After Mrs. Bonifay shut the door, Rile rubbed his muzzle thoughtfully and said, "I think I like her, crazy old lady bit and all."
Alex smacked his shoulder. "She was a Guardian, a good one, I bet."
"She's smart that one. You gonna take her advice?" Rile ran his hand down her arm.
Alex hugged herself and Rile stepped up to her. He leaned toward her and whispered, "If you can't commit, just a chance. Please."
When she didn't move, Rile traced her jaw with a gentle finger to under her chin and tipped it up to him. "Razz vouched for me, doesn't that mean anything?" he asked plaintively.
She opened her arms and Rile gathered her up in a hug. He buried his muzzle in her hair and nuzzled her neck.
He whispered into her ear, "Intimacy is two minds, two people exploring each other's identity. When you're guiding me to know you, that's intimacy and when I'm guiding you to know me, that's intimacy. Sexual intimacy is only one type of intimacy and I'm not asking for that. I'm asking you to guide me to know you. Then I can guide you to know how much I love you."
Alex wept onto his shoulder.
"Is that a yes?" Rile asked and she nodded, clutching his shirt in her fists.
"But now will you tell me something else?" he spoke gently into her ear. "Tell me you want me more than Gabe."
"Absolutely."
More than his brother. But that other Gabe...didn't I...didn't we...?
Her thoughts were interrupted by Rile's whispers.
"Tell me what you would do if he came back tomorrow, saying he had made a terrible mistake. Which he has."
"He had his chance." Alex's voice was wintery cold, but it was a soothing ice pack to Rile's heart. "I fought for him. I bled for him. I almost died for him and it wasn't enough. Never enough." There was more pain in her voice than anger now.
"Now you understand why I'm always so irritated by him. My whole life, I was never good enough for him either."
Your brother isn't who you have to worry about. I love little Galen and want to raise him, but...wait...another Gabe will raise him...I can never see little Galen...or that Gabe, again.
"Alex? Your eyes are un-focusing. Are you okay?" Rile gripped her shoulders. "Is a short circuit starting in your brain?"
She blinked at him and shook her head.
Decision time. I can pick only one. Goodbye little Galen. I'll love you forever but I'll never see you again. The Portal Guardian told me as much. Other Gabe will be good to you; I remember that much.
Alex sighed. "I guess we can form the Gabe Reject Club. But I have to tell you something else."
Alex took in a slow, deep breath, aware that this might be the last time she ever inhaled that spicy, leathery scent. She hugged him tighter, to feel the ultra soft hide over sculpted muscles against her body. "It's the wrong thing to say at this point, but I'll say it anyway."
"Would you like some time to think of the right thing to say?"
"No, because then I might reconsider. But I can't go through again what I just did. I can't offer you a time-limited deal. I want you, but I want you until death do us part. I know it's the wrong thing to say, but the right thing to do."
"Again with the noble stuff?" He felt her loosen her embrace, sure of his refusal.
"If it helps, I won't live long." Alex's voice was wistful.
"That's the saddest thing I've ever heard. It sounds like you want to die before the love runs out."
"I said I was pathetic but now it's all or none. No deals." Alex wrapped herself in quiet dignity while her heart sobbed. She had followed her heart into an ocean of pain but no longer.
The right thing, right from the start, right this time.
"I accept."
Alex was so sure of his denial that she wasn't listening. She sat on the couch and assumed her protective posture: knees to chest, head down.
"I said: I accept." At her look of disbelief, he took her hands and said, "Till death do us part."
A blue white light flashed, but no portal opened.
"I think the Portal Guardian heard you," Alex said. She turned her head to the side, but still rested it on her knees.
"She knows you've found your new partner. Your permanent partner." Rile realized he had just broken his cardinal rule: never, ever commit to a female. But he had made that rule before Alex.
Once again, she flung her arms around his neck. "I'll make you the happiest living soul in the universe." She stroked a glowing hand along his neck.
He swept her up into his arms. "I can't wait. While I don't know or care about other human kisses, I know Alex kisses are soft and warm and make me soar inside."
Alex kissed him soundly before saying, "Let's go to bed now."
"Into the bedroom? Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. Life is short and my life is shorter. You said you wanted me to guide you to know me, but I was only aware of about three or four months before y'all entered my life. So you've already known me my whole life. As they say in the cowboy movies when they play cards and push all their money into the center of the table: I'm all in."
***
A/N
I'm not sure if I should end the book here or include a bedroom chapter. Thoughts?