Page 14 of Her Captivated Hero

“How about if I pick out a wrapping paper or a ribbon?”

“You’re totally getting a kick out of my obsessive compulsive nature, aren’t you?”

Gray put the rolls of paper back down into the plastic bin and stepped toward her. “I just get a kick out of you. Full stop. The fact that you can laugh at yourself, is just the cherry on top of the sundae.”

Riya tilted her chin up so she could look at him. “Don’t you mean the sprinkle of nuts on the sundae?”

Gray chuckled. “See what I mean?”

That laugh. Those eyes.

Get a grip, girl.

She grabbed at his wrist so she could see his watch.

“The wedding starts in two hours and ten minutes,” he said. “You have fifteen minutes to get your sexy tush in gear and out the door. That way we will be at the church exactly one hour before the ceremony is due to start. According to Griff that’s when the bridesmaids are due to arrive.”

“I can do this. Here’s the deal. I just need to prioritize and delegate.”

“Oh, I get to do something? I’m honored.”

“You’re a SEAL so you get to go on a rescue mission. Find my shoes. Last time I saw them they were exactly by the couch. I was walking around down here making sure I got used to them, since I’d never worn them before. After I made sure I wouldn’t slip, I put them there.” She pointed to where she had last seen them.

“Aye, aye.” He tapped her on the nose and turned to gaze around the first floor of her townhome.

Riya bent down and pulled out the silver wrapping paper with rings and doves on it. She had some great sparkly silver ribbon to go with it, but didn’t have time to mess with it, so it was time to use the big elegant bows that she’d been saving for a time crunch.

She ran to her kitchen, to the drawer that housed her scissors, and then skidded back into the living room in her stockings. Gray was standing there with her white patent leather pumps in his hands. “Are these what you were looking for?”

“Where’d you find those?”

“Your cat helped me find them. They were underneath the loveseat.”

Riya crouched down and saw two shining blue eyes looking at her from beneath the sofa. “He didn’t try to scratch you, did he?”

“Nope, we came to an understanding. What’s his name?” Gray asked.

“Einstein. He’s more temperamental than his namesake.”

“Intelligent though. He saw me looking around and pushed one of the shoes out from under the sofa. It was the damndest thing.”

“He was also the one who shoved them under there in the first place. He loves playing hide ‘n seek.” Riya knelt down and pulled the first box off of the coffee table. Gray peered over her shoulder and whispered.

“I didn’t see those knives on the gift registry. They’re high-end.”

“Susan loves to cook. My mom swears by this brand. She’s constantly saying that having the right tool for the job makes the meal.”

“That’s right for any mission.” Gray picked up the second box and turned it over. “You also got grilling tools and utensils, another thing not on the wedding registry.”

“I take it you shopped on the registry and had it sent to their house.”

“I don’t have ninety-nine rolls of wrapping paper to choose from.” Gray turned over the corner of the paper she had chosen. “Are you sure this is the right one to use? It might be too much silver.”

Riya blew her bangs out of her face and looked over her shoulder. “I got the impression you wanted to possibly see sunrise. Was I wrong about that?”

Gray held up his hands. “Note to self, no pithy comments on the lady’s taste.”

“Not if you want to live,” she agreed.