That night they made love in the room that had once served as the bridal suite of the hotel. The drapes were left open, allowing the glow of a full moon to pour through the window. It transformed the big four-poster bed into a place of silver mysteries and secret shadows.
Each caress elicited a sense of wonder. Each softly spoken word was a vow. They wrapped themselves around each other, using the physical connection to seal the promises they had made at the altar earlier that day. I love you. I will always love you.
When they finally fell into a damp tangle of arms and legs, North pulled her snugly against him. He folded one arm behind his head. His eyes were half-closed. A small smile edged his mouth.
“What?” Sierra asked, stroking his chest with her fingertips.
He caught her left hand and touched the gold band on her finger. “I was just thinking about the last lines of that poem your father sent to you. Something about a ring.”
She smiled and quoted the lines.
“The voice is patient, and will sing
The notes that help you close the ring.”
“I’ve never paid much attention to poetry, but when you think about it, that whole poem was pointing the way, not just for you but for me as well,” North said. “We closed a lot of rings. We discovered the truth about my grandfather. We solved some murders. We found our callings. And best of all, we found each other.”
“My father will tell you all poetry has a psychic vibe.”
North ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her closer. “Don’t know much about poetry, but I do know I love you, Sierra.”
“I love you, North.”
The bridal suite was illuminated in all the colors of night.