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"She's here for the Fourth of July Barbecue. I've been telling her about it for years."
Kit nods and some of the stress seems to be leaving her body, though she still looks coiled for flight at any moment.
"She has," Kit replies. "Though she never told me her family was the one hosting it." Kit gives Boone some side eye, then looks back at the rest of us. "I'm looking forward to it. I'm sure it won't be like anything back home."
"Besides," Boone adds, "Kit is the best party planner I know and I'm going to need her help making this party the most spectacular yet. So it's not all play."
"But some play?" Deac arches a brow at our guest and she blushes.
Boone twists her napkin into a tight coil, stands and snaps it across the table at Deacon, stinging him right between the eyes. Kit rears back in shock. I'm sure the country club set in Connecticut doesn't act this way at dinner and I hope she doesn't judge us poorly because of it.
"You know the rule," Boone says when Deac looks her way. "She's my friend." She points her finger at Deac, then Caleb and finally me. "No touching. That's the rule."
There's a moment of awkward silence around the table. Finally Kit says, "Well, I'm sure it will still be nice to get to know all of you, from arm's length."
We all laugh and I admire her composure. She was cool as a cucumber when she introduced herself as though we'd never met while I was still trying to get my tongue to work. And now, she's making an awkward moment funny.
Damn.
"I understand you flew in last night," Caleb says, changing the subject.
"Yes, I stayed at The Hamilton Hotel. I enjoyed it very much."
Am I the only one who catches the hitch in her voice? Maybe I'm imagining things. Wishful thinking.
"Really? The Hamilton Hotel?" Deac turns toward her. "What did you think of it?"
"Oh, it was extremely nice. First rate."
"I'm sure the owner will be glad to hear it," Caleb says.
"Well, I didn't fill out one of those comment cards," Kit says, "but maybe I'll leave a review on Yelp."
Boone snorts and her water goes up her nose. It's been quite the explosion of bad manners at lunch today.
"What's so funny?" Kit looks around the table, though her gaze barely pauses on me.
"We, I mean, our family, owns that hotel," Boone says.
Kit's mouth hangs open and God help me, all I can think about is the image of me resting my cock on her bottom lip a few hours ago.
Kit blinks and licks her lips. "Well, you're full of surprises, Boone."
Boone looks embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad, I just wanted to see the look on your face when you realized I wasn't some farm girl. I bet you were worried about having to help me milk the cows or something."
Kit blushes and I'll be damned if it's not about the cutest thing I've ever seen.
"Boone, in my defense, you were very secretive and I didn't want to pry." Then she grins. "But, I can't believe you made me pay full price!"
Boone laughs and I wonder if she's going to thwack Kit with her napkin the way she did Deacon. "I did think about making sure they gave you the penthouse, but Adam has been using it for the last week. Wait," she says, "I don't suppose you two ran into each other while you were there? Though, how would you know?"
Kit's face goes pale. She opens her mouth to talk but no words come out.
As if on cue, Boone's phone rings. We've finished our meal and she pulls it from her pocket and looks at the screen. "I need to take this," she says, standing. "I'll only be a minute."
As she leaves, my gaze meets Kit's and I hate the hint of worry I see there.
Caleb, no doubt enjoying the chance to rib me, jumps into the conversation. "Nah, Adam wouldn't have seen her. He was busy. Told me he—"
