The room erupted with shouts, high-fives, and more laughter from the other members of the ball-and-chain club while the single guys argued their choice for carefree lives and random pussy. His true brothers, the ones from his squad, turned all their teasing onto Bowie, who enjoyed Erik’s response just as much as the others. Offering his fist to his superior, Bowie smiled wide and said, “Happy for you, brother.”
Erik bumped his knuckles to the man’s and nodded his thanks just as Bill Marshall poked his head into the kitchen. “Grady, she’s here.”
“Shit, she’s early. Stall her, Chief, will you?”
“What do I look like to you, your fucking mother?” the ornery old bastard griped.
A chorus of complaints that the chief wasn’t playing nice made the man give in. “All right, all right, but hurry it up.”
Earlier, they’d parked The Animal and Engine 42 outside in the sunshine after washing both rigs, then set up their rudimentary plan. Olivia was supposed to bring Angie and Cindi and meet him at the station at fifteen hundred hours, and he’d wanted everyone to be waiting with him when she walked up. Now they all looked like a band of suspicious dummies filing in around each apparatus, but it was too late to do anything about it now.
True to his word, Bill was chatting the girls up out front, not letting Olivia past him. Erik jogged over to her as Dozer, Bowie, Smoke, and Preacher took their positions by each of the doors on Rescue 2 and Engine 42, waiting for the signal.
“Hey, gorgeous,” he said before kissing her on the cheek. Bill stepped back with the others, as did Angie and Cindi who were in on it too, giving him space to do his thing.
“Hey,” she said, looking around cautiously. “What’s going on? Why is everyone outside?”
Erik gave her a wide smile, hoping it disguised the knots his stomach was currently tying itself into. He couldn’t believe how nervous he was for this. “Because they’re nosy as hell, but they’re family, so I suppose they have a right to be. Actually, the guys want to show you something.” Then he moved off to the side and gestured to the trucks. It was now or never. “Okay, boys, open ’em up!”
…
Olivia watched in nervous fascination as one by one, the men from Erik’s team opened the doors on the trucks, which had huge pieces of white poster board taped to them, each with a different word painted in bold black letters.
Will. You. Marry. Me.
Her jaw fell slack and her stomach bottomed out. Oh my God, he’s…he’s… She’d been so focused on the distraction, she didn’t realize Erik had moved until she turned to look at him, only to find him dropped to one knee, holding up a princess-cut solitaire in a platinum band.
Her trembling hands flew up to cover her mouth and nose, and her eyes instantly welled with tears of… Oh God, she didn’t even know. Fear? Excitement? Shock? Or maybe they were purely the happy tears of a woman who realized she found the man with whom she shared one soul, one heart, one love.
“Livvie,” he said softly, reaching up to pull her hands down and hold them in his. “Just let me get through what I want to say before that beautiful brain of yours starts overthinking things, okay?”
She chewed on her bottom lip and gave him a slight nod, which he returned, and a calm sense of rightness flooded her.
“Livvie,” he began again, louder this time, she supposed for everyone else’s benefit, “I come from a good family whose parents are still together and very much in love, but I never really considered myself to be a forever kind of guy. My careers as a soldier and a firefighter always came first, no matter what, and I didn’t think that would ever change.
“Then you walked into my life, and you turned my world upside down. I told you back then that I don’t believe in coincidences, and I’d like to think that you don’t believe in them anymore, either. You’re my light in the darkness, baby, and I can’t live without you. Marry me, Livvie.”
She laughed from a combination of nerves and the fact that the alpha in him didn’t allow his subconscious to pose it as a question—on the banner or verbally—and she could no longer hold back the torrent of overwhelming emotions. Tears flowed faster than she could wipe them away and her throat constricted until it hurt to swallow. Her heart swelled even more, if that were possible, but she needed to make sure he agreed to a few things before she gave him her answer. “I have three conditions that are nonnegotiable.”
The brilliant smile on Erik’s face reassured her he knew she was doing the same thing he did to her that first night at the liquor store before they drove to the hotel. “I’m all ears, gorgeous.”
“Number one, where I go, my cats go. We’re a package deal.”
“No question. I’ll treat Ben and Jerrys like they’re my own.”
She tried to hold it back, but a hint of her smile showed through. “Good. Number two, we keep the freezer stocked with at least five pints of assorted Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.”
“Sweetheart, I’ll buy you an extra freezer for nothing but your ice cream. You’ll never run out for as long as those knuckleheads are in business.” His smile turned into his cocky grin. The same one that melted her the first time she saw him. The one that said I got this, whether this was a silly negotiation or a silent claiming. “Come on, Livvie, tell me your last condition so I can kiss you already.”
Her smile faltered. The first two were easy and nonissues. She knew Erik loved her cats and thought her ice-cream addiction was quirky and adorable. It was the third one that might instigate a battle of wills. Something they’d have to get used to, since they were both so stubborn.
“Number three—and the most important one of all—you have to keep your job as a firefighter.”
Erik’s dark eyebrows slashed into a V and set his jaw. “No, this job is dangerous. It was a Godsend when I retired from the army, but I don’t need it anymore like I used to. What I do need is you and about eighty years to spend loving you. So my answer is no.”
Hearing those words and the conviction they were spoken with did both amazing and terrible things to her heart. The man she loved was willing to throw away everything that meant the world to him just because he thought his life-or-death job would be too much for her handle someday.
