After clearing off the metal chair I’d been using as a table while I sat cross-legged in front of my stump, I took a grateful bite.
Then rolled my eyes heavenward because it was even better than yesterday’s batch. The way the rest of that stew got shoveled into my mouth.
What couldn’t have been even five minutes later, I looked up from my empty bowl to find Boone regarding me with a strange look on his face.
Self-consciousness replaced the hunger as I realized I hadn’t even bothered to wash up first. I was covered in wood shavings, and I’d dribbled stew down Zion’s green button-up.
“I know I’m a mess. I’m such a pig sometimes. So disgusting. I can’t believe I…”
I trailed off when his expression shifted—not weirded out anymore, but furious. Just like Dennis would have been if I’d made such a display of myself in front of him.
My heart kicked. Boone had been so nice, but Zion had called him a misanthrope. A grump. What if?—
“I was worried I didn’t bring you enough to eat, not what you look like. Don’t do that.” His voice was rough, and his pale-blue gaze burned like the sun behind him. “Don’t talk bad about my girl like that.”
“Boone…” My heart kicked again. This time for a much different reason. “I’m not your girl. Or even a girl.”
My cheeks warmed.Though I’m blushing like one. Thank goodness it didn’t show on my dark skin. Out loud, I reminded both of us: “I’m fifty-six and should have better manners.”
“Oh, yeah?” A slow grin spread across Boone’s face, and he reached a hand under his shirt to rub his belly. “Like seeing my girl eat like that, every single bite.”
Okay, well, eye contact was all done.
Something tugged low in my stomach as I dropped my gaze to the empty bowl. “I don’t see why.”
“Well, we’re hoping to fatten you up before...”
He trailed off, and when I looked back up, he was wincing.
“Before what?” I asked, scrunching my forehead.
“Aw, sorry, sugar.” Boone’s hand came up from his stomach to rub the back of his neck. “Ravik and Zion say I can’t talk that way to you.”
But then his blue eyes burned into mine. “Yet.”
My throat went dry.
But before I could respond, he asked, “C’mon, wanna take another walk?”
Yes. Yes, I absolutely wanted to not be in an enclosed space with Boone and whatever that conversation had been about to become.
“I’ll meet you at the path,” I told him before jogging into the house to grab my orange coat from the closet and pull on some leggings. Apparently, I also hadn’t noticed it was getting cold.
To my surprise, Ravik was jogging out of his house when I got to the path that went around most of the town. With a nod, he fell into step on the right side of me.
Silent. Thumbs hitched in his belt loops. But definitely walking with us.
“Nice evening,” Boone observed. “Montana’s beautiful, but I forgot how nice it is in Canada, too.”
“I agree. Though I’ve never been to Montana,” I answered.
We lightly chatted about Boone’s life there.
“Do you miss it?” For some reason, I could not stop violating mydon’t get personalrule.
“Not at all,” he answered with an easy grin. “Weather’s even better here, and I can swim every morning, afternoon, and night without worrying about some humans who shouldn’t be on my private property reporting a polar bear. Polar bears like to swim.”
“Oh,” I said. Not sure how to respond to that.
