Page 85 of Big Bad Wolfe

Zane sat on the bed with his throat aching … and watched his son sleep.

* * *

Zane was still sitting there when Casey blinked awake well over two hours later. He hadn’t wanted him to wake up alone and afraid. “How’s the head, buddy?”

“Better.”

“You want to take a second run at that cookie and juice now?”

“Ya. I think so.”

Because the child was still wobbly, Zane held onto his small hand as they walked downstairs to the kitchen.

Jillian was reading a stack of notes and keying information into her phone. “There’s my men. Good timing. Lynn left a few minutes ago. Feeling better, Case?”

“Ya. Zane stayed with me the whole time.”

“I know.” She gave Zane a considering look. “You didn’t have to stick around once he fell asleep. I was going to turn on the monitor when you came back downstairs.”

“I wanted to stay with him.” He and Casey sat at the table, and he winked at the kid. “And now we brave rebels would like our cookies, if it pleases Your Worship.”

Casey erupted into giggles and Jillian joined in. “Okay, we’ll do backwards lunch. Cookies first, sandwiches after.”

“Yay!” Casey shouted.

Casey ate with gusto and seemed fully recovered as he skipped outside to play on the back deck after lunch.

Sitting next to Zane at the kitchen table, Jillian put her hand over his. “That was nice of you to stay with him.”

“He needed me to.” He relayed their conversation before Casey had fallen asleep.

Then he and Jillian discussed what provisions they should make for Casey’s welfare in the event of a worst-case scenario.

Jillian turned to face him, gave a troubled sigh. “Five-year-olds shouldn’t have to worry about bad guys hurting them or their loved ones.”

“Exactly why I chose to serve and ‘pertect.’”

Her smile of admiration blazed straight down the center of his body. “You trulyareone of the good guys, Zane Wolfe.”

Then she leaned in and kissed him.

A moment. One stolen moment. But her silky tongue stroking against his short-circuited his system, incinerated all reason. He tugged her closer, wrapped his arms around her and delved into the kiss. Gloried in her taste, sweeter, satisfying, and more decadent than any cookies.

A needy moan hummed in her throat as her fingers clutched his shirt, and her heartbeat galloped against his. His hand slid between them and cupped her breast, her nipple beneath the fabric pebbling in his palm. One sweep of his arm would clear the table, and—

“What?” Casey’s incredulous voice slapped Zane with the same chilling effect as a bucket of ice water. “Are youkissingAunt Jelly?”

Zane jerked back from Jillian to meet the child’s indignant glare. “Ah …”

“I never thoughtyouwould do a dumb thing like kiss agirl.”

Shit.Where thehellwas his common sense? And he’d obviously lost major brownie points with the kid. “Uh … this is another thing you won’t appreciate until you’re older, pal.”

“I seen Poppy kiss Miss Loucinda, too. I’mneverkissinganygirls!Yuck!”

Chuckling, Jillian gracefully gained her feet. “Since we’ve invited Mia and Dallas over for a barbecue tonight, why don’t youmen go find something to do out back? I have macaroni salad and coleslaw and coconut cream pie to make.”

“I’ll hang out in here and give you a hand,” Zane offered.

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