Chapter 16
As luck would have it, the last three cases the Chief trotted out turned out to be unrelated to Polarsky's organization and its activities. "Nyet, I am sorry we could not be of any more help, Chief," Svetlana said, eyeing the Chief apologetically.
"Not to worry, ladies," Chief Rob replied gruffly, but politely. He had hoped for a grand slam now true…however, he was more than willing to accept new leads on at least two of his unsolved cases. "You've done enough, really. With what you've provided me, we should be able to give the prosecution a whole barrel full of new ammunition against those thugs of Polarsky's. Hey, who knows? Maybe these new leads will help us solve even more cases. So…on behalf of Interpol, I'd like to thank you for your help."
"Spasiba, Chief," Maria replied, smiling and nodding her head. "It was our pleasure."
The busy Chief then thanked them both again, then instructed Kitty to escort them out. As the three made their way out of Headquarters, Kitty could only chuckle upon seeing Lieutenant Gaines spot Svetlana and dash out of the common area as if his tail was on fire. "C'mon, you two," Kitty said with a wry chuckle. "Let's get you two home…"
As Kitty threaded Carmelita's precious Peugeot through midday Parisian traffic, she finally had the chance to start her matchmaking plans. As Carmelita had told her, she decided to take things very slowly. "So…Yuri tells me that you all have new neighbors, right?" Kitty asked innocently enough.
"Da," Maria replied dutifully. "A security outfit. 'Mallory and Turner Security Services, Limited' it is called."
"Uh-huh," Kitty remarked conversationally as she switched lanes to get around heavily loaded dump truck. "Have you met the owners yet, kids?" Kitty followed up on her first question. Just why she called the Russians 'kids'…when they were older than she was, only Kitty knew.
Svetlana smiled at Kitty calling her and Maria 'kid'. "Da, we have, yesterday afternoon, in fact," she answered. "They were a very nice pair of gentlemen. Though, they had accents…"
Kitty couldn't help but laugh at that. "You don't say?" she teased. "They had accents, did they? Ha! That's rich coming from you two, you know."
"What are you talking about, Kitty?" Svetlana replied guilelessly. "We have no accent." She turned coyly to her friend, Maria. "Do we, Maria?"
"Nyet!" Maria agreed, grinning. "It is everyone else that does!"
Kitty laughed happily. "You two are such goofs!" she said…paying them both one of her highest compliments. "So, these dudes had accents, huh? What kind?"
Svetlana thought a moment, then answered. "Well, there were two fellows, you understand, da? One of them, Monsieur Turner, why…he is the largest man I have ever seen! He is giant tiger…but all white but for stripes…which are black. He has the strangest of accents…but is very funny man! Oh, he says he is from Australia," Svetlana informed her inquisitive friend.
"An Aussie, eh?" Kitty replied, nodding. "That's cool…I like their accents. It's sort of hard to understand sometimes, mind you…but it always sounds so cool." Kitty paused a moment to take a turn, then continued. "So…what about the other guy? You did say there were two of 'em, right?"
Now, Maria spoke up. "Ah, the other one, hmm? Vanya---er, I mean--- Monsieur Turner says his friend is named Sean Mallory, and he too speaks with an accent…though his is more subtle. Ah, Svetlana…where did our Jack say Mr. Mallory was from again?" she asked, grinning.
Svetlana gave her friend a look, but did answer. "Monsieur Mallory is from Ireland, Jack said," she explained, giving Maria a soft elbow in rebuke. "He is a lynx gentlman, a bit taller than Sly Cooper, and bigger as well. Both he and Jack Turner were soldiers awhile back, so perhaps that is why they opened a security business, nyet?"
Kitty could tell the girls were interested in these two guys…that was easy to see. "Soldiers?" Kitty prompted, having to hide her own grin.
