“She turned toward Roarke's office, then stopped in the doorway. He was at his console; captain of his ship. He'd drawn his hair back so it lay on his neck in a short, gleaming black tail. His eyes were cool, cool blue. The colour they were when his mind was fully occupied. He'd taken off his dinner jacket, his shirt was loose at the collar, the sleeves rolled up. There was something... just something about that look that always and forever grabbed her in the gut. She could look at him for hours, and at the end of it, still marvel that he belonged to her."Someone wants to hurt you," she thought. "I'm not going to let them.”

“For once, he slept first. She lay in the dark, listening to him breathe, stealing a little of his warmth as her own body cooled. Since he was asleep, she stroked his hair."I love you," she murmured. "I love you so much, I'm stupid about it."With a sigh, she settled down, closed her eyes, and willed her mind to empty.Beside her, Roarke smiled into the dark.He never slept first.”

“Summerset, don't you ever sleep?""It's Lieutenant Dallas. She's--"Roarke dropped his briefcase, grabbed Summerset by the lapels. "Has she been hurt? Where is she?""A nightmare. She was screaming." Summerset lost his usual composure and dragged a hand over his hair. "She won't cooperate. I was about to call your doctor. I left her in her private suite."As Roarke pushed him aside, Summerset grabbed his arm. "Roarke, you should have told me what had been done to her."Roarke merely shook his head and kept going. "I'll take care of her.”

“She stepped forward as if to pick up the fur she'd tossed over a chair. Smoothly, she turned to hand it to him. And with perfect timing, flung herself into his arms.The sable fell as he took her shoulders to shove her back.Eve stepped to the doorway to see Magdelana with her arms locked around Roarke's neck, his hands on her bare shoulders--one of the ivory straps sliding to her elbow."Son of a bitch," she said.On cue, Magdelana spun around, her face full of passion and shock. "Oh, God. Oh...it's not what it looks like.""Bet." Eve strode in.Actually, Roarke thought, it was more of a swagger. He had a moment to admire it, before Eve rammed her fist in his face."Fuck me." His head snapped back, and he tasted blood.Magdelana cried out, but even the deaf would have caught the suppressed laughter in the sound. "Roarke! Oh, my God, you're bleeding. Please, let me just--""Don't look now," Eve said cheerfully. "But he's not the only one." She decked Magdelana with a straight-armed jab. "Bitch," Eve added as Magdelana's eyes rolled back and she fell, unconscious, to the floor.Roarke looked down. "Well, now, fuck us all.”

“I changed your life.” She looked down at the peach they shared. “You changed min. I’m glad of it.” And back into his eyes. “Every day. I’m glad of it. I’d like a pond, and maybe something to sit on so we could watch the creepy, interesting fish.”“That would suit me very well.”She linked her arms around his neck, laid her cheek on his. Love finds a way, she thought.”

“He shook his head and eyed Roarke. "You don't look like a cop.""I'm not and thank you for noticing.”

“The vulnerability undid him even as the strength brought him pride. And the whole of her brought him love beyond the measuring of it.Of all he'd craved in his life, all he'd dreamed of having, all he'd fought to gain by fair means or foul, he'd never imagined having such such as she as his own. Never imagined himself the man he'd come to be because she was.”