"Aiyana, will you take a walk with me?"

"Sure, Nate." She grabbed her plate and his and took them to the kitchen. He thought she would follow him to the door, but after putting their dishes in the dishwasher, she started working on the ones already in the sink. Why was she doing that? Surely there were other wolves in the pack who could take care of it. His mother never did the dishes - she rarely even went into the kitchen.

"You coming?"

"In a few minutes. This won't take long."

"All right, I'll meet you by the back door."

Cliff scooted back from the large wooden table and carried his own plate into the kitchen but instead of just putting it on the counter and walking away, he started helping Aiyana. Nate had only known him a few days before he and Aiyana had left for Yellowstone, but Cliff seemed different - quieter - more withdrawn. Aiyana had told him how Cliff had reacted when she'd broken the bond. He almost felt sorry for the guy, but he suspected Cliff would try to win Aiyana back if he could. If he were in Cliff's place, he would. He kept a close eye on him as they worked, but Cliff never said a word to Aiyana and when they were done and she thanked him, he gave a single nod and walked away.

Nate smiled when Aiyana finally looked his way. He couldn't help himself. "Ready?"

"Yes."

"I thought we could take a walk in the orchard again."

"It's probably not flowering any more."

"That's all right. Who needs flowers when I have you?"

She elbowed him, but he was being truthful. Just the few hours he'd been without her today, not knowing where she was and thinking she was mad at him, had been colorless and horrible. He opened the door to the backyard and tapped his pocket again just to make sure the box was still there.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Cliff take a step toward them from where he was lurking near the kitchen island. Cliff's presence hadn't bothered him that much before, but he'd spent an amazing two weeks with Aiyana in Yellowstone and she was still hesitant about completing the bond. Maybe once they merged his wolf would calm down, but right now his wolf was urging Nate to put himself between Cliff and Aiyana and issue a warning. Nate only resisted because he knew Aiyana wouldn't like it. She'd flat out told him she didn't like overly possessive males. He had to try something though.

"Cliff, there's no need for you to come. We're going to be right behind the house."

"It's my job. I'll just stay close enough to see you."

That's what he was afraid of. He supposed he could wait until they could find some time alone, perhaps in her room, but he wanted to do this outside, someplace romantic, and barring that, the orchard would do.

His palms were sweating. He'd never felt so nervous. What if she said no? How would he live without her? Maybe this wasn't a good idea despite his mother's insistence to the contrary. He wiped his hand on his pants and grabbed hers just as they reached the edge of the trees. "I'm glad you are okay. I was very worried when I came out of the house this morning and you weren't there."

"I'm sorry. I was afraid your mother would delay you too long. What did she want you to do?"

"Reach stuff for her. She was looking for something."

"Did you make it back outside in time?"

"It would have been close," he admitted reluctantly. Aiyana hadn't said it, but he suspected she suspected his mother had delayed her in Yellowstone on purpose. Maybe she was right.

"She made you help her that long?"

"Yeah, but it was important."

"What was she trying to find?"

It was the perfect lead-in. He was going for it. He reached for his pocket at the same time he dropped to one knee, right on top of a stick, but he wasn't going to let that stop him. "This." Watching her face, he opened the top of the small box and offered it up to her. "Aiyana, you are the love of my life. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you be my mate forever? Will you marry me?"

He loved the way her eyes widened as she took in the ring. He'd always thought it was pretty. It had a delicate-looking gold band that twisted like vines around a blue stone with three small diamonds like leaves on either side. Best of all, the band was adjustable so the person wearing it could phase without worrying about losing it or their finger.

"It's beautiful Nate."

"Say yes and it's yours."

She reached out and touched it but didn't pick it up. "Where did it come from?"

"It was my great-aunt's. She didn't have any children so my mother inherited it. When I was a boy I told my mother I thought it was the prettiest ring she owned. She said I could have it for my mate one day. Go ahead, try it on."

He couldn't keep the silly grin off his face as she tugged it carefully out of the ring box. It looked better than he'd imagined on her finger against her bronze skin. He opened his mouth to tell her so but she spoke first.

"Nate, are you sure? We haven't known each other very long. I don't even know what your favorite color is."

"Blue."

"Or your favorite food."

"Waffles."

"Really?"

"Well, that and ribs."

"Cake?"

"Vanilla with vanilla frosting."

She scrunched her nose. Did she not like vanilla? Who didn't like vanilla?

"And you don't know that much about me."

"I know that you are intelligent, and that you're kind, and you make me feel like no other woman has made me feel before. I can do anything with you around. All the other things I'll learn as I go, such as I should look before I kneel. There's a stick poking me in the knee."

She laughed and pulled him up. The soft touch of her lips against his started out simple but quickly became something slow and world-rocking. Did that mean what he thought it did? Would she finally agree to the merge?

"Is that a yes?" he breathed when they pulled apart.

"Can I have a day or two to think about it?"

The world and his hopes crashed down around him. "You need to think about it?"

She touched his cheek, sending tingles down his spine. "We've only known each other a month. What's one more day compared to a lifetime? I wouldn't just sign a document without reading it."

It was because she couldn't feel the bond. If his mother was right, she would once they merged, but he had to convince her to do it first. "I did say you were smart, didn't I?"

She took the ring off and handed it to him. "Keep it safe."

He pushed her hand away. He didn't want the ring back. He wanted her. "Wear it, it will be like a test drive."

She bit her lip as she looked at it, considering.

"Please, Aiyana." He hadn't meant to say it out loud, or whisper as it were, but the words escaped him before he knew they were coming.

He'd pushed too much. He saw it on her face as she looked up at him. "I don't want people to congratulate us until I say yes."

He had to say something, anything. "That's a good reason I suppose." She hadn't said no, he told himself and his wolf as he put the ring carefully back into it's box and slid it inside his pocket, but she hadn't seemed very excited about his question either. Even humans sometimes fell in love faster than a month. Why couldn't she feel the bond? Was she attracted to him at all?

"Aiyana, just one more question." She raised her golden brown eyes to his and he had to touch her face.

"What's that?"

"I know you can't feel our connection like I do, but do you love me?"

Her mouth fell open and for a moment he feared she was going to say no, but then she smiled and kissed his cheek. "Nate, you are the sweetest, kindest wolf I've ever met. Just your scent makes me melt inside and I love being with you. If that is love, then yes, I do."

She wasn't sure, that was the problem. He'd just have to convince her. He pulled her into his arms and mumbled, "Good answer," before kissing her so thoroughly he forgot there was anyone around but just them.