“I’m in,” she said. “Stay.”

* * *

It was no grand test for Seth. He slept like a baby. Somewhere in the dark of night he felt Iris stir and get up. When she came back to bed, she brought him a glass of water. Then she reached for him, kissing his shoulder, his ear, his neck. He roused to her na**d softness against him and he rolled with her, devouring her all over again, taking her, loving her until she cried out. Then he cradled her, covering her with soft kisses all over her body, holding her until her breathing came deep and even. He nuzzled against the delicious smell of her skin and slept. He was pressed up against her, spooning her or holding her through the night.

He’d never felt more at home, more at peace.

He’d thought he was in love a couple of times before, or maybe it was more accurate to say he wanted to be in love and hoped to be. But this was so different and no one had ever explained it to him. He felt his love for Iris deep in his bones. He felt it in his soul. His life would be half a life without her. He wanted everything with her. It was like he’d waited for a woman like her. He wondered if it would terrify her to learn how much he wanted. He was ready for everything with her—commitment, family, a lifetime. It was going to be hard to go slowly.

He woke at the same time as Iris. Someone was at the door. He looked at the clock and it was seven, a rare hour for him to be asleep. But then the woman beside him had been greedy and tired him out. She mumbled and started to get out of bed. “No, let me,” he said. “Stay right where you are.”

He pulled on the family tartan and headed barefoot to the front door. His limp was much more pronounced when he didn’t wear shoes with a little lift in the heel. He looked out the window in the front door and saw only the top of someone’s head, but her hair was curly and silver.

He opened the door and she jumped. “Seth!” she said.

“Who did you expect?”

“Well, I wasn’t sure, but I saw your car and you hadn’t come home and—”

“Because I’m here,” he said.

“But...where’s Iris?” she asked.

“Where do you think she is, Mom?”

“Oh! Oh, dear.”

“I think from now on, you should call when you feel like popping over. What do you say?”

“I...ah...I...”

“That’s right, Mom. You have the number so if you need something, just call. Or you can always call my cell—I’ll let you know that everything is all right. Okay?”

“Yes! Of course! But I...” She shook her head. “Oh, the hell with it. You might warn a person! I went out to get the paper and saw your car, but I couldn’t find you!”

“I’d like you to consider it a pleasant surprise, say no more about it and go home. I’ll call you later.”

“Yes,” she said. “Yes, call later.”

And she turned to waddle down the walk, crossing the yards to her front door. He chuckled and went back to bed. He slipped under the covers and pulled Iris close. “Check that one off. Gwen has found us out.”

“Oh, Seth!”

“What? It was bound to happen. At least it’s over with. Now maybe we can sleep in. Although, you might be bad for my career—I never stay in bed this late in the morning.”

“Oh, God, that was your mother at the door! That’s like a dating nightmare! The worst kind! She thinks I debauched her little boy.”

“Would it help if I told her I debauched twice and you only once?”

“Ack,” she barked, slapping him on the arm. “That was your mother.”

“Yes, it was. I sent her away and told her to call ahead next time. She’s old enough to know better.”

“I’ll have to say something to her,” Iris said. “What in the world am I supposed to say?”

“Tell her you’re sorry you missed her this morning, but you were naked, warm and hoping to get laid again before breakfast.”

“Seth!”

“I slept like the dead. Right up until your greedy little hands were on me, teasing me, getting me up. Literally.” He grinned. “Best sleepover I’ve ever had. I think I’ll do it again.”

“You’re not the least bit troubled by her early-morning visit, are you?”

He shook his head. “Not the least.”

“What are we supposed to do now?”

“I think we should at least go steady, but that’s about the most patience I have. For two cents I’d take you right to the justice of the peace and stake my claim. I love you, Iris. And you sleep very well.”

“You’re in a bit of a hurry, I think.”

“I am, I guess. Sorry. Take your time, Iris. Don’t let me rush you.”

“What is it you think you want?” she asked.

“Everything. I want all of you. Happily ever after, a couple of kids, a permanent home, waking up together in the morning, fighting over who has to get up to get breakfast for the kids, arguments over chores and finances and then make-up sex and then we do it all over again. I want to be the person you love the most, get mad at most often, make up with because you can’t help it. I want to be the guy you laugh with, lean on, cry on, yell at, reach for. I can do it, Iris. I can be the one.”

“Seth, everyone is going to think this is too sudden,” she said.

“Screw ’em. Even not counting the past thirty years, we’ve been working our way back to each other for a couple of months. No one knows me like you do—there’s no woman in the world I will ever know the way I know you. Take your time, Iris. I’m ready when you are.”

“What if I decide this is just not for me?”

He was shaking his head. “After last night? Bullshit.”

She curled up close. “I think you should try to convince me one more time. Then we’ll shower and go get breakfast. Then I’ll think of something to say to your mother.”

His hand moved smoothly over her breast. “Please don’t talk to me about my mother while I’m making love to you. I want to be able to do my best.”

And she laughed until he successfully stopped her.

* * *

Iris found it was a transition that took minutes, not weeks. Seth took her to the diner for breakfast where they sat at the counter together and no one blinked an eye at them having breakfast together on a Saturday morning. They ran into Dr. Grant and his little boy having breakfast. They got to hear all about how Scott and Peyton had set a date and there was to be a big Basque wedding at her family’s farm in the spring. Mac stopped by to check in with Gina and get a shopping list from her so he could make a store run, but he paused for a cup of coffee. Eric from the service station came in for a late breakfast and there was a little small talk about classic cars taking up residence in his body shop. Then Seth said he had some paperwork and told Iris to come over when she was ready for a lift home.

“Don’t be silly,” she said. “I’m walking. In fact, I might take a long walk across the beach.”

“I’ll talk to you later.” He kissed her on the cheek as he left.

“That was nice,” Gina said after he had gone.

“He’s nice.”

“So, you two?”