She smiled and wrapped her arms around him. “I love you, too. But I’m still not going to let you tease me today.”
“I’ll have the rest of my life to torment you, so you tell me what you want.”
Instead of telling him anything, she pushed him onto his back. Then she grabbed a condom package from the nightstand and handed it to him. While he opened it, she stroked his erection, loving the contradiction of silky soft and hardness. She was tempted to go down and take that hardness into her mouth, but she hadn’t let him go down on her, so she didn’t.
Once he’d rolled on the condom, she straddled his thighs and leaned down to kiss him thoroughly. He cupped her cheek in his hand, his thumb running tenderly over her skin as they kissed, and his tenderness warmed her heart.
Then she straightened and reached down to guide him into her. They held eye contact as she slowly lowered herself, then lifted before lowering more, until he filled her completely. She was still, savoring the feeling, and he reached up to cup her breasts.
“Have I told you how beautiful you are?” he asked in a husky voice.
“Not tonight.”
“You are so fucking beautiful, Wren.”
Tears sprang to her eyes, and she shook her head. “Do not make my cry right now.”
Because she was busy trying to blink away her blurry vision, his fingers brushing her clit made her gasp. He stroked softly as her hips started to rock.
“I bet I can make you do something else instead,” he said, that cocky grin back on his face.
She swiveled her hips while squeezing and he sucked in a breath. She could be cocky, too, even if she couldn’t pull off the grin like he did. With his thumb on her clit—brushing, pressing, stroking—she knew it wouldn’t be long before she came, and she leaned forward to brace her hands on his chest.
Before she could react, Gavin rolled until he was on top and when she opened her mouth to protest, he drove into her. She gasped and clutched his shoulders.
“Come for me, Wren.”
Hearing the tremor in his voice, she realized he was on the edge. Her teasing, take-it-slow lover needed her as much as she had needed him, but he wouldn’t give in until she let go.
She slid her hand between them and stroked her clit while he thrust into her harder and deeper until all the stress and emotional upheaval of the last two days were blown away by the force of her orgasm. She said his name as she came, and his body shuddered as he let himself find release.
When he lowered his body onto her gently, she stroked his back and kissed his forehead. They were quiet as their breathing slowed, and then he kissed the top of her breast before getting up to dispose of the condom.
Even though they’d have to get up and forage for food soon, Grant got back into bed and Wren moved closer, as always. He stared at her for a long moment, twirling strands of her hair around his finger.
“You and me,” he said softly. “Always.”
She lifted her head to plant a hard kiss on his mouth. “You and me.”
Epilogue
Summer
Kincaid’s Pub was definitely pushing max capacity. It was a private event, but when the invitation was open to firefighters and the event was the grand reopening of a firefighters’ bar, everybody showed up.
Wren moved easily through the crowd, a frosted mug of beer in each hand. People spoke to her as she passed and she responded, but kept moving. She had drinks to deliver.
As usual the guys from Engine 59 and Ladder 37 were holding court in the pool table alcove. She didn’t know all of them because there were different crews for different days, but she knew most of them.
The mugs were for Chris and Rick, who were engaged in a fairly heated game of pool. She set them down and, when she saw Grant sitting in the corner with Aidan and Scott, decided to take a short break.
He grinned when he saw her and patted his knee. There were no free chairs, so she sat sideways on his lap and waited for him to finish his conversation.
Though she’d been helping with the preparations for tonight for a while, this was her first official shift at the bar. She’d be part-time, learning the ropes and filling in as necessary as Lydia’s baby bump grew. Her primary job would still be at the bookstore.
When a very tearful Mrs. Belostotsky had told her they’d decided to sell the market and retire to someplace warmer, Wren had hugged her and wished them well. On her way home, she stopped at the bookstore because it was comforting to browse, and Rhonda had offered her her old job back. The women at the salon had graciously accepted her notice and had pizza delivered on her last day for a lunch break party.
As Grant’s arm snaked around her hips, holding her close, Wren smiled. Life was so very good.
“This story’s never going to end,” he murmured. “Let’s go outside and get some fresh air.”
“Just for a few minutes,” she said, standing. “I’m supposed to be working.”
“You get a break.”
She laughed. “Yeah, when I’ve been here longer than an hour.”
But he took her hand and led her through the crowd to the door. It had been a hot and humid day and even though the sun had gone down, the city was steamy.
“Can you believe Tommy won’t give me a family discount?” he asked as they walked hand in hand down the sidewalk to a small bench.
“I can’t believe you asked him.”
“Hey, the only thing better than a cold beer is a cheap cold beer.”
She laughed. “I don’t think he even gives Scotty and Aidan a discount, and they’re actually his family.”
Putting his arm around her shoulders, he shifted his body sideways so he was looking at her. “You look beautiful tonight. And happy.”
She smiled. “It’s funny you should say that. When I was sitting on your lap, I was thinking about how happy I am right now. I have everything. You. All these friends. The bookstore. I think I’m going to love working here. And I’m going to say you twice because you are definitely the best part.”
