Their drive to her home began uneventful but during the ride she felt a slight gibberish feeling settling low in her stomach as the full impact of their assignment began to dawn on her as she sneaked glances at the man next to her. What on earth had she put herself into this time?

It was part rhetorical question, part wondering why she had agreed to do it in the first place. She knew exactly what she had put herself into, again. The man next to her, the same that figured in many thoughts and nightly dreams would be next to her for the next days or perhaps even weeks. Literally within arms' reach and set in circumstances that she could have only dreamed about previously. The only complicating factor that disturbed the otherwise idyllic set of circumstances was her own boldness, or rather the lack of it, to take matters in control and make him aware just how much he meant to her.

"We're here," he said when she glanced his way. Her absent expression made it clear to him she hadn't noticed it and was lost in a world of her own, he could only guess what she was thinking about. But he had noticed a few times she had been looking at him. He smiled. "PLACE (you) ARRIVE FINISH."

"SORRY," she said, "DISTRACTED." And she smiled a warm smile. "ME KNOW," he answered. I can relate to that. As both of them got out, with Levi close behind, she took her keys out of her purse as she walked to the front door. She bowed her head slightly when she looked into her purse and her blonde hair fell over her cheeks. With a gracious motion she rocked it back with her head and the twirling golden tresses of hair had him spellbound. He immediately realised the next days or even weeks would be filled with magical moments like this and suddenly he didn't mind if their assignment would be everlasting.

"Will you help me pack?" she asked as she closed the door behind him.

"Of course," he said, "if you know what you'd like to bring along."

"Well, since we're moving to Kalorama, I'd figured we'd go for the more upmarket clothing." She looked at him, mustering his wardrobe, "I hope you'll match as well…"

"Hey, I did some last minute shopping at Brooks Brothers as well, I think I'll look the part." His semi-insulted expression made her smile. "And if you do not, we'll have to go shopping, I can't have my husband looking cheap." The words husband made her feel a little peculiar, but a sense of pride and joy were mixed with it as well.

"Your husband, eh?" A glimmer of amusement was shining in the dark mesmerising pools that made up his eyes. "I like the sound of that…"

"Yeah, well, don't flatter yourself, Hudson. It still is an arranged marriage."

That -despite it was the truth- hurt, he had to admit. Determined not to let it show he reached in his pocket and took out a small box. She had turned round and was on her way up so he followed suit, Levi on his tail. "Levi, get Sue," he summoned the Golden Retriever as she had entered her bedroom. The dog happily trotted to his mistress and pawed her. She turned round to see what was happening when she saw him standing on the threshold of her bedroom. Something about him made her halt her breath and she suddenly felt her stomach knot.

He took a few steps towards her. He looked up from whatever he held in his hands into her eyes. "I eh," he began, his hesitation palpable. "I'm sorry I have to do it this way…" He opened his hand and she saw the little black velvet box in his palm. He smiled, and opened it. Her breath caught as she saw two golden rings embedded in soft crème-coloured silk, the light that touched the surface letting the metal shine with a diamond touch. Her eyes glued to the box she saw how his fingers carefully took out one of the rings, a fraction smaller than the other. It took all her strength to look up again and meet his eyes, fearing she couldn't hide how much this moment –albeit constructed- touched her inner most.

She immediately recognised the rings as soon as he had opened the lid. They were the exact same rings they had worn during their first marriage. She felt touched he had remembered.

"Would you…" he began, "would you do me the honour to be my wife, Sue?"

She could have sworn he actually proposed to her, not just offering her the ring. But her mind dismissed the feeling. He couldn't. She smiled, swallowing a forming lump before it would render her unable to use her voice. "Yes," she said. "I do."

Cautiously he took her right hand, his touch electrifying, and carefully he slid the ring over her finger. The long lingering touch sent her heart racing, his touch warming wherever his skin was upon hers as she followed his every move with her eyes, breath held. Halfway she thought she'd go crazy, everything she dreamed about, needed and longed for culminating in this small gesture that only took a few seconds but felt as if hours passed by. She felt a pang of regret when his touch broke. Unable to move or do anything for a few seconds, she just stared at the gold that encircled her finger as it softly glowed in the daylight that shone inside.

Finally she turned and twisted her hand and finger as she admired the view, a warm and tender smile breaking through. She looked back up again and caught his eyes that were fixed on her and the ring on her finger just before he snapped them away.

She took the other ring from the box. "Will you do me the honour of becoming my husband?"

"Yes, I do," she saw his lips forming the words she had longed for to see. And someday for real she added inwardly. In an equally tantalising gesture, she put the ring on his finger, slowly; stalling the moment the magic would be over. She looked up into his eyes and for a fraction of a second he felt the urge to kiss her and he inched a little closer before he admonished himself. Get a grip on it Hudson, it's just an assignment for her. It took him all his strength to pull back.

"You had the same set of rings back," she said after a while.

"I kept them."

His simple statement had been anything but to her. "You kept them?"

He smiled coyly. "Yeah…"

"Thank you," she said, "for keeping them."

"No problem."

"What, eh…" she began, "what's our name actually?"

"Hudson." He smiled. "Unless you object of course…"

How could she ever object to such a name? "It's perfect."

"I'll eh, I'll put the kettle on," he said after they had been standing around a bit clumsily and ran his hand through his hair. "You pick out the things you need and after tea we can pack, okay?" He felt the urge to have a few moments in private, moments that he could just stare at the ring round his finger and the bond it suggested with the beautiful blonde who had captured his heart unconditionally and that now wore the exact same one. She just nodded.

He almost ran down the stairs, his heart about to explode from his chest. The intimacy the ceremony had just created almost too much to bear, especially because she didn't feel the same about it as he did. As much as he was excited about this new assignment, he was also aware of the awkwardness it would create. He felt for the ring on his finger, verifying it was still there and he admired the view of it as he let water run into the kettle before he put it on the stove. Leaning against the kitchen table he toyed the ring round his finger, feeling how the once cold metal already had warmed up through his body warmth, to him symbolising the passion that burned inside for her.

The moment he left her room, her knees buckled and her legs gave way as she barely managed to sit on her bed in time. Letting go of a quivering sigh she brought her finger to her lips and pressed it to her lips as she closed her eyes, feeling how the ring touched, leaving a warm sensation where it made contact. His confession that he had kept the rings had touched her deeply. If there was any way of falling deeper in love with him, she had just done that.

I love you…