Page 28 of Taken Home By the Grizzly

I stop breathing. “You did?”

“Big time. But I’m home now.” He plants a kiss on top of my head and releases me.

Home.Every time I hear that beautiful word, I just melt. It’s got nothing to do with this house, or any other place I’ve ever lived in. It means being withhim.

“Better get back to the dinner,” I say.

Keeping his arm around me, Lock leads me inside, and the kids scamper around us.

I serve up four big portions of spaghetti and meatballs for the hungry bears, and a smaller one for me. They all dive right in. The kids are too busy devouring their food to talk, but Lock is full of compliments on my cooking. He looks tired, with dark shadows under his eyes, which only makes him look sexier.

“How was your afternoon?” I ask.

He grins, tugging his phone out of his back pocket and dumping it on the table.

“Well, I said I’d never get one of these,” he says, with a sparkle in his eyes. “But turns out it’s necessary these days.”

A tingle goes through me. I never thought a phone could be so romantic.

“Otherwise, I think I have some leads.”

I gasp. “That’s great!”

“I spoke to a few people, including someone who knows an investigator, so hopefully something will come of that.”

“Thank you, so much.” I shake my head, overwhelmed at how much he’s done for me.

“Of course, Zoe.” He frowns. “We’re in this together.”

When we’re finished eating,Lock makes a fire in the living room, and we settle down to watch a movie together. The kids vote for an action movie, but, remembering this morning’s MMA session, I talk them into a Pixar production instead.

Lock and I sit side by side, and Mari, Todd and Jace pile around us, as if they’ve done it a hundred times before.

How is it possible to feel so comfy, but so wound tight at the same time?

When the closing credits roll, I sit up and stretch.

“Okay, time to get ready for bed,” I say.

“Awww!” they huff.

“Let’s watch one more,” Jace whines.

“You guys have had a long day.”

Lock leans close and stage whispers, “If you all go upstairs and get ready real fast, I’ll tell you a bedroom story. How about that?”

Two seconds later, there are no kids in sight. All I can hear is the sound of six little feet pounding up the stairs.

“Thank you,” I say with a happy sigh as I pull myself up. “I’d better help them brush their teeth. I can handle the bedtime story, too.”

Lock gives me a wounded look. “You kidding me? I wouldn’t miss it for everything.”

I break into a grin. “Are you real?”

Before I can step away, he catches my hand and presses a kiss to my lips. “You’d better believe it,” he growls against my mouth.

I hustlethe kids through baths and teeth brushing and pajamas, and I send them through to Lock, one by one.

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