Page 109 of Blood Money

When Gray released her, he automatically glanced at the monitor. “One-oh-five.”

Alex turned and gasped. “Oh, thank God,” she whispered.

He dropped his arm over her shoulders, drawing her closer, and for the next three hours they eyed the monitor vigilantly, watching Nicky’s temperature lower degree by degree. When the boy’s temperature reached ninety-nine point eight, Gray breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes for the first time since entering Nicky’s room. The last thing he remembered before drifting off was Alex whispering in his ear, “Thank you for saving my son.”

Epilogue

Six months later

Alex woke to Gray nibbling on her neck, sending the most delicious shivery tingles to her toes. When she lifted her arms over her head to stretch, he clasped her hands, holding them there while he kissed his way down her neck.

After last night’s marathon lovemaking session, Alex didn’t think her lovingly abused body had another round in her, but the moment Gray began rolling her nipple between his tongue and teeth, her body sparked with need.

She gasped, arching into his mouth, locking her legs around the backs of his thighs as he pushed inside her.

With her arms still held over her head, Alex was unable to do what she loved most during these moments, to run her hands across the muscled contours of Gray’s powerful arms and shoulders, down his back to his incredible ass. As he began thrusting, she linked her legs higher on the backs of his thighs. He pushed deeper, tingling that special spot he’d found that she hadn’t known existed.

Rocking her hips against his, her breathing increased. Her pulse quickened. The muscles inside her womb tightened as Gray increased his pace until she felt her entire body clenching with the impending explosion.

“Come for me, baby,” he whispered against her mouth, rocking in to her. “I love to watch you come.”

His sexy words were the catalyst that sent her flying into the heavens. Alex arched her neck and cried out quietly, pushing her breasts against his chest as the powerful orgasm claimed her.

He pressed his lips to her neck and groaned, that deep, throaty sound he made when he came.

Afterward, they lay there, breathing deeply as their heart rates slowed. She loved these moments. There was no need for talk, just the feel of him still inside her, pulsing with the force of his orgasm, making her feel whole and loved.

Over the last six months Alex had lost count of all the times Gray told her he loved her and how much she turned him on. It still astounded her how a man she’d once thought to be so rigid and by the book could be so uninhibitedly inventive yet exquisitely gentle in bed.

“Much as I’d like to ravish you all day, I have to head out and get Nicky soon.” Gray eased out of her and kissed his way down the valley between her breasts to her belly button. “And as much as I love Nicky, I seriously loved being alone with you last night.” He waggled his eyebrows then began laving her belly button with his tongue.

“I do, too.” Unable to stop herself, Alex closed her eyes and gave in to the wonderful magic Gray’s talented tongue unleashed on her abdomen. “We have Raven to thank for that.”

When Gray laughed against her stomach, the vibrations tickled, making Alex laugh right along with him. “When I told him Raven was staying for a while at my folks’ house until Cassie gives birth, Nicky dropped that new baseball mitt I gave him and didn’t stop jumping up and down for a solid hour.”

Alex sifted her fingers through Gray’s thick, dark hair. “I think the only thing he loves more than baseball is that dog. I love seeing him happy and well again.”

It had taken a couple months for Nicky to regain his strength, but in that time, Dr. Maxwell’s experimental treatments were approved by the medical community, meaning that medical insurance companies would now cover most of the expenses. Nicky would still need treatment for some time to come, but the prognosis was good.

Uttering a groan, Gray tossed the covers aside and got out of bed. “I gotta jump in the shower and head out.”

Unabashedly, Alex’s gaze raked over Gray’s impressive, still-hard erection. Knowing she’d done that to him brought a little smile to her face.

“What?” Gray scratched his morning stubble.

“Nothing.” She smiled openly. “Just admiring your naked bod.”

He grinned. “If you look at me like that, we’ll both be late for the game.”

“Go.” Alex covered her eyes with her hand. “Get in the shower before I decide to have my way with you.”

With another groan, this one louder, Gray disappeared into the bathroom. Only when the shower came on, did Alex feel it was safe to get out of bed. If she got one more look at Gray’s body, they really would be late for the big family outing at Yankee Stadium.

Gray had offered to pick up Nicky at his parents’ house on Long Island and bring him to the game, although Alex didn’t understand why his parents couldn’t just bring Nicky with them since they’d be coming to the game anyway.

She slid from the covers and threw on the new silk robe Gray had bought for her. During one night of particularly athletic sex, he’d ripped her old lavender one to shreds. After Alex told him that he needed to do more wild and crazy things like that, he told her the real reason for his destroying the only remaining garment from her previous marriage: he didn’t want any reminders of Jan in her life. Especially not in their bed.

Sadly, Alex realized Jan must have loved Nicky in his own way. At least he’d recognized that Nicky needed medical treatment and brought him to a hospital. But she had no doubt that if Gray hadn’t tracked Nicky down, eventually Jan would have taken him away from her forever. She would never wish Jan dead, but it certainly alleviated many issues, like the threat of his parental rights and the need for a legal divorce.