Page 96 of Family Bonds- Jarrett & Andi

“Firehazards,” he said. “And they are a pain in the butt too. I don’t light this much. I even thought about putting a gas unit in it. Alex is always on my case to do it.”

“I understand. It’s just nice. My father had one in his house.”

“So one of those memories?” he asked. “Maybe I’ll keep it.”

She snuggled in more next to him on the couch. It was cold and windy out. They could hear the windows rattling a bit, but it was nice and warm in Jarrett’s home.

“It’s your house,” she said. “You need to do what you want with it.”

“Maybe I want what makes you happy in it,” he said.

She paused. As much as she loved Jarrett, she’d never lived with a man before.

She loved that her father protected her, but she also liked her independence.

Then add to the fact she was in Witness Protection. Wouldn’t moving in with someone just add another pressure she didn’t want in her life?

But the thought of not having Jarrett in her life was heart wrenching.

She sniffled some and he noticed. “Sorry.”

“Why are you upset?” he asked. “What did I say?”

“Nothing. Sometimes my mind runs away with things.”

“I’m putting pressure on you,” he said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

“You aren’t. I’m doing it to myself. The thing is, the minute I think you might not be in my life or I’d lose this, I get upset. Like flip a switch and there are the tears.”

That had to mean more than anything in her mind.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I’m not letting you go anywhere. Jack knows that.”

“What does Jack know?” she asked.

He sighed. “The fact I know your history, if you ever had to leave or recreate yourself again, I know you’re in the system. I know Jack will always be in your life. There is nowhere you could go that I wouldn’t find you unless you told me outright that you didn’t want me in your life.”

“I’ll never say that,” she said. And it just proved to her that all the pressure she was feeling was coming from her and not Jarrett.

“Let’s try not to think of those things,” he said. “I’ve got something for you.”

“I thought we weren’t exchanging gifts,” she said. They’d talked about this for two weeks.

“It’s a gift for both of us,” he said. “I should have said it that way. Just like you cooked dinner for us tonight.”

“I cook dinner for us all the time,” she said.

“But tonight you got filet mignon. It’s not a meal we have all the time.”

“No,” she said. “Still. You didn’t need to get me anything.”

“I wouldn’t want you to go join Kylie at the casino,” he said, laughing. He got up from the couch and pulled the little gift bag out of the cabinet.

“Never happening,” she said. She reached her hand out. “This is light. Is it more underwear?”

“No,” he said. “I could have done that, but as I said, this is for both of us.”

“Sexy underwear is for both of us too,” she said. She removed the tissue paper and pulled out an envelope. “What the heck?”

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