Beau woke feeling better than he had in years, despite the fact that both feet and one arm were hanging off the edge of the bed. Dana was lying next to him, her face turned into her pillow, snuffling softly. In her sleep, she looked more like a contented kitten than the force of nature he knew her to be when awake.

Mindful of what she'd said the night before, he eased himself out from beside her and drew on his boxers before padding out to what passed for a kitchen. The ...