Page 61 of His Greatest Treasure

I feel stupid to have thought that I could ignore the familiar feelings that rose to the surface at my first glance at Avery the day she moved in. Convincing myself that she was nothing more than a nuisance was the second worst mistake I’ve ever made. The only one above it is having ignored her all of these years when I could have been here, caring for her and her daughter.

“Can I ride in the fire truck?” Nova asks from the back seat of the SUV.

She’s swinging her legs in the air, her seat belt wrapped around her front and buckled in over the booster seat I snagged from Avery’s car. The bright yellow shirt with the cartoon frog sticking his tongue out and saying “peace” stands out like a sore thumb amongst the cream leather seats. I like it.

“If the truck’s there, I’ll make sure you get at least a tour of the inside. That work for you?”

“Yes!”

Avery’s eyes dart across the console, a small smile brimming beneath them. “You’re sure we’re allowed to come? I don’t want to pop up and be a distraction.”

“Family comes all the time. It’s good for morale,” I say.

I’d kill to be distracted by her during a long shift.

“Alright then. Good. I’ve never been inside afire station before.”

“With any luck, we’ll be interrupting lunch. St. Clair is on shift today, and he’s always tossed in the kitchen for meals. Best cook in all of Vancouver.”

“Really? Can he make PB&J shaped like horses?” Nova asks.

I look at her in the rear-view mirror and nod. “If I tell him to, he will.”

“Which is something you’re not going to do,” Avery chides.

“Then I’ll do it myself.”

“Yay!” Nova cheers, and I wink at Avery, taking in every inch of her playful eye roll.

“You’re a suck-up,” she says softly so her daughter doesn’t hear.

“I am.”

“She has plenty of people who spoil her already.”

“Doesn’t matter. None of them are me.”

“Will you still say that once she’s grown attached to you?”

I look at her, keeping my expression as serious as I can without coming off as abrasive. “I’ve grown attached toheralready.”

Her cheeks pinken, her eyes bouncing around the SUV. “Oh.”

“If you’re surprised by that, I’ve done a shit job of showing it,” I grunt.

“You haven’t. I just didn’t want to assume anything. You haven’t known her very long. Me either, really.”

“Is there anything else you’re trying not to assume? ’Cause I thought I knew you pretty well.”

“No, there isn’t.”

“You sure?” Releasing the steering wheel from my right hand, I reach low and grip her thigh, right above her knee. “I’m attached to you too, princess. Real attached.”

“Same,” she says on a breath, peering across the console at me.

The single syllable is enough to send my pulse raging. Heat fills my chest as I pull the SUV into the fire station parking lot and refuse to remove my hand from herleg just yet.

Now isn’t the right moment to pull her over onto my lap and kiss her senseless, but fuck, I’m contemplating it.

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