Page 48
A huge smile spread across her face. “Oh, I like you. I like you a lot.”
We clinked our beer bottles together as Reba and Laura both migrated towards the fire, warming their hands, claiming Kenny had left a chill in the air.
A few moments later Mikayla joined us, smiling a little too brightly. “Hey, Kenny’s really upset. What happened? What did you say?”
“Nothing.” I wasn’t going to stress her out.
Beverly placed her hand on my chest. “He’s being humble. You just missed a master class on someone finding out after they fucked around.”
I couldn’t help but smile. Aunt Beverly was the last person I would expect to know or reference the phrase, “fuck around and find out.”
“Auntie Bev!” Mikayla gasped.
“What?!” she shot back with faux innocence.
“I’ve never heard you cuss before.”
Her Aunt Beverly shrugged with a smug grin on her face, seeming very pleased with herself.
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to go see a horse about a man.”
She headed in the direction of Grant Thorne, our head of security. It didn’t surprise me. Women were constantly drooling over him.
“How old is he?” Mikayla asked as we watched her Aunt Beverly beeline towards the tatted-up security man who was standing at the stables.
“Late forties.” I wasn’t sure of his exact age.
“Isn’t he married?” she queried.
“Divorced. Twice, actually.”
“And he has kids, right? That’s why he retired from law enforcement.”
“Yeah, but they are all adults now.” Grant retired from working as a detective because once he became a single dad of two, he needed to have a predictable schedule, which was impossible in law enforcement.
“Do we need to go save him?” she asked as her aunt cornered Grant.
“He’s the head of our security, I’m sure he can handle your aunt.”
Her face cringed. “You don’t know my aunt.”
We laughed, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see Kenny staring at us.
I snaked one arm around Mikayla’s waist and pulled her against me. Her eyes widened and she gasped as her hands landed on my chest. I leaned down, and pressed my forehead to hers.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
Marking my territory. Whoa. That was an intrusive thought.
“He’s watching,” I informed her.
“I’m just…I’m not really a PDA person.”
“Well, I am.” I bent lower and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
Her eyes fluttered shut a half-second before mine did, her lashes casting small shadows against her cheeks.
My mouth found hers with the hush of a match struck in a dark room, gentle at first, then deepening into a slow, warm certainty that made the world beyond their breathing seem to fall away.