"Da," Maria responded, taking up after Svetlana. "They were…until Mr. Mallory was wounded in battle. The poor man…he has a scar…here on his face, da?" Maria explained, using her index finger to trace the shape of Sean's scar on her own face for Kitty's benefit. "Initially he is a bit scary…well, intimidating, at least, Kitty…but, after you talk with him, he is nice man, a kind man."
"Poor guy," Kitty sympathesized. "So, he's kinda scary looking is he?" Kitty asked.
"Nyet," Svetlana blurted out, despite her own misgivings. "You are both wrong, he is not scary at all." She shook her head in poor Sean's defense. "His scar…it is a mark of distinction, do you not think? To have been wounded in the defense of one's country, da?"
"Easy there, tiger," Kitty replied, grinning, patting Svetlana's knee. "I wasn't dissing the guy. And, yes, I agree…it would be a mark of distinction, Svetlana." Well, well, Kitty thought to herself…this lynx guy's definitely sparked her little tigress friend's interest now, hasn't he?
Svetlana blushed softly. "Prasteetye, Kitty," she apologized. "I did not mean to scold you…it is just, well, that my father…he has war-time scars."
"Sorry to hear that, sweetie," Kitty replied softly, patting Svetlana's skirted knee again in sympathy. "Your Dad…he must be a nice-looking fella, I suspect. I mean, hey…look how pretty you turned out to be, right?"
Svetlana giggled. "Kitty, stop," she protested, but smiled. "But, you are right. My father, he is very handsome man. At least that is what my Mama is always telling me." She grinned.
"Cute," Kitty said with a laugh. "So…how's this Mallory character measure up against Papa Umanova?"
"I do not know, Kitty," Maria opined with a clever smile. "But, he is a smooth-tongued devil, that one is."
"Oh?" Kitty replied with a grin, her eyes twinkling as she watched Svetlana frown in irritation at Maria, batting her arm in rebuke. "Tell me more, Maria…"
"Well, tovarisch," Maria went on, still grinning despite Svetlana's attempts to shush her. "Monsieur Mallory did call our Svetlana an 'angel'…how clever is that, I ask you?"
"Oh, he did, did he?" Kitty observed. "What did he say…specifically?"
"Maria, not a word more!" Svetlana protested, waggling a finger at her loose-lipped friend.
"He said," Maria continued, ignoring her friend's protests, 'to Vanya, his friend, 'Why, because I do think I've seen meself an angel, so I have!'…and looked right at my Svetlana, smiling a most dashing smile!"
"Maria!" Svetlana exclaimed, her cheeks going pink.
"Hey, at least we know the guy's eyes work fine, right, Maria?" Kitty said, joining in softly teasing their pretty friend.
"Da!" Maria replied with a laugh, her eyes sparkling at her blushing friend.
"Stoy! Stop, the both of you!" Svetlana demanded, her cheeks growing progressively warmer. "He was sweet to say such a nice thing to me." She then turned a stern eye on Maria, who sobered almost immediately. "Shall I also tell Kitty of how your gaze was never far from your Vanya's then, eh Maria?"
"Shh, Svetlana…no," Maria hissed.
"So," Kitty proclaimed with a grin, picking up on this newest tidbit. "who's this Vanya character then?"
"Vanya is simply Russian for Jack, Kitty," Svetlana instructed. "Does that make understanding any easier?" She grinned at her glowering friend.
"Ah," Kitty reasoned. "So, Maria is warm to Mr. Turner's rather large form, is that right?"
Maria blushed furiously, and looked away. "I have no idea of what you are talking about," she declared, holding her chin high, but keeping her gaze averted from both Svetlana and Kitty.
"Don't worry," Kitty told Maria. "I'll have plenty of time to meet those two rascals later…"
"What do you mean by that?" both girls wanted to know, frowning.
