Page 44 of Her Defiant Warrior

Good. Maybe I’m getting through to her. I really didn’t want to go buy a hammer and chisel.

Jase hustled out of his truck. He opened her door and helped her step onto the running board, then onto the curb.

“How do you normally do this?” Jase asked. “Do you wake them up? I mean, you’re too little to be carrying one of them, even Amber. Do you just normally wake them up?”

“I wake up Lachlan. He’s almost eight pounds heavier than Amber, and I feel every pound when I carry him. Amber, I carry.”

“You really shouldn’t,” he admonished as he opened the back door to his crew cab. It was on the side where Lachlan was sitting on a backless booster.

“I tell you what. I’ll carry them both in. You just open the door and handle the alarm. Then point me to their rooms.”

Jase forced back a laugh as Bonnie inspected him to see if he would be capable of carrying both of her children at the same time.

“I promise. I’m up for the job.”

“Okay, let me hand Amber to you. I don’t want you leaning into the truck while you’re holding Lach.”

“Okay, baby. Whatever eases your mind.” He bent into the back and unclipped Lachlan, then picked up the little boy.

“What?” Lachlan’s voice was slurred with sleep.

“It’s all good, Tiger. We’re home.” Jase assured him.

“S’kay.” His eyes closed, and he snuggled against Jace’s chest. Again, Jase had to force down a laugh as he saw Mama Bear watching the entire interaction as if Jase were disarming a bomb. He tilted his head. Bonnie nodded.

Jase started around the front of the truck and Bonnie had Amber’s door open by the time he got to her.

He got an arch look. Apparently, he wasn’t supposed to open the door. He shook his head in resignation, then smiled. He watched as Bonnie reached in and pushed her daughter’s curly hair off her face, then kissed her forehead as she unbuckled her belt and picked her up.

“Mom?” Amber asked.

“Right here, sweetheart,” Bonnie whispered as she stood up beside the truck.

“Can I hit more balls?”

“Time to sleep first.”

“S’kay.”

“Is it okay if Jase carries you inside?”

“S’kay.”

Amber leaned over to Jase. He easily caught her up in his right arm. She slid her legs and arms around him like a little monkey.

“Can I hit more balls tomorrow?”

“No, honey, not tomorrow.” Bonnie said.

“Jase, will you take me to hit balls tomorrow?”

“Nope. Right now, you have to go to bed like your momma said,” Jase whispered.

“Fine. If I have too.” Then she rested her head on his shoulder, and immediately fell back to sleep.

Jase forced back a laugh.

Bonnie smiled at him as she saw that both of her children were sound asleep in his arms. “Lead the way,” he smiled back at her.