Chapter 3

Adriana snuggled against Frank and closed her eyes as she felt his arms tighten around her. Frank held her, listening to her breathing as he wondered what was going on inside that head of hers.

"Wanna share?" he asked quietly.

"I was just wondering how much longer I have you until you have to go back to Brooklyn."

"I was wondering the same thing. Do I spend the rest of the night and face the wrath of Henry or go home and face the Irish Inquisition when I get home."

Adriana giggled.

"And just what is so funny, Your Honor?" he demanded.

Adriana rolled over on her back. "You would think at this stage of our lives our parents would not be an issue. I feel like I'm sixteen all over again."

Frank smiled. She had a point. At this stage of his life, he should be able to spend the night with his lady and not get the third degree from his father. "At least we're not in the back seat of my detail car."

That statement caused a fresh round of giggles. "Perish the thought. It's too cold. I'd freeze."

Frank gently stroked her belly. "I'd find someplace warm and far away from the cops. I know where they hang out."

Adriana fought the urge to giggle one more time. She knew she was releasing all of the what if tensions that her Valentine's Day date with Frank had brought, but he didn't know that. She gave him a kiss. "If it was June, I'd take you up on that."

"I just might follow it through, you know," he teased. He sobered. Going parking with Adriana on a hot summer night might be fun, but he'd have to find a place where they wouldn't be disturbed. Somewhere probably out in Red Hook… He shook his head. He couldn't believe he was actually considering it.

His whole life had changed since he had met Adriana. He gave her cheek a kiss, and hugged her. "Thank you," he whispered in her ear.

"Thank you for what?"

"For getting me out of the rut I was in. I mourned for way too long."

"You mourned as long as you needed to. She was a very big part of your life. She did things I never will."

"Such as?"

"Such as be the mother of your children. Such as making a home for you. Such as sending you to work with a thermos full of homemade soup."

"You can't make soup?" he asked.

"I can make soup. But that wasn't my point."

"I got your point. But you don't know for sure that you won't be the mother of my child, or that you'll make a home for me, or send me to work with a thermos full of soup."

"Frank—"

"I took my ring off."

"I noticed that at dinner."

"And yet, you didn't say anything."

"Of course not. It's not my place."

"It wasn't fair to you, Aid. I couldn't hold on the past and hold on to you too. It was time to let the past go and see what the present and future bring."

"Frank," she whispered. "You just made this the best Valentine's Day I've ever had."

He smiled as he gave her a deep kiss, remembering the engraving on the back of the watch she had given him earlier.

2-14-12 Frank, Our First of Many. All my love, Adriana