In It to Win It (33 page)

“
Deny?’

Jane laughed at his distaste of the word. “Okay, let me rephrase that. I want to wait to
confirm
our relationship until I’m ready.”

He kissed the top of her head. “I can live with that.”

“
I learned a lot from this experience.”

“
Yeah?”

“
I nearly lost the man I love in that attack.”

“
But you didn’t,” he said in her ear. “I’m not going anywhere, baby. You’re stuck with me for as long as you’ll have me.”

“
How does forever sound?” she whispered.

23

J
ANE GLARED INTO THE MIRROR, KNOWING full well that Grayson was looking at her reflection. She was pouting like a child. “Tell me.”

“
No. I’m not going to tell you. It’s a surprise.” Grayson went into the walk-in closet and returned with a dress bag. He held it out to her, the hanger dangling from his finger. “If you’ll wear this, please.”

Dressed in tuxedo pants and nothing else, Grayson was pretty damn hot. She watched his muscles flex with each movement and seriously considered nixing whatever he had planned and just watch him strut around in those black pants all night—or at least until she took them off of him. He shook out a crisp white shirt and shrugged one sleeve into it before walking into the bedroom.

She was so lost in the erotic plans of how she was going to remove his pants that she jumped when he called, “Ten minutes, baby doll. We don’t want to be late.”

She rolled her eyes and swiped the mascara wand over her lashes. He’d been very tight-lipped about what he had planned for their last night before baseball took him from her life for the next few months. On the bright side, the Rockets played their spring training in Arizona instead of Florida. And his pilot’s license would cut the time between visits.

A quick
ziiiip
of the black vinyl bag exposed red chiffon. She slowly, carefully pulled the dress out. It was beautiful; a halter top with flowing fabric that circled around her knees in elegant flutters.

She finished pinning her hair up on top of her head, leaving a few brown curls to kiss her neck and brow. She had to admit she was a little nervous for tonight. She had no idea where they were going. This was Salina; there wasn’t a whole lot to do that required tuxedos and elegant gowns. In fact, there wasn’t a single thing that she could think of.

After slipping her feet into red platform heels that would bring her to nearly the same height as Grayson—She hoped that she would get a lot of time to take advantage of the vertical increase—she walked down the short hallway and down the stairs where Grayson was waiting at the bottom. He’d donned the shirt and had even added the jacket and a bowtie that was the exact color of her dress.

“
Aren’t you cute?” Cute wasn’t the right word though. The man was breathtakingly gorgeous. Again, she wanted to skip whatever was on the agenda for tonight and take him back upstairs and take her time undressing him.

He looked down at himself. “I do, don’t I?”

She stopped on the bottom step and for the first time ever was actually taller than he was. She kinda liked it. She smiled and leaned down to kiss him. He obliged, tilting his chin up to meet her lips with his.

“
Now will you tell me where we’re going?”

“
Not yet.” He ran a finger down her neck and picked up the locket just to let it thunk against her breastbone. “You’ll know soon enough.”



JANE WAS QUICKLY LEARNING THAT SHE hated surprises. He’d promised her that he wouldn’t blindfold her again, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t ask her to close her eyes—with the threat of busting out the blindfold if she peeked.

“
Talk to me,” she whispered.

His long fingers wrapped around hers and she instantly felt the calming influence his touch evoked. “What would you like me to say?”

“
I don’t know.”

“
Okay. Well, how about … I love you? Or tonight will be perfect? Or you need to relax?”

“
Those are all good things.” She swallowed hard around the lump in her throat, trying to convince herself that she would not cry. Crying would seriously mess up her make-up and she didn’t want to look like a raccoon. “I especially like the ‘I love you’ part.”

“
I love you,” he said again, squeezing her hand. The car came to a stop and Grayson stated the obvious, “We’re here.”

“
And where is here?”

“
Patience, my love.”

She loved that he called her his love. She loved that he loved her and wasn’t afraid to tell her so. Grayson would be more than happy to stand on the highest rooftop and shout it at the top of his lungs. She, on the other hand, was a little nervous to announce her feelings to the world. Not that she didn’t feel them; she just wanted to keep her personal and professional lives separate. Especially given that he was a major sports figure and she was a sportscaster. She’d worked too damned hard for her career to give anyone the impression that she was using Grayson to further it.

His door closed and moments later a cool breeze blew in as her door opened. He took her hand and helped her out of the car. She tried to listen for clues as to where they were; and got mostly nothing. Rocks crunched under her shoes. The surface was flat.

“
Stairs,” Grayson whispered, his arm moving around her back to steady her. “One more.”

Then a door opened with a squeak. Cool air whooshed up around her, chiffon brushing around her knees. She was able to make out a low, steady thumping. Music? Another door squeaked. Yes, definitely music.

“
You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known.” Grayson’s lips brushed her ear, his breath tickling. “I love you.”

He was right behind her. She couldn’t believe that she had actually kept her promise not to sneak a peek. Her eyes had remained closed. He put his hands on her waist and tapped. “Open your eyes.”

She did … and the scene before her stole her breath away. They were in the high school gym and it had never been so beautiful; crepe paper streamers, pink and white balloons, a DJ was doing his thing at one end and a refreshment table was set up at the other. It was also filled with people.

Most of the Rockets (sans Xavier) were dressed to the nines, some with women on their arms. Nate waved from the refreshment table—exactly where she’d expect him to be hanging out—and nudged Roxie with his elbow. She shot a glare at Nate then smiled at Jane. There were also faces Jane recognized from her high school days. And … Jane gasped in surprise.

