Page 91 of Perfect Bragg

“Are you trying to start a fire?”

He sighs. “Of course, my stubborn girl would be worried about a fire instead of appreciating the romantic setting.”

“There’s a baby and three dogs in the house.” I pause. Where are my dogs?

I search the room and discover Robin in her playpen and my three dogs laying on the floor surrounding her. They don’t even bother to greet me when I come home anymore. They’re all about Robin now.

I can’t blame them. Robin is pretty loveable. I tiptoe to the playpen and glance down at her sleeping form.

Elder grasps my hand and pulls me away. “The candles aren’t real. They’re LED.”

“Oh.” My ire dissipates.

“Have a seat.” He motions to a blanket on the floor with a picnic basket and a bottle of champagne. It’s romantic and lovely and exactly what I need after a long day of work, which is why I scowl. Elder is not supposed to be giving me what I need.

“Romance isn’t part of our deal.”

He pushes on my shoulders until I’m forced to sit or fight him. I’m not fighting him with Robin sleeping a few feet away.

Rebel Harmony snorts.Sure, you’re afraid to wake Robin. Uh-huh.

“Every woman deserves a bit of romance in their lives.” I can’t argue with him there. We do. “And a woman who’s working a full-time job while caring for a four-month-old doubly deserves romance.”

“Double?”

“Okay, triple,” he says as he sits across from me and pops the champagne bottle.

I hold up my palm. “I don’t think we should both be drinking with Ms. Screams A Lot in the house.”

He shows me the bottle. “Already way ahead of you. It’s sparkling apple juice.”

Darn it! How dare he know my objections in advance and make adjustments?

He fills my glass and hands it to me before raising his own. “To us.”

I scowl. “There is no us.”

“Not yet,” he sings before drinking his apple juice. “Ugh! Gross. Remind me never to buy sparkling apple juice again.”

He feigns retching and I giggle. He’s such a goofball.

“I had Moon put together the picnic basket. What do—”

“Moon? What a little traitor,” I mutter.

“Eden helped, too.”

“Are all my friends traitors?”

“Helping prepare a basket of food for you is a betrayal? You have a weird definition of betrayal. Your friends wanted to make sure you’re well fed since you’ve been working a lot lately.”

I haven’t been working a lot lately. I’ve been hanging out at the Wildlife Refuge while avoiding everyone – especially Elder.

I blow out a breath. This has to stop. I can’t avoid Elder forever. And I don’t want to miss any more time with Robin than absolutely necessary. She won’t be this age forever.

“Elder,” I begin.

He grins. “Yes?”

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