And then he kissed her. And oh, what a kiss. Her heart swelled with so much love she couldn’t believe it was real. Her fantasy, what she’d always wanted. The man she’d always wanted.
The cheers and clapping of the fans told her it was real.
He broke the kiss and swiped the tears from her cheeks. “Sorry, we’ll have to wait ’til later to continue this.”
She laughed. “Go win the game.”
“So does this mean you said yes?”
She took the mic from his hand. “I said yes.”
More cheers, and Gavin climbed back down to the dugout.
The rest of the game was a blur. The Rivers won. Even more shocking was seeing Kathleen and Jimmy Riley, Jenna, and Mick and Tara after the game. They had just been a few rows over. Gavin had told them his plans, and after he’d gone back to the dugout, they’d surprised her. She flew into Kathleen’s arms for a hug.
Even Mick hugged her and welcomed his new sister into the family.
“What if I’d said no?” she asked Kathleen.
Kathleen gave her that all knowing look. “You weren’t going to say no. You love my son, and I had every confidence he wasn’t going to screw this up.”
She looked to Mick. “So, you think we can put up with each other?”
“Hey, if I can put up with Jenna, I can put up with you.”
Jenna elbowed him in the ribs. “Jerk.”
Tara was thrilled for her. “We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?”
Elizabeth hugged her. “You’re the most forgiving of all, and I’m so grateful. I need family and sisters.” She hooked her arms with both Tara and Jenna. “I’m going to have sisters now. I’ve always wanted them.”
Jenna gave her a wry grin. “Be careful what you wish for.”
Elizabeth laughed.
After she said good-bye to the Riley family, she and Shawnelle and Haley headed down to the team locker room to wait for their guys.
Shawnelle told her Dedrick really did want to change agents, but it could wait. They’d been in on Gavin’s proposal, and it was Dedrick who came up with the idea to use his interest in changing agents to get Elizabeth there tonight.
“You are such a sneaky bitch,” she said.
Shawnelle just waggled her brows. “All in the name of love. And speaking of love . . .”
The door opened and Gavin walked out. The rest of the world ceased to exist as she walked into his arms and was greeted with a kiss that rocked her world.
“Uh-huh. I think we’ll leave these two alone, Haley. I’m going to go find my man.”
“Me, too,” Haley said.
“Talk to you tomorrow, girl,” Shawnelle said.
Elizabeth waved them off, her lips and her mind and her heart focused only on Gavin.
TWENTY-FIVE
SOMEHOW, GAVIN HAD GOTTEN IT RIGHT. HE’D MANAGED not to strike out when he’d gone up to bat in the most important game of his life.
Now he stood outside the locker room with his lips locked with the woman he loved.
He’d won the girl.
Elizabeth slid her fingers into his hair and curled her body against his. God, it felt like it had been months since he’d touched her, since he’d breathed in the sweet honeyed scent of her, since he’d been inside her.
They stood in a hallway outside the locker room in a baseball stadium, and he was getting a hard-on.
Not good. Not good at all.
He broke the kiss and stared into her eyes, still not believing that he’d been forgiven for all he’d fucked up, that she’d said yes. He still felt like he had so much to make up for.
Time. He needed lots of time.
“We have to get out of here. I need to get you alone.”
Her lips lifted. “That’s a very good idea.”
“Follow me home?”
She nodded. “Try not to break any speed limits, but hurry.”
HE STAYED AT OR JUST ABOVE THE SPEED LIMIT THE entire way to his house, glancing in his rearview mirror every few seconds to make sure Elizabeth was right behind him. He kept expecting her to ditch him, that maybe he’d dreamed everything that had happened today.
They pulled into the driveway together and got out of their cars, and he linked his fingers with hers as they strolled up to the front door. He held it open for her, his heart pounding the entire time.
“Your hand is sweaty,” Elizabeth said after they stepped inside and he closed the door.
“I’m nervous.”
She arched a brow. “Why?”
“I keep waiting for you to bolt. I keep thinking this isn’t real.”
She turned to him, wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m not leaving you, Gavin. Not now, not ever.”
He laid his hands on her hips. “I messed up bad. There were so many things I wanted to say to you today, to make you understand how sorry I am for what I said. But there isn’t a decent excuse for hurting you the way I did.”
She pressed a finger to his lips. “And sometimes you just have to let it go. We could rehash everything we’ve both said to each other during our relationship, the stupid things we’ve said and done, but what would be the point? Every step we’ve taken led us here, right?”
“Yes.”
“Do you love me, Gavin?”