Page 27 of Taken Home By the Grizzly

He must’ve bought a phone. I read the words over and over.

at home.

He’s thinking of this place asourhome. Mine and his and the kids. My stomach is full of butterflies. I feel like I’ve just stepped into my deepest, most unacknowledged fantasy. I tap out a reply:

Kids are snoozing : ) I’m doing some research. Me too xx

I hit send. Then I regret not having the guts to say a whole lot more. But these words don’t come easy for me. This heart of mine has been locked shut for a long, long time.

The phone pings again.

Can’t wait to get back to you, baby.

Oh, god.

I press the phone to my chest, imagining him saying those words in his growly voice.

Same : )My thumbs tap out my flimsy reply.

Darn, he deserves more than that.

I’m really looking forward to seeing you,I manage, blushing all the while.

“Okay, back to work,” I mutter, tapping my internet app.

I find out that John and Mary Wilson are both deceased, and the house is still in their names. A couple with their names also had a child named Adrian.

My heart is beating faster. I feel like I’m a big step closer to tracking them down.

I shove my phone back in my pocket, aware that it’s getting late. The kids are waking up, yawning extravagantly and rubbing their fists in their eyes.

I clap my hands together. “Hey, you guys, why don’t you go grab some toys, and bring them down here to play with?”

While they’re gone, I plug in a little device that I just found in a box of stuff in their room.

It switches on. It’s a baby monitor, and there’s an app to connect it up with my phone.

I go into the kitchen, and my phone screen displays the three of them romping around the living room.

“Gamechanger,” I mutter. Things just got a lot easier. I prop my phone on the counter, and get to work figuring out what I’m going to cook.

I’m just folding some spaghetti into a bubbling pan of water when I hear the sound of a vehicle approaching.

My stomach does a triple flip.

Is it ridiculous that I’m so excited to see him?

I can’t help myself; I rush to front door and tear it open. At the same moment, all three kids stream past me and launch themselves at Lock, shrieking in excitement.

Daddy’s come home, I think, and startle.

Where didthatcome from?

“Hey, kids!” Lock exclaims. He picks them up one by one and hugs them tight, before pressing his forehead to theirs. Their animals are connecting, I realize as calm transforms Jace’s features. Being with him is doing them so much good.

Then Lock puts the kids down and turns to me. There’s such fire in his gaze, it knocks me sideways. He strides toward me and draws me into his arms. He holds my head gently against his chest, like he’s cradling it, and I hear the deep, growly sound of his breathing. I’m kinda relieved that he doesn’t kiss me in front of the kids. Don’t think I’d be able to act normal in front of them afterwards.

“I missed you like crazy,” he growls, close to my ear.

---