Page 55 of Wilde In His Arms

Aria tugged Lyric closer.“We could go out later and get the kids a few things they’ll need before they see their parents again.”

Lyric’s eyes lit up.“Yes.Absolutely.”They kept their voices low so the kids didn’t hear, but Nick heard and loved Aria even more for thinking of them and what they’d need for the next couple days.

Aria squeezed his hand.“If you give me your keys, I’ll go by your place and pick up some clothes for you.”

He barely had enough energy to smile at her.“Mom and Dad are going to bring my stuff tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

He worried about her leaving.“You don’t have a car.”

Lyric sat in Aria’s vacant seat.“Hawk and his brothers came by Mason’s place while we were there and left us his Land Rover.”

Aria leaned over him just before he fell asleep.“You have nothing to worry about.The kids are fine.Mason is getting someone to track down the doctor.I’m not going anywhere.Sleep.”

The last thing he remembered was he wanted to tell her he loved her and the taste of her sweet lips against his before everything went blank.

Chapter twenty-one

Nickwokeupwithfour kids staring at him in the morning.He knew it was easier for his fellow agents to guard them like this, but it still would have been nice if Aria could have stayed with him.All he’d wanted last night was for her to crawl in the bed beside him, so he could hold her close and sleep knowing she was right there.

The kids hadn’t wanted to be separated from him since he found them.He understood they needed some sort of assurance that they were safe.He loved that they trusted him.It would make things easier when they had to question the kids about what they’d been through and with who.If they even knew any names to begin with.

He hated the idea of making them relive their worst nightmares.

All he could think about right now was that Aria was here, in Montana—not in his room where he wanted her at the moment, but close.He wondered how long she planned to stay.

And when she’d get back here.

“Someone looks really grumpy this morning.”His mom walked in with his dad.

Dad smirked at him.“There’s a blue-eyed brunette missing from his side.”His dad pulled his mom into the crook of his arm and kissed her on the head.

Nick wished Aria were here right now.

He certainly wasn’t jealous, but he did envy his parents’ close and long-lasting relationship.It’s what he wanted with Aria.He lost her because of the distance between them.Then he’d nearly been killed again the day before yesterday.Today, all he wanted was for her to be here with him.

Just when his heart rate started spiking on the machine beside him, the door opened again and Aria walked in ahead of her sister Lyric, both of them holding up backpacks in each hand.Their bright smiles saturated the room with their excitement.

The kids all perked up and smiled.

He couldn’t help the swell of love that went through him seeing Aria so joyously present a dark blue backpack to Toby and a deep purple one to Stacy, the quietest of the girls.Lyric handed a light green one to Nicole and a forest-green one to Emma.

Squeals and smiles and even a few tears from the girls as they opened their gifts filled the room.Each of them got two new outfits, including a pack of underwear and socks and a pair of tennis shoes.The girls each got a nail polish in a bright, happy color, a bottle of fruity-scented lotion, some candy, a bag of double-chocolate cookies, a word search book, a journal with a pen, and a travel-size game.Yahtzee, Uno, and Sorry!

Toby gaped at the new clothes and shoes.When he found the small dump truck and race car, he smiled so big his cheeks puffed out.He also got Go Fish and Warcards, plus some crayons and two coloring books to go with his new stash of candy and cookies.

They all looked so happy as they showed off their stuff to each other.

Aria and Lyric stood back, watching them, smiles on their faces, their hearts on display for everyone to see.

“My boys got lucky with those Wilde girls.”Mom squeezed his shoulder and smiled down at him as Mason walked in the room.

“We did.”Nick choked up a bit because he was so damn proud to call Aria his, but also because he was still trying to figure out how to keep her.The job in Blackrock Falls would be less demanding, since he’d have fewer agents to oversee.The cases would be more local.He wouldn’t have to travel so much.Which meant he’d be home more, but still be helping people and taking criminals off the streets.And if he trusted his guys more, let loose the reins on them, allowed himself to not have to control everything, he wouldn’t have to be in the field so much.

He’d work on that, so he could spend more time with Aria.

And if he couldn’t let go enough to have a life, he’d talk to the FBI’s counseling team about it.Because the last thing he wanted to do was ever make Aria feel like he cared more about his job than her.

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