Page 56 of The Nanny's Homecoming

Time for more distraction. Gabe roused himself from the pure pleasure of Brooke’s nearness.

“Anyone for a deep-fried Twinkie?”

“Gabe!” Brooke whacked his forearm.

Gabe grinned and rubbed at the spot. “Just wanted to see your reaction. We’ll go for the Rockie Dogs first. Twinkies later.”

Her blue eyes twinkled. “You are so bad.”

“I know.” He patted his chest with mock pride. “So what do you say? Dogs, Twinkies, cotton candy, junk food here we come?”

“I say we’re at a baseball game.” She grappled on the floor for her purse. “I’ll have a Rockie Dog. Loaded.”

He pumped a fist in the air. “My kind of woman. Come on, kids, concession time.”

Macy hopped up immediately, eager for a new adventure. A.J. ignored him in favor of a plastic zebra. Brooke moved toward the busy toddler.

At the crack of a bat, Gabe rotated toward the sound.

Brooke gasped. Before he could compute what was happening, she shoved her way past him and fell across the two children. A herd of other fans surged toward them, shouting, reaching, pushing. Feet scraped against concrete. Bodies slammed into seats.

Reaction set in. With split-second timing, Gabe blocked Brooke and the children with his body and shot one hand into the air to deflect the oncoming foul ball. The hard smack of leather against skin stung, but he held on.

A collective sigh of defeat went up from the surging crowd.

Some good sport slapped him on the back. “Good catch, man.”

Shocked and amazed, Gabe opened his hand to a white ball against a stinging red palm.

The crowd ebbed away.

Gabe looked down at the pile of Brooke, Macy and A.J. Brooke was spread over the children like an unfurled umbrella. Below her, A.J.’s eyes were wide with shock. Macy’s glasses were askew. Something sweet and bright flared in Gabe’s chest. He took Brooke’s arm and helped her up.

“That was close.” She straightened Macy’s glasses.

“Closer than you know.” He held out the foul ball.

“Gabe! That ball was a rocket. How did you do that?”

“Reflex.”

“That wasn’t reflex,” she insisted. “That was skill. Reflex was what I did.”

He disagreed on that count. What she’d done came from the heart.

“Let me see your hand. It has to be red.”

“It’s nothing.” He loved when she fussed over him.

“Look.” Macy pointed at the big screen in center field. “There we are. We’re on the big screen.” She jumped up and down in excitement as Gabe’s catch replayed and the stadium roared.

Brooke still held his hand. He could get used to this. “We’ll get some ice at the concession.”

“Brooke, don’t take my man card. I can barehand a baseball.”

She hiked an eyebrow, tickled. “Your man card?”

“Daddy got a boo-boo. Kiss it.”

Both adults turned toward A.J. Macy giggled. “Yeah, kiss it, Brooke. Make it all better.”

The thought of kissing put Gabe’s brain on spin cycle. His gaze instantly went to Brooke’s lips, lips he knew to be soft as velvet and sweeter than a fried Twinkie. Their gazes collided and held as Brooke’s perfect lips curved knowingly.

“Later,” she murmured, and then with a wink, she grabbed his hand and kissed the palm.

While his skin tingled from the touch of her lips, the single, intoxicating word tingled in his head. Later? What did she mean by later?

“Daddy, I go potty.” The toddler’s request drew his attention away from Brooke and the unnerving need to spend some alone time with the nanny.

He hoisted A.J. into one arm. “Potty first and then concession.” He pointed at Brooke. “No ice.”

She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Man card.”

Gabe chuckled and started up the steps.

Surrounded by the mixed smells and sounds of an outdoor sporting event, they entered the promenade, a long balcony-like strip of concession area. The sun slipped over the mountains behind left field in a showy display. Stadium lights took over.

They stopped first at the restrooms, and then, like magnets, Macy and A.J. were pulled toward the souvenir stands. Gabe didn’t mind. He wanted Macy to have good memories of tonight and a souvenir would help. So what if he bought Brooke a T-shirt to match his? She’d bought him a foam finger. With hands full of Rockies memorabilia, they joined the line to order eats and drinks.

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