I’d thought that stocking the fridge in the mother in law might drive a wedge between us, but Victoria has still asked to join me for every meal, and she even tried her hand at cooking. But with every passing day, Sentinel heals and regains strength.

He’s still not well enough to travel. As it is, his stitches seem to be straining and I worry I’ll have to restitch him. Too much activity will absolutely make them pop. But his ribs are mending. The X-ray I’d retaken show the bones coming together very well and the beginning of regrowth.

I’ve been on Victoria, reminding her to make sure he takes it easy. Now that he’s doing better, she’s asked if he can sleep beside her bed. I told her I’d talk to her about it tonight, over dinner.

After some work, I realized that I’d left her home with full access to my house all day. And with her truck available. It’s odd that I’ve never let even women I’m sleeping with such unfettered access to my personal space, but this girl who could be some criminal can come and go as she pleases.

“So how is the little lady today?” I hear Sam ask. And I hear Victoria respond.

“Good. Is Kyle here?” she asks, her sweet voice carrying back here. Sam responds as I try to focus on the little lamb on the table before me. In a moment the air becomes statically charged and I know I’m not alone anymore.

But like she had that first day, Victoria is quiet and lets me focus. Still, every part of me wants to zero in on her. Before me, the lamb lets out a little protesting bleat.

“Almost done,” I tell him as I snip the end of the stitches I’d put in his flank. I scoop him off the table and set him on the floor. I glance at Victoria and see her face is lit up with joy as she looks at the little lamb wandering around, bleating.

“He’s so cute!” She says, looking up at me.

And I feel like I’ve been kicked in the gut. She’s not the same scared, panicky girl I’d met only a week before. With every passing day, she calms down. She stops looking over her shoulder. She doesn’t see ghosts. Well, not as much, at least.

The part that surprises me, though, is that she hasn’t pushed me to tell her more about my father and Kieran.

You’re allowed to be angry. No matter what happened, or how. Your emotions have validity.

“Yeah,” I say, acknowledging her, “He tangled with a big mean fence. So a couple quick stitches and some shots.”

“Awww,” she says, squatting down to pet him. He leans on her, his little tail going nuts twitching back and forth.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, needing to know that she and Sentinel are alright. She beams up at me with a happy grin that’s an answer all in itself.

“Yep!” She sounds so happy and upbeat it warms my soul. “You about done?” she asks and I glance at the clock. It’s time to head out. Where did the day go?

“As soon as they pick him up, yes.” I say, looking at the lamb.

But Sam peeks her head in and corrects me. “Go home. I have paperwork to finish up, so I’ll be here when they get back.”

“Thanks Sam,” I say before heading out to close things up. It was an uneventful day, but a good one. And better now that Victoria is by my side.

“So, best part of the day?” she asks, looking up at me with those big, trusting brown eyes. And I suddenly want to kiss her.

But I don’t.

“You coming here to tell me it’s time to come home?” I say in a teasing tone.

She nods, as if accepting this answer. “Worst part?” she asks and I think about it a moment.

“Wiggly lamb butt in my face for five minutes.” Hands down, worst part.

“So why didn’t you sedate him?” she asks, “Or have Sam put him in a headlock. Or buttlock?” she amends, her face scrunching up as we walk out the front door with a nod to Sam, who’s watching us with a gleam in her eyes.

“He’s pretty young for sedation for a couple stitches,” I say, and she nods as if that makes perfect sense.

“What about you?” I ask, “Best part first.”

She thinks a moment and I enjoy her as we walk toward home. “Sentinel tried to play with Jax,” she says and I feel the need to tell her that he can’t do that yet. But Victoria holds up a finger and turns toward me, her eyes serious, “But I didn’t let him.”

I see the sparkle in her eyes and want to laugh that she knew I’d take on that admonishing role. “Worst part?” she says, her tone musing as we step inside the house. I close the door behind us and turn to her. “The worst part is that you didn’t kiss me when you wanted to.”

I turn to face her and see her playful smile. My confusion must be in my expression, because she rolls her eyes at me and grabs my hands. “Come on, you looked right at my lips with a longing that’s been in every damn romance movie since the beginning of romance movies.”

Her smile widens and I see her even, white teeth. And I pull her in.

Our lips meet and I feel her heart pounding against my ribs. My tongue tickles her lower lip as I ask for permission to enter. I’ll only ask once.

But she lets me in, her whole body giving over to me. She moans into my mouth and I swallow the sound, loving how sweet she tastes; like banana smoothies. With my arms around her, I can pretend we’re the only people in the world.

Until I hear the sound of dogs trotting over to see what we’re up to. She squeals and pulls away, laughing and staring at a perplexed Jax. “He just shoved his nose up my butt!” She says, her voice full of laughter.

But all I can think about is how I’d like to take her to bed, shove her down, and enjoy every bit of her.

And when her eyes meet mine, I know she’s reading my mind and every perverse, twisted through I’m having about her. Her lips part and her eyes widen as she studies me, suddenly still.