Totally, Sweetly, Irrevocably(44)

“Hmm, that would be a tragedy of epic proportions. Okay. Feed me.”

She laughed. “What do you want? Omelet? Oatmeal? Smoothie?”

“Pancakes?”

She grinned at him. “Totally what I’m in the mood for. Plain, blueberry, or chocolate chip?”

“With whipped cream?”

She pulled out a container of heavy cream. “I’ll whip some up, just for you.”

“Woman, you are perfection,” he said, hauling her to him and kissing her so soundly her head spun.

She laughingly pushed him away. “You keep that up, we’ll never eat.”

She grabbed a bowl and a few of the ingredients she’d need. She set Rick to beating the heavy cream into nice stiff peaks while she made up the pancake batter. They worked in comfortable silence for a moment, moving around the kitchen and each other like they did it every morning. It was so…domestic. It was a scenario that had never occurred to her that she’d want. But the morning was unexpectedly enjoyable. And from the happiness radiating off Rick, he seemed to feel the same.

They sat down at her small kitchen table to eat. Rick shoved a huge forkful of whipped cream–laden pancakes into his mouth and closed his eyes with a happy groan. “Oh my God, woman. Best pancakes ever.”

She smiled, ridiculously pleased he was enjoying her cooking. “Well, if it’s one thing I can do well, it’s sweet. The omelet might not have turned out so well.”

“I guess it’s a good thing I’m a pretty decent cook myself.”

“You are?”

“Oh yeah. Growing up with my parents it would be hard not to be.”

Gina laughed. “Good point.”

“So look, there’s this thing coming up for work that I need a date for.”

She froze. He wanted to take her to a work function? On the one hand, wow. Flattering. Thrilling really. But a work function for him meant a room full of police officers. Not her first choice of places to be.

“What kind of thing?” she asked, trying to keep her tone careful and even, not betray the turmoil going on inside. Though from the careful look Rick was giving her, she was pretty sure he knew exactly what she was thinking.

“I know it’s probably not your thing, but it’s the Policeman’s Ball.”

Gina blinked at him in surprise. “Wow. Isn’t that like a big deal?”

“Yeah.”

“And you want me to go with you? I mean, I don’t want you to feel like you have to ask me because of…last night. And this morning,” she couldn’t help adding.

Rick put his fork down and took her hands, placing a kiss on each one. “Last night, and this morning, were a huge deal for me. And I hope it was for you, too. I’m not going to walk out that door and never call you again. In fact, I’ll probably be calling you so much I’ll irritate the shit out of you.”

Relief flooded her. “Don’t worry. If you start to irritate me, I have no problem telling you to knock it the hell off.”

He chuckled and leaned forward to place a quick kiss on her lips. “I want to see you tonight. And tomorrow night. And the night after that. And I most certainly want you to accompany me to the ball.”

She squeezed the hand that still covered hers. She wanted to go with him. Well, she wasn’t thrilled about spending the night surrounded by cops. But it might be kind of fun to get all dressed up and spend the night dancing with the hottest man on the planet.

“I’d love to go with you. But…are you sure I’m the kind of girl you want to bring into a room full of cops?”

His forehead creased in a small frown. “I know it’s not your idea of the perfect night…”

She laughed a little. “No, it’s not that. Well, not only that. I mean…” She took a deep breath. She didn’t usually worry about what people might think of her. She was who she was, and if people didn’t like it she had no problem telling them what to do with themselves. But she wasn’t the only one to worry about for once.

She got up her nerve and spit it out. “I don’t want to embarrass you.”

Rick, bless his heart, looked genuinely surprised. “How would you embarrass me?”

“I’m probably not the type of…significant other the other cops have. I mean…” She ran a hand through her hair to show the galaxy-hued layers beneath the top layer of brunette hair. “And a formal gown won’t hide the tattoo on my shoulder.”

Rick tugged on her hands and pulled her onto his lap. He kissed the tribal phoenix that graced her shoulder. “The other wives and girlfriends will be beside themselves with envy because none of them could ever pull off hair like yours. And the men will all be jealous that I’m with the most beautiful woman in the room. I would be proud and honored to accompany you to the ball. Say yes.”