Page 120 of Talk Wicked to Me

Baz picked up a rattle, and he tapped Ollie’s paw with it, whispering again. Ollie pushed it with his nose, and Brennan giggled. A soft laugh escaped before she could stop it, and all three of them lifted their heads. Ollie’s tail wagged, and Brennan made happy noises, pushing up on his tiny hands.

“There’s nothing to see here,” Baz said as she went to them. “Move along. We’re just having a little guy talk, right, Little B?” He leaned forward and kissed the tip of Brennan’s nose, inciting more giggles.

God she loved him.

“Sorry to interrupt your guy talk, but you have to get going.”

Baz looked at Brennan and Ollie. “Okay, boys. Remember the guy code.” He put a finger over his lips; then he pointed to his own eyes with his index and second fingers, turned them around and pointed at them, like he was watching them, as he pushed to his feet.

“Why am I suddenly feeling outnumbered?” She handed him his cut and scooped up Brennan, who grabbed a fistful of her hair. “Hey.” She carefully extracted it from his little hand and covered his cheek with kisses, earning more happy noises.

Baz tugged her hair.

“You, too?” She turned and was met with a deep dimpled grin.

He tapped his cheek. “Where’re my smooches?”

“You got kisses in very special places this morning,” she reminded him.

“I can never get enough.” He slid his arm around her waist and kissed her lips. “I love you.”

“I love you more.” She’d never tire of hearing or saying those three words to him.

His brows slanted as he put on his cut, and he looked at Brennan. “Your mama has no idea how big my love for her is.”

“Yes, I do.” She put Brennan on the blanket.

“Oh yeah? How big?”

“Big enough that it’ll never run out,” she said sassily.

“Good answer, but not even close.” He grabbed her butt and kissed her again. “Do I need to take you into the bedroom and show you again?”

Yes, please. She loved that he always wanted her as badly as she wanted him. “We don’t have time. You have to leave.”

He pulled her close again, nipping at her neck. “We can be fast.”

“I’ve heard that lie before. Go. We’ll be cheering you on from afar and waiting for you at the coffeehouse.” She gave him a playful shove toward the door.

THERE WAS STANDING room only at the event later that afternoon. Baz’s family and friends, members of the community, and dozens of Dark Knights from other states rallied to show their support. Music floated in from the patio where Rod’s band was playing, and people were dancing and mingling. Children ran around, snagging sweets off the buffet and darting in and out of the building. Baz stood by with Tank and Gunner, taking it all in. The event had grown so much over the years, and yet somehow everyone there felt like part of their family. He was glad to see Bethany with Steph and their parents. They’d come a long way. Evie was holding Marybelle while she chatted with Quinton, Maverick, and Chloe. She looked good with a baby in her arms. Quinton put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. Baz was happy for them, and he knew they’d do right by him while he was away. His gaze found Emerson for the hundredth time, and his heart beat a little faster. She was holding Brennan at a table with Leah, Sid, and some of the other girls. They’d been hosting the event for years, and each year was just as emotional as the last. Baz was used to that, but when he’d cruised into the parking lot at the end of their ride and had seen Emerson, waving and cheering him on with Brennan in her arms, it had made what lay ahead that much easier.

Gunner nudged him and motioned in Emerson’s direction. “Looks like Em found her tribe.”

Baz had been so worried about how the event would affect her, but she was adored by so many people, she had more support than he could hope for. “She enjoys spending time with the girls so much, it’s hard to imagine how she went so long without a close circle of friends. I’m going to ask her to move into my place while I’m away. I’d feel better if she and Brennan were closer to family. Is that cool with you? Can you keep an eye on her for me? Make sure she’s not too lonely?”

“Yeah, of course,” Gunner said. “She and Sid are tight, and our pups will love having Ollie around. You know Tinkles has a thing for Little B.”

He grinned. “Yeah, he does. We both have little ones in diapers.”

“But mine has four legs.” Gunner laughed. “I take it you couldn’t convince Em to go with you to Indonesia?”

“No. She says it’s too much with Brennan. I introduced her to Violet and Andre, hoping they might help, but no such luck.” Violet had been a friend of Maverick’s since they were teenagers. Her husband, Andre, ran Operation SHINE, which was like Doctors without Borders. They traveled often with their one-year-old daughter, Iris.

“You’re doing the right thing by going, B.” Tank set a serious stare on him.

“I know I am, and Emerson does, too. But that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy.”

“I don’t understand why you didn’t just cancel the trip,” Gunner said. “I’d never leave Sid.”