even in jail. Just so long as I get to spend it with you.”

He smiled. “That’s all right then,” he said. ---

Inara watched Zoe and Hank still dancing, wrapped in each other, and sighed.

“What’s up, mei-mei?” Kaylee asked.

“Just –“

“They’re happy,” River interrupted, holding a sleeping Bethany on her lap. “Don’t be sad.”

Kaylee looked from the young psychic back to Inara. “Why’re you sad?”

“I’m not!” Inara protested, but the look on her face said she was lying.

“It’s not Hank and Zoe, is it?”

The Companion shook her head slowly. “Not really, no.”

Kaylee took her hand, squeezing it gently. “’Nara, we all know how you felt about Mal. How we all thought he felt about you.”

“I still do, Kaylee,” Inara admitted softly. “I've been waiting for it to go away, and it doesn’t. I still love him, and it hurts.”

“I know.” Serenity’s mechanic moved her chair closer, and put her arm around the older woman’s shoulders.

“And do you know the worst part?”

“No, what?”

“I love Freya too.”

“What, you mean –“

Inara had to smile. “No, not like that. But as a special friend. Someone who understands me, maybe better than I do myself.”

“And she knows how you feel,” River added quietly. “She wishes she could make the pain go away for you, because she’s so happy.”

“I should have told him, a long time ago,” Inara admitted, finding it so hard to hear about Freya’s happiness. “During those first months on Serenity. Told him I loved him and I’d give up being a Companion for him.”

“Yes,” Kaylee agreed. “You should. And he was a hoe-tze duh pee-goo for not doing the same.” She sighed. “But you didn’t. Either of you.”

“It wouldn’t have worked,” River said. “If you’d given up sex, you would eventually have held it against him, and if he’d forgiven the men, he would have held it against you.”

“I know. And I think that was probably the main reason I didn’t offer.” Inara reached out and picked up the glass of champagne, downing its contents to move the lump in her throat.

“And he loved Freya. Even if he didn’t recognise it.”

Kaylee looked at the young girl. “Even then? I thought –“

“Men can be such boobs.”

“Ain't that right?” Kaylee agreed, watching her lover and the father of her baby trying to get through the crowd of dancers with a full tray of drinks, just as someone jiggled his elbow. ---

“Wow,” Freya said, looking around the room. “That is a big bed,” she commented.

“Yeah. I'm sure we’ll end up using it sometime,” Mal agreed, pulling her backwards towards him and kissing the nape of her neck. She wriggled into him and he groaned.

She danced away. “Don’t you want to take your time?” she asked, moving through the room, taking everything in. “Hey, they got a separate bathroom! And that bath …” She hurried inside and turned on the taps.

“You’re planning on taking a bath now?” he asked, following her, turning the taps off again, feeling the strain in certain parts of his body.

She glanced at him over her shoulder. “We have to take the opportunity,” she said playfully. “It’ll be fun.”

He grabbed for her but she slid out of his grasp. “Frey …”

“Besides, we’ve got all night.” Suddenly she was standing still, just a few feet from him. Reaching up, she grasped the single silver pin on her shoulder and pulled it free. The dress slid from her body like red water, a fragment of blue falling with it, and she stood naked in front of him. His entire being pulsed with desire.

“Oh, God, Frey …” He moved forward and she didn’t retreat, just wrapped her arms around him, feeling his body through the new clothes.

“I thought you didn’t believe any more,” she whispered, gasping as his hands moved across her skin.

“I’ve changed my mind,” he said softly, lifting her up to take her into the bedroom. Maybe they would take advantage of the bed after all. ---

The stars were out overhead, twinkling as they never did in the black, as they headed back towards Serenity.

“Think they’re gonna enjoy their wedding night?” Jayne asked as he ambled along.

“Why, what have you done?” Zoe demanded.

“Nothing!” the big man insisted. “Thought about it, then kinda decided Mal’d kill me.”

“What were you thinking about?” Hank asked, doing a few dance steps to music only he could hear.

“Don’t know. Apple pie bed, maybe. Or just ordering a really early alarm call.”

“Hhmfph,” Hank snorted. “That ain't imaginative. We could have –“

“Done nothing,” Zoe interrupted. “Which is just what we did do. And Mal wouldn’t have taken too kindly to you ruining his wedding night.”

Kaylee grinned. “Sounds nice, doesn’t it?” she said, carrying a sleeping Bethany while Simon had his arm around her waist, still pulling the damp fabric of his shirt away from his chest with the other hand.

“You could always say yes and make it ours,” he suggested.

“Not yet,” she said. “I’m having too much fun.”

“Getting married doesn’t mean that has to stop,” he pointed out.

“Really?”

“So I’ve heard, “Inara agreed behind them.

In front of them the dark bulk of Serenity loomed up.

“Jayne …” River whispered, slipping her hand into his.

“What is it?” he asked, feeling her trembling. ---

Mal slid his damp body up Freya’s, feeling the post-coital drowsiness trying to assert itself. Only he wasn't going to sleep. “Hey,” he said, looking into her dark eyes.

“Hey,” she smiled back. Reaching up, she ran her fingers through his hair.

“Can’t go back now,” he said, kissing the tip of her nose, her chin, her cheeks, tasting the perspiration on her.

“Then I can call myself your wife?” she asked playfully.

“For the rest of your days,” he promised, running a hand down her neck to her breast, cupping her gently.

“I love you, Malcolm Reynolds,” she said, rolling into him, pressing her body against his.

“I love you, Freya Reynolds,” he said in turn, grinning, tangling his legs into hers.

There was a knock at the door.

“Wrong room,” she said, kissing him gently, feeling his body stirring against hers.

“Go away!” Mal called. “We’re busy!”

The knock sounded again, more peremptory this time.

“Are they really trying to break the mood?” Freya asked, smiling just a little.

“Ignore them and they’ll go away.” He kissed her neck.

This time the knock sounded like the door was going to break in.

Freya lay back. “Tah mah duh.”

“I second that,” Mal said, feeling annoyance wash through him. He disentangled his limbs from hers and stood up, looking down at her, all wanton and flushed. “Don’t move,” he advised. She smiled as he grabbed a hotel bathrobe and slid into it. Throwing back the door he glared out. “What?” he demanded.

“That’s him,” said the woman outside, pointing directly at him. “That’s my husband.”

to be continued