Page 27 of Big Bad Wolfe

“Yeah, but you don’t have to wait on me. I’ll go downstairs.”

“Nope, you’re on bed rest until tomorrow morning.” The tenderness in her gaze curled warmth around his heart, but the steely determination in her smile him warned him he wasn’t going anywhere.

Truthfully, he was afraid if he tried to wrestle his way past her at the moment, she’d win … and wouldn’t that be mortifying? Sighing, he settled more comfortably in the pillows, arched a wry brow. “Okay, bossy lady, but tomorrow, you’re gonna have to find someone else to play doctor with.”

“Be nice to me, Mr. Big Bad, you’re at my mercy. I could always take your temperature the old-fashioned way.”

“Not unless you have a death wish,” he growled.

Heading for the door, she chuckled. “Be back soon.”

She quickly returned with soup, soda crackers, and more ginger ale on her tray.

Casey ambled in behind Jillian, cocking his head quizzically. “Hey, Zane, did ya hurl?”

“Thankfully, no.”

“Casey,” Jillian said. “Zane’s not up to visiting.”

A small lower lip poked out. “But he’s awake, now, and I wanna—”

“Casey,” she warned quietly.

He stomped a sneakered foot. “He’s been asleepall dayand I didn’t get to talk to himat all!”

“Please wait for me downstairs, and we’ll decide on something fun to do together. Unless you’d rather sit in the timeout chair.”

“Stupidtimeout chair.” The scowling child released a gusty sigh. “Nope, don’t guess I wanna do that. See ya later, Zane.”

Jillian got Zane settled with his food and moved his e-reader from the nightstand to within easy reach at his side. “If you need anything, call out. I’ll keep your door open a crack so I can hear you, but I’ll let you recuperate in peace unless I hear from you.”

“Okay. Did you … did you miss work today because of me?”

“I would’ve kept Casey home another day anyway. We don’t want to spread this crud around at the center any more than necessary.”

Gratitude and appreciation at her unexpected compassion forced him to clear sudden thickness from his throat. “Ah … Jillian. Everything you did ... It really wasn’t necessary— I don’t— You—”

“It wasn’t any trouble, but you’re welcome.” She leaned down and soft lips brushed his forehead. “Everyone needs to be—and deserves to be—taken care of sometimes. Especially tough guys.” Then she strolled out, leaving him feeling more vulnerable and confused than ever before.

The following morning, he woke up at ten o’clock. He hadn’t slept this much since he’d taken a knife in the thigh a few years ago somewhere in BF Afghanistan and spent an uncomfortable forty-eight hours morphined to the max in a tent infirmary. He still didn’t feel a hundred percent, but he was at least with it enough to get vertical.

He called his security expert pal to relay the information about Deb’s situation, then checked with his attorney, who hadn’t heard anything new about the custody case or DNA results. Showered and dressed in Levi’s and a dark blue T-shirt, he headed downstairs for breakfast.

In the empty kitchen, he poured a mug of coffee. Making a wide berth around Aragorn, who was sprawled out snoring in a sunny patch by the patio doors, he stepped outside to gaze at glinting waves rhythmically slapping the sandy shoreline.

He stopped short when he found Jillian sitting at the bistro table alone, sipping coffee and eating a frosted cinnamon bun nearly as big as the tires on her Mini Cooper. A platter of the rolls sat in the center of the table. His mouth watered, and he chose to believe it was the pastry and not the sight of her lithe figure and supple, toned legs lovingly showcased by white shorts and a lemon crocheted tank top. “Where’s Casey?”

“Loucinda swung by and picked him up for his summer day camp program at the center. I figured you could use the reprieve.”

“You shouldn’t have stayed home again on my account. I’ve been self-sufficient since I learned to walk.”

“I’ll bet you’re hungry this morning. Want some scrambled eggs with your rolls?”

So apparently, they were going to ignore the near miss with screaming jungle sex. Perfectly okay by him. “Jillian, you don’t have to wait on—”

Looking blithely at him, she bit into her roll, pushed the platter toward him.

He sighed, dropped into the chair opposite her. “Have you always been so obstinate you could defy gravity?”

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