Her dress was a fitted burgundy with a sweetheart neckline and beaded fringe at her knees. When he twirled her on the dance floor, he watched it fly.

The orchestra finished their number and everyone clapped. Nancy was still laughing, flushed from their dancing. When the band members left their seats for a break, she gazed up into his eyes.

"Maybe they'll play it when they get back," she said, breathless.

He shrugged. "It's all right. I didn't mind that much."

They returned to their table and Nancy took a long sip of her iced water. "It's been a while, hasn't it," she said.

"It has been a while, since we've been to a place where the dance music wasn't throbbing out of a speaker."

She tossed her hair back from her glowing face. "I still like the clubs, don't get me wrong. But this... this place is great. Excellent food, fantastic company."

He smiled at her and took a sip of his own water. "Glad you like it."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Is this for my birthday?" she asked point-blank. "Because I saw you whispering to the host when we came in. Though I doubt they'll sing at me here. Gosh, I hate that."

"I told him to keep an eye on my Jaguar."

"Sure you did." Nancy crossed her arms.

Their waiter appeared. "Would you two care for dessert? Coffee?"

Nancy beamed at him. "I couldn't eat another bite. Dinner was fantastic."

Ned smiled. "I'll have a piece of cheesecake with two forks. And a coffee."

Nancy shook her head. "Where do you put it? Maybe jogging two miles every morning really is good for the figure."

"What can I say, I'm just naturally handsome."

She swatted lightly in his direction, then glanced over his shoulder and clapped her hands. "Guess the band just went on a five-minute break. They're back now. Do you want to go dance some more or wait for your coffee?"

"I think I'll wait for my coffee. And you have to help me with that cheesecake."

"Only if you swear you'll make me jog those two miles with you tomorrow morning."

The bandleader stepped up to the microphone. "Before we leave tonight, we'd like to play one last song, requested by one of the guests. Everyone have a good night and a safe drive home."

They played the opening bars. Nancy recognized it and her face lit up, tears springing to her eyes. "It's our song," she whispered. Ned pushed his chair back and stood up. "Do you want to dance?"

He shook his head and reached into his jacket pocket, then dropped to one knee. Nancy covered her mouth with her hand as she met his eyes.

"I know I'm not perfect," he began. "I know I can be selfish and jealous and inconsiderate. I know that a long time ago I screwed this up and I was afraid I'd never get a chance to make up for it.

"But I've been given a second chance. I know a lot of things have happened. I know it will be hard. But I also know that I want to keep waking up next to you. I want to keep making you laugh. I want you to be there for the rest of my life.

"I don't want to lose you again. I want you to give me the chance to make you as happy as you've made me.

"Nancy, marry me again."

Her blue eyes searched his brown ones as he opened the box in his palm. Inside was a triple diamond band.

She plucked the ring from the box and folded it into her palm. "Yes," she whispered, and all the tears spilled down her cheeks. "Yes, Ned, I will marry you."

He fairly vaulted off the ground and pulled her into his arms in a bear hug, laughing. He twirled her around three times before placing her back on the floor. "Nan," he whispered into her hair. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," she whispered, and sniffed. Then she laughed.

"Are you sure this is what you want? To try again? To let me bounce ideas off you and hold me when I can't sleep?"

"Are you sure you want to put up with poker night and morning jogs and ESPN?"

She hugged him tightly. "More than anything."

"Call me when you set the date. I have a pool going with some guys at work."

Nancy stuck out her tongue at the receiver. "Thanks, Bess. I can always count on you for a reality check."

Bess's tone softened. "Congratulations, Nan," she said. "I always knew the two of you would get back together."

"Guess we were the only ones who didn't know."

Ned poked his head out of the bathroom, toothbrush still in his mouth, as she hung up the phone. "Everything okay?"

Nancy extended her fingers and gazed down at her left hand. "Oh yes."

She fussed around with her clothes until he left the bathroom, then gave him a peck on the cheek and closed the door behind her.

"Don't be too long," she heard him call.

