Page 12 of Wild As Her

He shuffles in, not having to be told twice, opens the fridge, pulls out a beer, twists it open, and takes a long swig.

“I thought you were on duty?” I ask as I pull the pan out of the oven, slide the next one in, and set my alarm.

“I was, but we have a new guy doing some training, so I got off tonight at the last minute,” he says as he surveys my baked treats and chooses a blueberry crumble muffin.

“Did you eat dinner?” I ask as I realize I haven’t even stopped myself to eat tonight. Something I usually forget to do. Sometimes I get in the zone baking and then want to eat everything like a little gremlin.

“Not since lunch. I’m starving,” he admits as he reaches for a second muffin.

I pull out a pot, fill it with water, and set it on the stove. “I’ll make us some pasta,” I say.

“Sounds good.”

“You never answered my question. What are you doing here?” I ask as I reach for one of my home-canned jars of pasta sauce that I made last winter from my garden.

“You know why I’m here,” he says dryly as he gives me a look full of concern.

“Jessop is such a snitch,” I add as I pull down a box of pasta from the cabinet.

“Granger is mean, Cami. I still can’t believe that you shot at him. You don’t think he won’t come back here and bring some of his other mean friends?” he asks as he sets his beer down and hands me a wooden spoon from the crock on the counter.

“I can handle myself. Love will warn me if someone is here. I have protection,” I tell him, trying to not only convince him but myself, too.

“Oh, right. Like she let you know that I was on your back porch for fifteen minutes before you noticed me?” he deadpans.

He’s not wrong. I know that I’m in over my head right now. The truth is, I haven’t been sleeping. Every little sound keeps me up, and I hate it. I hate the fear that I have in this place. The nightmares have been even worse. Last week, when I finally fell asleep, I had a nightmare that someone set my house on fire while I was in it. I woke up and had to go out to the barn and sleep in the stall with Mouse. Finding Jack out there was a relief, but I can’t tell either of them that.

Ollie’s face softens, he sees through my bullshit. “Cami.”

“I’m fine,” I say softly, turning to the stove, trying to be busy so he won’t see me upset.

“Come here,” he orders.

I turn and sigh, heading toward him as he wraps his arms around me in a big hug. “Was that so hard?”

“Yeah,” I sniff.

“It’s hard being a badass, isn’t it?” he teases as he pulls back and stares at me.

I give him a light shove and turn back to the stove to check the boiling water.

“I take it it’s your turn to sleep over and babysit me?” I ask as I glance over at him.

“You would be correct,” he grins as he reaches for a Monster Cookie.

Bummer. I kind of liked finding Jack in the barn.

“I’m cooking dinner, don’t spoil your appetite,” I tease.

“I’m so hungry that I could eat a horse,” he admits.

“Then you’re definitely not sleeping in the barn with Mouse,” I tease as I dump in the pasta.

“Hell no, I’m not sleeping in the barn. I’m not an animal. I still have a room here,” he says as he gives me a look.

“Yeah, but no bed. Mom sold it,” I remind him as he rolls his eyes. We’re both over our mom’s crap.

“I heard Jack sleeps in the barn,” he smirks as he grabs the Parmesan cheese. “Why doesn’t he just stay in the house with you?”

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