"Sorry, you're just gonna have to ask Yuri," Kitty answered mysteriously, grinning. "Besides," Kitty pointed out as she drew Carmelita's convertible up along the curb outside Yuri's chateau. "We're here, kids…"
Fifteen minutes later, Kitty backed Carmelita's car carefully into her parking space, and shut it down. After being sure to lock the doors and activate the car's alarm system, Kitty headed inside, twirling the car's keys around her index finger, whistling a jaunty tune. "Yo! I'm home, people!" she declared softly, wanting to be able to at least claim she'd announced her homecoming.
No one answered, which didn't particularily surprise Kitty. She then hung up her jacket in the closet, and went to the kitchen to see if she could find something tasty for lunch. Kitty was a growing girl after all…
As she moved into the kitchen, she started, surprised to see a very quiet Sly Cooper, sitting at the kitchen table, gazing pensively down at something he held in his right hand.
"Hey there, Sly! What's up, my man?" Kitty asked cleverly.
It was obvious to Kitty that Sly hadn't been paying too close of attention…as he nearly jumped right out of his chair. "Damn, Kitty…don't do that!" he complained, but then laughed softly. "The ol' heart ain't what it used to be, kiddo."
Kitty smiled at his response, as she removed the things she'd need to make a sandwich for her lunch. "So…whatcha got there, friend?" she asked, indicating the small black object Sly now held in his hand with a jerk of her chin.
Sly blinked, then hid his hands under the table. "Well, uh...it's a…well, never you mind what it is, Nosey," Sly returned, looking decidedly uncomfortable all the sudden.
"Gee, here lately," Kitty drawled, as she sat down beside Sly to eat her sandwich, "I'm getting the distinct impression that people are uncomfortable around me…" As Sly turned, opening his mouth to respond, Kitty acted. In a lightning quick move that even Naomi would have been proud of, Kitty's small hand darted beneath the table, pushed Sly's hand aside, and snatched the small black box he had held in his hand.
Sly growled, leaning over to try and intercept her hand. "Hey! Give that back!" he protested, his brows furrowed with anger…and…was that embarrassment?
"Not so fast, buster," Kitty told him, and brought the little black box up before her eyes. "Now, what have we---woo!" Kitty began, but feel silent as sh opened the little black box. "Nice. Now that's what I call a rock, mister."
Sly grinned in his embarrassment. He'd definitely not planned on Kitty happening upon him just now…and he most definitely had not planned on her seeing what he had been holding in his hand! "Well, yeah…it should be," he said dismissively. "It cost me enough."
"Say," Kitty said as she tilted the plain platinum band back and forth, its large central princess-cut diamond refracting all the colors of the rainbow, "if I didn't know any better, pal, I'd say that this is an engage---urk!"
"Button your lip, Kitty," Sly demanded, as his even quicker hand came up to clamp over Kitty's admittedly big mouth. "I swear…if you screw this up for me…"
Kitty pulled her face away, freeing her mouth again. "No way!" she gushed softly, her big blue eyes bright. "No freakin' way, mister!" She then put her hand over Sly's and squeezed it joyfully. "This is it, isn't it? You're gonna ask her, arent' you?" Kitty nearly bounced up and down in her chair with excitement.
"Look, sport…let's just say that I'm thinking about it, okay?" Sly threw back at her, grinning, then frowning.
"Oooh!" Kitty squealed…though, softly, very softly. "Carmelita is gonna just freak right out!"
"Eh, don't know about that one, kid," Sly returned, his eyes troubled now. "Thing is though…I'm not quite sure if Carmelita's ready for me to ask her yet. Y'know?" Sly had an odd sort of inquisitive look in his dark eyes just now.
"Oh. Oh, I get it," Kitty deduced quickly. "You want to know my opinion, right?"
Sly rubbed the back of his neck in hopeless embarrassment. "Well, it couldn't hurt to get another girl's opinion, could it?" Sly asked. "I mean, you and Carmelita are pretty close, and…aw, shoot…" Sly looked away, his eyes now downcast.
"You're worried that Carmelita doesn't love you enough to accept your proposal, right?" Kitty guessed.
