Page 51 of Her Loving Hero

11

Emily fellasleep in Gray’s SUV on the way home to San Diego.

“Where are we going?” Gray asked quietly as they drove past the San Diego Zoo.

“Head to Emily’s place, so take Fourth off the The Five. We’ll get more of her things so she can continue to stay at my place.”

Gray raised his eyebrow in question.

“Yes, I’m sure,” Wyatt answered.

Gray shrugged. “I’m going to want your ass at my house first thing tomorrow morning, I don’t give a shit if it’s a Saturday. Make it six a.m., you can visit your brother afterwards. I don’t want to do this at the office, since you were off the books. I’ll call Max tonight, at midnight, so it’s three a.m. his time. Asshole deserves it, since he knew about this little operation and I didn’t.”

Wyatt opened his mouth to say something, then wisely shut it again. That was so above his pay grade. What’s more, Gray and Lieutenant Max Hogan were friends. Or at least they were. He’d better give Kane a heads up. Wyatt peeked back at Emily, she was snoring delicately. She was so damned pretty.

“She’s the only thing saving your ass, you know, that right?”

“I’m man enough to hide behind my woman’s skirts,” Wyatt said solemnly.

Gray snorted out a laugh.

“Wait a minute, she’s not in any kind of trouble, is she?”

“Hell no. And I checked, everything’s copacetic over in Oman. Sounds like Carly got in a fender bender and some good Samaritan named Scott Lyle took her to the hospital. Got a copy of the security footage. It might have been grainy, but he could have been your doppelganger. Anyway, Carly’s fine, and her parents are none the wiser.”

Wyatt relaxed. “Parking’s a bitch around here,” he said as Gray came up to the Emily’s neighborhood.

“I’m noticing.”

“Hang a right and go up a block. There will be street parking there.” A horn honked and Wyatt saw Emily stir.

“Are we home?” she asked as she stretched.

“Gray’s going to stay in the car, you and I are just going to pack a few more things so you can stay at my place a couple more days.”

She gave him a considering look, then finally nodded. Wyatt hopped out and opened the back door. Gray was already on his phone by the time they were on the sidewalk.

Wyatt couldn’t help himself, at this hour the neighborhood was hopping, so he put his arm around Emily’s shoulders to keep her close. She slid her arm around his waist and looked up at him.

“You make me feel safe, Wyatt.”

“You are safe with me,” he vowed.

Soon they were up the elevator and in her little studio apartment.

“I don’t have much to pack, but I do want my grandmother’s afghan. I should have brought that with me the first time.”

He saw her lovingly pet the colorful blanket that was folded up neatly on the end of her bed. He went over to it and touched it with the tips of his fingers.

“My mom used to crochet,” he remembered.

“Did she make you anything?”

“I don’t have anything.”

She moved closer to him. The scent of vanilla and Emily stroked his senses. “That wasn’t what I asked. Did she make stuff for you?”

“A baby blanket. I gave it to Kyle. She was too sick to make one for him.”