Page 13 of Nixon’s Promise

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The more Nixon learned about McKenna the more he was impressed. He couldn’t imagine raising two orphans, while being one yourself, was easy. But two teenagers who were both at an age where not only did they require a firm, guiding hand, but care and attention, would be difficult in the best of scenarios. But add to that, they’d all lost something big—the situation would be extreme.

Thankfully, Nix didn’t have any siblings. The way his mom had run out on his dad, one was all the old man could handle. Add a teenage girl into the mix, Wayne may’ve dug an early grave if Mandy was any indication how they behaved.

“Come on, let’s go grab Sally.”

“You can wait on the porch. I’ll just be a minute,” McKenna said.

His strides ate up the gravel. Not stopping, Nix grabbed her hand and continued to walk toward the stable. His step momentarily faltered as the feel of her small hand in his registered. He wouldn’t call it a spark, because that would be ridiculous, but he definitely felt a jolt of excitement. And that jolt took him by surprise when his cock jerked to life as he thought about what her warm, callused hand would feel like as she palmed his shaft. She didn’t strike him as the soft, gentle type, which suited Nix just fine. He much preferred wild and rough.

Chastising himself for the direction his thoughts had turned, he came to a stop when McKenna stopped moving.

“Really, Nixon. I can handle Sally. There’s no reason for you to help.”

Not wanting to scare the shit of her, he stopped himself from pulling her into his arms, but he didn’t cease to give her a few truths about himself. “I have no doubt you can handle Sally on your own. But when I’m around, you won’t be.”

“Why’s that?”

He couldn’t tell if she was affronted or curious. If it was the former, there was no telling how irate she’d be when he told her why.

“Because there’s no chance in hell I’m sitting on the porch with a beer in my hand while a woman is up working.”

McKenna’s honey-colored eyes narrowed, but she’d yet to try and pull her hand from his.

“Why’s that?” she snapped.

“Not only is it just plain rude, but I am not that kind of man. You can call me whatever the latest name the social justice warriors have come up with, and I won’t give the first fuck. Straight up, if you’re my friend, my woman, or a perfect stranger, a female does not bust her ass in my presence while I take a load off. If I thought I could get away with it, your ass would be planted in a seat with a beer in your hand, while I corralled Sally and put her away. But something tells me you’d pitch a fit. Not only that, the way Zack just took a pound of Mandy’s flesh I figure you could use a breather before you need to wade in.”

“You think I’d pitch a fit.”

With everything Nix had told McKenna the last thing he’d thought she’d pick to discuss was that.

“Yep.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, would you go sit on the porch if I’d asked you to?”

“Hell no.”

“Right.” Nixon felt himself smile, the expression foreign. Though the more he was around McKenna and Zack, the more the muscles in his cheeks were becoming familiar with the movement. “And why’s that?”

“Because it’s my pony and you’re a guest.”

“Exactly.”

“Now what does that mean?”

“It means, that one day when you no longer see me as a guest, your cute ass will be sitting on your porch with your feet up, a beer next to you, and you’ll be watching me put your pony in the stable.”

McKenna just shook her head like he was crazy, but didn’t have a comeback, and she still hadn’t tried to take her hand back. “You think we can go get Sally now, so we can both grab a beer and relax? Or do you wanna stand here and argue about it all night?” he inquired.

“We’re not arguing.”

“All right, I’ll rephrase—you wanna keep standing here givin’ me lip or you wanna get the pony?”

Goddamn, she was sexy. Even looking mildly irritated, she was hot. Nix couldn’t remember a time he’d enjoyed going back and forth with a woman. His ex-wife had started out sweet but she could turn anything into a fight and often did. By the time she’d left, she no longer argued, she just nagged.