"Well," Sly returned after a moment. "She's so terrific…and, well…I'm just me, y'know?"
Kitty was having none of that. "Sly, look…she must think you're pretty terrific too, buster. Else, why the heck would she quit her job at Interpol…just to be with you, eh?"
"Yeah, about that," Sly replied a bit warily. "I mean, well…she was about to get canned anyway. Maybe I was just an ends to a means, you know?"
"You know," Kitty ventured then. "You're a whole lot stupider then I gave you credit for, Sly Cooper…"
"Hey!" Sly protested…but weakly.
"Hey nothing!" Kitty scolded him. "C'mon…tell me, right to my face, that you don't think Carmelita loves you! C'mon…tell me!"
Sly tried mightily to meet Kitty's gaze, but couldn't and looked away. "I hope she does," Sly said softly. "Really I do…but enough to marry me? I mean, well Kitty…that's sort of huge now, isn't it?"
"Cold feet suddenly, Cooper?" Kitty threw back at him, crossing her arms before her chest.
Sly blushed, then swallowed hard. "No! Not from me at least," Sly reassured her. "But…I sure couldn't blame her if she did, Kitty." Sly then looked up into Kitty's eyes and sighed. "What if I'm pushing too hard, Kitty? I want to be with her always…but, what if I just push her away?"
"Don't you think you should at least offer her the chance first?" Kitty told him, arching her brow. "She does love you, you know…"
"Yeah," Sly said, though none too convincingly. "But, I don't want to lose her. I would rather keep things like they are right now…and have her with me. I---I don't know if I could take having her…then losing her again."
Kitty felt a lump in her throat at his admission of love for her adoptive sister. "You really do love her that much, don't you?" Kitty questioned.
Sly nodded, swallowing down the lump in his throat. "With all my heart," was his simple answer.
Kitty sniffed, and wiped away a tear. "Gah, must of gotten something in my eye just then," she told him. "You want my advice then? Go…go ask her. Tell her what she means to you. How much you love her. Whatever…just go!"
"You mean…now?" Sly responded in shock. "Like right this minute?"
"Yes, right now, you idiot!" Kitty barked. "Of course she loves you, you moron! Why else did she work so hard to find you here? Why else did she sign on to become your apprenctice? Why else would she come here to you, when she knows her family will most likely be very angry with her? Why else would she give up everything…just to be with you? Hmm? Got an answer for that one, Sly Cooper?"
Sly sat back in his chair dumbfounded. What Kitty had just said made sense to him…and that, frankly, worried him more than a little. The kid was right! Why else would this amazing woman have walked away from all that was important to her…if not because she loved him? Him, Sly Cooper! Sly then got to his feet, and moved around to Kitty. "Two things, all right?" Sly demanded.
Kitty frowned, but nodded. "Okay…what are they?" she answered.
"One," Sly told her, grinning. "I need my ring back."
Kitty jumped, then blushed. "Oops! Sorry…here!" she told him, handing the ring in its box back to him with a grin. "And, the other?"
Sly took the ring and slipped it into his trouser pocket. "The other?" he mused aloud. "Oh that…well…" Sly then turned and planted a kiss on Kitty…straight on the lips! "Now, that…that was for everything, kiddo. For being so great to my Carmelita. And, for being such a great friend to us all." He turned and canted his head, putting his peasant cap back on with a grin. "You're aces with me, Kitty Petro…always will be." And with that, he turned on his heel, a spring in his step, and headed upstairs. The last thing he heard was a shaky-sounding Kitty talking on her cell phone, asking her Ling to come and pick her up.
Meanwhile, in Carmelita's room…
Carmelita sat upon her bed, bracing her back against her headboard, flipping through the pages of a book on security procedures…and how to defeat them! Her light reading was interrupted a few minutes later by a soft series of knocks on her door. "Come in, it's open," she called out, not looking up from her book…wanting to finish the page first.
