If only

“You didn’t tell me. Just announced it.” Eyes sparkling with outrage, Sally punched him in the stomach.

Fuck. Then again, he might not reach old age. That tiny fist had a concentrated impact. When his partner laughed, Vance tossed him to the wolves. “This was Galen’s idea.”

She spun around.

Warned, Galen caught her fist in one hand. “You want a public spanking to go with your engagement, pet?”

“You should have told me!”

“Seemed like we owed you something for the lights going off during our last scene,” Vance said. Next time he heard please, please, please, he’d gag her before she got the third one out.

Galen huffed a laugh. “Vance voted for mercy; I wanted you naked and gagged for the announcement.”

Vance could almost see her blood starting to boil.

Galen put an arm around her waist, pried her fist open, and held her hand out to Vance.

He pulled out the ring he and Galen had chosen and slid it on her finger. “You’re ours, sweetheart,” he said softly.

Stunned to silence, she stared down at her hand, and with the quicksilver changes of mood he loved, she burst into her enchanting giggles. She threw herself at Galen, bestowing kisses and hugs and love-you’s before doing the same for Vance.

He lifted her over his head and treated himself to a long kiss.

Once back on her feet, she announced to the crowd, “Just wait. I am so going to make them pay for their sneaky ways.”

Under the wave of laughter, Z walked over and hugged her. “Felicitations, little one. I’m happy for you.”

She had tears in her eyes and a quivering chin when he released her. Z turned to shake hands with Galen and Vance. “Congratulations, gentlemen. She’ll keep your home lively—and filled with love.”

“Thank you.” Vance smiled. “We know.”

The stream of people continued.

Cullen slapped Vance’s shoulder. “Glad it worked out.”

“So am I.” Vance rubbed his jaw with painful recollection. The bastard had a wicked right hook.

Cullen gave a bark of laughter. “Heard you’re doing supervision rather than fieldwork. How’s that going?”

Vance stroked his hand down Sally’s mink-brown, mink-soft hair. “Safer. But it’s harder to send people into danger than to handle the trouble myself.”

Cullen nodded. “Know that feeling.” He put his arm around his Andrea. “Having someone to talk with helps.”

“So I’m finding. And I have two someones. Galen understands; Sally comforts.”

Hearing her name, Sally stood on tiptoe to kiss his chin, her brown eyes warm with love.

As planned, the next one up was Marcus, with Gabi a step behind. Marcus was already grinning.

Vance swept his arm in a welcoming motion, giving Marcus the stage. “Your turn.”

“I do look forward to the sound of an outraged pup.” Marcus gripped Gabi’s shoulder, pulling her closer, and raised a voice trained to reach the farthest corner of a courtroom. “Ladies and gentlemen, to add to yo’ah pleasure, I’d like to announce the engagement of Gabrielle Renard to Marcus Atherton.” He shot Vance a smile. “That would be me.”

The welling of laughter and outpouring of renewed congratulations didn’t come close to smothering Gabi’s shriek.

Marcus’s little redhead whipped around so quickly she almost fell. “You…you douche bag. We were going to wait until winter. You said.”

“I lied, darlin’.”

Galen muttered to Vance, “Better warn him to keep Sally away from his computer.”

“No shit.” Last Friday night, when he’d logged on to finish some work, the screen had frozen while the speakers blasted out Alan Jackson’s “Good Time”—an unsubtle hint his workweek was over. At least the tune had been country western, unlike what she’d done to his partner.

Postsurgery, Galen had given her trouble over taking his pills, and she’d booby-trapped the poor bastard’s laptop with “A Spoonful of Sugar” from the Disney Mary Poppins movie. She’d set it off every time he refused his meds…which had been often.

Unable to resist, Vance hummed a bit of the song.

Sally snickered.

Galen’s look was deadly.

As everyone clustered near, the noise levels continued to increase, but the mere clearing of Z’s throat silenced the group. He pulled Jessica in front of him and wrapped his arms around her from the back. “Since announcements are the order of the day, I’d like to announce that Jessica Randall Grayson is expecting her first child. The father is delighted.” He gave Vance an amused glance. “That would be me.”

Jessica’s shriek of outrage was higher pitched than Gabi’s had been. “You, you, you. I just did the test this morning—I haven’t even told you yet!”

Z captured the hands beating on his chest, smiled down at his submissive, and asked gently, “Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“I—” She sputtered for a moment before shaking her head. “Are you really delighted?”

“Absolutely. Incredibly. Completely.”

The answer set her to glowing with a beauty that showed Vance why Z was so in love. “Well, okay.” She snuggled closer to her husband with a low grumble, “But still…”

Peeking around Z’s side, Jessica whispered to Gabi and Sally. “We are so going to make them pay.”

LIKE AN INEBRIATED bumblebee, Sally’s body buzzed with joy. Tucked between Galen and Vance, she bounced on her toes, wanting to dance. To sing. Her friends and her family surrounded her. She had a home. A cat. And two Doms.

When she sighed, Galen tightened the arm around her waist and studied her face. “You’re happy.”

“Oh yes.”

To her joy, he stole a quick kiss. He’d changed over the past months. Not only was he more relaxed and happier, but also more open with his affection.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Vance grinned at her, looking far too pleased with her surprise.

So she told him begrudgingly, “I suppose…maybe…I might eventually tell you I love you. Since you saved me from that palmetto bug and everything.”

“Eventually?” The muscles in Vance’s square jaw tightened, reminding her he still worked in law enforcement. “If I—or Galen—don’t hear ‘I love you’ often enough, one little subbie will be punished.” He glanced at Galen. “Right, bro?”

“Ayuh.” Galen’s lips quirked. “Either way, I win.”

Fun punishment or bad punishment? Sally eyed her men warily. “I think we’d better talk about—”

“I like that rule.” Master Sam’s gravelly voice interrupted. Arm wrapped around Linda, he looked down at his redhead with icy blue eyes. “If you don’t tell me at least once a day, I get to beat your ass.”

“Really? Oh my goodness.” Linda smiled slightly. “I don’t think I told you today. Or yesterday. You’d better beat on me extra hard.”

Galen snorted. “Got yourself an S.A.M., Sam?”

Sally snickered. No matter how motherly she was to the Shadowkittens, Linda was definitely one smart-ass masochist with her sadistic Dom.

“If you prefer not to delay the punishment”—Vance pointed to the nearby dirt path—“we made the cabana into a dungeon. The cupboard has a supply of toys for guests.”

Sam’s hand closed around Linda’s nape.