A/N: Let us, once more, delve into the realm of the unbridled passion between our favorite couple. By no means have I intended to replace true plot with continuous sexual content, but with newlyweds, what can you really expect?

This is our final chapter before the epilogue. Again, I intend to start Part III quite soon. Please let me know how you would like to see the final installment of the trilogy unfold!

I also wanted to invite you guys to follow me on Tumblr. My username is bluerosemarcella. So you should type bluerosemarcella (dot) tumblr (dot) com. I look forward to posting with you all!

I would like to thank everybody who has followed me faithfully through both stories, especially those of you who have consistently left detailed commentary about what you've read. Nothing helps an author more than hearing specific feedback about what was enjoyed and what readers would like to see more of.

Please, oh please, leave me some love!

xoxo

CHAPTER 23

After the most hellacious morning imaginable, the day was coming to a close. With Spencer's grumpiness finally subsiding, the very moment they landed in Hawaii was like the start of a brand new day. Toby's heart swelled twice its size at the look on Spencer's face as they dismounted the plane, her eyes growing wide with wonder and her lips curling back in the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. Perhaps he would be able to salvage the trip, after all. Nothing made him happier than when Spencer was enjoying herself; and from the time they had arrived to the current moment they shared indulging in expensive fine dining, her grin had not faltered.

"I can't believe we're finally here," Spencer mused as she used her knife to slice off another piece of steak. It was the third or fourth time she had said it since they had landed only a couple of hours ago. Toby had to agree, though – the island was immaculate. It was the sort of tropical paradise that people only visit in their wildest, lottery-winning daydreams. Their resort, alone, was like something out of a movie: gorgeous, expensive-looking décor and endless amenities, fit for royalty. The bathtub alone was the size of a public Jacuzzi anywhere else, and the crystal vessel sink immediately caught Spencer's eye. She was already going on about wanting to invest in a sink like that at home someday.

It was dusk in the Pacific now, though the temperature was still quite warm. Spencer and Toby were seated on a dining patio at a local restaurant down the street from their hotel. It was hosting luau festivities tonight, the entire deck lined in tiki torches and hanging lights. A small band was playing in the center pavilion, the sounds of the ukulele floating on the ocean wind and back to their table. Vases of orchids and anthuriams lined the patio as well, creating a pleasant aroma of floral abundance.

And Spencer, of course, was the most gorgeous sight of all. She had decided to wear a turquoise-patterned sundress that tied behind her neck, exposing her already lightly tanned shoulders and back for the warm night. Her hair was pulled into a loose plait that hung over the front of her shoulder – one of Toby's favorite styles – and she had actually made a feeble attempt at applying a dash of makeup. But as the firelight danced upon her face, illuminating a look of intense concentration as she pored over the menu and chewed on her thumbnail, Toby could think of no other direction that he would rather be looking.

She broke him out of his reverie when she sighed happily once more, looking out towards the ocean waves, resting her chin on her hands.

"It looks lovely out there," she said dreamily. "I can't wait to see it in a half hour or so when the sun is down."

Toby was busy marveling at the curvature of her cheekbones when she finally turned to him, looking sheepish. "What? What is it?" She self-consciously used her napkin to wipe around her mouth once more, as if afraid she had food stuck to her face. He merely chuckled in reply.

"I'm just admiring my wife's beauty. Is that allowed?"

Even with the sun going down, Toby saw the modest blush that peppered her cheeks. She smiled shyly in return.

"I like that word," she admitted.

"What? Beauty?" Toby joked. He knew which one she was referring to.

"Wife," she confirmed. She reached across the table to squeeze his hand affectionately. "I'm a wife."

"You're not a wife…you're my wife," Toby corrected proudly, raising her hand to his mouth to kiss. Another warm wind skittered over the beach and through the patio, tousling loose tendrils of Spencer's hair in its wake. She grinned.

"And you're my husband," she agreed. Toby could not deny the feeling of several butterflies being set free in his belly at the sound of the word. He, too, was adjusting to its gravity.

"How is your dinner?" he asked.

"Mmm," she gushed through her sip of wine. "It was delicious. I'm stuffed." As if on cue, the waiter had returned to their table to clear plates and collect payment. Toby insisted he keep the change.

"What do you think it's like?" she asked dreamily, looking outward towards the pavilion. "Living in a place like this full time?"

"Well," Toby began, "I'd imagine that it probably doesn't feel quite as special when you've been here all your life."

"Hmm." She sighed happily, absentmindedly playing with the wedding band around her left ring finger. "Well I fully intend to make the most of our time here. I want to experience everything that's available to us."

Toby could practically feel his wallet crying at this statement. But he could never, in his wildest dreams, deny her anything. He followed her gaze towards the nearby band, thinking quickly. Standing suddenly, he offered a hand to her. "In that case, how about we start with a dance?"

Spencer looked around uncertainly. There were other couples dancing out in the pavilion, despite the fact that the ukulele music wasn't quite fit for it. She took his hand, nonetheless, and allowed him to lead her across the way and into the softly lit gazebo, acquiescing easily as he put one hand on her waist and curled her fingers into his other. They began a steady waltz, making the most of the music that was being provided.

