Page 14 of Protective Phlox

“That is an excellent question, one that you’re going to have to look up when we get to our new home, and you can tell me the answer,” I said.

“Mommy?”

“Yeah, Bud?”

“I love you.” And just like that, my heart melted and was put back together again.

“I love you, too. More than anything.”

As soon as the plane stopped shaking, I pulled Cutter onto my lap and took the blanket that Nathan held out for me to wrap him up. Cutter snuggled into the blanket, and within seconds, he was fast asleep.

“You’re amazing with him,” Nathan whispered.

“Thanks, but honestly, he makes me look good. He’s been easygoing since the day he was born. He has a rabid thirst for knowledge, so he loves school and is kind and considerate. It’s why his outburst at the consulate hit me so hard. I don’t think he’s ever yelled at me before.” As Nathan watched him, I decided that while our truce seemed to be holding, I’d tell him a little bit about Cutter. “He has a lot of you in him.” Nathan looked away from Cutter to stare into my eyes. “I couldn’t go a single day without being reminded of our time together.”

I turned my head to look out the window at the slowly lightening sky. “Cutter loves cars. The faster, the better, but don’t get any ideas you’re not taking him out in a sports car until he’s out of his car seat.” Nathan smiled. “He loves soccer, but you better call it football, or you’re going to have an argument on your hands,” I said, and Nathan chuckled. “But whenever I’d ask him what he wanted to watch on television, he’d have me put on hockey. His favorite team is the Knights. He hates it if you try to dress him unless he asks for help. He can’t sleep unless he says goodnight. He loves his chocolate milk, but too much makes him hyper. He struggles to make friends, prefers dark socks over white, and likes video games but prefers to practice reading. Cutter has a fascination with animals that I can’t explain because we never had a pet, and man, can he sass you. He does this thing with his eyebrow exactly like you do, and that makes me laugh every time.”

I glanced at Nathan, and I expected to see him smiling, but the dark look in his eyes made the next thing I was going to say freeze in my throat.

“Lay him down and come with me,” he growled low before standing and heading to the back of the plane. How the hell did I piss him off with what I said? With the armrest lifted between the seats, the wide white leather made the perfect miniature bed, and I carefully placed Cutter down before following Nathan. I didn’t think his plane was even that big, but I didn’t see him until he grabbed my arm and jerked me into what looked like sleeping quarters.

There was hardly enough room for one person to move around, let alone two, and our bodies were pressed tightly together.

“Do you have any idea how fucking furious I am,” he asked, and my throat ran dry.

“What happened to our truce?”

“This is still me in truce mode, or I would’ve had the pilot drop you off somewhere else, maybe while still in the air.”

“Fine, I won’t tell you any more about Cutter. You can find out for yourself. Happy now?” I tried to jerk out of his hold, but he wouldn’t let go. “I can fight you if you want me to, Nathan. But I’d prefer not to embarrass you in front of your soldiers.” He sucked in a deep breath and pushed the door closed. Fuck.

With a hard tug, I was pressed up against the door, my arms locked over my head, and my heart jumping around in my chest.

“You’ve always had a mouth on you, Savannah, one that gets you in trouble.”

“Why? All I wanted to do was share some information with you to help you get to know your son.”

Nathan’s nose touched mine. “Because I shouldn’t hear these things like you’re listing items off a menu. I should’ve watched him grow up and learned all this the same way you did, by being in his life.”

“Well, I can’t turn back time. Now, can I? And I wouldn’t change anything even if I could,” I snapped back.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what I said. Cutter was far safer not in your world.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Oh really? I’m not the one who pissed off an Italian mafia family and got a target put on my back. You did that all on your own. I saved your ass.”

We glared at one another, the tension building so thick that it was suffocating. Nathan had a point, but I refused to back down. He might be right about this one instance, but the larger picture looked vastly different.

Nathan crushed his lips to mine, the kiss a command just like everything else about him. I tried to refuse. I really did, but my resolve was weak when it came to him. I opened for him. His tongue darted into my mouth and teased me until we were furiously battling for dominance and gasping for air.

Freeing my hands, he tugged the men’s shirt he’d found at the consulate for me to wear out of my pants and then pulled it off over my head.

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” He yanked down the lacey cups of my bra and squeezed my breast as he sucked first my left and then my right nipple into his mouth. “I plan to fuck my wife on a plane.” I bit my lip, trying not to cry out, when he flicked his tongue over the hardened peak as his hands undid my pants.

“Nathan, I don’t understand you. It’s obvious you hate me.”