by Tee O'Fallon
“What?” Gray scratched his morning stubble.
“Nothing.” She smiled openly. “Just admiring your naked bod.”
He grinned. “If you look at me like that, we’ll both be late for the game.”
“Go.” Alex covered her eyes with her hand. “Get in the shower before I decide to have my way with you.”
With another groan, this one louder, Gray disappeared into the bathroom. Only when the shower came on, did Alex feel it was safe to get out of bed. If she got one more look at Gray’s body, they really would be late for the big family outing at Yankee Stadium.
Gray had offered to pick up Nicky at his parents’ house on Long Island and bring him to the game, although Alex didn’t understand why his parents couldn’t just bring Nicky with them since they’d be coming to the game anyway.
She slid from the covers and threw on the new silk robe Gray had bought for her. During one night of particularly athletic sex, he’d ripped her old lavender one to shreds. After Alex told him that he needed to do more wild and crazy things like that, he told her the real reason for his destroying the only remaining garment from her previous marriage: he didn’t want any reminders of Jan in her life. Especially not in their bed.
Sadly, Alex realized Jan must have loved Nicky in his own way. At least he’d recognized that Nicky needed medical treatment and brought him to a hospital. But she had no doubt that if Gray hadn’t tracked Nicky down, eventually Jan would have taken him away from her forever. She would never wish Jan dead, but it certainly alleviated many issues, like the threat of his parental rights and the need for a legal divorce.
Wanting no part of her past, Gray had assisted her in legally changing hers and Nicky’s last name to Romano. But the most important things that had changed since that fateful night were that her son was well again and Gray was in her life. And her occupation was undergoing a major upheaval.
She’d quit the NYPD before they made their administrative decision final. Gray wanted to fight for her, but this was a golden opportunity to jumpstart her interior design career. With Daisy’s help, she already had several customers and more on the way. Gray wanted to give her money to tide her over until business took off. Initially, she’d refused, but in the spirit of turning over a new leaf, she finally agreed to a small loan, just enough to pay the bills while she built her clientele. The way things were going, she’d be able to pay off his loan in no time.
Speaking of clientele, she still needed to drop off that crystal vase on the way to the stadium. Mrs. Lattimer would have a fit if it wasn’t front and center in her posh uptown apartment before the big shindig she was throwing to celebrate her interior makeover.
Alex headed into the living room and lifted the delicate vase from its wooden crate, inspecting it for cracks and other blemishes. Seeing none, she carefully repacked the vase and set the crate on the floor. A pair of strong arms slid around her waist.
“I’m hating our agreement right about now.” Gray dropped a kiss on her neck.
“Me, too.” Alex moaned as he pressed his lips to that super-sensitive spot just below her ear. He obliged by warming her neck even more with his hot kisses. “But we agreed no sleeping together while Nicky is under the same roof.”
“Who said anything about sleeping?” Gray parted her robe and began massaging her breasts. “You’re killing me. My bed is cold and lonely without you.”
Then ask me the big question. You love me, I love you, what’s the problem?
Even Nicky loved Gray like the father he’d never had. When it came to baseball, the two of them were thick as thieves. And today, Gray was taking Nicky to his first major league baseball game, a playoff game, no less. Along with nearly all of Gray’s family, and Dom.
For some reason, Gray invited Daisy, which Alex thought was a really bad idea. Daisy still hadn’t forgiven Dom and probably never would. If the two of them got too close, there could be a brawl right there in the stands on national television.
“Let me leave you with this thought.” Alex turned in his arms and linked her hands behind his neck. She stood on her toes and proceeded to kiss him thoroughly. Gray responded like he always did, with unbridled frenzy that made her want to tear his clothes off and take him right there on the living room floor. How the man loved to kiss!
Unexpectedly, he pulled her arms from his neck. “I have to go. I promised Nicky I’d meet him at my parents’ to play catch before heading to the stadium. You remember where I told you to meet us, at Will Call?”
“I remember. You told me twice, and you wrote down how to get there.” Gray hesitated and scratched his head. Odd, but for a man always in control and in command, he suddenly seemed uncharacteristically nervous and on edge. “As soon as I drop off that crystal vase, I’ll be there.”
“Don’t be late.” He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose.
“I won’t. Now go.” She pushed him toward the door.
“I love you.” He grinned and her heart melted. She loved this man more than anything, nervous or not.
“I love you, too.”
Alex smiled, utterly content with her life. Well, almost. There was only one thing that would make it better.
…
Gray couldn’t stop fidgeting in his seat. He felt like an insecure teenager. Even his palms were sweaty. Holy shit! He really was nervous.
He glanced down at Nicky, his co-conspirator, and the only one present who knew what Gray planned.
