Chapter forty-six
Ponce de Leon Co-op
4514 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC

Spencer

The next morning Spencer sat on his couch while Morgan was in getting dressed. It seemed like all his major emotional issues had worked themselves out on this couch. Thankfully this was the finest to date. "We need to stop by a jewelry store." He told Morgan as he came out of the bathroom.

"Why?" Morgan asked. Spencer didn't want to answer, not quite yet. Besides, Morgan was a good enough profiler, he shouldn't have to. "Oh, you are not." Morgan said.

"We already started discussing it."

"What part of take it slow was hard? She has yet to…"

"Morgan." Spencer interrupted him. "We're not eloping; we were talking about a year to a year and a half from now."

Morgan nodded. "Better, better. So why a ring now?"

Spencer sighed into his coffee. "After last night I'm feeling a primal urge to mark my territory."

Morgan chuckled. "What, you think he's going to take her from you? Not literally, you know what I mean."

"Absolutely not. I just…." He sighed. "I want everyone to know that she belongs to someone. That we both do."

"Okay, I'm tracking. Go talk to her first. If she agrees we'll go."


Bellflower House
3625 Yuma St. NW
Washington DC

Spencer had never really inquired as to what Susanna did with her day. He knew she was learning to get around with her mobility instructor, to do the simple things like go to the bank and the grocery store and to use the Metro. He knew that she was learning to use the computer and that she was catching up on what reading she'd need for college. And he knew she was learning to cook, she'd promised him meatloaf once it met her standards. He knew she met with Marsha and Nina and she'd been back to the doctor for more vaccinations, and that she walked every day. But he never inquired about what else.

Apparently one of her roommates, Kim, had introduced her to the joy of the workout DVD. They were in the basement, the DVD going, an added voiceover describing each move for those who could not see them. They were working up a serious sweat. And they were doing it in workout clothes. Specifically Susanna was in these remarkably small shorts and a sports bra, showing off sleek legs and a soft but flat tummy and breasts that simply could not be as round and resilient as they looked and….

Yep, he thought, that would be my sex drive, awake at last. "Hi."

She stopped running in place and turned to him, her downy soft hair bouncing in its ponytail, her cheeks turning bright rose pink. "Spencer, hi. I wasn't expecting you; I'm not exactly dressed for male company."

"Don't worry, you're beautiful." He caught her by the shoulders to kiss her, not willing to pull her against him and have her feel exactly what reaction her attire was causing at the moment. Besides, "You're also damp."

"I know. I'm going to go take a shower. Can you stay?"

"As long as you need."

"Give me about forty-five minutes. " She pressed her temple against his. "I want to talk."

"All right."

She all but ran upstairs. Kim, meanwhile, clearly far more comfortable in workout gear around men, finished up and put everything away. "Hey, Doc." She said as she worked, "Anyone here with you?"

"Yeah Kim," Morgan replied. "He's not alone."

"Hey Derek," she beamed in his direction before turning back to Spencer. "Your girl there isn't feeling very well."

He frowned, "Why not?"

"I don't know. She was all nerves this morning. I was hoping some endorphins might calm her down. Not a clue if it worked."

"It always works for me." Morgan said.

"Yeah, me too. Well, fingers crossed. Later!" With that she slowly sauntered her way to the stairs.

Spencer had to admit, she had the body to carry off that move, and from the way Morgan was watching he felt the same way. "Seriously?" He asked when she was out of earshot.

"Man, that girl is tight."

"She's a college student."

"Grad student, that makes all the difference."


They went up to the kitchen where Mrs. Knox was sitting with Pendleton, the guard on duty at the moment. There was coffee, there was something to eat, there was checking in with the office but no one was really in yet. There was checking in on the case, which was not as depressing as it could have been, so far no one other than the security guard had died. There was, in general, waiting.

Eventually Susanna came down. "Come on." She said, taking Spencer's hand and pulling out to the back garden, to a bench at the far end that was tucked into a private nook of greenery.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he sat and pulled her down into his arms. Something was wrong, she was clearly flustered.

As he watched she took a deep breath. "Will you marry me?" He couldn't help it, he started laughing. "Why are you laughing?" She asked

"I was thinking about the same thing this morning."

"About running off and just doing it?"

"Well, no…" It had taken a few to sink in, he was too wrapped up in his own mind to see it, but now he really looked at her. "What's wrong?"

"Spencer…" She got up and started pacing, too restless to sit. "I don't want him to think he can make any claim on me. I don't want him to try…"

"He's not."

"You don't…"

"He's not!"

"Spencer!" She stopped and faced him. "I am so scared right now…"

"Come here." The bench was wide enough for him to get his feet up, so he could wrap her in his arms and legs and hold her close like he held Henry when he was upset. "I'm scared too." He admitted. "I want to promise that I'll always keep you safe but none of us can make that promise any more. I can only promise that I'll never give up and he'll never change the way I feel."

"He'll never change the way I feel either." She said as she leaned into his chest. "After last night I just don't want him to…" She shuddered in his arms.

"Don't want him to what?" She didn't reply; instead her cheeks turned bright rose. Ah. "You too, huh?"

"You mean, in the bathtub…"

"Shower."

"Oh."

"First time in a…while."

"…ever."

"Oh."

"That's what he wants, isn't it? That's what he wants to do." She was shivering again. "I just…I am scared out of my mind at the thought of…."

Spencer was suddenly sick at the thought. "Don't even think about it." He said. "Just don't." He couldn't bear the thought of that reptilian old man touching her in any way at all.

Susanna took a deep breath. "I'll try." She said. She rocked lightly in his arms for a few moments and then, "I have to admit something."

"What?"

"Now I'm curious."

"About?" Now it was his turn to read body language. Oh. "So am I. You know, there's a lot we can experiment with that doesn't involve…"

"We could."

"We'd need privacy though. And a real bed. We're going bed shopping today, want to come with?"

She leaned back to look at him. "Yes, I do."

"All right." They were quiet a moment more. "Why did he accuse me of committing adultery?"

"In purity culture once you agree to court someone you're basically committing to marry them. It's a commitment considered as strong as marriage. So by announcing the banns he was declaring us a committed couple."

"But you never agreed."

"No. But everyone will assume I did, he just has to get someone to lie and say they witnessed my agreement."

"So all you need to do is ask and agree in front of a witness and you're more or less committed?"

"Pretty much. The process ends when you show proof that you, ahem, started working on a family."

Ugh. "Thankfully our friends will just assume that part." Spencer pulled out his phone and sent a quick text. A moment later Morgan came around the hedge. "What?"

"We need a witness." Spencer looked at the woman in his arms. "Susanna, will you marry me?"

"Yes, I will." She replied.

"Next year?" Morgan asked.

"Or a little more," Susanna replied. "I have a lot to do first."

"Okay then, you're witnessed."

Spencer grinned at Morgan even as he nuzzled Susanna's cheek and saw her smile. "You know, I'm going to need a Best Man."

Morgan started laughing. "Now that is a dream come true, I accept."

"Dream come true?"

"Bachelor party pretty boy," Morgan sauntered back toward the house. "You know I have to tell my baby girl."

"Just ask her not to make a fuss; it's not time for that yet."

"Yeah, good luck with that."

Susanna turned and pressed a kiss to his jaw. "Thank you."

"No, thank you."