Page 58 of Her Loving Hero

No way, no how, no sir. They were going to take this slow.

“Tomorrow’s Sunday, I was wondering if you would like to go and see Kenna and the baby.”

He watched the glass halt halfway up to her lips. “Really?”

“Absolutely.”

“You want to introduce me to your friends?” He could barely hear the whispered question. He stopped wrapping the bread in foil and was in front of her in a second.

“Of course I do.”

“You never have.” Her face was pale, and her normally rosy lips were bloodless.

“Are you scared? I mean I know you only met Dex that one time, but Honey, you’re going to love Kenna and little Cora. It was fine meeting Gray, wasn’t it?”

“I wasn’t sure you wanted to share that part of your life with me.”

Wyatt dropped his elbows on the counter in front of her. “Fuck me. I am the stupidest man on the planet. Absolutely not, Emily. That’s not it at all.”

He snatched her hand in his and held it close to his heart. “The first few weeks we were just starting a friendship, but when I realized it was morphing into something more, I wanted you to myself. Then when I wanted you as part of my life, I realized that my teammates would bring up that night in Saudi Arabia. I never wanted you in pain. Never. This has been driving me crazy. I didn’t know what to do. But you did so well with Gray.” His voice trailed off.

“So, you do want me to meet your friends.” She paused. “Properly.”

He tugged on a strand of golden hair. “Absolutely. I want you to invade every nook and cranny of my life, Miss Hoag.”

Emily closed her eyes and groaned.

Wyatt panicked. “What?”

“I’m thinking about every nook and cranny being invaded. Kristi and Carly could be joining me soon.”

“So? I thought you missed them.”

“So what?” she asked loudly. “Wyatt, I only have one small bathroom, and a studio apartment. This will be girl hell.” At least this time there was color in her face.

“Let’s pop the bread in the oven, so we can eat,” Wyatt suggested.

“But, there’s a lot to think about,” Emily protested.

“All the more reason for us to be well fed before we talk.”