Page 45 of Power Play

He thrusts Emmy into her arms, and she coos at her niece, who immediately grabs hold of her hair and tugs. Wincing, Cari settles on the edge of the bed.

“Now, now, be nice to your Tia Cari,” she says, extracting her ponytail from the baby’s grip. “We’re going to have so much fun together, you and me. Aren’t we?”

She tickles Emmy’s tummy, and the baby lets out a loud, wet fart.

I laugh. “Don’t worry. We’ll change her before we go.”

Al returns in the doorway, a long black velvet box in his hands. Cari lets out a quiet squeal, and he glares at her. “Do you mind?”

“Come on, Emmy, I know when we’re not wanted,” she teases the baby. She hip-checks her brother on her way out the door.

He shakes his head, a smile twisting his lips, but when I sit to fasten the buckle of my shoe, his smile fades, and he adjusts himself in his pants. I don’t know if he’s aware of it, or if he’s simply not trying to hide it. Knowing he’s having a reaction, even if it’s purely physical and not emotional, has my heart fluttering a little faster.

“You look… I have no words,” he says.

“That bad?”

“That good.” The thick column of his throat works, and the bob of his Adam’s apple sends heat radiating through me. Why is that so sexy? “I got this for you. I thought you might want to wear it?”

“Is that a question?”

Seeing my big, strong hockey player so unbalanced, so off his game, makes my stomach flutter. Maybe I’m not the only one in this thing.

Al takes my hand, pulling me upright. His hand feels right in mine, warm and solid. Even with the help of my heels, I only come up to his chin.

He opens the jewelry box, revealing a large square amethyst on a delicate white-gold chain.

My eyes dart up to his, and he swallows again.

“Do you like it?”

“It’s beautiful. I—I can’t wear this.” Deep in my soul, I know this isn’t costume jewelry like everything else I own. This is the real deal.

“It matches your wedding dress.” He pulls the necklace out of the box, opening the clasp and drawing it around my neck.

Bowing toward me, he fastens it while holding my hair out of the way. I catch a whiff of his cologne, cedar and firewood, and inhale deeply. Something settles deep within me. The base level of anxiety I didn’t even realize was plaguing me soothes into abeyance.

“You ready for this?” His eyes search mine. “Last chance to back out.”

As much as I don’t want to leave Emmy, especially while she’s sick, I know Cari is right; we need to go out together. This is a command performance, and there will be repercussions if we’re not in attendance. Al needs me by his side for these types of things. The way he’s supported me the last two months, the last thing I want is to make him think I don’t have his back, too.

I shake my head. “We’re going.”

We can do this.