Nicky tugged at his sleeve. “Now?”
Gray shook his head. “Not yet.” Only because he was scared shitless. Not at going through with his plan, but at what Alex would say.
Or not say.
Sitting at his other side, she looked as beautiful as always, wearing a New York Yankees shirt and cap, just like the rest of his family cheering on the home team. His mother and father and, unexpectedly, his little brother, Jess, sat in the seats in front of him. Jess had flown in late last night from abroad where he’d been working undercover for HSI for the last eight months.
Cassie and Mike reluctantly declined to attend, as Cassie was about to give birth any second. Mike’s food critic sister, Moira, however, took one of their tickets and was slowly but surely driving Jess insane. The two of them argued over everything.
Dom was also there, along with a bristling Daisy. Given the animosity between her and Dom, Gray had second thoughts about inviting Alex’s best friend. But this could be a big day, one he didn’t want to leave Daisy out of.
All around them the crowd cheered as the top of the seventh inning ended with the Yankees ahead over Boston by two runs. Alex jumped out of her seat hooting and hollering like a hometown pro with the rest of his family.
“Now?” Nicky asked again.
Gray watched the scoreboard change to reflect it was now bottom of the seventh—time for the seventh-inning stretch. He nodded at the boy who’d crept into his heart. The boy who, with any luck, would soon become his son. “Now.”
Nicky grinned, showing off a missing tooth.
With his heart about to beat out of his chest, Gray clasped Alex’s hands and knelt before her, squeezing in between the row of stadium seats. Nicky also knelt.
Gray looked up into the eyes of the woman he adored. “I love you, Alex. Will you marry me?”
Surrounded by thousands of fans in the middle of Yankee Stadium, all Gray saw was Alex. At first she didn’t say anything, didn’t move a muscle. She just stared at him.
Sweat trickled down Gray’s back. When he tugged the green velvet box from his pocket and opened it, displaying the diamond and white gold solitaire engagement ring, Alex gasped. More gasps came to his ears. His mother’s, Moira’s, Daisy’s, and suddenly everyone else in the stands within earshot was gasping.
An unrealistic hush came over the crowd, as if everyone in Yankee Stadium was frozen in time, waiting for Alex’s answer.
Jess pointed to one of the mammoth-sized screens positioned around the stadium. “Look, they’re on the Teletron
.”
Gray knew they were on the giant, four-sided, flat screen monitors that displayed to every part of the stadium. He’d planned it that way. But he had eyes only for Alex.
Staring down at him from the biggest, bluest, most beautiful eyes he had ever seen, Alex covered her mouth with her hands. When she lowered them, tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Mommy, are you gonna say yes?” Nicky grabbed at Alex’s blue jeans.
Slowly, she nodded. “Yes. Yes!”
All around them the crowd clapped and cheered. When Gray slipped the ring from its velvet box onto Alex’s finger, the stadium went wild as the Teletron displayed Alex’s acceptance of his proposal for all of Yankee Stadium to see.
When he stood to kiss her, Alex threw her arms around his neck. He picked her up and held her close. Just before lowering his mouth to seal their engagement, he whispered, “Is this wild and crazy enough for you?” The smile on her face—the unabashed joy in her eyes—was all he needed.
Alex nodded emphatically. Then he kissed her. The woman of his dreams. The woman who made his by-the-book brain and heart go nuts.
“You can go wild and crazy on me anytime,” she whispered so that only he could hear.
Gray picked Nicky up, then hugged Alex tightly to his chest. Turning to face the Teletron, he saw on the big screen what he wanted. The woman he loved and a family. His.
Turning back to Alex, he whispered, “I intend to.”
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Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank my brother, Matt, U.S. Customs Service Special Agent James Borchers, and Detective Brian Holihan, all of whom contributed their insight and technical expertise.
I’d also like to thank my cast of martini-loving critique partners, MK Mancos, Cheyenne McCray, and Kayla Gray for their invaluable wisdom and for keeping me focused. And to my editor, Karen Grove, and my agent, Rachel Brooks. Without you my stories would never have made it to print.
About the Author
Tee O’Fallon is the author of Burnout, Book One of the NYPD Blue & Gold Series. Tee has been a federal agent for twenty-three years, giving her hands-on experience in the field of law enforcement that she combines with her love of romantic suspense. Tee’s job affords her the unique opportunity to work with the heroic and sexy men in law enforcement on a daily basis. For Tee, research is the easy part!
Besides writing, Tee loves cooking, gardening, chocolate, lychee martinis, and her Belgian Sheepdog.
Readers can visit Tee’s website at www.teeofallon.com and sign up for newsletters.
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