I have a towel wrapped around my hair and body when Boone returns thirty minutes later with two bags and a suspiciously small box. My mouth drops open in outrage, which makes him chortle as if that’s exactly the response he wanted.
“Don’t even think you’re going to get my matchbox,” he teases while producing a large fry and box of chicken nuggets.
“I hope they gave you a Polly Pocket instead,” I grumble with feigned aggravation.
“Ha, I would keep that too. I grew up with sisters, remember? I know how to utilize hand-me-downs.”
“I knew you were too good to be true. Confess, where is your toy box?” I make a show of looking around.
“Too good to be true, huh?” He leans back into the sofa with a shit-eating grin on his face. “I don’t have a toy box, but I could be persuaded to get one, as long as I got to use them on you.”
I flush, and Boone tips his head back enough that I can see his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows the fry he was munching on, never once taking his eyes off me.
“I think I prefer just you please.”
Boone coughs hard and bumps his fist against his chest as if he’s choking. It’s nice to know he isn’t the only one who can tease. “And you asked so nicely.” His voice is pitched low and sexy. It feels like a reward for saying something he likes, and it gives me butterflies. I break eye contact and resume eating, even though the sweetness of the honey isn’t nearly as satisfying as Boone’s approval.
We remain fairly quiet for the rest of the meal. He ends up eating a Big Mac and the six-piece nugget that came in the happy meal. He even tries my honey and ketchup on his fries. The way his nose scrunches up makes me think he doesn’t like it very much, but he doesn’t act like it’s gross the way Livy and Parker do.
Thinking of her reminds me that I need to make a phone call. I look at the digital clock under the television, noting it’s past ten. It isn’t terribly late, so Livy would still be up, but it’s late enough that I have a good excuse not to call at this hour. There’stoo much to talk about, and I have no desire to rehash tonight and allow it to taint the evening.
I purposely keep my eyes down on the lid of my cup when I say, “It’s pretty late.”
“Are you tired?” Boone sounds a little bewildered, not that I blame him. I did sleep for half the day, but I also used up quite a bit of energy with him. If I didn’t need to clean up, I might have fallen back asleep a while ago.
“A little. You wore me out,” I tease. It seems like something he would like to hear, “but I meant it’s kind of late to call Liv.”
“Ah.” He nods in understanding.
“Would it be alright if I used your phone to text Parker to let her know I’m okay and that I will call her tomorrow?”
“Sure.” Boone stands and retrieves his phone from the pocket of his sweatpants and fiddles with the screen before extending it to me. I look down at the blank field, at a total loss for what to do next. “Did you need me to get his number?”
“I didn’t think about not having my phone. I mean, I knew I wouldn’t have my phone, but I just didn’t think about everything that’s on it like numbers,” I admit.
“We’re all guilty of taking our devices for granted. I would be lost without my phone and laptop. I have it in the file. Are you done with this?” He motions to my half empty fry box while getting to his feet.
“Yeah, let me get it. It’s the least I can do since you went and picked it up and paid for it.” I begin to gather our trash.
“You’re setting the bar too low again, Harlyn, if you think buying McDonald’s is something you have to make up for.”
“Again?” I question while he picks up more than half the garbage.
“Yeah, remember when you offered to cook for me?” He waggles his eyebrows dramatically.
I roll my eyes. “I would have promised a whole lot more than cooking to get you to come back.”
“Oh, I’m intrigued. What else exactly could I have gotten out of you? Hypothetically of course,” he remarks conversationally.
“You just told me I was too easy, and now you want me to elaborate on it?”
“I didn’t say you were too easy.” He feigns incredulity, grabbing his chest.
“You didn’t? I could have sworn that’s what I heard.” I pry the trash from his grip and take it to the kitchen. He trails behind me, opening the door under the sink to show me where to toss the garbage. There’s something incredibly sweet about it, but it also makes me a little sad.
I lean against his counter, feeling welcome but like an interloper too. I mean I slept in the man’s bed without even asking, and it never even dawned on me to. I’ll blame that on being overtired and overwhelmed.
“What’s wrong?” Boone bumps his shoulder into mine. His perceptiveness is going to take some getting used to.
