a reason to live(74)
“If he hasn’t, I’ll call Chester,” Shane answered.
A sharp knock on our door had Shane and I turning toward it. “Coffee’s on,” Maxine shouted.
My brows rose and I looked at Shane.
“How does she know we’re awake?’
A slow grin pulled across his mouth. “Babe . . . you’re anything but quiet when you come.”
I instinctively slapped his shoulder without thinking. Then I gasped. “I’m so sorry, did I hurt you?”
“I’m a soldier. I’ve been trained to ignore pain,” he scoffed.
I planted a foot on the bed and rolled Shane to his back. “I’ll take the lead until you’re healed.”
“I’d have to be dead before I’d let you lead me in bed.”
“Are you saying you’ll never let me seduce you?”
“Seducin’,” he mumbled, raising his head to nip my lip, “is one thing. Controllin’ is another.”
“Even on my birthday?”
Shane’s lips twitched.
“I could be persuaded on your birthday.”
A slow smile pulled across my mouth. “Hope you’re in better shape on Friday.”
“Your birthday’s Friday?”
“Mhm, my thirtieth.
“Milestone,” he smiled. “How do you feel about becoming an old lady?”
“You know it’s funny, I thought I would be depressed hitting thirty, but with everything that’s happened, I just feel thankful to be alive.”
“I plan on keepin’ you that way, too,” he vowed.
Another sharp rap on the door drew our attention.
“Coffee’s ready, the eggs are gettin’ cold, and you, Jack, and Max have a meeting with some hotshot FBI guy. Stop kissin’ Sage and get your ass out of bed.”
“Be right out,” Shane called out.
“Now she’s a pain in my ass. I’d rather stay in here all day.”
A deep chuckle rumbled in Shane’s chest, then he ordered, “Up, baby.”
With a sigh of resignation, I climbed off Shane and we dressed, then headed down the hall to the kitchen.
Jack and Jenn’s house was a four-bedroom log style home just outside of town. They’d built it after they were married five years ago and needed extra space for their growing family. Jenn told me Bailey, her daughter from her first marriage, had since moved in with Grady, one of Jack’s deputies, so they had plenty of room to house all of us while we waited for the authorities to find Heller and put him behind bars.
The kitchen was a chef’s dream with gray marble counters, stainless steel appliances, and pine cupboards. The great room opposite the kitchen was filled with soft, brown leather sofas and pine tables, accented with tribal print pillows and Native American art. It screamed mountain living, meant to be warm and inviting, just like the couple who lived here.
Jenn was at the stove cooking when we entered, Jack standing behind her rubbing her shoulders as he whispered in her ear. Max was at the table, Mia sitting in his lap, lost to those around them, still very much the newlyweds they were. And Maxine was on the phone in the living room, mumbling quietly so no one would hear.
All eyes turned toward us when we reached the kitchen, knowing grins on each face.
“Shit,” I mumbled and felt heat flood my cheeks.
Leaning in, Shane whispered, “Like I said, you’re anything but quiet.”
Someone kill me now.
“What time are we meeting with your friend?” Shane asked Jack, thankfully drawing attention away from the color of my face.
Looking at his watch, Jack replied, “In an hour.”
“That soon? I better change,” I mumbled, looking down at my yoga pants and tank.
“No need,” Jack answered. “He’s on a tight schedule so it’ll just be Max, Shane, and me.”
“But I thought they needed to talk to me about his background?”
“Once he’s caught. Right now we’re focusin’ on apprehendin’ Heller.”
Loud music began to blare from down the hall, and a song I recognized from the movie “Frozen” filled the room.
Jack turned to Jenn and scowled.
Jenn grinned back innocently.
“I can’t help it if it’s their favorite movie.”
“Swear to Christ,” Jack grumbled. “If I hear that song one more time, I won’t let it go.”
“I happen to like the song,” Jenn defended.
“Then explain to me why they only play it when I’m at home?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” she clearly lied.
“Like hell, you don’t.”
“Maybe they like it?”
“These are my boys,” Jack scoffed.
“And?”