She looked up into his adoring sapphire eyes, fighting to remember a time that she didn't love him. She knew it existed, but it seemed so long ago – like something from a past life. It was nearly impossible now to imagine how she could have ever hated him or mistrusted him. He was the most important person in her life, and was easily the most trust-worthy. His case was the only one, in fact, that Spencer could recall judging inaccurately. She was usually quite good at reading people's motives.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked softly as he swiftly moved her across the wooden planks beneath their feet. She wondered vaguely where he had learned to dance like this.

Her lips curled upward into a smile. "Just thinking about how far we've come."

"Mmm," he murmured thoughtfully. "Where are you considering the starting point to be?"

Spencer crinkled her nose in pre-emptive apology. "The night Ali disappeared."

"Ah, yes," he said lightly, making sure not to allow this memory to ruin the moment. "Back in the day of mean girls and secrets and lies. I remember fondly," he added sarcastically.

"I'm sorry I misjudged you," Spencer stated earnestly. It was easily the hundredth time she had said it to him. "But thank God Emily had a decent head on her shoulders…she hardly had to look at you to figure out that you had nothing to do with that mess."

Toby reached out to tuck a piece of loose hair behind her ear, looking into her eyes pensively. "Who knows where we'd be today without Emily's vote of confidence?"

Spencer digested this. In all fairness, it was a reasonable question. She was known to be rather stubborn in most – oh, hell, all – areas of her life. She would have never thought to give Toby the time of day if not for Emily's persistent defense of his honor. She could only imagine how things would have progressed without her influence. Nowhere – that's how.

It was not a far-off thought to imagine herself having settled for somebody like Wren Kim. What if her life had turned out entirely different, and she was doing this very same thing with him instead, blissfully ignorant about Toby's long-standing innocence? She shuddered at the very thought.

"Let's not dwell on 'what ifs'," Toby stated at last, rubbing circles in the small of Spencer's back. "This week is about where we are now, and what we've conquered."

She smiled, standing on tiptoe to plant a short kiss on his lips. "Exactly what I was thinking."

When the band finished their song, vacationers in the pavilion paused to applaud their performance. Toby even dropped a ten-dollar bill in the tip jar to show his appreciation.

"C'mon," he said quietly, taking Spencer's hand. "Let's go look at those stars now."

She intertwined her fingers in his as he led her down the steps of the gazebo and towards the beach. She had to wonder in the back of her mind why more people weren't spending this beautiful night at the water's edge. The sloshing sound of the waves as they approached was like music to her ears, and only intensified the magical ambiance of the Hawaiian band playing a quarter mile back.

She instantly stepped out of her flip-flops and looped them around her free fingers, padding through the wet sand. Toby squeezed her hand lovingly as he watched her toes sink into the earth at their feet.

They walked down the beach in comfortable silence, leaving the luau far behind. The band could only now be heard distantly by the muffled wind. Spencer paused to star gaze, pointing out the vibrancy of the Big Dipper above their heads. Toby merely watched her with unbridled fascination, distantly aware that he had tuned out her voice long ago.

"…what do you think?" she finished, looking at him expectantly. He winced apologetically.

"I'm sorry, baby…think about what?"

She narrowed her eyes at him with playful irritation. "Not even listening to me, huh?"

"I was too distracted by how gorgeous you are," he answered honestly. As expected, she scoffed indignantly.

"Oh, right. Nice try."

"I'm serious!" he insisted laughingly, reaching out to take her by the waist. She backed away, further into the water until she was knee-deep. She eyed him flirtatiously.

"I was asking," she began pointedly, "what you thought about cultures that live their lives based on what's written in the stars."

"Well," he started, beginning to peel off his own shoes and socks and roll up his pant legs, "I think that, while astronomy and astrology are fascinating sciences, we make our own fate."

She nodded thoughtfully, looking skyward once more. "It's easy to understand though, I think. Some of these stars have been around for millions of years. There's a wisdom to that, that nobody can deny. The constellation rotations have predicted things for longer than we can even begin to fathom."

He waded into the water and looped his arms around her waist, following her gaze. He had never been much for analyzing the stars, but Spencer's sudden interest was piquing his own. He immediately located Orion's belt in the southeast region of the sky, wondering vaguely how astronomers made decisions about the shape of constellations. He wasn't even quite sure, frankly, how the constellation even resembled a hunter to begin with.

Spencer sighed contentedly, leaning back against his chest. "It's beautiful out here."

He gazed down at the side of her face, feeling his throat inexplicably tighten up. He could not put into words how emotional this very moment was making him feel.

"You're beautiful," he murmured quietly. She turned to face him, cupping his face in her hands. He felt rather weak in the knees at her touch.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you, too," he agreed, leaning down to kiss her. As his lips met hers, a familiar electricity shot through all of the nerve-endings in his body, nearly paralyzing him. He had felt this spark with her before – countless times – but tonight it felt tenfold. Perhaps it was the wine they had sipped on at dinner, or perhaps it was the sheer dream-like quality of their surroundings – but he felt completely vulnerable in this moment. If anyone had asked him to try to explain it, he wouldn't have had a prayer.

