Page 17 of Possessive Bodyguard Summer

I couldn’t help but notice how charming she looked with flour on the tip of her nose. Or how natural it felt to have her standing in my kitchen doing something as simple as baking cookies with my little girl.

It all felt so normal. Like a real family.

Fuck.

I did not need to be thinking things like that.Ever.

Monroe was here to do a job. So that I could domyjob. The sooner my head and my libido got that memo, the better off we’d all be.

“Don’t mind the mess. I promise to get everything cleaned up and return your kitchen back to its original condition.”

“What mess?” I smirked and pretended I hadn’t noticed, while quickly washing my hands in the sink.

“Someone wanted cookies for dessert.Theninsisted we needed to taste test them while dinner cooked,” Monroe said.

"It's a scientific fact. You have to make sure they’re delicious before you give them to anyone else,” Kaleigh nodded enthusiastically.

Monroe leaned closer and whispered loud enough for me to hear. "I didn't have the heart to argue."

“I don’t think you would have won, anyway. No one wins an argument against her.” I dried my hands and moved over to the counter. “Alright. Put me in, Coach. I wanna help.”

Kaleigh proudly held up a star-shaped cookie. “Try this one! I made it just for you.”

Before I could answer, Maverick stretched his neck just a little farther toward the cookie.

"Mavy!" Kaleigh giggled. "This one's not for you."

His ears drooped.

“Aww. Poor dude,” Monroe teased, scratching behind his ears.

I let out a huff. “He’s a working dog, you do realize that, right?”

Monroe looked at Maverick. Maverick looked back at her with those big dumb puppy dog eyes that got him his way more times than I liked to admit.

She burst into laughter. “Working dogs deserve treats too.” Monroe spun around and opened the fridge. “Which is exactly why we made you some puppy safe cookies of your own.”

“Don’t spoil him, Monroe. Kaleigh does plenty of that as it is.” I warned without a hint of authority behind it.

“Are you worried he’ll pick me over you, big guy?”

“Big guy?” I snorted, taking another bite of my cookie. “And no. I am not worried about Mav choosing you.”

Nor would I have blamed him if he did.

Maverick always had my six and if he thought Monroe needed him more at some point, I’d trust him to have her back too.

Monroe fed Maverick two of the treats she made him then we got back to putting together the last batch of cookies. Kaleigh handed me cookie cutters and gave directions on how many of each shape I should make. Instructed me on which ones got sprinkles before they went in the oven and which ones would get pink icing when they cooled. And then I got to do the honors of sticking the tray in the oven.

Another timer dinged.

“Andthatmeans dinner is done!” Monroe stuffed her hands in the oven mitts and opened the other oven that wasn’t currently occupied by cookies.

When I'd bought this place, I'd laughed at the idea of needing two ovens.

One family of two didn't bake enough to justify them.

Watching Monroe pull dinner from one while Kaleigh's cookies baked in the other...suddenly they didn't seem nearly as ridiculous.