but Damon kept ahold of her, his arm around her waist. She’d forgotten they were in public.
“Uncle Paul.” Damon grinned.
“So, is this for show?” he asked in a low voice. “Or is it real? Because it looked pretty authentic to me.” He chuckled, low and deep.
“It looked that way to me, too,” Paul’s partner, Ron Mayburn, said, also keeping his voice down. He obviously understood the necessary discretion in their circumstances.
She swallowed hard, unsure of what Damon would say. They’d agreed to enjoy each other for now, but that wasn’t something she’d admit in public.
“We’re showing people what they need to see,” Damon said, but he pulled her close to him.
Her throat filled and she couldn’t swallow, because a part of her wished it could be real, but she also had just been put in her place. Which was good, because as she understood, not only were they from two different worlds, she just couldn’t imagine herself taking that leap of faith in a man again. Once Damon returned to playing football full-time, he wouldn’t have time for her, anyway.
“It looks like everyone’s here,” Paul said, interrupting her thoughts.
Evie glanced around and waved at Quinn’s family, who congregated in a corner.
“Wow. Austin really wanted an audience,” Damon said, chuckling.
“I think he wants to prove to her this is it for him,” Paul explained.
Damon nodded. “My brother never expected to get married, let alone have a baby. Now he’s got a family and I’ve never seen him happier. He wants to nail it down.”
“We’ll catch up with you later,” Paul said, walking away with Ron just as an unfamiliar voice spoke.
“Damon.”
He stiffened, keeping Evie hugged close to his side. “Ian. Good to see you.”
Recognizing the name, she realized this was his cousin and team owner, and she imagined Damon wasn’t thrilled to face him at the moment.
But Damon remained calm. “Ian, this is Evie Wolfe. Evie, my cousin and the Miami Thunder team owner, Ian Dare.”
“It’s a pleasure,” Ian said, shaking Evie’s hand, but he looked at Damon grimly. “Any news?”
Evie glanced at him, wondering if he’d mention the connection between the team doctor and trainer.
“We’re working on it,” was all Damon said.
Before Ian could press him more, the conference room door opened and Austin stepped inside, his baby daughter in his arms and an obviously confused Quinn by his side.
“What is this?” she asked, taking everyone in. “The people, the roses…?”
“The ring,” Austin said. “I decided since we didn’t get together in a traditional way, my proposal wasn’t going to be traditional, either.”
“Proposal?” Quinn squeaked out. “Now?”
Evie grinned at her friend’s shock.
“I thought it was important to have our friends and family around us for this moment,” he said.
As Austin reached into his pocket, Damon pulled Evie tighter against him. Instead of fighting it, she leaned into his solid warmth.
Austin held out a ring box. One look and even Evie recognized the red and gold Cartier logo and color.
Quinn gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, happy tears in her eyes.
He handed the baby to Hannah, then got down on one knee. “Quinn, before you, I was alone, lonely, and I hadn’t given the idea of family a thought. Before us”—he glanced at the baby his assistant bounced on her hip—“you thought you didn’t want one.”
He grinned. “But then this little munchkin came and brought us together … when we really belonged with each other all along. Quinnlyn Stone, will you marry me? And adopt Jenny because you’re the only mother she’ll ever know?”
Quinn’s eyes bright, cheeks flushed, her smile wide, Quinn said, “Yes. Yes, of course I will.”
Austin slid the ring on her finger and then she was in his arms, Jenny scooped up and cuddled between them.
Evie sniffed, watching as Quinn’s big family surrounded her, followed by the office staff.
Evie waited, knowing she’d have time with her best friend later.
“Who knew you were a softie,” Damon said beside her.
She glanced up at him. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Prescott.”
He grinned. “Then I look forward to peeling back more layers and finding out what else lies beneath.” At his double entendre, her nipples puckered and her panties grew damp.
She wanted him, and in this, at least, they were on the same page. He was going through a life crisis. She was dealing with the return of her stalker ex and she didn’t trust her judgment with men, especially this handsome, famous playboy football player. But they both yearned for an escape from reality, and she