Page 85 of Talk Wicked to Me

“In the office?” She kept her eyes trained on the ingredients she was measuring.

“Yeah. I talked to Evie about it, and she said they’ve been hooking up for a while, so I had a talk with both of them and set up sound ground rules.” They’d had a good talk and had agreed upon fair and professional interoffice rules.

“Finally!” She exhaled loudly. “It took her long enough to tell you.”

“Wait a minute. You knew?”

She bit her lower lip, brow furrowing. “Kinda, sorta, maybe.”

“And you kept it from me?”

“Please don’t be mad.” She set down the measuring cup, speaking a mile a minute. “Evie mentioned it at the book club meeting, and she asked all of us not to say anything. I wanted to tell you, but there’s a girl code, and she said she didn’t know if things with Quinton would go anywhere. Although at the time she wanted it to. But she was afraid of getting him in trouble. I asked her to tell you, and she promised she would. I’m sorr—”

He silenced her with another kiss. “It’s okay.”

“You’re not mad?”

“No. Evie shouldn’t have put you in that situation, but I get it. Girls talk, and that girl code has been around since my mom was young. I can’t fight that any more than you can fight my being in the club.”

Relief washed over her face. “For what it’s worth, I hated keeping it from you, and I nearly told you dozens of times.” She dragged a finger down his chest. “But I promise to make it up to you after I’m done baking, and I feed Brennan, and we have dinner, and Brennan goes to bed.”

He laughed and kissed her. “Deal.” He rubbed his hands together. “Put me to work, darlin’.”

“Do you really want to help?”

“Yes. The sooner we finish baking, the sooner I can get you naked.”

She licked her lips, looking damn sexy. “I like the way you think, Baxter Wicked.”

“Fuck it.” He hauled her into his arms, and she laughed as he lifted her onto the table and wedged his body between her legs. “Look away, Little B. Daddy’s about to get dirty with Mommy.” As he lowered his mouth toward hers, her jaw dropped, eyes wide as saucers, and he realized what he’d said. Fuck. “I didn’t mean…It just came out. Sor—”

She crushed her mouth to his, kissing the ever-loving hell out of him.

Chapter Twenty-Four

GUNNER AND SID sure knew how to throw an event. The Wicked Animal Rescue adoption event was in full swing, and the grounds of the rescue looked like there was a festival going on. Everyone had gotten together early to help bathe the animals, who now sported cute blue bow ties and pretty pink ribbons, and decorate and set up the yard. Balloons danced from long strings tied to the legs of the registration table, which was manned by Tori and Steph, and dozens of people milled about on the lawn, checking out the animals, reading the fun informational posters Chloe had made, and playing with the dogs and cats in temporary pens. Ginger and Reba were overseeing the animal play areas, and Madigan was holding a puppet show for a group of children, teaching them how to care for pets. Baz and Chloe were going all in with their application contest, Evie and Quinton were helping Gunner and Sid answer questions about the thirty-plus dogs and cats that were up for adoption, and some of Baz’s cousins were also helping out.

Emerson’s table, where she was selling dog biscuits and cookies for donations to the shelter, had been hopping all day. Thank goodness for Reese’s help. Emerson handed a customer her bag of goodies. “One bag of doggy biscuits and two cookies. Good luck with your adoption.”

As the woman walked away, Emerson gazed across the lawn at Conroy, holding Brennan and chatting with Preacher, who was holding Marybelle. They had been holding the babies for the majority of the day. Or, as Baz said, hogging the babies. Emerson didn’t mind. She was glad Brennan had so many people to love him, and the Wickeds had no shortage of love to give.

She glanced at Baz talking with an older couple and warmed all over. They’d stayed at his place last night and had brought Ollie so he could hang out with Gunner and Sid’s dogs today. She’d been shocked when Baz had shown her his bedrooms, one of which he’d made into a nursery with the same bedding, mobile, and all the diapering and other baby accoutrements, they had at her house. If that wasn’t enough to turn her heart inside out, the fact that he had the same dog bed and toys for Ollie and copies of the same pictures she had in her bedroom of her parents and of her and Brennan in his bedroom would have sealed the deal.

His voice whispered through her mind. I know it’s not the same as being home, but I thought it might help you, Brennan, and Ollie feel less of a disruption to your schedules. He went to such great lengths for them. Didn’t he know that being with him was enough?

Last night he’d taken her and Brennan on a tour of his office and the rescue, and they’d met each of the animals. After hearing their heart-wrenching stories, she’d wanted to adopt every one of them. Even Chewbacca, the ornery goat, who was not up for adoption, as Gunner was too in love with him to give him up. But one energetic dog and a baby were enough for Emerson. They’d had dinner with Gunner and Sid at their farmhouse, and Ollie had gotten to play with their dogs. The pups were all glad to see each other again, and Twinkles, their adorable incontinent, diapered Chihuahua that Gunner refused to call anything but Tinkles, had taken a liking to Brennan. Little B loved having his new tiny friend curled up beside him on a blanket. All of that was wonderful, but what Emerson loved most about being there was sharing Baz’s space. It felt different sleeping in his bed, showering together in his luxurious bathroom, and puttering in his kitchen with the morning sun spilling through the massive windows.

“At this rate, we’ll be out of biscuits and cookies way before the end of the day,” Reese said, drawing Emerson’s attention to the pretty blonde. She looked cute in shorts and a Wicked Animal Rescue tank top, as they were all wearing.

“Don’t worry. We have plenty,” Emerson assured her. “Baz’s fridge is full. Let’s keep those donations coming in.” She didn’t know how Gunner and Sid afforded to save so many dogs, but she was glad she was able to help support them.

Reese’s teenage sister, Lettie, who was as lean as Reese was curvy, breezed up to the table and flipped her long dark hair over her shoulder. “Hey. Do you have any more of the double chocolate chip cookies?”

“Lettie, you’ve eaten six cookies in the last hour,” Reese chided.

Lettie parked a hand on her hip. “Working with the animals uses up all of my energy, and sugar helps replenish it.”

“Do not give her any cookies!” Zeke called out as he jogged over.