"Um, corazon?" asked a most familiar, exhilarating voice.
Now that got Carmelita's attention! She looked up, and smiled a warm bright smile as she saw Sly standing a bit shyly in the door to her room. "Hey there, handsome," she added. "Don't just stand there, Ringtail…get in here!" She stood up, moving over to give him a welcoming kiss. His kiss back was sweet…but shorter than she would of liked. Carmelita frowned when she felt him draw back away from her, and then head over to shut her door. "Sly? Honey, is something wrong?" she wanted to know, concerned.
Much to her surprise, Sly shook his head, and blushed! "Um, no…eh, not really, querera," Sly told her somewhat evasively. "Uh, it's…well, let's say, I just need to talk with you, okay?"
This was odd, she thought! "Sure, come here and take a seat," Carmelita offered, sitting down, then patting the spot beside herself. "Now, what's got you acting so strangely, sweetheart?"
"Yeah, about that," Sly stammered, running a finger under his collar a moment. "Well, you see…ha! You know, I don't really know exactly where to start, Carmelita," Sly explained with an awkward, yet oh-so-charming grin.
Carmelita smiled and shook her head. "I've always found the beginning's a perfect place to start," Carmelita observed, giving him a clever smile.
Sly grinned. God, could I love her any more than I do know? he asked himself. "Yeah, you know…that'll work just fine," Sly told her, chuckling. "Hey, remember way back when…that day we first meet?"
"Ah, yes," Carmelita replied, remembering. "Yeah, that was a memorable day now, wasn't it?"
"Yep! I remember…I had just come to Paris with my gang that day, the very same day you were assigned the case to watch over the Diva diamond," Sly mused aloud, giving Carmelita an amused look at the end. "That was the first time I saved your cute little butt..with Interpol, that is."
"I remember it a little differently than you, but don't mind me," Carmelita said, intrigued, and wondering where her Sly was going with all this. "Do go on."
"Thanks," Sly replied, grinning again. "Over the years, we two got to know each other better and better, eh? Well, I don't know about you, querera, but I knew I had strong feelings for you the first time I laid eyes on you. It wasn't too long until I knew I loved you, Carmelita Fox. Only problem was that you were way too stubborn to admit that you felt the same for me."
"Was not," Camelita protested. "I just had more reservations about you is all, Ringtail," she added, but then smiled, realizing what he had said was essentially correct.
"Ah, that must have been it then," Sly countered, smiling again…and making Carmelita's heart speed up. "Then came the Clockwerk case. And, strangely enough, that sick demented robotic owl knew how I felt about you before I could even admit it to myself. You do remember how he kidnapped you, don't you, Carmelita?"
"I remember," Carmelit allowed, feeling a chill up her spine at her memories.
"I'm not surprised," Sly opined just then. "It's the sort of thing you'd remember, I think. You know…he kidnapped you for one reason…to get to me. He knew that I'd do anything to free you." Sly then smiled at those special memories. "That was the first time we ever worked together as a team. That felt good, we two together. Hey…remember what else it was a first for, my love?"
"Don't tell me…that kiss, right…at that volcano?" Carmelita replied, nodding her head.
"Oh, yeah," Sly said in a husky voice, full of his remembering. "You know, I felt horrible, having to leave you handcuffed to that railing on that rock…but, for all that, I did remember to call your friends at Interpol, so someone would come to pick you up."
"I remember, Ringtail," Carmelita told him, smiling, slightly entranced. She now said her pet name for him…but with warm feelings instead of sarcasm as she had done back then.
"Two years came and went…and then that bastard Clockwerk returned," Sly told her, careful to watch the magic in her eyes as he related his tale to her. "You know, my heart ached for you, my sweet girl…when Neyla betrayed you like she did."
"Sly, I know…really I do," Carmelita told him, and loved him all the more for knowing he spoke the truth.