Nancy took a breath and stared at her reflection. She brushed her teeth thoroughly, checked to make sure she'd shaved, and ran her fingers through her hair until it reached something like artfully tousled. Then she stepped out of her clothes and into a black lace silk slip.

She knew she'd bought it for something.

After a few more deep breaths she grabbed the lone candle in the room, lit it, and walked back into the darkened bedroom. She placed it on the bedside table and looked down at Ned's gleaming eyes. He searched hers.

"Hey," he said softly, reached up for her. She slid into his arms with no hesitation.

"Do you know how long I've been waiting?" he murmured.

She laughed. "Five years," she replied. "Five long damn frustrating years."

His alarm rang and he groped out from under the covers, then smacked it and sighed in relief. Nancy turned over and ran a hand over her face.

"Hey," he mumbled.

"Hey," she whispered. She kissed his cheek and he reached for her before she could toss the covers back. She laughed and looped her arms around his neck, holding him to her as he traced kisses over her face and down her neck.

"Sleep well?" he whispered into her skin, and she shivered.

"You tire me out, Nickerson," she teased him.

"Now I definitely have to take a shower," he murmured. Then he turned his head to look at her as she ran her fingers through her hair, still breathing heavily.

He finished lathering her hair five minutes later. "I'm sorry."

She met his eyes, hers sparkling. "You don't have a thing to be sorry about."

He smiled. "I promised myself I'd wait until we were married again."

"I think if I'd had to spend one more night like that I'd have ripped off your clothes myself."

He dipped his head under the water, then turned so she could do the same. "And to think I was afraid you'd never want to have sex again."

"I didn't want to take advantage of you. I'm already sleeping here, mooching off your groceries. I didn't want to..."

"Add casual sex to the tab?" He smiled and traced a hand down her side. "If every night had been like last night I would have bought you a Jaguar."

She grinned. "Ooo. I want a Jaguar. Anything I can do to... convince you?"

He laughed and hugged her. "I didn't want to take advantage of you, and you were so scared for so long, and I didn't want to hurt you..." he whispered.

"That's why I think you never will again," she whispered into his shoulder. "And sex with you is never casual."

"I never wanted it to be." He kissed her forehead.

"Tracy, you've been an excellent operative."

Tracy bit her lip. "Did I... do something, Miss Drew?"

Nancy shook her head. "I've been thinking a lot the past few days, and this... this isn't what I want right now. To be this close to everything. Supervising every single case, seeing every single shot of cheating couples in their hotel rooms. You've been invaluable to me. And I'd like to provisionally offer you the supervisory position. I want you in charge of day-to-day operations here. I want to be able to pick and choose my cases."

Tracy nodded. "That's completely understandable."

"If you don't want to do this, I understand. I won't punish you."

Tracy shook her head. "Miss Drew... I'm flattered. It's a lot of responsibility."

"Think you're up for it?"

Tracy nodded. "I think I can be. If you'd give me a try."

Nancy stood and reached over the desk, and Tracy took her hand. "Thank you so much."

"Don't mention it," Nancy murmured.

As Tracy was leaving, Nancy saw Ned peering in from the office. She beckoned him in and he closed the door behind him.

"I just did it," she said, and sighed.

"So the girl I just saw is the new you?"

"Something like that." She leaned her head against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her.

"You okay?"

She slipped out of his arms and sat on her desk. He glanced down. "I'm all right."

"Miss Drew..."

They both jerked around to see Nancy's secretary in the doorway. "Your father's on the phone..."

"Thanks." She closed the door and Nancy reached up to massage her temples. "Next time just bring a Do Not Disturb sign for the door, okay?"

"Shh." He tilted her chin up and kissed her soundly. "You talk to your dad. I'll go to that deli down the block and pick us up something?" He raised his eyebrows.

"That sounds great."

"You know where it is, right?" She held the phone between her ear and shoulder as she negotiated a turn onto the interstate.

"I think I can find it pretty easily."