He caught his lip between his teeth, looking at her so thoughtfully that she got a little nervous about what he might be thinking. “I love you. Completely.”
She hadn’t been expecting that. “I love you, too.”
He sat up straight and scrubbed his palms over this denim-clad thighs a couple of times, and then he reached into his pocket. “I’ve been waiting, trying to figure out a perfect time or place to give you this.”
It was a small velvet box and Wren’s breath caught in her throat. Then he opened it and she exhaled in a long, shaky sigh. It was an emerald-cut diamond, with two smaller, square diamonds on either side. It was simple and yet stunning at the same time and she pressed her hand to her chest.
“It seems like proposals are supposed to be an event,” he continued. “But sitting here with you and you telling me how happy you are and that I’m the best part of it is... Well, this is the happiest moment of my life, so it seems like the right time to ask you to be my wife.”
She nodded, trying to talk, but just making a squeaky sound.
“I love you, Wren. Will you marry me?”
“Yes.” The word practically burst out of her mouth.
He slid the ring over her finger and it fit perfectly. She admired it, watching it sparkle in the lights around them. Then she threw her arms around his neck and put everything she felt into kissing him until neither of them could breathe.
“So I guess I didn’t blow the proposal?” he asked, and he was teasing, but she could see the relief on his face.
“This is so perfect.” And she meant it. Fancy, staged proposals weren’t really her style. But this was.
He smiled. “People always say you just know when the time is right and I always wondered what that meant. Is it like a physical shock? A voice in your head? And then one day we responded to a CO call and it turned out t
o be a false alarm, but it was the jeweler. The one who made the ring I’d finally picked out for you before.”
Wren felt a pang of sadness, but it was fleeting. They’d both reached a place where that time could be mentioned in passing without it reopening the old wounds.
“And it was still there, which blew my mind. I mean, how could the most beautiful ring I’d ever seen not have sold in all those months?” He chuckled, sounding a little embarrassed at the emotion in his voice. “And I knew. It was waiting for you, because it was your ring. And now it’s on your finger, where it’s supposed to be.”
Tears shimmered in her eyes, making the diamond sparkle even more brilliantly. “Please tell me you didn’t sell your new wheels.”
“No, although I would have in a heartbeat. I’d already started saving up again because no matter what, I was going to ask you to be my wife.” He ran his thumb over the stone. “Remember a couple months ago when all of us guys went to Maine to help a guy rebuild a hunting cabin that had taken some damage during an ice storm?”
“Yes, I remember you talking about Cobb and the other guys trying to cover you all wanting a shift off at the same time like it was the world’s most annoying puzzle. And I obviously remember you being gone for four days because I missed you.”
“It was the jeweler’s family cabin. The money I had stashed away and the work on the cabin combined paid for the ring, and I got to keep my wheels.” He nudged her. “Admit it, they’re really nice wheels.”
She nodded, but she couldn’t speak because her throat was all closed up from the swelling of emotion. That was family, she thought. The guys inside who’d all given up time off to go to another state and spend four days working to help Grant get this ring. The administration, trying to make it work. The firefighters who’d covered their shifts.
They were her family now, too, she realized. They came with the guy.
“You okay?”
She threw her arms around his neck so she could bury her face in his neck. “I love you. I love them. I swear, I’m so full of love and happiness right now, I might cry happy tears all night.”
“Hey!” Tommy’s voice boomed from the door of the bar. “Stop making out with my staff, Cutter, or you’re going to pay a pain-in-the-ass tax on every beer you buy.”
“I’m coming,” Wren called, pulling away from Grant and mopping at her face.
“As a sign of my maturity as a soon-to-be-married guy,” Grant said, “I’m not going to make the obvious joke here.”
She rolled her eyes at him and stood. Then she took his hands and pulled him to his feet. “One more kiss, future husband of mine.”
“Gladly, almost wife.” And he gave her a kiss that curled her toes.
The next hour passed in a blur of congratulations and toasts and beer. The women gushed over her ring and, on the clock or no, Wren took the time to hug every one of the guys who’d gone to Maine to help Grant work off the balance of her ring.
Olivia actually got teary eyed over it. “It’s so beautiful, Wren. You have no idea how happy I am to see it on your finger. Derek told me the story of the ring when he was explaining why Amber and I would have to work out the kids’ schedules minus one adult while he was away for a few days, and I’ve been dying for him to finally ask you so I could see it.”
“Before he found that one,” Derek said, “he actually had us guys looking at pictures of rings at a freaking Red Sox game, of all places. Trust me, we were all happy when he finally found the perfect one.”
“On to the most important question,” Ashley said. “When does the wedding planning start?”
“Oh!” Olivia grinned. “I love planning weddings.”
Jess laughed and tucked her arm around Rick’s waist. “You love planning everything.”
“Good point.”
“I’ll need you, Olivia, because it’ll have to be a big wedding.” Wren looked around her new family. “There is no way I’m picking and choosing, so I’m going to have a lot of bridesmaids.”
