Alex closed his eyes for a moment, and said, "Don't walk out on me again. Please. If I screw up, just tell me, but don't leave."

She shook her head. "Never. I couldn't ever leave you again."

He kissed her, softly at first so that she shuddered under his hands, but then harder, probing her mouth with his tongue, and she wanted him naked, lusted for the feel of his skin on hers, and she ran her hands under his T-shirt, sliding it up his body as she slid her palms up his chest. He sucked in his breath and then helped her pull the shirt over tiis head, moaning with her as her breasts touched his skin. His hands moved down to cup her breasts, his thumbs rough on her nipples and she pressed against him, craving the ache of his hands hard on her.

"Anything else you need to say?" he whispered in her ear. "Say it fast because in about another thirty seconds, I'm going to drag you to the floor, and then we're not talking anymore."

"Tell me you're not going to be a cardiologist and we don't have to live in that damn house." Nina let her hands slide down his back, smoothing her palms over the muscles there that clenched as she touched them. "I'll love you and stay with you anyway, no matter what, but you'll hate being a cardiologist, and I'll hate the house, and I don't care about the money."

"I'm not going to be a cardiologist." Alex bent his head until his forehead was against hers. "My father isn't speaking to me anymore, but the house is gone and I'm staying in the ER. Even Max is taking a two-month leave of absence. We're turning into human beings. At least I am. It's what I want."

Nina let her hands slip over his rear end, feeling the cotton of his shorts, rough against her palms after the smoothness of his skin. "It's what I want, too," she said, and then she hooked her thumbs in his waistband, and pulled his duck shorts down as she kissed her way down his stomach until she could take him in her mouth.

"You can have anything you want," Alex said, and his voice cracked. "Except separate beds. Oh, God, don't stop doing that."

Nina raked her nails down his thighs and sucked harder, and he moaned and moved against her while she lost herself in the sheer power of having him in her mouth, knowing she was making him mindless, loving the way he felt against her tongue. Then he pulled her away and fell to his knees, kissing her so hard her mouth throbbed before he pushed her on her back and bent his head to her. He bit at her hip before he licked inside her and made the lovely low heat she'd felt while she'd loved him explode into sudden, driving ache. "Don't stop," she breathed while he licked and sucked and made her blood bubble and her veins itch. "Don't ever, ever stop." She arched back as the need grew too hot, and then his hands moved under her hips, holding her tight against his mouth, while she writhed and screamed and came.

Then he was on his feet, yanking her to hers, pulling her dazed across the living room to his bedroom, stopping at the door to shove her against the wall and kiss her savagely, pressing her against the wall with his body while she scraped her nails down his sides and bit his lip. "Take me hard," she whispered to him and then he dragged her into the bedroom and fell with her on the bed, fumbling for the condom in his drawer while she slid against him, biting kisses down his side, until he pinned her under him and took her, driving into her over and over again mindlessly, until there was nothing in the world but the rhythm of their bodies, and the pulse of their blood and their gasps were the same as they rocked together into orgasm, shuddering and then finally quiet in each other's arms.

Hours later, Nina woke and moved her cheek against Alex's chest, listening to the beat of his heart, grateful it was such a strong one since they were obviously going to be risking cardiac arrest for the rest of their lives every time they made love. She felt him stir beneath her, felt his hand on her hair, and then she smiled as his hand moved down her shoulder and the slope of her back and patted her rear end.

"Hello," she said softly.

His hand moved to her waist and gathered her closer. "Hello," he said. "I like you naked. Never wear clothes again."

She smiled against his skin, too drunk with contentment to talk.

"Thanks for not bringing the Incredibra," he said, and she moved so she could see him.

He was looking at her with so much love that she closed her eyes for a minute, overwhelmed that he cared so much. "You're welcome," she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he whispered back and kissed her, moving his lips against hers so gently that she felt her body ache in response. Then he whispered against her cheek, "Do me a favor and throw that damn thing out. You're so beautiful without it."

"I gave it to Fred," she told him, and watched him smile, loving his smile, loving him. "It's his favorite thing to steal next to Oreos so I just gave it to him for keeps. He was thrilled."

"Good." Alex shifted against her, making all her nerve endings jump and throb, and evidently his, too, because he drew in a sharp breath. "He can wear it in the wedding." He grew still then, watching her, obviously waiting for her to say that she couldn't marry him, that it was out of the question, that he was too young, that people would talk.

"Fred's going to be in our wedding?" she said, and he relaxed against her and laughed, and she held him close, completely sure of him and his love. Then he rolled to pin her under him and drive her out of her mind again.

"I see Fred as ring bearer," Alex said in her ear.

And six weeks later, so did everybody else.