The Trouble with J.J Part 19

Chuckling, Jared slipped his arms around her waist and started to cuddle and kiss her, attacking her throat with tiny nips and licks. "So, how about it, Teach? Will you marry me?"

"I don't know," Genna said soberly, for once immune to his touch. "I can't get away from the feeling that it's not what you really want. I know I've been a basket case the last few days, and I can see Amy's fine hand in all this." She waved a hand at the empty stadium. "I wouldn't put it past her to have pleaded my case until you broke down and offered to marry me."

J.J. let a smile tease his lips. He brushed a wild lock of chestnut hair from her eyes. "Hey, I'm a great guy, but I wouldn't go as far as marrying someone just to make them feel better.

"Genna, you ought to know by now, I don't play by other people's rules. I wouldn't have asked you if I didn't mean it with all my heart. I don't do anything I don't want to-"

"What about becoming normal?" Genna asked warily.

He made a face. "That was mostly a way to get you to spend time with me. It seemed like a great way to kill two birds with one stone."

Genna gaped at him, furious, and at the same time aware of an undeniable joy flooding through her. "You tricked me!"

"Sort of." He grinned, his eyes alight with mischief. "You wouldn't have had anything to do with me otherwise. I'm not your type, remember, Miss Tunnel Vision? You'd still be looking for a Hart Schaffner and Marx mannequin if not for my brilliant strategy."

"I should bean you for your boneheaded strategy!" She pinched him on the arm and wriggled out of his grasp. "You're a filthy sneak, Hennessy!"

"Ouch!" He rubbed his arm and leered at her teasingly. "I love it when you get abusive, Gen. Do it some more."

"And you're perverted too." She danced away from him. He pursued. She wheeled to face him. They both dodged one way, then the other. Genna turned to retreat, and Jared caught her from behind with his arm around her waist, hauling her back against him. His lips nuzzled the sensitive spot beneath her ear as she wriggled against him in a way that encouraged his hands to wander.

"You're a strange man, Hennessy."

"Yeah," he drawled, sighing into her ear, "but you love me for it ... don't you?"

She slanted a look at him over her shoulder, her heart swelling at the vulnerability in his eyes. "I guess." She smiled softly. "I guess I love you so much it scares me."

He grinned and resumed nuzzling. "So you'll marry me?"

"I didn't say that."

"Aw, come on, Gen," he pleaded, turning her to face him. "I love you. Alyssa loves you. My family loves you. My dog loves you. My brother's a priest; we'll get a discount on the ceremony."

She frowned at him, but her heart was racing fast enough to break the land speed record. "Was there really a page two?"

Jared took her hand in his and raised it to his chest, tracing an X with her fingers over the silk of his shirt. "Cross my heart."

She pressed her palm flat, feeling the strong, regular rhythm of his heartbeat. Her eyes locked on his. "So where is it?"

"Beats me. I left it on my desk with page one and your check."

"Finally something makes sense! That desk of yours should be declared a national disaster area."

"I promise to clean it if you say yes."

"You'll probably find Jimmy Hoffa," she said dryly.

"I'll set fire to it as soon as I find that blasted page."

Genna grinned. "Maybe we could get your dad to blow it up."

He laughed, relief washing over him. She was going to say yes; he could feel it. He'd find that confounded note, have it framed, and give it to Genna for a wedding gift.

"You actually proposed to me on a piece of sc.r.a.p paper?" she asked, looking less than pleased with him.

Jared had the grace to look sheepish.

"What a lousy proposal, Hennessy."

"It seemed like a good idea at the time. In retrospect, it stinks. You should have heard what Amy had to say about it." He winced in remembrance as he traced one finger along the delicate V of Genna's collarbone. "My ears are still ringing. She said I'd better come up with something pretty good to make it up to you."

Genna's eyes landed on the table at center field and the waiter who had wheeled out a tray with covered dishes on it. Her gaze found Jared's, and she smiled. "This is pretty special."

"You ain't seen nothin' yet," he said with a grin. He took a step away from her and waved up at a set of windows on the second deck. The scoreboard came to life again as the organist played "Let Me Call You Sweetheart." Cartoon brides and grooms marched across the enormous lighted board, then disappeared.

GENNA, I LOVE YOU MORE THAN A SUNDAY WITHNO INTERCEPTIONSI LOVE YOU MORE THAN A WIN AT THE SUPER BOWLI LOVE YOU MORE THAN ROOT BEERI LOVE YOU.

A little football player ran across the screen, stopping in the center and giving an exaggerated shrug. The next line chased him away.

WILL YOU MARRY ME?WILL YOU BE MY TEAMMATE FOR THE GAME OFLIFE?SAY YES! SAY YES! SAY YES! SAY YES! SAY YES!SAY YES!.

Genna pressed her hands to her cheeks. Tears shimmmered in her eyes. She took in the entire scene: the stadium, the table, Stephan the waiter, Otis and Brutus, the scoreboard, the corny sound of the organ. Jared, wearing his heart on his sleeve. He'd gone to a lot of trouble and she'd love him for it until the day she died.

Jared's s.e.xy smile teased his mouth as he looked down at her. His blue eyes glittered like jewels. The stadium lights turned his diamond earring into a prism of brilliant colors. "I feel it only fair to warn you, I'm going to run that at every home game until you say yes."

She laughed out loud and let him take her in his arms, her fingers sliding up the lapels of his suit jacket to tease the back of his neck.

"Genna," he singsonged. "Come on, say you'll marry me."

Genna fought a losing battle to keep a straight face.

He was incorrigible. And irresistible. And she loved every molecule of him even if he was a madman. She gave him a lopsided smile. "I guess I'll have to. We're a team. Team players stick together, right?"

"Right." He grinned.

"And we're pretty good together, right?"

With a loving smile Jared lowered his head to touch the tip of his nose to the tip of Genna's nose. "Unbeatable."

"The best."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

TAMI HOAG'S novels have appeared regularly on national bestseller lists since the publication of her first book in 1988. She lives in Los Angeles.