More than either.

They made love. And he knew that he was fierce. And they made love again, and he knew that he was tender.

Later, they rose, showered, and dressed. And then walked to the cottage where they hoped to find Lucien and Jade.

Jade ushered them in, assuring him that Drew, Lena, and Suzette were all fine, and all—including Drew—thought that they'd just been part of the great quake that had struck the area.

Giovanni was dead, caught in the quake, but Merc and Franco had reported that they had forensic evidence that he'd been the killer, and so, despite the havoc, the region could rest in peace once again.

There was more, much more, of course. But… there was time now, too.

Lucien poured wine; Jade had made dinner in the cottage.

They sat down together, and at last, Stephanie said, "There's something… strange."

"Oh?" Lucien said.

Grant cleared his throat. "Well, I was half dead. And I awoke feeling like… well, feeling like the greatest damned sexual tiger in the world. I was dying of thirst, starving… and I looked at Stephanie, and I… I wanted her more than anything." He looked from Stephanie's huge and luminous eyes to Lucien. "Does that mean… ?"

Lucien smiled, glancing at his wife. "I think that means that you love her more than anything in the world.

And you'd probably better ask her to marry you quickly. Before something else comes up."

Grant arched a brow. "Is something else going to come up?"

Jade let out a sigh of exasperation. "Grant. You idiot! Didn't you listen? You're in love!"

He turned to Stephanie. "I'm in love. I need you more than water, food, air to breathe—even life. Will you marry me?"

And she smiled. "In a heartbeat," she told him.

And he didn't care that others were there.

He kissed her.

That, he decided, was fate.