Page 126 of Dark Rover's Gift

"We need to get home," he said eventually, though he didn't loosen his hold.

"We do," she agreed, not moving either.

"You'll be late, and Atzil will wonder where you are."

"Let him wonder," she said, but stepped back and continued walking.

Everything looked different somehow—the familiar paths, the houses they passed, even the stars above. The world hadn't changed, but Din's place in it had.

"I'm going to say it a lot now," Fenella warned as they reached Shira's house. "I love you at completely inappropriate times.While you're talking to others or grading papers or cooking steaks with Shira's apron on."

"I'll cope somehow," Din said dryly.

She grinned. "I love the way you use sarcasm when you're emotionally overwhelmed."

"I'm not emotionally overwhelmed."

"I love it when you lie badly, too."

He pulled her back for another kiss. "Go change for work before I decide to take you to bed instead."

"Tempting," she murmured against his lips. "But Fenella the psychometric bartender can't just not show up."

"I love you," he said, just because he could, because she'd finally given him permission to say it, knowing it would be returned.

"I love you too," she said easily, as if the words hadn't been trapped behind walls of fear for what had felt like eternity. "Now stop making me all emotional. I need to be funny and irreverent in less than an hour."

Later, as they walked toward the Hobbit, herI love youstill echoed in his ears, and Din couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

"Hey," Fenella said as the Hobbit came into view. "Want to know what tonight's special reading theme is going to be?"

"Tell me."

"Love stories. Every object will have a secret romantic past that is either deeply moving or hilariously awkward."

"Knowing you, it will be both."

"I love that you know me so well," she said, then laughed. "God, I really am going to be insufferable with this, aren't I?"

"Completely," Din agreed. "It's going to be glorious."

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