Page 65 of Sneak Attack

“You come wiff my mom?”

“No kiddo. I didn’t come with your mom.”

There was another scream from outside and Jasper took a seat at the top of the stairs. “She’s loud.”

“Sometimes mommies get that way. And people.”

“She’s loud a lot.”

My heart thumped almost out of my chest. Jasper’s tired little eyes stared at the front door, head resting against the banister. I hadnoclue what to do except sweep him into my arms and promise him no one would shout around his precious little self ever again.

I couldn’t do that, but maybe I could help.

“Hey, Jasper?”

“You know me?”

“Yeah.” I smiled. “Your dad talks about you a lot. He loves you tons.”

“I know. He tells me all the time.” His little face scrunched up in the cutest way.

“Do you like books?”

He nodded.

“Do you think maybe you could show me your room and I could read to you?”

It’d get him away from the noise still happening on the front porch, and Selma’s occasional shrieks.

Slowly, he stood and stepped down the hall. I followed quickly and met up with him as he walked into a room where there was a bunk bed on one wall, the bottom bed larger than the top. The room was decorated in all manner of bookshelves with toys tucked into every cubby. And books. So many books.

“Which ones are your favorite?”

He pointed to the table next to his bed.

If you give a Moose a MuffinandChicken Soup with Ricewere laid out on top, likely already read to him once tonight. I grinned at his bed, the lack of headspace between the bunks and tried to imagine Cole tucked into bed with Jasper, reading him bedtime books.

I quickly banished the thought for fear of my ovaries exploding and sat on the edge of the bed while Jasper climbed in.

“You gotta put your feet here.” He pointed to the end of his bed and then to the pile of pillows at the top. “And put your back here.”

“Do I?”

“Daddy does.”

Well, if Daddy did it…

He didn’t seem to have much hesitation in letting me get close to him, so I did as I was told, and he snuggled right up to my side. As I grabbed the books and settled them in my lap, my other hand went to the top of his head and brushed down his hair.

“Wanna talk about why you woke up?”

“Loud noise. Scawed me. Where’s Bongo?”

“Your dad said he’s sleeping in his room. Want me to get him?”

I hesitated to ask. Bongo would probably wake up and be excited and not wanting to sleep.

Jasper shook his head. “He snores loud. Keeps me up.”

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