"Try this." She held up a green polo shirt and Jack's mouth sank. "It'll go well with the new jeans we bought yesterday."

"Are you sure I can't wear a suit?"

Solana reached up and caressed Jack's freshly shaved chin. "You know I love you in a suit, especially your dark grey one, but this is a ten-year-old's birthday party. No formal attire required."

Jack snatched the shirt out of Solana's hand and tossed it onto the chaise in his walk-in closet. He pointed to a row of starched shirts. "How about the jeans and a button-down?"

Desperate to ease the discomfort in his face, Solana distracted him with her favourite tactic, her lips on his. Arms clamped on her hips, drawing her closer, and she willingly obliged. Her heart ticked faster, and she melted into him. The tension in his shoulders eased as she deepened the kiss, reminding him with her touch that he wouldn't be alone, she'd be by his side. Coming up for air, she found his ear. "Wear the T-shirt and when we get home tonight, I'll put on those death trap golden stilettos you like and parade around the apartment."

His grip tightened. Not from anxiety this time. "Just them. Nothing else?"

The words rumbled out of him, and heat shot through her. She nudged his nose. "The shoes and my birthday suit."

The grin on Jack's face sent her blood pumping. "How about a little preview now?" His fingers fumbled at the zipper of her sundress.

Solana bit Jack's earlobe playfully and pushed away. "No time. Luc is waiting." In the week since she'd returned from Las Vegas, outside of going directly to her Abela's from the airport, she'd spent every night at Jack's place and most of her days. Make up sex with Jack was a marathon of pleasure given and taken on every surface in the penthouse. Jack hadn't returned to the office either. He'd stunned Wolfe with a spontaneous vacation with no end date defined. Today was their first adventure out for something other than food.

She plucked up the T-shirt and offered the garment to Jack. "You wouldn't want to keep your friend waiting."

Green T-shirt on, Jack and Solana pulled up to the small park in east LA. A stream of running boys whizzed by them as they stepped onto the grass and headed toward a crowd of people under an archway made of balloons. Jack's back straightened as they neared the cavalcade of party goers and Solana slipped her hand into his. "They're going to love you." His grip tightened on hers. She squeezed his hand. "Just like I do."

He ran a thumb over hers, and his fingers relaxed. Her abuela waved at them and Solana tugged Jack toward the picnic table laden with Tupperware containers.

Ximena swayed to the upbeat music as they approached, munching on a carrot stick. "Jack, you made it." She winked at Solana.

Jack shot a glance at Solana, and she shrugged. "We had a bet."

With a shake of his head, Jack leaned in and kissed her grandmother on the cheek. "You should never bet against our Heart and Sol."

Ximena placed a hand over Jack's heart. "Very true."

"Jack." Luc and two other boys tumbled toward the table, narrowly missing bumping into his grandmother. "Will you be on my team?" Luc held up a black and white ball like an offering to a deity on saint's day.

Jack glanced at Solana, and she elbowed him. "Go. I'll be right here." A boyish grin crept across Jack's face and the ten-year-old inside him shone through. She nudged him toward Luc. "Have fun."

Jack put his arm around Luc. "You'll have to teach me how to play. I forgot the rules."

"It's easy." Luc raised his hands in an exaggerated stance. "This goes in the net over there more often than they put it in our net over here."

Jack rubbed the boy's hair. "You always have the right answer, my friend."

"However did you convince him to come?" Her abuela offered her a bowl of tortillas.

Solana picked out two and popped one into her mouth. "Simple. I told him he had to meet the family."

The two women watched the group of boys kick the ball around. Ximena offered her a glass bottle filled with a green liquid. "He looks happy."

"Don't all men like sports?"

"I wouldn't know. Your abuelo didn't care for them." Ximena brushed her shoulder. "But I didn't mean that was the reason for his happiness. I take it things are good between you now."

Solana could feel the rush of heat blister across her skin at the memory of just how good things had been this morning. They'd had to shower twice. "Yup."

Her grandmother weaved an arm through hers. "And no more running away, right?"

The shame of her act fell like a stone in her stomach. "I promise."

"I'm proud of you, you know." Warm fingers squeezed her forearm.

Solana snorted. "Really? Why?"

"For trying." Ximena nodded toward the soccer game. "It's not easy loving someone like him. I wish I could tell you everything will be a bed of roses, but you're too old to believe in fairy tales." Solana shifted on her heels. She didn't need a reminder that she'd cause Jack trouble. Maybe not now, but the road signs pointed to danger ahead.

Her ex-husband would come looking for her when he came up for parole, and she still hadn't spoken to Abraham. After Jack told her about their altercation, her first instinct had been to give him a piece of her mind and a smack. The short plane ride home had given her time to cool down and instead of running to him, she decided to try a different tactic. Time apart from her best friend might be what they needed.

"Still." Ximena's voice broke into her thoughts. "I know Jack is worth the bumps in the road. He's a good man and they are rare these days. And he loves you. A star in my book."

As the sun slipped lower in the sky, Solana sat on Jack's lap on a blanket in the park, a few feet away from the other party-goers. She nuzzled into Jack, enjoying the warmth his body provided as the heat of the day waned. Around them, cousins, aunts, uncles, family friends laughed, argued and sang as the birthday boy made his rounds, thanking everyone for coming to his party.

"Do you think Luc liked my gift?" Jack's hot breath on her neck made her heart flutter.

She closed his arm tighter around her. "Sailing lessons? Are you kidding? He's thrilled." She shifted to catch his eye. "Because he gets to spend time with you."

Jack's eyes fell to his hand, where he picked at a strand of grass. "Is it weird I like spending time with a ten-year-old?"

"Jack, you don't have to care what anyone thinks." She stroked his chin. "Hang out with whoever you want to."

Jack perused the crowd of people celebrating into the evening. "I like your family."

"And they like you. Just like I promised."

"Yes, sweetheart." His fingers strummed against her hip, causing tendrils of electricity to curl across her stomach. "You're right yet again."

"Never doubt me."

Jack's face softened, and he ran his finger down her cheek. "Never."

The butterflies in Solana's stomach churned with the heated gaze Jack laid on her. His strong heartbeat thumbed against her chest as she bowled him over onto the blanket and kissed him. Resistance futile.

Someone in the crowd whistled, and Solana remembered where she was. In the middle of the park, surrounded by friends and family. "Time to say our goodbyes." She attempted to unwind herself from their embrace, but he held her close.

"So soon." Jack raised an eyebrow at her.

Hard muscles rippled under her. Solana thread her fingers through his and nibbled on his earlobe. "I have a pair of shoes to try on."

Hi all. D L here. I can't believe this story is over. Well, mostly. I have a lot of editing to do. Lost my way somewhere in the middle but Jack and Solana deserve a great story so I'll be going through and fixing issues. If you have any thoughts or comments, I greatly appreciate the feedback.

In the meantime, I have a new story started. It's a love after loss romance featuring Max and Sophie. There are already two chapters for you to binge. Click on the link here------->