"You know, if I'd been smarter, and not danced with that traitorous tigress just so I could have my shot with you, pretty girl…she would never of realized just who I was…and you would still be free," Sly tried to explain to her.
"Ah," Carmelita replied. "I always kind of wondered what you were up to, Sly Cooper. Now I know," she added, smiling cleverly.
"Yeah, well, I never made my interest in you any secret, Carmelita," Sly reminded her. "It was sort of fun, my flirting with you…and how you wouldn't even give me the time of day. It was our own little competition, wasn't it?"
"Hmm, I suppose it was at that," Carmelita answered, then giggled. "I never told you this…but, well, after a while, I sort of…well, looked forward to what your next flirty little line might be…"
Sly grinned…but then that grin faltered. "Then, came that time…the time you nearly were brainwashed by that wacko, the Countessa. Oh, Carmelita…I was so scared…scared that I'd lose you…for the very first time. I was scared that if Bentley's plan failed, exactly what would become of you."
"Well, Sly, luckily for you---and me!---it worked like a charm, and I got the chance to hold you in my arms…or was that you holding me? I can't remember really…" Carmelita's eyes were flirty and clever, and playful all at the same time.
"Yea, well, I certainly wasn't complaining…whomever was holding whom," Sly told her cleverly, laughing. "Just after that, we got our second chance to work together. Remember, Inspector?"
"Yeah, although, to be fair…I probably was more concerned at the time in bringing down Neyla and clearing my name. Sorry," Carmelita returned, frowning.
"Yeah, that's okay, I understand," Sly told her. "I remember feeling kind of melancholy…knowing I was responsible---in a way---for sullying your good reputation at Interpol. Heck, even as I offered myself in exchange for you letting my friends go, I still felt for you. Your name was cleared, true…but still your record was now blemished. That's haunted me for a long time, Carmelita."
Carmelita smiled warmly at him, knowing that he really did still bear the pain of that. "Go on…" she urged.
"Remember our talk on that helicopter of yours? How much fun that was?" Sly reminisced. "A good time."
"Yes, it was," Carmelita agreed. "That really made me think things over, Sly. I couldn't forget how we…well, how we sort of 'clicked', you know?"
"Oh, yeah," Sly concurred, nodding. "Then, it was back to our normal routine of 'Cops and Robbers' again…only this time with a new partner for you. Hey, you know, I always got the impression that she never really was all that diligent in tracking me and my Gang down…now that I think on it."
"You're pretty sharp, as usual, sweetheart," Carmelita told him, smiling. "Yeah, Kitty never really pursued the Cooper case back then."
"Yeah, I learned that later," Sly informed her. "When Kitty and I would meet…you know when you were sick, or on assignment or something. We just talked then, Kitty telling me how awful things were for you at work, as well as her always telling me how much you really liked me."
"Kitty…" Carmelita said with a scowl. "I always wondered about that! Wait til I get my hands on that little scamp!"
Sly chuckled, but didn't let her think on that too long, continuing his say. "Then, it all came to a head that day, my birthday, where you and I finally talked---really talked---and I finally got past your defenses…and got to know that you were even more spectacular than I had ever thought you to be before."
"Oh, Sly…that's sweet," Carmelita said with a sigh and a warm smile his way.
"Well, you know the rest, of course," Sly informed her with a smile.
"Hmm," Carmelita sighed again. "That was a nice history lesson, Ringtail…but where were you going with all this?"
"Yeah, well…" Sly said, suddenly a great deal less sure of himself. "Look, Carmelita…"
"Si?" Carmelita replied in her native Spanish, which made Sly shiver.
"You know I love you, right?" Sly then began, his eyes meeting hers intently.
"Si," she said again, nodding.
"Well, here's some things you haven't heard me say yet," Sly then told her. "Like, how proud I am of you. Of how you always gave your job everything you had…one hundred percent. I respected you for that. Like how surprised and pleased I was---after your Chief suspended you---you showed the savvy to find us, and then wanted to join with us."
