“Yeah, baby,” he answered quietly.“But I can stay awake if you need to talk shit out.”
“We can do that tomorrow when you’re on Doc and Nadia’s couch with your foot elevated.”
Hutch sighed for what he hoped would be the last time in a while.
Then he said, “Proud of you tonight.With a calm head, followed through with orders.”
“I give you all the credit,” she replied.“I was freaking.You were so in the zone, it helped me not lose my shit.”
No.
She was a tough cookie, and a smart one.
“Think I got hard when you rifle whipped Enstrom,” he teased.
“Ugh.Shut up.”
He smiled.
“I do not regret that, he deserved it,” she declared.
He fucking did.
“Go to sleep, baby,” he urged.
“If you promise to do that too.”
“Promise.”
After that, he enjoyed feeling Mabel snuggling into him.
And after that, they both fell asleep.
Mabel,Nadia, Abigail and Lillian were bustling around in the kitchen.
Cin, Rus, Doc and Harry were at the stools outside of it, with Brett leaned against the end.They were shooting the shit, though Harry, who had hold of Cicely, was pretending to eat her tiny, fisted hand, and she was giggle-gurgling.
The older kids, Maddie, Cin’s daughter, and Ledger, had taken Viggo, Liam and Emma into the extra room to play with the puppies.
To keep Mabel happy, Hutch was in the sunken living room on the couch, propped up on pillows behind his back, more under his feet.Hannibal was snoozing on the floor at his side.
This was where he stayed even as Stormy strolled his way with two fresh beers.
He sat his ass on the coffee table and handed Hutch one.
Storm gave his dog a stroke before he threw back a tug then looked at Hutch.
“Worth the risk?”Stormy asked.
Hutch didn’t hesitate.“Worth the risk.”
Hannibal’s head came up as Emma careened into the couch, landed her torso on his, along with her elbows, rested her jaw in her hands and asked, “Missa Hutch, can I have a puppy?”
Thankfully, before he had to answer, Abigail called, “Emma!Be careful with Mr.Hutch and Hannibal.He got his feet hurt last night, and that puppers needs his rest.”
She looked down to Hutch’s feet then to him with a worried expression on her cute face.
And she gave him her treatment plan.
