“What if I decide to go to the baptism, anyway?” she asked.

“You’re not going. Take that in any way you wish,” he said, his eyelids closing. It was time to sleep. They’d gone over this enough times, and either she got it or she didn’t. He was done.

“You can’t watch me every minute of every day for the rest of eternity,” she countered.

His eyelids popped wide open. “I would prefer not to.” The workings of her mind were truly fascinating. He waited, wondering where she’d go next.

“I’ll make you a deal.”

Not his usual course of action, but what the heck. He flattened his hand over her abdomen, smiling when her stomach muscles clenched in response. “What’s the deal?”

She audibly swallowed. “I will promise to keep my safety at the top of my to-do list, and you promise to open yourself up to emotion and to love. It doesn’t mean you have to love or anything, but that you are open to it. That’s all we can do.”

What a sweetheart. “Fine. I will open myself to love.” How hard could it be?

She relaxed against him. “Good. I’m glad we got that taken care of.”

“You’re still not going to Colorado.”

“Damn it, Adare.” She shook her head, and her hair fluffed across his face. “Why are you so impossible?”

That was a question for another day. He kissed the back of her head. “Sleep. Now.” Shockingly enough, she soon did. He let himself relax finally and drifted off, his body content.

It was just past dawn when her burner phone buzzed from the bedside table. Who in the world would be calling so early? Grace flipped on the light and sat up, holding the sheet to her bare breasts. “Hello?” she answered, blowing hair out of her eyes. She stiffened. “When? How? Are you sure?”

He sat up, his body going on full alert. “What has happened?”

Grace shook her head. “We’ll be right there. Tell Adare what’s happened.” She handed over the phone and slipped from the bed, fetching her pack from the chair by the small fireplace. Hurrying back to bed, she dumped out the contents and flipped open a file folder holding photographs. “I knew there was something weird about her.” She tapped her finger on a picture of the lady who’d answered the door at her old apartment when Adare and Benny had visited, looking for Grace. It was a photo of the woman who’d had the toddler in her arms.

“Hello?” Adare said.