Two hours later Nancy and Ned were seated in her father's living room with Carson and Nancy's stepmother. Nancy took a sip of her after-dinner coffee and peered at her father over the cup's rim.

"I notice something's a little different about you, Nan," Carson said. He smiled. "Ned, are you responsible for that ring on her finger?"

"Guilty as charged, sir." Ned took a sip and smiled. "We're going to try to do things right this time."

Nancy's stepmother smiled. "So have the two of you set a date?"

Nancy and Ned glanced at each other. "Not quite yet," she replied. "But it will be soon. At our church in Chicago."

Carson stood and reached over. "Congratulations," he said, shaking Ned's hand.

She dragged a hand through her hair. "Sorry," she breathed.

"Hey, it's all right," he replied. "Now I'll definitely get..." he glanced at the clock. "Five hours of sleep before my flight."

"So when are they going to let you stay in the country for more than a week?" She bit her lip, not meeting his eyes.

"Hey, I like to travel," he joked. Then he propped his head on his hand. "Actually, I was going to tell you about this when I got back, but..."

She searched his eyes. "What is it?"

"They've offered me a promotion. I'll have to take trips three or four times a year, but the rest of the time it'll be optional."

She threw herself into his arms. "That's fantastic," she said.

He laughed. "Yeah. I thought so."

"Now you can afford to give me a matching Jaguar."

"Are you trying to give me additional incentive or are you just happy to see me?" he asked, running his hands over her back.

She had just started to wonder what she'd do for lunch without him when Leslie put the call through.

"It's from the FBI," she said, in a normal, not overawed, voice. They had investigated a handful of cases for friends Nancy still had in the agency.

An hour later Nancy brushed back her hair with one hand and offered the seated man the other. "Thanks for meeting with me over my lunch break, Agent Roberts."

He grinned. "Any excuse to put a lunch here on the expense account, Miss Drew. Nice diamond," he commented.

She smiled. The waitress noticed her presence and hurried over to their table.

"Just some water," Nancy told her. After a brief glance over the menu, she settled back and crossed her arms. "So what can I do for you? Some ambassador causing trouble?"

"Not quite," Agent Roberts sighed. Then he gazed at her for a moment. "I heard you were cutting back at your agency."

She raised an eyebrow.

A drop of condensation fell from her water glass onto her camisole. She brushed at it, then folded her pajama-clad legs underneath her as she reached for the wedding planning book. She flipped a few pages and consulted her day-planner.

His key scratched in the lock and he opened the door to find her, back propped up against the couch, sitting on the floor, eight magazines open around her and the wedding planning book in her lap. She smiled up at him and extracted herself. He offered her a garment bag and she slung it over her shoulder.

"How was your flight?"

He dropped his bags on the floor and hugged her tightly. "It was fine," he replied. "Long. I've seen all the movies on rotation, now." He traced a finger down her cheek and she reached up for his hand.

"I have just a few more things to finish up," she murmured. "I know you have to be tired."

He searched her eyes. "Yeah," he replied. "I am beat."

She settled back down with her book but the words blurred in the soft light. She caught herself staring into space and flipped through one of the wedding dress catalogs without seeing a single page. She glanced at the clock and shook her head. Still mentally elsewhere, she stood and walked over to the fishtank. Her fingernails tapped against the glass. She ran a hand over the countertop, but she'd already cleaned it earlier. Already unloaded the gleaming chrome dishwasher.

She stuck her thumb in her mouth and chewed her nail gently, unable to wait any longer. Very quietly she turned off the kitchen light, then padded on bare feet and peered around the corner, into the bedroom.

He was sprawled on his back, mouth open slightly, eyes closed. His arm was flung on her side of the bed.

She crawled in, staring at him, waiting for him to open his eyes and reach for her. But he remained asleep, so she nudged his arm over and stretched out facing him.

"Reservations?" He laughed. "Make me a deal. This weekend we eat in. Sandwiches and things like that."

"I just wanted to do something special. I know you just got back, but I thought you'd like this place. I don't think you've been there."

