“Troublesome child.” JJ tugged on her braid. “You got the same lecture when you and Delaney rolled down that steep hill in a cardboard box. You almost spent your summer break in the doghouse with Gryff.”

Audrey’s smothered giggles sounded like little snorts. Frankie just laughed.

As Frankie pulled on her loaned sneakers, Audrey smiled. “For someone with no clothing that fits, you’re remarkably put together.”

“Mostly because I’m trying to hide the lack of a bra,” Frankie admitted. Bull’s plain black T-shirt made a mid-thigh-length dress. Over that was his dark gray and black flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up. She’d braided his black and silver ties into a silky belt. With Regina’s high-top black sneakers, it was a rather unique outfit. “My Italian grandmother taught me that a belt adds class to anything.”

JJ grinned. “I agree. Of course, my belt usually has my firearm, Taser, cuffs, and—”

Regan bumped her hip against JJ’s. “You’re such a cop.”

And a really nice one. Frankie eyed her. Maybe during the shopping trip, she could get a better idea of what might happen if the Rescue police were called on for help. Just in case.

Sure, she’d researched and practiced night hiking, but her reading had also shown that, even with an experienced woodsman, things went wrong.

On top of that, the PZs might catch on, either as Kit and Aric were trying to reach the fence or after, during the escape.

If something happened, Kit and Aric might need the police.

After helping get Frankie squared away that morning, Bull spent the rest of the day making phone calls and doing paperwork. Damned paperwork. There was no end. Talk about frustrating. All he wanted to do was go home and be there for his woman.

Finally, he called it quits and returned to the Hermitage only to discover he’d been drafted to grill for everyone, including Lillian and Dante.

Normally, he loved cooking for the family, but fuck, he was tired. He’d hoped to spend a quiet evening with Frankie.

Instead… Eh, maybe it wouldn’t be quiet, but at least, she was here.

It seemed his cooking wouldn’t require much effort. While catching him up on her day—between kisses—Frankie said she’d marinated the chicken and made a dessert. All he had to do was the actual grilling.

Yeah, he loved her.

An hour later, after piling a platter high with lemon-garlic grilled chicken, Bull set it on the table. Already seated, Caz and JJ, Gabe and Audrey, Dante and Lillian had all brought side dishes and served up drinks. Hawk came out of his cabin with a stack of baked potatoes and fixings.

Gryff and Sirius were strategically placed between the humans easiest to con out of tidbits—Regan and Frankie.