Sorry it's been so long since I updated last, but real life decided to bitch-slap me around for a little while. I'm glad everyone's enjoying this so far. There's lots more to come, so don't go too far.

He hardly had to wait for his answer.

"Yes," she whispered against his lips just before they kissed.

She could feel his unrestrained joy as they kissed. She tried to convey every bit of love that she'd ever felt for him through their kiss and her touch as her hands roamed his back beneath his jacket. She could feel the strength that hovered just beneath his gentle exterior and knew that she'd never have to fear the world again. He would protect her and she him. Each would always be safe with the other.

He was positively euphoric. The woman he loved more than life wanted to marry him. Until that moment, he had no idea that you could feel love as a sensation coming from another person, but that'sexactly whathe felt Kate's hands drift across his back and through her kiss. He could feel just how much she loved him and it made him dizzy with happiness.

He let his own hands drift across the open expanse of skin left bare by her dress. He barely registered the small scars scattered across her upper back like Braille dots. The only thing he cared about was the sensation of her skin underneath his fingertips. Slowly, gently, he worked the fingers of one hand beneath one of the straps of her dress and slipped it off her shoulder. Trailing his fingers back up her arm, he felt a raised bump as they came over her shoulder. Gently breaking the kiss, he softly ran a finger over it.

"Where did this come from, sweetheart? I never knew you had a scar like this."

"Bad medical advice," she replied, a hint of resignation in her voice.

"What happened?" He could feel himself becoming slightly worried.

"I used to have a mole there. When I went to a new doctor for a physical, he wanted to have it biopsied, but the only way to do that was to remove it, so I let him. I was a little pissed when the results came back negative, like I knew they would. Now I've got this," she moved her head to indicate the scar, "monstrosity on me. Ever since then, I try not to wear anything that doesn't cover my shoulders. When I do, like this dress, I feel like everyone's staring at it."

He smiled at her. "I like it."

"You do?"

"Yeah. It looks like a rosebud. I think it's kind of pretty, if that's possible for a scar."

She giggled softly. "I don't know. It might be."

He gave a small, knowing smile as he lowered his head to kiss her shoulder. Ever so softly, he began to trace its shape with the tip of his tongue. He felt her bring that arm up and then her nails on the back of his neck. Slowly, he kissed his way along her shoulder and up her neck. He could feel her reaction through the way her fingers were curling up at the back of his neck. He ran the tip of his tongue around the back of her ear and heard her moan softly as he came over the top of it. He made a point of paying special attention to that spot until he felt Kate drop slightly.

"Like that?" he whispered in her ear. He wanted her so much; he could only hope that she'd consent. He only wanted to show her how beautiful she was, to give her the attention that she deserved in ways no one ever had.

"Sam," she replied breathlessly. No one had ever done that to her before. She felt her knees give way from the pleasure he was creating, but he steadied her, just as he always had. She knew that this was their night in so many ways. She could feel his hand slowly tracing its way up her back along the zipper line of her dress. She wanted this just as much as he did, maybe even more.

The only other contact she'd had with this intensity was when she was raped. The difference between that and what she was doing with Sam were polar opposites. Where the first one had been entirely against her will and she'd fought it the entire time, this was something she wanted, that she was willing, if not eager, to be party to. She knew that with Sam, it was right. It had always been right.

She felt his finger flip up her zipper pull as it came to the top of the dress. She moved her head and gave him a soft kiss as she pulled his bow tie loose. Stepping out of his embrace, she blew out all the candles except one. Holding it slightly in front of her, she looked up at him and said, "Let's go to the bedroom."