I looked around me leisurely as the party went in full swing. Everyone was happy, bubbling with excitement. And so was I.

I turned to look at Sarah at the sweet sound of her laughter. She was quite busy with her new, very close friend... Augustin. I raised an eyebrow when Sarah leaned towards the pretty boy with his dark hair ruffled so cutely and said something in his ear. A low giggle escaped my lips as the boy ran away blushing furiously. I could see great chemistry in them. But Brandan couldn't.

Shaking my head in amusement I watched the ever so over-protective father of my children approach Sarah with a slight scowl adoring his handsome face and lift her up in his lap as if trying to shield her away from the whole world.

Smiling through the familiar crowd of people I slowly began walking towards them.

After that fateful day in the airport and then the very blissful, pretty dreamlike time we spent in Hawaii, three long eventful months had passed. Shortly after that we shifted back to our hometown in Boston, where Brandan gifted me a house on my birthday and slowly we made it a home. And it felt like finally we were where we were meant to be, our last destination. We were finally in true sense, at home.

It took some time for us to settle down, especially the kids. But as soon as we could slump back and breath, we threw this housewarming party.

"Why that frown, honey?" Rubbing the palm of my hand up and down Brandan's spine in a soothing motion I felt him shudder under my touch, a very familiar reaction to me when he was aroused.

Sarah wiggled free from his suddenly distracted fathers hold. He looked at her running away and then turned his attention to me.

"Keep doing that and I'll have to drag you upstairs and begin our very own private party..." He dragged a finger from my temple to my jawline seducingly and it was my turn to shiver. "... which seems like would be far more interesting than this boring party. What do you say?"

I leaned into his hand which had now cupped the side of my face. "I say, you're insatiable Mr."

Pressing my body closer to his I caressed the back of his neck, his eyes were dilated immediately. Oh, how I love to tease him - torture him like this.

I couldn't help but smirk when he groaned, his face dangerously close to mine.

"Augustin! Where are you?" Sarah's voice snapped us out of our lust filled haze. I was still getting used to being constantly forgetting about the whole world when around Brandan, it was just too difficult to concentrate on anything else.

Brandan scowled. "I don't like that Augustin guy, he should stay away from my baby girl. How could you let them go on a date?"

I scrunched my brows and chuckled looking at Brandan. Right now he was looking like a pouting child whose mother had punished him for stealing cookies when he actually didn't.

"That was a play date Brandan and let me remind you - they are just kids." I fake gasped, "Don't tell me, you're jealous of a small child!"

"I'm not jealous of anyone." He said too quickly, anyone would know the truth behind his words.

Rolling my eyes I looked at the dancefloor, "Yeah, yeah. Keep saying that to yourself."

Seconds passed in comfortable silence after that as Brandan snaked his hand around my waist from behind, my back rested on Brandan's chest as I felt the music of his rhythmically beating heart. We stood there feeling each other's love filled warmth listening to the slow song playing and watching couples dance holding each other so close.

We laughed when our eyes fell on Sammy dancing with a pretty little girl, it was more like trying to save themselves from getting stomped by all the grown ups' dancing around.

I heard the sound of a baby crying at the top of it's lungs from somewhere nearby. My eyes searched the crowd and soon were stuck on the fascinating pair of the father and son.

A faint smile appeared on my lips seeing Evan lightly tapping the back of his three months old infant. He was making funny faces at his little boy - Julius.

My eyes moistened at the sight of them. It had been three months since that horrible night when... when Zess, my brother's beautiful wife, the love of his life and the mother of his child passed away. It had hit Evan in a state of miserable shock that Zess had been indeed hiding from him the growing and serious complication of her pregnancy. The doctor had already informed to Zess months ago about the critical moment that would come with the labor pain, the moment that might be her last.

It was my misfortune that I had to meet Evan's wife - my sister-in-law... for the first time in her funeral. My heart broke seeing my brother screaming and sobbing so pathetically at her grave clutching to chest his wife's last gift to him - their child - their Julius.

Since then, he had changed. We were so worried about him as we doubted if he would ever be able to cope up with the loss, and our fear intensified as he turned himself into a stone, bottling up all his emotions and grief inside so tightly, only warming up when he was with his kid.

"He'll be alright, don't worry."

I didn't realize that Brandan was rubbing my arms as I was so lost in thoughts and Robert and Martha - Brandan's parents were standing right in front of us with concerned looks.

I just nodded at Brandan and passed small smiles at Robert and Martha.

"So, may I've the pleasure to dance with you, lady?" Robert asked me with a smile which formed lines of old age on his face. If not for those wrinkles and slightly greying hair, Brandan and him would have looked the same. Sammy had shared their looks and also their behaviors in so many levels that it was plain away scary sometimes.

I felt Brandan tightening his grip around my waist.

"Dad. Why don't you dance with mom?" His voice sounded annoyed.

I suppressed my laughter.