"So where are we going?"

"It's a surprise." She grinned, glad he couldn't see her over the cell phone.

"When are the reservations?"

"Do you have anything you're doing tonight?"

"No, just wondering."

"Well, I'll pick you up from your work. If that's all right."

He raised his eyebrow. "Something special? I'm tempted to ask you if you're pregnant."

"I'm not pregnant." She smiled. "Not from lack of your trying." She pushed open the door of the lobby and held it for him as he stepped through, into the lobby of the Peninsula Chicago.

Within a few minutes they were seated in Avenues, the hotel's restaurant. She was digging into the first course when he reached over and touched her hand.

"You're sure you're not pregnant?"

She tilted her head. "I'm still on the pill and we only started having sex again maybe a week and a half ago. So no, I'm not sure. But I don't think I would be. Haven't been on antibiotics or skipping any doses."

He touched the ring. "I don't think we'd be here if you were breaking the engagement..."

She raised an eyebrow. "I'd be an idiot to break it off with you."

He returned to his plate. "All right. I'm going to stop asking questions now."

"That sounds like an excellent idea." Her eyes were sparkling.

Instead of returning to the sidewalk after their meal as he was expecting, she led him to the elevator, then pressed a button. He opened his mouth and she placed her finger over it.

"Just give me five more minutes," she murmured. He nodded and kissed her fingertip, and she returned to watching the numbers light, her eyes dancing.

He reached over for her hand as she ran her keycard and opened the door to their suite. She smiled up at him and closed the door behind them, then reached out for one of the long-stemmed red roses on the table just inside the doorway.

"Okay, Nan—"

She reached up and drew his face down to hers, kissed him soundly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and returned it, groaning when she broke off.

She pointed over at the bag she'd packed for him. "Why don't you get ready for bed?" she suggested.

"Bed?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Go." She shoved him gently.

He took the master bathroom while she took the guest. After washing all her makeup off, she pulled the ivory silk ankle-length nightgown over her head, then pinched her cheeks a few times until they flushed. When he opened the door of the bathroom she was draped across the bed, her features bathed in the glow from the gas fireplace.

"Nan, you're scaring me," he said.

She patted the cover next to her and he stretched out on the bed beside her. "I wanted to talk to you," she murmured. "Do you want the good news or the bad news first?"

"I knew there had to be bad news," he said. He shrugged. "You decide."

She took a long breath and stared at the ceiling for a moment. Then her blue eyes met his brown ones again. "I met with an agent from the Bureau," she began.

"Met with?" he repeated. When she nodded he visibly relaxed. "Okay."

"He said they heard I was... not retiring. Looking for a lighter workload, now that I'm getting married." She smiled. "Again, but he doesn't know that.

"They want me to help them on a case. Basically I'd be joining the Internal Affairs office, helping them track down some agents they suspect of being on mob payroll. And he said after that, he'd like me to be in the Chicago office. Still doing internal investigations, but on a desk job with benefits. I can travel when I want, but for the most part I'm helping him out in the Chicago branch."

"He, you said?" Nancy nodded. "And he would be..."

"Married," she answered his unspoken question, smiling. "Happily. He's never made a move on me."

He hugged her. "Sounds good," he said. "Sounds like what you wanted, Nan."

She nodded. "I hope it is. We'll see, though. He said if I don't like what they do there, I can just help out on the mob case and go back to working at the office."

He kissed her, then froze and pulled back. "If that's the good news..."

She smiled up at him warily. "Don't be mad at me," she said. "I actually kind of got this idea from you..."

"Spit it out, Nan."

"I think that maybe we shouldn't have sex again until our wedding night."

"Hello, cold showers," he said, rolling onto his back and rubbing his forehead. "Man..."

She leaned over him and met his eyes. "Except for tonight," she whispered.

"I don't care what anyone else says," he murmured, taking her into his arms. "You're my wife. Right now and forever."

"And you're my husband," she whispered, kissing him.