Page 38 of Chasing Honor

“Get this fucking dirtbag out of my sight,” Ethan instructed.

When the officer behind the shit-talking perp gave him a shove, he stumbled forward and disappeared around the corner. As soon as the men were out of sight, Ethan stalked straight to me and grasped my face, bringing his just inches from mine.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” I dismissed his question.

“Thank you.” He closed the distance and for the second time he kissed me in front of Carson. Only this time it was on my lips.

He released my cheeks and bent down, grabbing Carson from behind me. “Are you okay, Squirt?”

“Yes. Honor hid me. Someone needs to wash that bad man’s mouth out with soap for saying those bad words.”

I wondered if Carson realized it was Ethan who’d done the cursing. I gathered not, considering I was looking right at him while he spoke and I’d barely recognized his voice.

“I’m sorry.”

“Gran and I baked a cake today. But we couldn’t eat it. She said it was for Aunt Blake because it’s her favorite.”

And just like that, the bad guy was forgotten.

“I’m sure you ate plenty of other treats.”

“I cannot confirm nor deny that, Daddy. It’s top secret.”

Lorenz let out a belly laugh before he recovered and told me. “Princess Rose, here, has the entire Lenox family wrapped around her finger.”

“That she does. We’ll let you two get back to work. Your mom said Carson still had spelling homework. We’ll throw dinner together then work on it.”

“Thanks.” And Ethan smiled the first real smile I’d seen since Sunday.

“Anytime, handsome. Let’s go, darlin’ we have bacon wrapped chicken to make and spelling words to study.”

“Do I get a cookie if I get all my words right?”

“No. You already had a ton at Grans. You’ll get a high five and you’ll get to pick the before-bedtime movie.”

“Deal.” Carson nodded.

“Deal,” I repeated. Ethan’s face was funny again. “What?”

“Nothing. I’ll see you at home. Love you, Squirt. Be good.”

“Always am. Love you, too, Daddy.”

I felt Ethan’s eyes boring into the back of my head as we made our way out of the bullpen.

Hot and cold. Fine one minute, pensive the next. I had to talk to him tonight. Good or bad something had to change.

* * *

Dinner was a hit. Carson cleared her plate and told me how much she loved bacon wrapped anything. I had to agree, bacon made everything taste better. She aced her spelling words and we watched Frozen until she fell asleep on the couch. It wasn’t a moment too soon. If I had to listen to Elsa sing one more time I was going to find ear plugs.

After I carried Carson up to bed and tucked her in I finished cleaning up the kitchen and set the coffee for extra early tomorrow. I’d been slacking on my runs and needed to get back to it. I was finding I didn’t need the stress relief pounding the pavement had always provided now that I was getting a different kind of pounding. The thought made my cheeks heat and my panties dampen. Even with Ethan’s current mood fluctuations he was still phenomenal in bed and always made sure I went first.

I’d sat on the couch, planning on waiting up for Ethan, but within minutes my eyes were heavy and a nap until he got home sounded good.

“Honor. Wake up.”