Page 13 of Landry (Bayou Brotherhood Protectors #7)

Ava patted her mother’s leg but turned all her attention to Landry and the book.

Not used to performing in front of an audience, Landry started reading, his voice a little stiff at first. “While walking one day, down our new country lane, I met Waddles the goose. What a sweet, funny name.”

The words flowed with a lilting rhythm. Once he understood the cadence, he relaxed and read page by page, making sure to show Ava the pictures as he did.

By the time he reached the last page, Ava’s eyelids drooped. “Thank you for reading to me,” she said and yawned. “Will you come read to me again?”

Landry laid the book on the nightstand and swung to his feet. “I’d like that.”

He bent to brush his lips across her forehead. As he did, she wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed. “Mmm, you smell like peppermint.”

When she released him, she burrowed into the blanket, her eyes closing. “Goodnight, Mr. Landry.”

“Goodnight, Ava,” he said softly, his chest tightening.

Camille leaned over her daughter and kissed her cheek. “Night, little bug. I love you.”

“I love you more,” Ava whispered, her voice fading off at the end.

Landry walked to the window, unlocked and locked it, checking to ensure it was properly secured. Then he retrieved his shoes and tiptoed out of the room.

Camille followed, halfway closing the door behind her.

She passed him in the hallway and led the way back to the kitchen. Once there, she smiled. “Thank you for reading to my daughter, for cooking dinner and coming to check on the house.”

“I’ve only done an external check. I’d like to go through the inside and double-check the locks on the windows and doors now.”

Camille nodded and led the way around the house. One by one, he tested the locks and attempted to open the locked windows. When he started for the back door, Camille touched his arm. “Can we wait on the doors?” she asked.

His brow dipped.

“I’d like to enjoy another glass of wine and watch the fireflies off the back porch for a few minutes. I’d like you to join me, if you have the time.”

Having already spent a few hours with Camille and Ava, Landry should have tested the door and left. “I’d love that,” he said, defying the voice in the back of his head, telling him he was getting in deeper by the minute. Before long, he’d be in well over his head.

Another voice told the naysaying voice to shut up and let the man have a beer.

Camille poured another glass of the wine while Landry twisted the top off another bottle of beer. He crossed through the living room and twisted the deadbolt on the front door.

Confident the house was secure except for the back door, Landry followed Camille out onto the back porch.

Camille ignored the rocking chairs and eased down onto the steps, careful not to spill her glass of wine.

Landry dropped down beside her and stared at the bayou, stretching out in front of them. Starlight made the water sparkle brightly while casting dark shadows beneath overhanging trees.

Camille lifted her glass toward the expanse of water. “I like sitting out here at night. I find the bayou at night strangely peaceful and yet darkly dangerous.”

“And during the day?”

She grimaced. “It’s mostly hot, humid and dangerous.”

As they sat on the porch, little flashes of light blinked on and off over the grass leading down to the dock.

“Ava and I used to come out at night and catch fireflies in mason jars. She liked to put the jar beside her bed at night to see them light up the room. But when she woke up in the morning and saw that most of them had died, she was sad. We haven’t caught fireflies since.

” Camille smiled. “She said she’d rather watch them flying out here, where they could spend their short lives happy and free. ”

Landry shook his head. “Ava is a beautiful, empathetic girl. From what I’ve seen, she has a solid moral compass. I hope she never loses that.”

“Me, too,” Camille said on a sigh. “I hope I’m not screwing up her life.”

“I haven’t known you two for long, but from what I’ve seen, you’re doing an amazing job.”

“Ava makes it easy.” Camille stared out at the night. “I love that girl more than life.”

“And she loves you. You two are so incredibly close.”

“But I question myself all the time. Am I wrong to want to raise her without the help of a husband?”

“No.” He set his beer on the porch, took her glass from her hand and set it beside the beer bottle.

He held out his hand. She could choose to ignore it or take it. Landry’s breath caught and held.

For a long moment, Camille stared at his outstretched hand.

About the time he was ready to drop it, she placed her palm in his.

Landry tugged her closer, turned her around and pulled her back to his front, spooning her, his arms wrapping around her middle.

Her body remained stiff.

“Tell me to leave, and I will,” he whispered in her ear.

A long silence stretched between them. When he started to remove his arms from around her, she laid her hands on his and pulled them back in place. “I don’t want you to go.”

Slowly, her body softened against his until she leaned back, resting her head against his shoulder.

Landry drew in the sweet scent of her, which he was sure came from making candy all day.

“Why did you come here tonight?” she whispered.

Good question. He’d been asking himself that all evening, telling himself to make his visit short. Do what he’d come to do and leave.

Yet here he was three hours later and no closer to leaving than when he’d arrived. “I came to make sure you and Ava are safe.”

She didn’t call him on the lie…or half-truth. Instead, she snuggled closer to him. “I’m glad you came, but I worry.”

“About?”

“Ava.”

“How so?”

“I worry that she’ll get used to having you around.”

“Is that a bad thing?” he asked, nuzzling her hair.

“It could be,” Camille said softly. “You see, I understand you’re here on assignment and that when whatever threat is gone, your job is done. You’ll have no reason to hang out with us. Ava might not understand that as well.”

He nodded. “I can’t do my job if I’m not around.”

“I know.” She leaned her cheek against his chest. “I just worry.”

“Do you want me to keep our interaction on a strictly professional basis?” he asked, his hands tightening around her middle. “I’ll understand if you do.”

“No. I want you to keep doing what you’re doing now.”

“If I keep doing this, I’m going to want to kiss you.”

“I’m not stopping you,” she whispered and turned in his arms.

He lowered his head, claiming her mouth. Gentle at first, he explored her mouth, tracing his tongue over the softness of her lips until she opened to him and met his tongue with hers.

Her hands slid up his chest and around the back of his neck, dragging him closer.

For a heart-stopping few moments, he plundered her mouth, caressing her tongue in long, sensuous strokes.

Everything faded into obscurity but Camille.

Landry no longer heard the songs of the crickets and frogs over the thundering of his pulse.

A loud cracking sound jerked him back to reality. He shoved Camille off his lap and sprang to his feet. Then he pulled her up beside him.

Camille leaned into his side. “What was that noise?”

“Mama!” Ava’s voice called out from inside the house.

“Ava,” Camille darted for the door and raced through the kitchen and into the hallway with Landry on her heels.

When they reached Ava’s room, the door was closed.

Camille reached for the handle, but it didn’t turn. “It’s locked.” She leaned close to the door. “Ava, honey, are you okay?”

“Mama,” Ava cried.

“The door’s locked, sweetie,” Camille called out, her voice strained as she visibly fought for calm. “Can you unlock it?”

When Ava didn’t respond, Landry gripped Camille’s shoulders and moved her to the side. He cocked his leg, about to kick in the door when the handle jiggled and Ava pulled the door open.

Camille pulled her daughter into her arms. “Hey, baby, are you okay?” She set her at arm’s length and raked her gaze over her from tip to toe.

Ava nodded. “I’m okay, but Billy Ray isn’t.”

Landry pushed past them into the room to find the window he’d checked not long ago wide open and no one else in the room. He peered out the open window.

A dark shape dove into the shadows of the trees at the edge of the yard.

“Ava, who was in this room?” Camille demanded.

Her daughter wrapped her arms around Camille’s neck. “It was Billy Ray. Mama, he’s very sick, but when I called for you, he ran away.” She looked into her mother’s eyes. “Mama, is Billy Ray going to die?”