Authors: Catherine Mann
“You
sure
do
look
hot
in
that
uniform
of
yours.”
“Why
thank
you.
Right
back
atcha,
my
love.”
He
smiled
at
that
with
such
peace,
this
man
who
hadn’t
been
loved
nearly
enough,
but
accepted
the
gift
of her
heart
with
such
tender
care.
“You’re
gonna
look
hot
in
the
cop
uniform
of
yours,
too.”
“Thank
you,
again.”
His
eyes
twinkled
that
wicked
warning.
“Will
you
have
handcuffs?”
“Yeah,
and
a
Taser,
too,
so
watch
your
butt,
Captain.”
She
pressed
her
lips
together
primly
because
she knew
it
drove
him
crazy
and
would
most
definitely
earn
her
a
kiss.
They’d
spent
a
large
chunk
of
the
past
three
months
seeing
each
other.
They
took
weeklong
and
weekend vacations
together
and
even
wrangled
a
second
assignment
together.
Soon,
she
would
be
living
in
Fort Walton
Beach
near
his
Hurlburt
Field
base
for
good.
“Taser?”
He
waggled
his
brow.
“I’m
always
up
to
try
something
new.
Face
it,
Gracie,
I’m
not
ever
gonna
be able
to
stop
admiring
that
amazing
rack
of
yours.
And
holy
shit,
just
think
of
how
amazing
it’s
going
to
look once
you’ve
had
a
couple
of
kids.”
Gracie’s
throat
closed
up.
Kids?
“Is
that
a
proposal?”
“Well,
duh,”
he
said,
tone
light,
face
serious.
“Otherwise
my
grandma
would
trot
down
from
heaven
and whup
my
ass.”
“Such
a
romantic
proposal
it
is.”
She
couldn’t
resist
a
hint
of
sarcasm
even
as
her
heart
jumped
in
response.
He
splayed
his
hands.
“Gracie,
I
am
the
man
that
I
am,
and
for
some
reason
beyond
my
comprehension,
you love
me.
And
that
is
something
I
thank
God
for
every
morning
of
my
life.”
“Oh.”
Her
eyes
filled
with
tears
and
her
heart,
well,
it
went
mushy.
Even
women
who
could
kick
butt
seven ways
to
Sunday
were
susceptible
to
mush.
“That
was
good.”
“Does
that
earn
me
a
yes?”
She
threw
her
arms
around
his
neck
in
a
flagrant
PDA.
“A
most
definite
yes,
forever
yes,
all
my
heart
and love
yes.
My
father
will
adore
being
a
grandpa.
Ohmigod,
what
a
big
family
all
of
us
loners
will
put together.
I
want
everything
with
you.”
The
busload
full
of
airmen
and
soldiers
burst
into
a
round
of
applause.
Face
shouted
from
the
front
seat,
“Give
her
the
ring,
you
dumb
ass.” A
ring?
How
fitting
that
this
relationship
started
under
the
noses
of
all
their
military
friends,
and
now
she
and Bobby
would
cement
it
under
their
watchful
eyes
as
well.
No
matter
how
much
time
she
spent
on
the
police force,
she
knew
these
guys
would
always
be
her
brothers.
Bobby
thunked
himself
on
the
head.
“Ah,
yeah.
The
ring.
Sheesh.
I
hope
I
didn’t
forget
it.
I
really
wanted Gracie
to
be
able
to
bling
up
her
uniform
for
this
whole
awards
ceremony.” He
fished
around
in
his
formal
jacket
while
Gracie
waited,
touched
that
her
tightwad
true
love
would
even buy
a
ring.
She
would
have
been
happy
with
a
simple
gold
band
exchanged
in
front
of
a
preacher.
“Okay,
whew.”
Bobby
tugged
his
hand
from
his
pants
pocket,
a
small
blue
box
cradled
in
his
palm.
A
ring box.
She
saw
right
through
his
pretended
worry
and
knew
how
carefully
her
crazy
lover,
friend,
soul
mate
must have
planned
to
make
this
happen
for
her.
Slowly,
he
creaked
the
jeweler’s
box
open.
“Holy
shit!”
Gracie
exclaimed,
her
eyes
surely
about
as
big
as
the
diamond,
a
princesscut
rock
in
a fourteenkaratgoldpronged
setting
that
Bobby
had
picked
out.
For
her.
“Bobby,
really,
this
is
gorgeous.”
And
expensive.
Like
it
must
have
cost
a
mint,
but
she
wouldn’t
be
tacky enough
to
say
anything.
Her
hand
trembled
as
she
reached
toward
it.
“But
really,
are
you
sure—”
“Gracie.”
He
plucked
the
ring
out.
“I’m
positive
this
is
exactly
what
I
want
on
your
hand
to
make
sure
every man
knows
you’re
officially
off
the
market.”
He
slid
it
on
her
ring
finger
and
sealed
its
placement
with
a
kiss.
“You
know
what
a
thrifty
guy
I
am.
I
was just
waiting
for
someone
I
love
to
spend
it
on.”
“You
really
can
be
so
sweet
when
you
let
yourself.”
She
locked
her
arms
around
his
neck
again
and
kissed him
again
to
another
round
of
whoops
and
hollers
from
the
rest
of
the
riders.
Pulling
back,
she
extended
her
arm
to
study
the
look
of
the
engagement
ring
on
her
hand
as
the
sun
glinted off
the
jewel.
“Where
in
the
world
did
you
find
this?”
“Well,
Gracie,
like
you
once
told
me
on
a
very
memorable
occasion
that
included
a
tasty
treat.
There’s nothing
you
can’t
buy
in
the
wideopenair
market
in
downtown
Cantou.” ISBN:
9781459228252
BLAZE
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Copyright
©
2006
by
Catherine
Mann
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