It’d been the hottest kiss I’d ever shared with a woman. I’d certainly never eat another cookie without thinking about her sweet mouth.
We’d moved to the couch and continued kissing until we’d eventually fallen asleep, wrapped up in each other.
I wasn’t supposed to have this. Not after what happened with my father, but here I was, holding… my son and kissing a woman I wanted forever with. The thought should have terrified me. Instead, it felt right.
“Well, in that case…” I wrapped my free arm around her waist, pulled her to me, and kissed her until Elias fussed.
I took his hand in mine. “Okay, okay. I get it. Stop kissing your mom.”
He wiggled in my arms and giggled.
“Breakfast is finished if you want some.” She lifted on her toes and brushed her lips against mine.
“I absolutely do.”
“Okay.” She reluctantly pulled away and walked to the cabinet.
Just as she pulled a plate out, Thomas strolled into the kitchen. “Hey…”
His gaze went from mine to Cora and back. A smirk stretched on his lips. “Could I borrow Jason a minute?”
“Uh, sure. I could make you some eggs really quick.”
“That’d be great.”
I followed Thomas to the living room; far enough out of earshot that we could talk.
“What’s going on?”
“I got word that Kane wants us to meet him at the justice of the peace’s office. Word is the guy is back in town.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Sounds like a set up.”
Thomas shook his head. “No. I trust him. I did a little digging on him. If there’s one person in this town we can trust, it’s him.”
“All right. Tell him we’ll do it. At least with the appeal hearing set for next week, Colter won’t try anything stupid. This house is on lockdown while we’re gone.” My men would keep her safe while I got answers from the JP. Maybe her wedding gift would be Colter in handcuffs. At least I’d let her think that.
“Will do. What are you going to tell Cora?”
I shrugged. I glanced back toward the kitchen where I could hear her humming. The last thing I wanted was to leave this. “I’ll think of something.”
Something that wouldn’t involve the truth. The lie sat heavy in my chest, but until I had hard answers and solid proof, Cora would stay in the dark. I wasn’t going to get her hopes up and break her heart. Once I had evidence against Colter, I’d hand it over to Rex.
Once she had custody of Elias… things would be different.
Maybe things would be different with us as well.
I sweptmy gaze over the Valle Perdido County Courthouse Annex, the wing that housed the justice of the peace’s office.Despite the late hour, a dim light glowed from what appeared to be a basement window.
“You sure about this?” Thomas asked, his hand instinctively staying near his weapon as we approached the building.
“No, but Cora needs answers,” I said, though something in my gut was sending up warning flags. After weeks of being gone, the JP returns? Why?
“Yeah, well, hopefully what I’ve heard about Kane is right and he isn’t walking us into a trap.” Thomas scanned the empty parking lot. “Where is he?”
The courthouse grounds were eerily quiet for a border town. No late-night traffic, no sounds from the nearby buildings. Even the crickets seemed muted.
I checked my phone. No new messages.
