Page 63 of Cold Foot Croc

“Thank you for everything.”

“Mmm,” he rumbled, coming up behind her and sliding his hands around her belly. He swayed them gently as he looked out the window with her. He could see their reflection there,and wished he could take a picture of them standing just like this. “I didn’t do anything. You would’ve figured everything out eventually.”

“Not true. I couldn’t see the potential of this place until you came inside. I don’t think I would’ve ever seen it. I understood the fight too well.”

“The fight is familiar. That’s okay.”

“I don’t really want my life to revolve around it anymore, though,” she said softly, afraid to disrupt the magic of this moment.

“You’re going to get to Change into your crocodile soon,” he murmured. “Are you excited?”

“Yes. I’ll have to go find water. We can do a camping trip if you want to go. I wouldn’t hurt you, and neither would my animal. She likes you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. She likes how dominant your bear is.”

“How do I know if my bear likes your animal?”

“When my eyes look like my animal’s eyes, does he want to Change? Does he feel aggressive?”

Garret thought about it, and then shook his head. “He wants to stay close to you.”

“There you have it, then. They’re compatible.”

“My family has messaged, asking about you.”

“Really? Did you tell them what a psychopath I am?” she joked.

He chuckled. “You aren’t that. They want to meet you.”

“I wish you could meet my mom and brother,” she said suddenly. They had been on her mind a lot lately.

“Maybe someday. You never know what can happen.”

She didn’t want to disappoint him by telling him that she knew what would happen. They would never talk to her again, and he would never meet them. Her old life was unreachable.Her best shot at happiness, and for a steady life for Maybe-Billy-Jack, was to keep doing exactly what she was doing—putting down roots in a strong foundation.

“I’m still a little scared,” she admitted in a whisper.

Garret hugged her tighter, and she could feel his steady-pounding heartbeat against her back. He kissed her on the side of her head, letting his lips linger there as he stared out the window at the snowfall outside. When he eased back by inches, he asked her, “You think something bad is going to happen?”

“It’s just a feeling I have.”

“I think it’ll go away in time.”

She nodded, but inside, she really didn’t know if she could agree with him. She wished he was right, but in her lifetime, there had never been a time when things just went right and stayed right.

All she could do was appreciate the here and now, and hope that in time, she would trust herself not to mess up this life.

Chapter Fourteen

Garret lurched up in bed.

“Hey,” Raynah murmured tiredly. “Are you okay?”

Garret slid his hand to her stomach, but she felt fine, other than everything feeling really tight.

His eyes were glowing in the dim dawn light that was filtering through the front window. They’d dragged the twin mattress and the crib mattress down in front of the fireplace last night, shoved them together, covered them with blankets, and slumber-partied down here.

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