AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Kendra laughed and helped her set up plates, napkins and the rest of the necessities at the front of the counter-top buffet. When they were done, Britt rang the dinner bell and instructed her to grab a plate while the getting was good. Outside, they sat at one of three picnic tables in the side yard. It didn’t take long before they were joined by the boys, Joel, and the teen center director, Kristi.
No Colton?
Not that she cared. Until he came out with a mountain of food on his plate and scanned the area for a place to sit.
“Colton, over here,” Cody called.
Kendra groaned silently. Colton hesitated, met her gaze, and strode toward them with a determined glint in his eye. She dropped her chin to concentrate on her food.
Cody patted the six or so inches of open bench between him and Kendra. “There’s room, right Aunt Ken?”
Cody’s use of Noah’s pet name for her made it impossible to resist his innocent request.
The boys squished to the left as Colton sat. Kendra shifted to her right until, if she moved one more inch, she’d fall off. Still, his shoulder and thigh pressed against hers. Barring standing up, she was stuck with him, and seeing how she was only half done with her food and still hungry, that wasn’t about to happen.
She cast a sideways glance at his mounded plate as he lifted a forkful to his mouth. Her gaze lingered on his lips for a second, then she found herself staring into his striking green eyes. He gave her a mocking wink, and she turned back to her plate with her face burning.
After a quick glance to make sure no one watched, she whispered, “Big ox.”
His body pressed closer to hers, and the hair next to her ear stirred.
“Little bird.”
Somehow he managed to ma
ke the two words an insult. She clamped her mouth shut and decided to ignore him the rest of the meal. Easier thought than done. Every time the man lifted his fork for a bite, his tanned arm with its dark-blond hairs brushed hers from shoulder to elbow. And the rest of his firm length pressed close from hip to calf. His heat seeped through her jeans and light sweater, raising the temperature of her already too warm body. If it weren’t for the limited room on the picnic bench, and his earlier demand at the barn, she’d wonder if he meant to get under her skin on purpose.
“—good idea, don’t you think Kendra?”
She glanced up with surprise to find pretty much everyone at the table staring at her, waiting for her to answer Joel’s question. What’s a good idea? And what the heck was her problem? Two hours ago Colton had called her names and ordered her to leave. Now she couldn’t focus past his thigh against hers.
Joel and Britt were both smiling—surely it couldn’t be bad? She gave a cautious nod.
“Awesome!” Cody jumped up, bumping Colton against Kendra in his excitement. “On our last day we get to have a water fight on the bus. Mom’s been saving dish soap bottles for me to use. Come on, I’ll show you.”
Watching the boys with a confused smile, she wondered what she’d just agreed to.
Dustin raced after Cody and Noah into the house. “One of ‘em is mine, Cody—Mom said!”
Kendra knocked her knee hard against Colton’s. He had the whole rest of the bench now—time to move over. He shifted without drawing obvious attention. Immediately, she missed his warmth. God, she was really loosing it!
“Noah can ride the bus again,” Britt suggested. “Since I have to go to town about ten tomorrow, you can come with me and we’ll get him enrolled right away.”
Kendra caught her slack jaw in time to keep from looking like a fool. She’d agreed to enroll him in school? She couldn’t do that. It was too risky.
“While I agree it’s a good idea,” she amended quickly, “I’ll still need to think about it first.”
Colton’s sideways glance made her cringe inside. How could she explain her reluctance without increasing his suspicion?
Joel rescued her. “I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have brought it up in front of him. Just let us know what you decide.”
“You could still come to town with me,” Britt said. “I can show you around, and if there’s anything you need…?”
Kendra turned to Colton with a challenging smile. “Depends if my boss minds.”
His gaze remained hard even though he smiled. “Not a problem with me.”
A few minutes later, the director of the teen center said her goodbyes for the group and rounded everyone up onto the bus.
