“I’ve got some terms of myown.”
“Oh?” I swallowed, trying to moisten my throat that felt as dry as plaster. “I’mlistening.”
“I won’t touch you, but there’s no way I’m not seeing you every day, andnotfrom the nosebleedsection.”
“Okay.”
“I want to know what you’re up to, and where, and not through the mating link. This isn’t me being a stalker, but there are Creeks in Boulder, and I trust those bastards even less than I trust Liam, which is saying a fuckinglot.”
I’d never heard August curse so much. Then again, he was no longer the soft boy I’d had a crush on but a man weathered by human wars and packskirmishes.
“And before you make a comment about my unhinged swearing, know that I’ll drop a hundred dollar bill in Mom’s curse jar, and you’re going to witness me doing it, because I’ll deposit it tomorrow night during dinner at their place, dinner to which you are coming. And to which you can bringJeb.”
I jutted my hip to one side and planted my hand on it. “What if I don’t want to go to dinner at your parents’ house tomorrow night?” I did, but I didn’t appreciate the form of hisinvitation.
His gaze turned challenging. “You don’t have to come, but that’ll break Mom’sheart.”
My hand skidded off my hip. “That’s a low-blow. How am I supposed tonot comenow?”
His smile grew a little wider and a little more roguish too. He was enjoying riling meup.
“You know, if you’d just asked me, I would’ve saidyes.”
“Just wanted to see your face light up, Dimples. Just wanted to see your eyes turn that spectacular shade of blue they get when you’re emotional. Even though I’d much rather make them bluer using . . .othermethods.”
I was pretty certain my eyes had just gotten alotbluer.
He raised his hand to my face, but before he could touch me, he curled his fingers into his palm. “Fuck the convalescence period after the helicopter crash. This is going to be so much worse.” His hand plummeted to hisside.
“Maybe”—I wet my lips—“maybe we shouldn’t spend too much time together. It’ll make itharder.”
He snorted. “That part’s notnegotiable.”
I flicked him, then snatched my hand away, shocked I’d broken the rulefirst.
He stared at my hand. “Never thought I’d crave getting flicked, but if that’s the extent of our physical contact, then flickaway.”
“I shouldn’t even have done that,” I said, tugging my lip into mymouth.
“That thing you’re doing to your lips. Try not to do that when we’re together.” He took a step back as though it would somehow ease the tension jostling the tether betweenus.
I freed my lip. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, sweetheart. It’s not your fault I’m so darn attracted toyou.”
A thrill shot up the entire length of my body. “I should probably go,huh?”
He palmed his dark, cropped hair, then looked over his shoulder at the construction site. We were far enough away that our conversation hadn’t carried but close enough for the men to watch us. When he looked at me again, his eyelids had thinned. “Yeah. You probably should because I’m about to fire a whole bunch ofpeople.”
Ifrowned.
“And if you ever come back to visit, wear a muumuu or somethingbigger.”
He wanted to fire people because they’d looked at me a little too long? “A muumuu? I don’t even know what thatis.”
“A shapeless dress. Grams used to wearthem.”
I smirked. “I don’t own anymuumuus.”
