He groaned and grabbed my bottom to pull my hips tightly against him too. The now very big bulge pressing into my belly told me that my baby was rock hard and ready to rumble. I started rubbing against him shamelessly and I was about to suggest we head to the bedroom while we still had some good judgment left, when I heard a phone ring and Adam call out.
“Pizza’s here, Braden. You going to get it or should I?” It sounded like Adam was getting up. Braden broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against mine in breathless defeat.
“I’ll get it!” he called out, sounding a bit tense.
“Poor baby,” I said with a giggle. “I hope this doesn’t lead to stage three.”
“Laugh it up. You’re not going to be able to walk tomorrow. The quickie option is off the table. I’m going to bang you so long tonight they’ll send out a search party for you,” he said, pulling his shirt down over the evidence of his healthy maleness and heading off to get the food. I didn’t know what in the hell I was laughing at. I felt more than just “warm” myself at that point and I probably looked like I had just jogged a few dozen miles. I splashed a little water on my face before grabbing some plates out of the cupboard and napkins out of a drawer. I had a feeling that we were going to have a night of volcanic sex later and I wondered if I should try to get cardiac clearance.
Braden brought the pizza back and we all grabbed a piece and sat down to eat and watch the game again. The teams were evenly matched and there was plenty of excitement, shouting, and cheering. I wasn’t a really big baseball fan, but now that I knew most of the rules, it was much more entertaining. Did you know that those guys weren’t actually translating things into sign language, by the way? Those were secret signals they were using. Tricky, huh?
“Any interesting cases this week?” Mark asked during another commercial.
“A few,” Braden answered, pulling me closer to him and nestling me in his arm. I loved it when he nestled me. It made me feel wonderfully small and girlie. I had learned my lesson earlier, and Bruno, who was eyeing up my pizza suspiciously, was the only one who I was petting during the later innings.
“I’ve got a really fun one with Gabrielle coming up,” Adam said with a smirk. “It involves a young man who, shockingly, may not be terribly bright. I’m afraid that I’m going to have to make her life a bit difficult, but I’ll try to be gentle. “
“Don’t worry, Captain Ego. I can take it.”
“Well, alright then! Bring it, baby!” he taunted.
“Don’t call her baby,” Braden warned. “Only I get to call her baby.” He reached up and stroked my hair possessively. It didn’t bother me when Braden got possessive. In fact I was perfectly happy to let him claim his territory on a nightly basis.
“Uh oh. Are other guys allowed to argue with Gabrielle?” Mark teased. “What’s going to happen when it’s Adam getting her all fired up instead of you?” He could be such a pot stirrer. He really was like a naughty schoolboy sometimes.
“He can get her all fired up as long as she works off her adrenaline with me,” Braden said. “And as long as I can watch her get all fired up.” He gave me a slightly lecherous look.
“I think I saw that movie on cable last night,” Cam joked.
“Yeah, that sounds pretty voyeuristic,” Adam noted with a laugh.
“And your point is?” Braden asked, dropping his hand back around my waist and stroking my ribs. The looks he was giving me clued me in to the fact that he was still somewhere in the vicinity of the really horny stage. He very subtly moved his hand a little higher and brushed the underside of my breast, giving me a wicked smile. Oh boy.
The game was tied and the Phillies were up to bat with the bases loaded and two men out. Suddenly the batter hit it straight into left field and the runner on third headed home. Everyone’s attention was riveted to the game and they all started yelling and cheering. Braden decided to take that opportunity to get to first base himself, squeezing my breast and pinching my nipple in just the way that he knew drove me wild. I almost moaned but I caught myself. The Phillies scored and Braden gave me a cocky grin, content in the knowledge that he had scored too. He dropped his hand back down and began stroking my ribs again. I guess that he had proven to me that two could play at that game.
“Oh by the way, Gab, do you want me to take that client in that gang case you got hauled into?” Mark asked me, turning away from the TV again for a moment.
“Why? There’s no reason I can’t handle it just because it’s a gang case. My client’s not a shooter. I think he’s just charged with theft.”
“Let him take it anyway, Gabrielle,” Braden said, sounding unhappy. Anyone in a street gang was potentially a violent criminal, no matter what he was charged with. He hated it when I had to represent the violent ones, mostly because I had to be locked in with them alone to interview them. His fears weren’t completely unrealistic, even though incidents were rare.
“Why, Braden? I can handle it.”
“Because I care about your safety.”
“Gee thanks,” Mark said with a laugh.
“Not that …” Braden said hurriedly, glancing up at him.
“It’s alright dude. I’m not your fiancée.”
“Braden. I have to do my job just like you do,” I said gently.
Just then the game came back on and everyone turned their attention back to the TV, but I could sense that we weren’t done discussing this subject. It was the one real source of potential conflict that we had. If I was going to do this job, though, I was going to do it like everyone else did. I didn’t want any special treatment because I was the daughter of a very rich man or the fiancée of one either, for that matter. The Phillies eventually won six to four and our friends got up, stretched, and got ready to go. Cam offered to take Jess home and before they left I pulled her aside for a little strategy session and pep talk.
“Remember what you told me,” I whispered.
“Never try to wax your own hoohah?”
“Not that!” I rolled my eyes. “Just flirt with him and see what happens.”
“Okay, but I have a feeling that what will happen is nothing.”
“Just try it,” I said with a sigh. We said goodnight to all of them and as the door closed, I grabbed the stack of dirty dishes and darted into the kitchen to start filling the sink. I had been enjoying our little back and forth teasing game and it was my turn again now.