Page 109 of Rumor Has It

“Yeah, me too.” I pause. “I’m not sure how I’m going to handle any of that, Kenzie.”

“All I ask is that you think of her before you react to whatever it is he does to provoke you.” Her breath hitches, followed by my heart.

“I’ll do my best. I promise.”

She rises on her elbow. “Boone, you’ve already said he’s coming after us; there’s not much more he can do to tear us apart.”

“In a perfect world, that would be the only thing, but we know this ole world gives her best shots when you least expect them.”

“We know he’s coming, so let's call him out before he can drive a wedge between us. Look, we suspected he’d want to visit her under the guise of getting to know her. As long as you can keep your cool, we can handle this.” Her words don’t echo what’s in her heart.

I haul her close to me, holding her tight. “I’ll do my level best not to strangle him.”

“Promise?” She pins me with her stare.

I hold up three fingers. “Scout’s honor.”

“You were never a Boy Scout.” She quirks her brow.

I roll her onto her back, hovering over her. “Nope, I wasn’t, but I’d still eat your cookie.”

“OH. MY. GRACIOUS!” She throws her arm over her face, hiding from me.

“Kenzie,”—I push my leg between hers—“let me eat your cookie.” I work my way down her body, kissing her as I go. “Just one taste.”

She squirms, fisting my hair and screaming. “Sweet baby Jesus, Boone. I don’t think I can take your mouth today too.”

“Let’s find…” A knock on the door interrupts me. Our eyes meet, growing wide with the second rap on the window. “Holy shit, he’s here.”

“Fudge nut cracker.” Mackenzie leaps off the floor, sprinting through the house. “You’ve got to answer that, please!”

I smirk, standing wearing nothing but my birthday suit. “Sure, I’d be happy to.”

“Clothes, please!” she yells from the other room. I roll my eyes, hating she thought of it before I could do it.

I grumble as I pull on my basketball shorts. “Fine, I have something on.” I trudge over to the door, thinking of Kenzie when I jerk the door open. “Hello, Thorton.”

“It took you long enough, asshat.” He brushes past me. “What were you doing in here?”

Kenzie breezes into the room as he asks. I grin at her, turning back to my sworn enemy. “Just eating cookies.”

Her face turns three shades of red. “Yeah, Boone was enjoying my cookies.”

“Do you have anymore? I’d love to try them.” Thorton glances at me, thinking he’s getting under my skin.

She shakes her head. “No, Boone ate it all up.”

“Better watch it, ole man, you’ll get fat.” Thorton fake punches me.

I nod, running the back of my hand over my mouth. “They’re fat free, but it tastes so good, you’d never know.”

“Alright then.” He rubs his hands together. “Where she at?”

Mackenzie touches my arm when I step toward him. “She should be here any minute.”

“Maybe you should take this time to ask any questions you have about her.” My mouth fills with venom.

He shrugs. “Like, what? She’s a kid.”