Katdancer: I'm sorry to hear that, stay strong and let your 'candle' shine from within.

Ttrmo77: My mother and the Love comes softly series take credit for that inspiration. I am still waiting for my first kiss and I guarantee that it will be my husband!

Phantom Serenity: I love that quote as well. Can you hand me a tissue too?

Chapter twenty-one

Tina's chest heaved and she opened her eyes to turn her head to the side to look at her sweating husband beside her. Erik's breathing tickled her bare shoulder as he pulled her close.

"what did I do….to deserve someone…like you?" he breathed.

Tina wrapped her arms around his shoulders and smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too."

He kissed her and she pulled back with a shake of her head, "no. I am so hungry right now I'm surprised you couldn't hear it over all the noise we were making!"

"I didn't." Erik sat up reaching for his robe and pulling it over himself. "all right."

He grabbed the negligee he'd discarded last night and walked around to her side of the bed. He pulled back the covers and she blushed at her husband's roving eyes. She reached for the negligee and pulled it over her head.

Erik's hand traced her cheek and he smiled. "I'm making you breakfast for a change."

"Are you sure you know how?" she asked.

"me?" he said picking her up and moving towards the stairs. "I can out cook any man on the planet!"

she laughed, "well, I'll look forward to it." his hand supporting her legs crept under the robe and she frowned. "Erik."

"what?" he asked casually stroking her leg.

"that." Her voice trembled.

Erik had been to tender and patient with her last night. He'd held her firmly when she gave her virginity away and kissed away the lines of pain on her face. soon enough, the pain was vanquished and replaced with that wild unquenchable desire she felt for Erik.

Erik kissed her and smiled, "don't worry," he said setting her down at the foot of the stairs. "I'm not about to let my bride drop dead from hunger."

"good." She said leaning forward for a kiss. "egg burrito with potatoes, bell peppers, salsa and onions."

"no onions." He said kissing her forehead.

"I want onions!"

"no way. After breakfast, that is the last thing I want to be tasting on your lips!"

"I'll have a spoonful of peanut butter to kill the strength of the onion."

"no!"

she put on her most sultry look and leaned forward. "onions."

Erik kissed before moving around her. "no!"

"ohh!" she stamped her foot.

The doorbell rang and she went for it. "I'll get it."

"dressed like that? The poor postman!"

Erik's warning came too late, the door was open. She blushed and wrapped her arms around herself.

Her mouth dropped open when she saw Mr. and Mrs. Levine standing there. That same peculiar glint was in Mr. Levine's eyes as he studied her.

"Tina?" Erik asked coming into the room. His face froze when he saw them standing there. But his next move was to instantly stand beside Tina, wrapping his arms around her. "yes?" his tone was firm, but not cruel. "what is it?"

"we've got business to discuss." His adopted father pushed his way into the house. "your grandfather passed away and left the entire estate to you."

"we've brought papers which you'll sign." His mother said.

"now wait a minute!" Erik said.

"considering that you've been disinherited, you are to sign that building over to us!"

"I haven't even read the paper!"

"that doesn't matter." His father said. "just sign the papers. I'm in the middle of a merger with Carlotta's father."

"now is not the time, Tina and i."

"I know you're on your honeymoon, but this can't wait!"

"that's exactly what it's going to do!" he said moving towards his father. "now, this is my house that I bought with my own money and you two are not welcome here!"

"I should think that this hussy of yours would be glad to get more money."

Erik shouted. "don't you ever call my wife a name again!"

"you watch your tongue boy!"

"don't call me that!" Erik's temper was rising fast.

"you forget who's raised you all these years! You need to get your priorities straight!"

"I know where my responsibility lies. And I'm not handing over grandfather's estate to you before he's even buried!"

"it's business! No time to be sentimental!"

"that's enough!" Tina said stamping her foot. All eyes went to her. "now, Erik and I have put up with ever nasty thing you've said to us, but this is where I draw the line! Get out of our house now!"

"how dare you!"

"Erik will not sign those papers and I will do everything in my power to get him to sell it to someone else if you're not out of here in five seconds!"

"how dare you!"

"one. Two. Three."

The Levine's didn't wait. They walked towards the door. Mr. Levine turned towards them before sneering. "I'll see you two in court!"

"good day!" Erik said.

The door slammed and she jumped slightly. Erik walked up and rubbed her shoulders. "I'm so sorry about that."

"don't be. I'm getting some of my spice back. Now do I get that burrito with onions or not?"

"no!"

she whined and trotted after her husband and sat on the edge of the counter.

"so," he asked pulling out the eggs and bell peppers from the refrigerator. "what should I do with that building?"

"whatever you want dear." She said. "however, I think whatever you decide, it should help out others."

"I was thinking," he said leaning forward and settling his arms on either side of her, "of selling it. keeping a third of the profit, then using the rest to expand that studio, with bedrooms incase any of the students need a place to stay."

She squealed and wrapped her arms around him. "oh Erik!" he laughed as she drew back and frowned at him. "what's the catch?"

"there is no catch." He wrapped his arms around her. "I've caught you, that's enough fishing around."

Tina took the apron off covering her white dress and dried her hands on the towel Erik offered her. "thank you."

Erik took off his wet shirt and made a face, "I should have listened to you and used the apron. I never knew you could get so wet washing dishes."

"I told you that you were scrubbing too hard." She laughed.

"well, how was I supposed to know that the stuff came off that easy?" he tossed the towel down and went towards their room. "I'm going to go get another shirt."

"nu uh," She shook her head, "can't we go for a walk?"

he frowned, "like this?"

"why not?"

she tossed her head, "maybe we might wind up in the water and get two shirts wet?"

Erik smirked and pulled her close, "maybe you're impressed with my physique?"

"maybe." She said, reaching for her mp3 player and turning it on. "let's go for a walk."

"sure."

Erik held Tina's hand as they walked along the beach. Her lightweight white dress blowing madly in the breeze. Her mp3 player clipped to her dress and she was listening to the carpenters sing 'maybe it's you' she was scatting quietly along to the melody.

Isn't it nice to talk about the special way that you smile whenever I'm around? she gripped his hand and swayed slightly. She smiled as she leaned forward and sang. Rising on the shore, the ocean came. He took her hand and they walked towards the water. Walks along the waves of velveteen. His only thought was love for me.

Her voice rose slightly as the cold water went up to her ankles. She brought her skirt up to her knees to avoid completely it. Couldn't we stay? Or must we go? Couldn't we stay and watch the splashing rock we throw?

She stopped and leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and swayed lightly. Only a fool would want to leave this paradise that I find whenever you're around. Only a fool. Erik leaned forward and kissed her nose. Only a fool.

"I'll never stop loving you." he promised.

"you better not." She said. "or I'll track you down and make you fall in love with me all over again! And this time, I won't be as easy."

OK, the epilogue and then this story is over. Don't forget to review.