Hedidkiss like a dream, using just enough strength and force to make her feel swept away and enough skill and gentleness to keep it pleasurable.
It was time for her to head home anyway. She needed to put together a bank deposit, pick up something for supper, and retrieve Gizmo from the kennel.
Gabby finished and bounded across the lawn back to Kenzie, probably as eager to get out of the cold as Kenzie was.
“Good girl.” Kenzie gave her a treat and then went back inside with her to find Conrad sorting through a box he’d set on the kitchen table—the box Rose had been poking her nose into. “She did what she was supposed to do.”
Conrad nodded, his expression softening when Gabby trotted up to him. He bent down, petted her. “Who’s a good puppy? You are. That’s right.”
Gabby pranced and wagged, delighted to be the center of his attention.
And once again, Kenzie was jealous of her puppy.
She glanced inside the box and saw a stack of magazines, all of them with Harrison’s face on the cover. “Cool!”
She took one out, opened it.
“They’re just old interviews. I’m tossing them in the recycling.”
She shook her head. “You can’t do that. You’re on the cover.”
“I don’t want them.” There was an edge to his voice.
“Can I take them?”
He faced her, apparently not happy with that idea. “What would you do with them? You’re not into climbing, and you don’t need to read them because you can ask me anything you want.”
Okay, fine. “Why are you all tense and angry?”
He frowned. “I’m not angry.”
“Right.” She scooped up the magazines and carried them out of the kitchen and toward the front door. “I’ll donate these to the Scarlet Springs Library.”
He followed. “The library isn’t going to want this shit.”
“Not true. You’re local, and you’re kind of a big deal.”
“That’s in the past.”
“Well, Silas Moffat is dead, so he’s alotmore in the past than you are. Joe still donated his journals to the library.”
“That’s different.”
“You’re right. Silas was a murdering jerk, and you’re a hero to a lot of people.” Kenzie dropped the stack of magazines next to her handbag.
“I’mnota hero.”
She opened the closet door to get her coat. “Thanks for a fun day. I really did enjoy myself.”
He shut the door. “What’s going on, Kenzie?”
“That’s what I tried to ask you.” She crossed her arms over her chest. Okay, so she would have to go first. “I’m angry because you won’t be honest with me.”
He narrowed his eyes, shook his head, as if he wasn’t quite keeping up with her. “I won’t …what?”
She took the plunge. “You’re sorry you kissed me, aren’t you?”
He gaped at her, then laughed as if she’d said something hilarious. He drew her into his arms, kissed the top of her head. “No, I’m not sorry—not for that. But that doesn’t mean it was the right thing to do.”