But Brett had had a safe desk job, and it hadn’t prevented the car accident that ultimately took his life. And yes, the job of any first responder was dangerous and put them at risk for injury or worse, every time they answered a call, but it wasn’t like they weren’t properly trained and prepared for any and every situation they could come up against.
She’d thought about this situation a lot over the last couple of months, knowing this conversation would have to happen, and no matter how she twisted things around, she always came out with the same answer.
“Erik, I can’t tell you how touched I am that you would do this for me—it only makes me love you more, if such a thing is possible—but I love you for who and what you are. Brave, loyal, selfless, and a protector of innocents. So if I’m getting married, that’s the guy I want to get married to. That’s it, only him. You swear that you’ll stay on as a firefighter and continue to lead your Rescue company, and you’ll have your yes.”
“Olivia—”
“It’s nonnegotiable, Lieutenant. I’m not interested in marrying a desk jockey. So what’s it gonna be?”
For what felt like minutes—hours—Erik looked positively shell-shocked. She started to worry she’d need to call Preacher over to check his vitals. But then he sprang to his feet and answered by grabbing her face and kissing the breath out of her. He paused only once to slip the ring on her finger before dragging her back in for another kiss that said all the things his heart wanted hers to hear…and it did.
While he was busy making her forget her own name, the firefighters of the Roxbury station cheered and handed out bottles of nonalcoholic beer—presumably to act as placeholders for when everyone was off-duty and could go out for proper celebratory drinks. She laughed and accepted hugs from Erik’s coworkers
—his brothers and sisters for all intents and purposes—and squealed over the ring with her girlfriends. They were one huge family now, forged by fire and the love of friendships.
She could hardly believe it, but she was well and truly engaged to the man she once knew only as Wolf. A man who’d known nothing about her other than what his instincts told him she needed that night. A man who doggedly pursued her, won a silly (and totally rigged) bet that awarded him three dates with her, showed her how to live with a little more spontaneity and a little less control, and all along made falling in love with him absolutely effortless.
A man who came to her for help to heal from his past and move on with his life, and ended up doing that very thing for her as well.
A man who was, and always would be…her hero.
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Acknowledgments
My husband, Brian, and growing-too-old teenagers, Alyssa and Austin. You are not only the greatest loves of my life, you’re my full-time support system. Without your encouragement, patience, and understanding, I wouldn’t be able to continue pursuing my dream job.
Liz Pelletier, my editor and friend, who has worked tirelessly on this book to help make it the absolute best it could be and is always there for me when I need her most.
Nicole Resciniti, my agent and friend, who has worked so hard for so long to help make this series happen. I will forever be grateful that you’re in my corner.
Rebecca Yarros, for being an amazing friend who keeps me (mostly) sane and productive during our nightly “rock star hours” sprinting sessions. I’m so happy you share my vampire tendencies and love for all things Stephen Amell and Arrow. #Olicity4ever
Cindi Madsen, my great friend and “wifey” who’s such a character in real life that I couldn’t resist making her one in my book. Thank you, Cin, for all the sprints, chats, and virtual hugs.
MK Meredith, my BD and the sweetest, strongest woman I know, for all the random pick-me-ups that bring a huge smile to my face and touch my heart. You’re so special to me.
Drew Panico, my helper elf in Boston who answered my never-ending questions about his great city. Without his incredible attention to detail and lengthy correspondence, the setting for this book wouldn’t be nearly as vibrant (or very accurate). I’m so glad we’ve become friends, Drewbie.
Sergeant Cody Grannan of the U.S. Army for being my consultant on all things military. I can’t thank him enough for answering all of my many, many questions. He more than deserves getting a character named after him. His patience and candid answers have been invaluable to my accurate portrayal of the military backgrounds and personas of the heroes in this series. Any inaccuracies or mistakes are not the fault of Sgt. Grannan, but are my own. (P.S. It doesn’t matter that you’re a total badass in real life, you’ll always be Cody-Gnome to me. Suck it up, buttercup.)
Cecily White for answering my psychologist questions.
“TND” for our hilarious Twitter conversations while I’m working in the middle of the night, including the one that inspired the BOB = vibrator/designated driver bit.
“T” for being my official Firefighter Bracket Buster.
Jenna Behnken, my caffeine dealer at Capputan, my office away from office.
Bloggers! Your endless support, enthusiasm, beautiful graphic teasers and trailers, reviews, and awesome pimping in general…you are what connects us with readers. Your job is not always (if ever) easy, and you don’t even get paid for your efforts but rather do it for the love of reading and sharing that love with others. I admire you. You are essential. And you are appreciated beyond words.
And last, but never least, to all of my readers, especially the members of the Maxwell Mob. Your humor and constant support keep me going every day. I love each and every one of you. A thousand times, thank you.
About the Author
Gina L. Maxwell is a full-time writer, wife, and mother living in the upper Midwest, despite her scathing hatred of snow and cold weather. An avid romance novel addict, she began writing as an alternate way of enjoying the romance stories she loves to read. Her debut novel, Seducing Cinderella, hit both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists in less than four weeks, and she’s been living her newfound dream ever since.
When she’s not reading or writing steamy romance novels, she spends her time losing at Scrabble (and every other game) to her high school sweetheart, doing her best to hang out with their teenagers before they fly the coop, and dreaming about her move to sunny Florida once they do.
Visit and chat with Gina on all her social media homes:
www.ginalmaxwell.com
Also by Gina L. Maxwell…
Seducing Cinderella
Rules of Entanglement
Fighting for Irish
Sweet Victory
Shameless
Ruthless
Tempting Her Best Friend
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