Peggy barged into Leya's hospital room. "Steven, why are you here?"

"What are you doing here?" Steven stood.

"She had you arrested. What about the night we spent together?"

He shook his head and pushed his sleeves up his arms. "I never spent a night with you."

"You only married Ms. Vegas because you drew the shortest straw."

"What?" Leya sat straighter and glanced toward Steven.

"All the team members drew straws to see who was unlucky enough to have to marry you." A smile crossed Peggy's lips.

Leya pushed the call button and a harried-looking nurse bustled into the room. "Get that woman out of my room," Leya demanded, pointing an acusing finger.

"He walked out on you and spent the night with me. Doesn't that tell you who he really loves?" Peggy put her hand on her hips.

"You think Steven loves you? He rejected your advances and kicked you to the curb. Steven came after me. He's with me, not you." She reached out and touched his hand. "Sure we had a disagreement, but we're working things out." She fingered the wedding ring. "I think it's clear who he prefers."

Steven stepped aside and called Matt, who hadn't left the parking lot and was immediately in Leya's room.

Matt surveyed the situation. "I can't believe you'd risk your freedom. Showing up here wasn't one of your best ideas." He grabbed Peggy's arm, and dragged her from the room.

Steven followed. "Isn't crossing state lines grounds to revoke her bail?"

"Yes, I'll personally make sure she doesn't bother you again." While Matt handcuffed Peggy, he smiled and whispered, "Did I hear Leya say you're working things out?"

Steven glanced toward the door. "She actually said that. I doubt she meant it. Peggy just told her the men and I drew straws to see who was marrying her and I lost."

Joe entered the hall and put his hand on Peggy's shoulder. "Let me guess. I'm taking her to jail for a very long time."

Steven ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't want her anywhere near Leya."

As the three men and Peggy walked down the hall, Matt explained to Joe what he wanted done with her. Joe exited the hospital with Peggy in tow.

Matt and Steven started slowly toward Leya's room as Matt grinned. "I think Leya meant you're working things out but it won't be easy. She's going to make you suffer." He paused. "For another two or three days, maybe a week."

"Why?"

"To make her point. She doesn't want you leaving her again. She wants, no, needs security." He took a deep breath, then added, "As for drawing straws, all I can say is that happened early enough in your relationship maybe she'll understand."

Steven put his hand on the door handle but stopped before he entered the room. "Are you going home?"

"Yeah, but I'm leaving Ralph. I'm serious about looking for an apartment." He teased, "So don't come back unless you've worked things out."

"You know she's just as difficult as Dani, don't you?" Steven watched Leya through the door window.

Matt nodded. "Yep, but your life will never be boring. And I wouldn't have Dani any other way." He grinned. "Besides, make-ups are fantastic."

"Way too much information." He smiled and stared at Leya. "But I bet you're right."

"I'm only a phone call away." Matt grinned. "I'd better not have to make any more trips to Wyoming."

******
When Steven sat in a chair beside Leya's bed, he caressed her hand, thinking she was asleep.

"I'm awake." Her eyes opened.

He raised her hand and kissed it. "I'm sorry Peggy barged into your room. She'll be spending a long time in jail. Matt's making sure her bail's revoked." He wiped his brow. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about drawing straws. You probably won't believe this, but I'd forgotten about it." He swallowed, before he added, "I didn't lose. I won because it gave me an opportunity to get to know you."

"My pride took a hit thinking I was the prize for losing, but under the circumstances I understand. Our marriage was only to protect me from having to marry Carlos."

"When the justice-of-the-peace told me to kiss the bride and I kissed you, I felt something. That afternoon when you tried running on the treadmill, I knew you were special." He stared at her hand and rubbed his thumb against it, then he continued, "I hope you believe that shortly after we married I realized I enjoyed having you around." He paused. "At the time I didn't understand it, but I do now. I was in love with you."

"I understand, because immediately after we were married I felt something, but didn't understand it either."

Glancing toward the door, Steven said, "I'm sorry I gave Peggy an opportunity to enter my apartment. It was stupid of me. Nothing happened between us, but it gave her another opportunity to hurt you."

She took a deep breath. "I know nothing happened. I overheard some comments and confronted Matt. He told me everything. Did you let her in because you knew it'd hurt me?"

"That may have been part of it, but mainly I didn't care about anything. I thought you took advantage of my love. I never once considered being unfaithful to you. I love you too much." He stared at his hands still holding hers, before he added, "She kissed me, but I didn't return any."

He held up his left hand and showed Leya his wedding band. "I've never thought about removing it."

He stood, took his billfold from his back pocket and searched until he found a folded paper. "Here's our marriage certificate." He unfolded it and handed it to her. "I carry it with me. I can't believe someone like you would marry me."

Her eyes became moist, she stared at the piece of paper. "I'm sorry I put you in a position that allowed ...."

"Please, can we get past this whole thing and start over?" he interrupted as moisture entered his eyes.

She wiped a tear that rolled down his cheek with her finger . "I'm not sure. I was already afraid of marriage and now I'm really scared."

"You were right about Peggy from the beginning. I'm sorry I didn't listen."

"You don't need to apologize. I've forgiven you for that and for drawing straws to see who was going to have to marry me."

"We're making progress. How can I convince you I won't leave again?"

"Maybe we need to work on being equal partners. Unless I believe we're equal, I'll never believe you won't leave me."

He paused before he sat on the bed beside her. He leaned over and looked into her dark brown eyes. "I know I married you under less than perfect circumstances. When we made love, I not only made you my wife but I invited you to be my lover, my best friend, and my life partner." He kissed her.

Before she could respond, a nurse brought dinner and said, "You need to eat everything on your tray."

Leya watched the nurse exit and then glanced at the food. "I can't eat anything on this tray."

"Part of the reason you're in the hospital is because you haven't eaten properly."

"I know, but look at this food. I don't have problems eating but I'm not sure this qualifies as food." She looked at him. "I didn't eat before because I was so upset. I wasn't hungry and I didn't have a lot of money."

"The food looks all right to me."

Leya lifted her fork and offered him a bite. "You try it first. If you think it's edible, I'll eat it."

Steven took a bite and shook his head. "I can't honestly say it's good." He glanced at the door. "If you promise to eat every bite, I'll get you something else to eat."

"Thank you and I promise."

"I'll be back in a few minutes." He walked toward the door, then turned around and said, "We'll finish talking when I return."