It was Spencer who broke the embrace, leading him silently towards land, her eyes never leaving his. She seemed to be caught up in a similar daze, heeding her deepest instincts. He followed her without hesitation, even as she lowered herself to her knees in the wet sand and pulled him down beside her. He scooted in closer to her, pulling her body flush with his. She smelled vaguely of seawater and the plumeria lei she had received at the front desk of their hotel.

He allowed his hands to roam along the outsides of her thighs, feeling as though a million volts were stunning him as he did so. The band had ceased to play; now he heard only the thrumming of his own heart and the soft sloshing of the waves hitting the sand beside them. She pulled him in for another kiss, sitting up high on her knees and pressing into him as she did so. He coaxed her lips open slowly, looping his tongue around hers. She moaned quietly. This simple sound incited a powerful reaction in the groin area of his pants, which were suddenly feeling far too tight for comfort.

She craned back to gaze at him, a familiar but intensified sort of fire shining in her chocolate eyes. Reaching behind her neck, she unfastened the single anchor of her dress, slowly using both hands to pull it over her head. Toby's mouth went dry at the way the hem caught on the undersides of her breasts for only a split second, causing them to lightly bounce back into place. The only piece of clothing that remained was a lace pair of white panties, which seemed to be emitting some sort of ethereal glow in the darkness.

As she tossed the dress aside, her eyes met his, as if silently challenging him to make the next move. He was instantly working to dislodge the buttons of his dress shirt, making sure that each move was slow and deliberate like hers had been. Her eyes followed his fingertips as he worked at his task, at last pulling the shirt back and away from his body. A distant part of him was somewhat concerned about their very public location, but another area of his mind was rationalizing that all lights of civilization were at least a mile behind them. And it was growing quite late – they would most assuredly be left alone.

She dragged her fingertips lightly down his abdomen, gingerly running them along the top hem of his boxers. He felt the lower half of his body respond eagerly to the touch. He was crawling closer to her once more, reaching out to grasp at her hips. To his surprise, she stopped his hands partway to their destination.

"Tell me you want me," she murmured huskily. Toby felt his insides contract.

"I want you," he insisted, leaning over to press his lips to her collarbone. She arched back in silent reply. "I will always want you."

"Tell me what you want to do," she continued breathlessly. Toby was unsure about the source of her sudden desire to narrate their romance, but found that it was surprisingly arousing. He pulled her hips swiftly into his, causing her to gasp softly.

"I want to make love to you. Now, and through the night, and for the rest of my life." He made a trail with his lips from her clavicle to her breasts, pausing to pay close attention to the scenery before him. It was almost as though her skin was glowing.

She moaned quietly, and Toby could no longer manage. He undid the button and zipper of his jeans, allowing himself more room to grow for her.

"Tell me how much you love me," she pleaded, pulling at the hair on the nape of his neck. He shuddered involuntarily.

"I would give the world to you, if it's what you asked of me," he whispered into her skin, guiding her into the sand. As her back met the ground, the edge of the waves lapped at their bodies, wetting her braid. She paid it no mind as she pulled her fingernails down the length of his back. He subconsciously pressed further into her in reply, pulling away at her last piece of clothing. "I have loved you from the moment we first became friends, and I will love you for eternity."

She looked close to tears. With one swift movement, she pulled his head back up to hers and brought her lips crashing to his mouth. He kissed back with equal fervor and desperation, pushing his pants and boxers down the remainder of his body. He hitched her legs up around his waist and found her entry point, causing both of them to whimper slightly in the arrival of this new pleasure. She rolled her hips against his, locking her ankles around his buttocks for an easier grip. Sliding his hands up the length of her arms, he intertwined his fingers in her own. Another wave glided over their joined hands. The cool water served as helpful in mitigating the heightened temperature of both of their bodies in the warm night air.

"You're everything to me," Spencer murmured into his mouth. "I love you."

"I love you," he replied quietly, pressing his lips to her forehead. The rhythmic dance that they were engaged in was pulling him closer and closer to heaven with each passing moment. As if reading his mind, Spencer suddenly squeezed her fingers tightly around his, arching into him. She cried out as she climaxed, whispering his name over and over again as the intensity grew. He quickened his pace as he, too, drew near. Then at long last, he felt every single muscle in his body tighten in anticipation and subsequently release. He pushed his forehead against hers, panting, as he finished.

For several moments, the only sounds in his ears were the accelerated beating of his own heart and water lapping against skin. He scooted down to lay his head on her chest, attempting to catch his breath. She ran her fingers through his hair affectionately as they both came down from the high.

"You're the most amazing person I've ever met," he mumbled, kissing her breast where his head lay. He could hear the smile in her voice as she responded.

"We have everything in front of us. The world at our feet," she mused softly. "You are the only person I want to share this journey with."

He raised his head to gaze at her, pulling himself up the length of her body to kiss her. Her lips were swollen between his own, but she nevertheless pressed sleepily against his mouth.

"And I promise you, Mrs. Cavanaugh, that I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it the most incredible journey you could ever fathom."

END

(TO BE FOLLOWED BY BRIEF EPILOGUE)