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He bolted into the kitchen.

“Oh, dear Lord.”Marcie’s voice again carried.

Jeremy and I hustled into the kitchen.

To find Marcie at the stove with her hand pressed against her chest.“That dog.”

“Sorry.”I scanned the room and found Wally at his water bowl, by the back door, slurping away contentedly.

Marcie smiled.“No, it’s fine.I should have realized he’d be with you two.”She pointed to the oven.“I heard about what happened and came over this morning planning to…I don’t know.”She frowned.“And then you weren’t home, and Raphael pointed out that coming home to fresh-baked bread makes everything better.”

“Uh, sis?”

She eyed him.“Yes?”

“I don’t keep many baking supplies in the house.And we weren’t gonethatlong.”

She winced.“Darren might’ve gotten rip-roaring drunk at his lieutenant’s retirement party last night.At least he got a ride home from a sober friend.He’s sleeping it off, and I thought it would be nice to leave him in peace.Now, if you don’t want fresh-baked bread?—”

“I always want fresh-baked bread.”Jeremy stepped to her and pressed a kiss to her cheek.“We did just have sticky buns from Nice Buns, so we may not partake right now.But you’ll leave the leftovers, right?”

Marcie rolled her eyes.“No.I thought I’d come here, bake, and take everything home with me.”

“No, you didn’t.”Raphael frowned.“You said we needed to do something nice for Uncle Jeremy’s boyfriend because his house burned down and he’s sad.”The kid turned to me.“Are you sad?”

“Uh…”So this is what a deer in the headlights feels like.The answer should’ve been simple.I’d lost all my new things, including the laptop.I should’ve been sad.But thanks to Jeremy this morning—with his quick wit and even quicker smile—I’d enjoyed myself.I’d forgotten the trauma that had led me here.Unburdening myself had been…freeing.I tilted my head.“I’m sorry for the man who owns the house because he’ll have to rebuild.I’m sorry because I lost a couple of things like my new clothes and my laptop.”

“Oh, that’s easily solved.”Jeremy sniffed the bread, then met my gaze.“I have a perfectly good one.Long story, but I needed to swap it out last year.Well, let me be more precise—it needed to be repaired, and I didn’t have the patience to wait.So I bought a new one, and then the repair shop fixed the old one, and now I have two.”

That was entirely too convenient, as far as I was concerned.But I didn’t have tenant’s insurance, and no way in hell was I going to ask Anthony to find me another laptop.He’d already done so much.“Uh, if you’re sure.”

“He’s sure.”Marcie swatted Jeremy on his ass with a tea towel.“Go wash your hands.I’ll cut a bun in half for you to share.And you’re not having leftover pizza for lunch.I brought a rosemary chicken.”

Jeremy and I exchanged looks.And smiled because we’d entirely planned on leftover pizza.Given how many miles we’d walked today, I’d calculated a slice or two wouldn’t hurt too much.

I went into the half bath on the main floor to wash my hands while Jeremy hustled upstairs.Soon we presented ourselves in the kitchen to receive half of one of Marcie’s delicious-smelling buns.

As we feasted, I caught sight of Wally rolling around on his back, scratching it on the mat, while Thaddeus rubbed his belly.My dog was in seventh heaven.

Given the treat I was consuming, so was I.

“Marcie, you’ve outdone yourself.”Jeremy used a napkin to wipe away a dribble of melted butter that had escaped down his chin.

Drat.I’d wanted to do that…with my tongue.Which was possibly one of the weirdest thoughts ever.Because first, beard.And second, I just didn’t have thoughts like that.Ones that were vaguely sexual.Or sensual.Or anything.I’d never had them before, so why start now?

Oh.

Maybe because Jeremy was safe?

High school hadn’t been safe.College hadn’t been safe.Hank hadn’t been safe.

But Jeremy, with his gentle teasing, and his ardent willingness to fight all the battles for me, felt…safe.

I swallowed.Hard.“Delicious, Marcie.Thank you.”

Raphael stood before me.“I helped.”

“Then I thank you as well.”Bit by bit, the intimidation factor was wearing off.They were just a kid.Obviously a very bright and special child—still just a child.