His Tattooed Virgin(Divine Creek Ranch 12)(98)

Her eyelids slipped closed then popped back open. It wasn’t right to stay here and keep her from sleeping. As he rose from his chair, he said, “The doctor told me that you could go home tomorrow, barring any complications. I’m going to let you rest, sweet Jayne. Don’t worry about a thing.”

Jayne smiled blissfully and nodded. “Love you.”

“I love you, with all my heart.” Her eyes slid closed, a sweet half smile on her face, making her look like an angel. He brushed his lips against her forehead and gratefully breathed in her vital, feminine scent. Today could’ve ended so much differently if she hadn’t kept a cool head. “God, I love you so much.”

His heart felt like it had stretch marks from how utterly full it was as he drove back to the bed-and-breakfast. Ginny Kendall answered the door, smiled, and nodded when he quietly inquired about Toby.

“He was a sweet little sleeping angel the whole time you were gone. The poor baby was completely tuckered out. He reminds me so much of my Benny when he was that age. He’s seven years old now and, boy howdy, is he a piece of work. Was Jayne all right?”

Seth nodded and smiled at the angelic woman as she smoothed the covers over Toby one last time. She had a nurturing spirit and Seth was grateful she’d shown up at his door. He knew that Toby had been in good hands.



* * * *



The following afternoon, Jayne clutched the white paper box which the elderly and charming Kate Benedict had just given her as Seth helped her into his truck. The box contained several scrumptious-looking crème puffs created by Tracy Alvarez-Kendall, the pastry chef at Lusty Appetites, and wife to Jordan Kendall and Peter Alvarez, Julián’s brother.

Grandma Kate stood in the truck’s open doorway. “Remember what I said, Miss Sheridan. You and your family are welcome in Lusty anytime.” Jayne thought that might be sooner rather than later. Seth had told her about the bed-and-breakfast, Parkview Inn, which they’d stayed in overnight. He’d suggested it as a place they could spend their honeymoon, if she was open to the idea.

Kate looked pointedly at Seth then disarmed him with her mischievous grin as she patted his forearm. “And you, Mr. Carter, are a hero in my book. Sometimes bullets are just faster than people, no matter their good intentions.” Kate held up the origami swan he’d made for her while visiting Lusty Appetites. “And thank you for my swan. What a treasure.” Jayne couldn’t help but grin at the pleased smile Seth gave Kate as his cheeks flushed a little. He bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Seth had been waiting for her on the plane and she hadn’t known it. It had been him who tackled her and Toby, trying to protect them from the bullet, but Henri’s aim had been true. The bandage around her ribs attested to that fact. She was lucky that the bullet had been a small caliber and had hit one of her ribs instead of doing major internal damage.

From Seth’s arms, Toby flirted and cooed at Grandma Kate, who was standing right at his eye level. “And you, cutie-pie, with that twinkle in your eyes, you remind me very much of four little boys who stole my heart many, many years ago.”

Proving he was a heartbreaker in training, Toby chuckled and blew her a kiss. He’d been winning hearts and influencing goofy behavior at Lusty Appetites, or so she’d heard, while she’d been cooped up in the clinic. Kemp had brought Seth’s truck to him late the evening before so that Ace could return home since the danger had passed.

Henri Broussard and Phillipe Rousseau were in state custody, being held on multiple counts of kidnapping, breaking and entering, and assault charges. With the cooperation of the pilot, Guy St. Pierre, the prosecutors were working on adding human trafficking to the charges as well.

Grandma Kate turned to Julián Alvarez, who’d joined the crowd telling them good-bye. Julián had also been shot while wrestling the gun from Henri. “I’m thankful that odious little man waving his pistol about didn’t result in a more serious injury from this little ‘dustup,’ Mr. Alvarez.”

“Me too, Grandma Kate,” Julián said with a chuckle as he glanced back at his brother, Peter, who had been the man in the truck on the highway. “It seems to run in our family.”

A speculative gleam came into Kate’s eyes as she eyed Julián. “Peter tells me you’ve decided to move on to Divine. If we’re losing you, I couldn’t imagine a better place for you than there. I wonder if that’s not where you’ll finally put down permanent roots.” Arching her eyebrows, she added, “Maybe find a good woman?”