Page 227 of Cowboy Daddies

After letting her go, he quickly jumped down, landing easily. Then he grasped hold of her, pulling her in against him with one hand on her ass and one on the middle of her back.

“Are you all right, little girl? You didn’t hurt yourself?”

He’d forgotten how good it felt to take care of someone like this. To have them look up at you like you hung the moon and the stars.

Easy.

But he couldn’t help but stare down at her plump lips.

Fuck.

He wanted to kiss her. To press his lips to hers and claim her. Especially when she licked them. Jeb leaned in, ready to brush his lips against hers. Casey placed her hands on his chest and moved onto her tiptoes.

That’s when he heard Wyatt call out. “I’m back! I have it!”

Jeb stood back hastily. Fuck. Shit. Had he really nearly kissed her? With Wyatt close by?

What was wrong with him?

Wyatt turned up with his stuffed teddy bear. “This is Mr. Bear. Mama gave him to me when I was just a baby. You can tell him all your fears and worries and he makes them go away.” He handed the toy to Casey. “Here, let him take away your fears.”

Jeb tensed. He knew what an honor it was for Wyatt to hand over Mr. Bear to someone else. That toy was his most treasured possession.

Casey didn’t know that, though. Or how it would hurt Wyatt if she rejected his offer.

But Jeb should’ve known better. Casey seemed to understand his son better than he did. Which was depressing to think about.

She crouched down to level and looked at Mr. Bear.

“I think that Mr. Beer is the most amazing bear I’ve ever seen in my life,” she told Wyatt. “Are you sure that you want me to give him a cuddle and tell him my worries?”

Wyatt nodded. “You nearly got hurt because of me.” Wyatt looked down at his feet despondently. Jeb opened his mouth to say something but Casey simply placed her hand on Wyatt’s shoulder.

“That was no one’s fault but my own,” she told him. “I’m the one who stupidly thought that she could climb to the top of that tree and set up some rope for the swing. Little did I know I’ve developed some sort of fear of heights. Not your fault at all. You did everything you should have. Remained calm. Followed your Papa’s requests. You’re so good in an emergency.”

“I am?” Wyatt stared at her with a small smile.

“Uh-huh. Not that it was an emergency,” she said looking up at Jeb worriedly. “If it was an emergency we would’ve called for help.”

Jeb raised his eyebrows as he stared down at them. “You shouldn’t have been climbing a tree, Casey. It’s too high up and you could’ve fallen and hurt yourself. That’s a rule.”

“Wait, were you serious about there being rules?” Casey asked. She took hold of Mr. Bear, hugging him tight as she stood.

Wyatt handed her one of the lollipops and she popped it into her mouth and stared up at Jeb.

“Can I have one too?” Wyatt asked.

“Go for it, sugar,” she said around the lollipop in her mouth.

“Neither of you should be eating those. It’s nearly dinnertime.”

Both of them gave him matching sassy looks.

Great.

He definitely had his hands full with the two of them.

Chapter Seventeen