Page 28 of Lion’s Den

Sedona braced herself for the infamous it’s-not-you-it’s-me speech. She might go down in history for having the shortest dating relationship ever recorded. She spread her arms and gave Cam her brightest fake smile. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The keeper, still talking to the 911 operator, gave her and Cam an odd look, then turned his back on them.

Cam folded his arms across his chest as he continued to lean against the corridor wall, his gaze fixed on hers. “Oh, no, Tiger. I’m not letting you off the hook that easily. You agreed to be mine. Skipping out on me is off the table. You will, however, explain to me how you have a set of professional lock picks and can use them like an expert cat burglar.”

CHAPTER NINE

CAM WATCHED SEDONA close enough to catch the relief flooding her eyes when he mentioned the lock picks. Now that response was more interesting than her carrying lock picks on a school field trip.

He knew what she thought. Miss Sedona Hart convinced herself that he planned to kick her to the curb, and she didn’t know how to stop it. No way would he let go of her. If their relationship failed and broke apart, she would be the one to end things, not him. He’d waited too long to find the right woman, and that woman was Sedona. He knew it down to his bones. “I’ll expect your fascinating explanation over dinner tonight.”

Cam wanted that explanation and dinner with the woman haunting his dreams every night.

Now she did the staring. “Lock pick explanations over dinner. Check. Anything else you’d like to know?”

“Since you’re volunteering, I’d love to know how you learned so much about lions and their enclosures.”

She drew a deep breath. “Right. Well, that explanation is rather lengthy and complicated.”

“Sweetheart, I figured that out the minute you jumped into a lion enclosure to save one of your students. I admire that bold move, by the way, but I’d rather be the one taking the risks from now on instead of you. Lions are optional.”

Sedona’s laughter echoed in the corridor.

At that moment, Julio stirred and moaned.

Cam knelt beside Sedona. “Hey, buddy, it’s Cam, Miss Hart’s boyfriend. Can you hear me?” When Julio nodded, he smiled.

“Where’s the lion?” the boy mumbled.

“In his bed.” Sedona covered Julio’s hand with her own. “He’s taking a nap.”

“Is the bad man gone?”

“Yeah, he is.” Cam moved closer. “Do you remember what happened, Julio?”

“The bad man wouldn’t let me go by him. He grabbed me and threw me.” He frowned. “Did I fall down? I can’t remember.”

Cam sighed. “Seems to be an epidemic of that going around.” Unbelievable. If he weren’t in law enforcement, Cam wouldn’t believe this story, and he’d heard some unbelievable things in the past two years.

Sedona made a face at him for that remark.

Julio looked puzzled. “Huh?”

“Never mind, kid. Did the bad man say anything to you?”

“Something funny.”

“Funny ha-ha, or funny odd?” Sedona asked.

“Funny odd. He said, ‘Sorry, kid. It’s nothing personal.’” Julio looked at Cam. “I don’t know what that means.”

Nice to know their culprit had a conscience, even if it was the size of a gnat. “I think he felt bad about what he planned to do.” Not enough to abort the plan, though.

EMTs, more keepers, and other zoo personnel crowded into part of the access corridor. Cam pressed his back against the wall where Julio could still see him, taking a resistant Sedona with him. “I know you want to stay with him, but we have to give the EMTs room to work.”

“I need to go with him to the hospital, but I can’t leave the other teachers to take care of my class too.”

“His parents will have to be notified about this incident.”