Molly rushed forward, throwing her arms around Jane’s neck. The added height difference made the hug awkward and Molly let go after a quick squeeze. “He is so sweet. I can’t believe he did this for you. He’s a keeper, Jane.”

Grayson was standing right next to them and Molly’s approval was directed more to Grayson than to Jane. As if she and Grayson hadn’t known that Molly adored him. The Christmas gift of a spa-day for Molly and Jane had pretty much sealed that deal. Jane beamed up at Grayson. He kissed the top of her head.

Molly glanced over at where Grayson’s teammates were congregated and smiled. “Do you think you could introduce me?”

“
You don’t want any of them, Molly,” Grayson told her. “They’re not good enough for you.”

“
Yeah, well, I sure wish I could find someone who is.” Molly sighed and faded into the crowd, every unworthy eye on her.

“
I can’t believe you did all this.”

Grayson grinned. “I am pretty amazing.”

Jane laughed. “Yes, you are.”

“
And what’s really good about this prom—” His lips were right at her ear. “—there aren’t any teachers gonna stick a biology book between us.”

“
You mean we can dance as close as we want?”

“
Yep.” He tugged her close. “I expect to be very close.”

Warm, fuzzy feelings fluttered in her stomach but didn’t get a chance to grab hold because Maude stepped forward. She took one of Jane’s hands and one of Grayson’s. She placed them together, holding them joined between her palms.

“
I always knew you two were a perfect fit. There was a time when I didn’t think it would work out between you and my heart broke. Then you show up on my doorstep—” Her voice cracked with emotion and she paused for a moment to gain control. “You are the daughter I’ve always wanted.”

Now it was Jane who was overcome with emotion. “Thank you, Maude.”

“
Call me Mom.”

“
I’d like that, Mom.”

Trent stepped up to them. He smiled at Jane. “I’m glad you finally came back into this schmuck’s life,” he told Jane. “He’s been hopeless over you for as long as I can remember.”

“
Your memory’s not that great,” Grayson snorted.

“
So you’re not hopeless for me?” Jane asked, smiling.

“
Oh, he is,” Maude defended. “I’m his mother and I would know.”

Grayson glared at Trent. “You’re gettin’ me in trouble, man. Get outta here.”

Trent laughed and handed Grayson a microphone. As Trent sauntered away, Maude also slid away, leaving Grayson and Jane standing alone in front of the crowd. Grayson put his arm around Jane and tucked her into his side. The smile he gave her was huge and full of love. He looked out at their audience quickly then, lifting the microphone to his lips, spoke as if they were the only two people in the room.

“
Every girl deserves to go to prom. Jane never got that—”

Well, hell. She’d wanted that horrible exclusion from her past to stay dead and buried right where it’d been for the last fifteen years.

“—
I’m sorry to say that that tragedy is my fault. Thanks to all of you for helping me make it up to her.” He dipped her backward and kissed her passionately—obscenely—as the onlookers whistled approvingly. He straightened, lifting her with a flourish. “Woo! I love this woman,” he said into the microphone.

More whistling.

Heat rose in Jane’s cheeks; not by the statement, but the fact that he’d made it publicly. Not that she was surprised. This forum wasn’t exactly a rooftop, but it was nearly everyone they knew personally.

“
Let’s party!” he shouted.

And did they ever!

The entire group laughed and sang along to the songs that were becoming
classic
. She giggled through the entire Macarena and held Grayson’s hand while doing the Electric Slide.

“
Last song,” the DJ announced and Grayson pulled her against his chest, his hands coming to rest on her hind-end.

He’d certainly made up for her missed prom—and his, technically. Tonight had been perfect, made better by the love that they shared.

“
I love you.” Her heart was so full of emotion she wanted to cry, wanted to scream, wanted to shout those words from the rooftops. If she’d had a microphone, she might have told all of their friends how she felt about the man holding her.

As they swirled around the dance floor, Grayson pressed a kiss to the skin under her ear. His hands made lazy circles on her back and she melted against him. “I’ve been thinking.”

“
About?” she purred, feeling completely content in his arms.

“
I know you don’t want the public to think that you’re with me because of what it might do for your career. And I understand. I do. I get that. And if I were in your shoes, I would feel the same. With that said, I want to make you a deal.”

“
What kind of deal?” she asked hesitantly. The last deal she’d made with him had landed her in his home for a week—and she’d lost her heart to him.

He grinned and she had to smile, too. “Well … if the Rockets win the World Series, we have a press conference to tell the world we’re together.”

“
And if they lose?”

He feigned offense, pressing his hand to his heart. “
If—
and that’s a big if, baby doll—we lose, then you get to decide when to announce our engagement.”

“
Our engagement?”

His hand slid between them, into his pocket, to produce a black velvet box. It opened with a click to expose a sparkly rock the size of a marble inside. It was big; an enormous solitaire diamond with channel set diamonds running around the band. And it was beautiful.

As gorgeous as the ring was, it was totally eclipsed by Grayson.

“
Marry me, Janie.”

She stared at him. Emotion swamped her. She couldn’t believe that this wonderful man was offering to love her forever.

“
Jane?”

“
I only have one thing to say to you, Grayson Pierce,” she said, keeping her tone flat.

His face feel and panic flared in his eyes. His Adam’s apple bobbed with his swallow.

She smiled as sweetly as she could. “All I have to say is that … it’s about damned time you make it official.”

“
Is that a yes?” he asked, a chuckle in his voice.

“
Abso-frickin’-lutely!”

“
She said yes!” he shouted.

Their friends applauded and Grayson wrapped her in a hug, spinning her around.