"Why don't you let your wife enjoy a little by herself? Don't behave like you're her fiance or something, you don't have a solid claim on her." Robert pointed out in a authoritative tone.

I shook my head. People thought that he would back off now, knowing that Brandan and I were together officially. But alas, the old man was still grabbing to his age old marriage conspiracy with all the hooks he could find up his sleeves. Or maybe, Robert just enjoyed annoying Brandan.

Brandan groaned, this time in irritation.

When the father and son got back into talking terms again, it was an extremely emotional, teary moment for all. And that was when Brandan brought me and the kids back to his parental home, to meet Robert and Martha for the first time after all those years of separation. After that, everything was like a dream as the grandparents bonded with their grandchildren, the kids were the apples of their eyes, getting spoiled all the time in their grandparents company. At the same time Robert and Brandan reconciled their relationship too, I could clearly feel the lightness of Brandan's aura as he soaked in his father's forgiveness. Martha couldn't be anymore happier as her family finally reunited after so long with an addition of twin grandkids. I too bathed in reckless joy whilst Robert and Martha surrounded me with such endless parental affection and love.

Once again I snapped out of my thoughts at the sound of Robert's laughter, I'd totally zoned out from the conversation.

"Oh, of course, I'll surely back off," Robert said, his own arm looping around Martha's shoulder as he casually pulled his wife nearer. His other arm, on the contrary, in a not so casual way grabbed a hold of Martha's left hand, holding it in a manner to display all the rings proudly. "But not before you finally man up and gather the courage to pop up the question."

Brandan just snorted and murmured something about... right time... waiting, I couldn't clearly decipher.

Another thing I loved about Robert and Brandan. Their banters.

Really, never had I seen Robert so free and light hearted like this before, time really changed a lot of things.

"Stop teasing him, Robert." Martha playfully slapped her husband's chest as Brandan grumbled something inaudible under his breath and began dragging me along with him to the dance-floor ahead, his hand softly holding my wrist, sending tingles that spread throughout all over my skin.

I couldn't hold back my laughter anymore as he possessively engulfed me in his embrace and guided me across the floor with the rhythm of the beats.

As I gazed into his dark pool of eyes, I couldn't help but wonder just like Robert about when exactly this hunky piece of man was going to finally ask it away, especially after seeing him stealthily hiding a purple ringbox inside his oldest shoebox at the far side of our closet... and that was a month ago. I hadn't still raided that shoe box and had a look at the damned ring like my brain used to scream at me to do every single moment of every single day. I didn't want to ruin it for Brandan, I wanted to look at the ring first, when he would be on his knees holding it, waiting for my response to his most precious question.

There was a small ruckus going on at the far end of the hall. Apparently, Oliver and Elli had gotten in the mood of war and were doing what they did best, fighting in full enthusiasm. The reason of their quarrel - was not clear, like always.

I couldn't help but think of what I overheard before the party. Oliver was talking on the phone with someone and the one sided conversation made me tremble in uneasiness. He was telling someone that Jonathon had fled from the country before the police could put a hand on his neck for all the illegal acts he had been doing behind the cover of his legal business. The FBI were now searching for him like hounds out of hell but it was as if he had vanished from the face of earth after Brandan, Evan and Oliver had exposed and ruined him.

Brandan followed my gaze and both of us chuckled in unison at the sight of Elli stomping on Oliver's foot and the poor fellow limped away muttering something while most probably planning for a revenge.

Brandan rested his chin on my forehead making me dizzy with the scent of his cologne. Resting my head on his chest right where his heart was thumping, I sighed in bliss and reveled in the sense of belonging and being so loved and cherished.

There was an amateur but very talented band performing on the make-shift stage across the hall, very down to earth, fun-loving they were and humble when I met them at the beginning hour of the party. Elli, who had taken it upon herself to organize the party, had surely chosen well.

A smile formed on my lips when the lead vocal, Clive began singing "Thinking Out Loud".

And that smile got even bigger when Brandan whispered a few lines of the song in my ear, his breath deliciously caressing my earlobe.

And, darling, I will be loving you 'til we're 70

The slightly cold breeze of the outdoor made me raise my head up from the warmth of his chest in a state of confusion. Twisting the upper half of my body a little and in the process brushing against Brandan's obvious tent of arousal in his cloth, accidentally, I found that he had indeed backed us away from the crowd skillfully as we danced and closer to the balcony.

Brandan groaned as if he was in great torture. "Will you stop wiggling like that, Emma?"

Biting my bottom lip in an attempt to control the urge to smile, I looked up at him with innocence and rubbed my body up against his. "Why, Brandan?"

He looked like he'd been punched in the stomach as his whole body went stiff. The next second, he was pushing the both of us inside the balcony through the red sheer curtains that separated the warm indoor and the breezy night.

I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways

And the lyrics of the song like a perverted - romantic stalker, followed us, staying faint in the background but still very much present...

