Page 46 of Her Righteous Protector

Hannah put her arm around Zephyr. “I know you don’t, Sweetheart.”

Max watched as one lonely tear streaked down his son’s face and he kicked himself for saying that Meghan had died. As if she knew what he was thinking, Meghan looked over Zephyr’s head and mouthed, “Not your fault.”

“Do you want to talk about your mom or look at pictures?” She stroked his hair as he cuddled closer, but as he did he turned to look at Max.

“You knew Mommy?” he asked.

“I did,” Max said solemnly. “Your mom was a beautiful lady.”

“She got sick,” Zephyr told him from the comfort of Hannah’s arms.

“I know.”

Max watched as Zephyr’s gray eyes continued to contemplate him. “Are you going to go away?”

“No, Zephyr, I’m not,” Max promised as he held out his hand.

Zephyr’s chubby little fingers grasped his and he smiled. “Good.”

* * *

Hannah heard the printer whirring as she walked upstairs from her office. It was eleven o’clock at night, was Max still at it?

Warm gray eyes smiled at her when she made her way into the dining room. “Did you send off everything to Dickerson?” Max asked.

Hannah stretched her neck. “Finally.” She surveyed the dining room table. “It looks like even more paper than last night, how is that even possible?” She went to the fruit bowl and saw that Max had filled it up when he went grocery shopping. “Want me to cut up some peaches?” she asked.

“Sounds good. I’m about ready to pack it in. I’ll meet you at the couch.”

Hannah pulled three peaches out of the bowl and went about peeling and slicing. By the time she was done adding a little bit of sugar and cream the dining room table was barren and Max was scrolling through his smartphone on the couch. She handed him his bowl and sat down on the other side of the couch from him.

Max set down his bowl of fruit, then went to the fireplace and clicked it on. When he came back he settled down next to her before picking up his bowl again. He gave her a half-smile, his eyes twinkling. “It’s cold tonight, we need to conserve body heat.”

This was the first kind of intimacy since their kiss ten days ago, and Hannah wasn’t sure how to take it. Since Max hadn’t touched her or talked about it since, she’d put it down as a one-off. But what about now?

She watched as he slowly ate his fruit. “Don’t you like yours?” he finally asked.

Hannah started when she realized her bowl was still full. She took a bite. “Yeah, it’s good.”

Max laughed.

Ah shit, he knows.

“I’m sorry about all the paperwork you’re having to do,” Hannah said.

“Honey, you’ve said that every single day,” he admonished softly. “You weren’t able to do it because you weren’t named Zephyr’s guardian. It’s fine, I’m getting through it,” he assured her again.

“How can you say that? It looks so overwhelming.”

Max’s white teeth gleamed in the firelight as he grinned. “Hannah, I work for the United States government, doing paperwork is in my blood.”

She laughed. “Nu-uh, you’re a Navy SEAL, pull the other one.”

“Are you going to eat that?” Max nodded toward her half-finished bowl.

“No.”

He placed both of their bowls on the coffee table, then put his arm around her shoulders. “I don’t know what all you’ve been reading about my job, but I’m an officer. Let me tell you, paperwork is part and parcel of what I do. What’s more, it better be done right the first time, or I’m stuck with numerous reworks and delays.”