"Uh-uh," Carmelita disagreed then. "There was no 'us', buster. There was 'you'."
Sly smiled…a smile that set Carmelita's blood surging in her veins. "Like how you showed me your metal when you learned to become a Master Thief. You started out knowing nothing…and showed me that there was nothing Carmelita Fox could not do once she set her remarkable mind to it."
"Sly, stop it," Carmelita protested, smiling and blushing.
"Like how proud I was of you…that day of our first mission together. Carmelita my love, I know you were scared…oh so scared. But, I nearly felt my heart burst with pride, when you overcame that and pulled off the mission flawlessly! You wanted to show me just how good you could be…and I saw, woman. I saw! You were fantastic…I was so proud of you, my Carmelita!" Sly said, taking up her hand and kissing the back of it ardently.
Carmelita beamed back at him, delighting in his pride of her. Her eyes brimmed, as her emotions swelled. "Oh, Sly…"
"I've always loved you, Carmelita," Sly told her, never letting up. "From the first time I laid eyes upon you, I loved you. I loved you when you were a cop. I loved you even more when you were my friend. And, I love you with all my heart that you're here with me together…"
"I love you too, sweetheart," Carmelita said, sniffling.
"And, now---I know, took me long enough, didn't it?---now, I get to the crux of all my natterings," Sly told her. He got up off the bed, fished inside of his trouser pocket, and pulled something out.
"Sly? What are you doing?" Carmelita asked, even as she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. She watched in surprise as the raccoon she loved squared his shoulders then, and dropped to one knee before her. She looked at him with her glorious brown eyes huge, and saw the immense love he felt for her in his deep brown depths.
"Carmelita Montoya Fox," Sly intoned in a strangely serious voice. "I love you with all my might, with all my heart, and with all my soul," he told her, his smile growing. "I know I don't deserve you, my love, my heart…but," Sly added, cleverly, "could you find it in your heart to make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"
"Let me get this straight," Carmelita said, waving her hand before her face, her cheeks now flushed. "You are proposing to me, right?"
"Yep!" Sly affirmed. "Why? Want me to do it again?"
That was her Ringtail! Carmelita laughed. "Do you know just how long I've been waiting for you to ask me, Sly Cooper? Hmm?" she demanded.
Sly grinned like a two-year old in a candy store. "No, how long?" he cleverly asked.
Carmelita threw her arms around his neck. "Si! I mean, yes! Yes, I will marry you, Sly Cooper!" she told him, her tears mixing with her joyous laughter. "Oh, Sly honey…I'm so happy!"
Sly sniffled, then tears leaked down his face as well, even though his heart leapt with joy. "You and me both, querera! You and me both!" He wrapped his arms around her a moment, then laughed again.
"What?" Carmelita asked, her expression curious and irritated.
"What a dunce!" Sly exclaimed. "Here, I think I kinda forgot something, eh?" He held up the thick platinum band with its princess cut diamond center stone to her, then slid it over her slender ring finger of her left hand.
"Now, we're officially engaged," Carmelita told him, and then hugged him. She backed away from him a moment later, then demanded. "Well?"
"Okay, I'm lost," Sly admitted. "Well, what, my love?"
"Que lastima!" Carmelita exclaimed. "Are you gonna kiss me or not?"
Sly laughed. "Gladly, my love!" he answered and pressed his lips to hers, enjoying the taste of her tears, as well as the heavenly scent of her hair. He broke the kiss a moment later---okay, a long moment later!---and looked up into his intended's beautiful face and glorious shining brown eyes. "I love you, Carmelita."
"Oh, I love you too, Sly!" she told him, her heart in her eyes…though not literally, thank goodness!
The two sat gazing at one another for perhaps five minutes, and then at the very same moment, said to one another, "The others are gonna freak!" Sly then began to laugh, and Carmelita joined in…well, they did until they met one another in yet another kiss, that is…