"What are you doing, Brandan? Not here!" I shrieked low. "Anyone could walk in on us. Oh my God! What if your parents or our kids catch us in the balcony while we..."

"While we, what? Emma?" Brandan smirked, dipping his head lower, his nose rubbing against my forehead.

Blushing, I glared up at Brandan as he seemed to be clearly enjoying this to the fullest. How could he not have any shame and just smirk at me like this? And I asked him just that. "How can you be so shameless, Brandan?"

His response to me was a husky chuckle that never failed to make me feel weak in the knees. With his forefinger, he traced a loose strand of hair at the side of my face, he didn't stop when the hair was lightly tucked behind my ear. Tracing an invisible trail down my cheek and my jaw... and then the side of my neck, he seemed intent on teasing me the same way he was earlier.

A pleased expression spread through his face as I shivered and clutched the front of his shirt while gasping loud as his finger slipped down one of my sleeves down my shoulder. His lips descended on the exposed skin now, where the sleeve was.

"Brandan!!..." I couldn't stop the moan that escaped my mouth.

"Yes, my love..." He murmured against my shoulder, one of his hands circled around my waist as he drew me flush against him.

God!! Now this was torture. I wanted to jump him now and finish what he had started. Right here, right now, in this damned balcony. But the knowledge that there was a hall full of people just on the other side of the curtains, was sitting in the back of my mind, making me want this... and not want this at the same time. How I wish we could, by some miracle, transport ourselves back home and into the privacy of our bedroom in an instant.

At the feeling of something cold... colder that the chill of night and very solid on the skin of my finger, I opened my eyes. It took a few seconds and a couple of lungful of cold breaths to clear the lustful haze from my eyes.

My eyes first caught the anticipation and nervousness in Brandan's eyes and then slowly lowered to look at my left hand that was into his own larger one.

And I gasped again, but this time for a very different reason, this time, for the ring that was sitting proudly on my ring finger. I was completely swept away by it's simplicity and uniqueness. It was not an overly expensive diamond that screamed around - opulence. But abundance - of emotions, where the person who had chosen it evidently put a lot of thoughts and feelings in an inanimate object, making it seem livelier than things on earth that actually possessed life. I couldn't blink. I was captivated at the sight. Sitting on the platinum band, a cluster of little diamonds shone in a mismatched pace back at me from the stray rays of light seeped out through the curtains and falling on them.

"Marry me, Emma?"

What touched me was the slight tremble in his voice as he spoke.

"Are you asking me, Brandan? Or are you telling me?" I asked him instead still not raising my eyes, because if I did, the liquid emotions in them wouldn't stay hidden. I would hate to cry like a child now.

But when was I ever be able to hide from him? I had this stubborn habit to try though.

Nudging my chin up, he made my eyes meet him. "Tell me, Emma, you would walk down the aisle wearing a white dress, looking like an angel," he gulped, my eyes glanced briefly at his adam's apple bobbing. "While I stand there, at the end of this journey, waiting for you before the priest. So that we can enter upon a new journey, our forever."

The tears now, were getting really heavy in my eyes and I didn't know how long I could hold them in. It was becoming an impossible task. It had always been, resisting this man was the most difficult task existing, and I'd tried accomplishing it countless times without any success.

He leaned in, so close, that I could literally breath him in. "So that we can share an eternity and then beyond. And to do that, we would say our vows, exchange the rings, promise our souls to each other and then get pronounced as man and wife in front of a not so important, but awestruck audience."

I chuckled, my eyes fluttered close as he nipped at my lower lip. Clutching the hair at the back of his head I tried to drag his head down and kiss him silly, because he had missed the kissing part after the vows and promises. I wondered, was he doing it purposefully? Or in this case - not doing it. But he stayed put, refusing to give me that kiss I was craving. In stead, he had the gal to stretch his mouth into a sheepish smile.

"So, will you?" I could hear the hints of nervousness in his voice.

Smiling I massaged the back of his scalp, exhaling a slow breath that grazed his parted lips. I felt immensely victorious seeing his eyes almost rolled at the back of his head, sucking in a sharp breath. Sometimes, I couldn't believe the effect I had on him. But then again, he had that same kind of effect on me as well... and then some more.

"Emma." A low growl erupted from deep within his chest.

"You're not on your knees, honey." I teased, knowing very well that I was testing his patience but so was he doing the same. He was supposed to propose me knelt on the ground, holding that ring out and asking me to say yes. But here we were seducing one another, one step away from f***ing each other's brain out while at the risk of getting caught... and yes, also the ring was already sitting on my finger.

He exhaled a long shaky breath looking at me through hooded eyes. "I've been on my knees, Emma, since the day I found you... surrounded by fire, clutching one of my children to your chest. I had fallen on my knees that day before you, Emma, and I haven't stood up yet." He said sincerely, winning me, all over again.