Amidst the laughter, Wren caught Cait’s eye. And when Cait scrunched up her shoulders, grinning, to show how excited she was, Wren knew she wouldn’t even have to ask. Cait would be her maid of honor.
Chris Eriksson pushed his way into the group surrounding them. “Fitzy just told me it’s time to bring it out and we should all head out front.”
Grant laced his fingers through hers and kissed her again. A lifetime of kissing this man was all she’d ever need, she thought as they followed the others out to the bar.
* * *
Tommy Kincaid stood in front of the framed photo of Bobby Orr. His daughters were on either side of him as Scotty and Aidan tightened the final screws securing it once again in its place of honor on the wall.
The last couple of years had seen a lot of upheaval, which must explain why he was so emotional tonight. Every man and woman in the bar tonight was somebody he considered family, and he felt their wins and losses.
It had started with Danny and Ashley separating, which brought Lydia home to help out at the bar. His relationship with his daughters had been a mess. Then Lydia had started seeing Aidan, which had put Aidan at odds with Scotty. For a while, Tommy had despaired that he’d let his wife down so badly, he could never make it right and that, even in heaven, she was heartbroken.
But Kincaids were nothing if not stubborn, though, and they’d all worked it out. This past Thanksgiving had been perfect. Danny and Ashley, with little Jackson. Lydia and Aidan. Scotty and Jamie. And this coming Thanksgiving, he’d have a brand-new grandchild to hold.
Tommy had watched with pride, from his barstool, as the guys of Engine 59 and Ladder 37 had had their lives turned upside down and come out the other side better for it. And tonight, watching Grant and Wren basking in love and congratulations brought it almost full circle.
Scotty and Aidan putting Bobby Orr back on the wall where he belonged, marking the true reopening of his pub, with Lydia and Ashley at his side was the closing of the circle. It was symbolic in a way he couldn’t explain in words. He just felt it in his heart.
He hadn’t always done right by his wife, and he hadn’t really known the truth of it until after he’d lost her. But at least if he was lucky enough to see her again on the other side, he could tell her their children were happy and loved. That was all Joyce had ever really wanted for them.
As his son and son-in-law stepped back from Bobby Orr’s picture with game show hostess flourishes, emotion tightened Tommy’s throat and he wasn’t sure he could speak.
Instead, he touched the tips of his fingers to his mouth for a long moment and then pressed them against the glass.
* * *
Author’s Note
The processes and organizational structures of large city fire departments and emergency services are incredibly complex, and I took minor creative liberties in order to maintain readability.
To first responders everywhere, thank you.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my editor, Angela James, and to every member of the Carina Press team. Your support for and work on the Boston Fire series meant the world to me. And a huge thank-you to all the readers whose enthusiasm for the men and women of Boston Fire made it a pleasure to write.
Dear Reader,
They say you always remember your first and it’s true, the first book that Shannon Stacey and I worked on together here at Harlequin still holds a very fond place in my heart. Exclusively Yours became not only an instant reader favorite, but it launched Shannon’s much-beloved Kowalski series. If this is your first time getting a look at the Kowalskis, welcome and enjoy the ride (four-wheeler optional). If you’re revisiting an old favorite, like I am, please join me in reminiscing about that time that Joe and Keri...well, never mind, I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. But it’s probably time for a reread!
Please enjoy this extended
excerpt from Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey, available in print, audio and eBook.
Angela James
Editorial Director, Carina Press
Editor and lifelong fangirl of the Kowalski series
When Keri Daniels’ editor finds out she has previous carnal knowledge of reclusive bestselling author Joe Kowalski, she gives Keri a choice: get an interview or get a new job.
Joe’s never forgotten the first girl to break his heart, so he’s intrigued to hear Keri’s back in town—and looking for him. Despite his intense need for privacy, he’ll grant Keri an interview if it means a chance to finish what they started in high school.
He proposes an outrageous plan—for every day she survives with his family on their annual camping and four-wheeling trip, Keri can ask one question. Keri agrees; she’s worked too hard to walk away from her career.
But the chemistry between them is still as potent as the bug spray, Joe’s sister is out to avenge his broken heart and Keri hasn’t ridden an ATV since she was ten. Who knew a little blackmail, a whole lot of family and some sizzling romantic interludes could make Keri reconsider the old dream of Keri & Joe 2gether 4ever.
Chapter One
“You got busy in the backseat of a ’78 Ford Granada with Joseph Kowalski—only the most reclusive bestselling author since J. D. Salinger—and you don’t think to tell me about it?”
Keri Daniels sucked the last dregs of her too-fruity smoothie through her straw and shrugged at her boss. “Would you want anybody to know?”
“That I had sex with Joseph Kowalski?”
“No, that you had sex in the backseat of a ’78 Granada.” Keri had no idea how Tina Deschanel had gotten the dirt on her high school indiscretions, but she knew she was in trouble.
An exceptionally well-paid reporter for a glossy, weekly entertainment magazine did not withhold carnal knowledge of a celebrity on the editor-in-chief’s most wanted list. And having kept that juicy little detail to herself wouldn’t get her any closer to parking her butt in an editorial chair.
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