Esri shook her head. “No, it doesn’t.”
He cleared his throat, fought to rein in his emotions. He wasnotgoing to break down in front of Esri. “Sorry. This wasn’t supposed to turn into a therapy session.”
Esri gave his hand a squeeze. “No worries. We’re just two friends talking. I really appreciate everything you’ve told me. I’ve always wanted to visit Tengboche, and now I have through your eyes. Thank you.”
“Is that invitation to join you for meditation still open?” Meditation was the only way he’d been able to escape his emotions when he’d been at the monastery.
Esri smiled. “Always.”
Chapter 8
Kenzie cleanedher house and then went grocery shopping, as she always did on Sunday morning. When she’d gotten everything on her list—thank goodness she’d remembered it this time—she made her way back to the pharmacy to get condoms.
Do you truly need them, or are you trying to create the illusion that something exciting is happening with your love life?
Hey, Harrison had kissed her. She hadn’t imagined that.
Yes, but will he do it again?
He’d said he couldn’t help himself, and that right there was reason to hope—and reason enough to buy condoms.
She looked at all the different kinds of condoms, wondering what kind he might prefer and what size he’d need. He wasnota small guy. She’d been able to feel that through his jeans.
Ribbed. Extra lubrication. Twisted. Flavored. Extra thin. Tingles.
Warmth spread between her thighs at the idea of Harrison sheathed in one of these and thrusting into her.
Stop. Just stop.
Uncomfortably horny now, she grabbed a package that claimed to be extra thin and had an XL label and dropped it into her shopping cart.
In the checkout lane, she found herself standing behind Kendra Jewell, Lexi’s stepmother. Kendra turned, glanced into her cart, and smiled. “I hear you and that sexy bastard Harrison Conrad are an item. Extra-large? I’m not surprised.”
With the condoms sitting right there in plain sight, Kenzie didn’t try to explain. Denials would only make things worse.
Sometimes living in a small town sucked.
“Rose has been busy, hasn’t she?”
Kendra laughed. “Always.”
After Kenzie had gotten everything home and put away, she dropped Gizmo off with Inéz at the kennel and made the short drive to Harrison’s house, a couple of condoms in her handbag. Better safe than sorry.
He answered the door in a pair of low-slung jeans and a black, cable-knit sweater, his long, dark hair and the stubble on his jaw giving him a bad-boy look that all but made her knees go weak. “Hey.”
He smiled, but there were shadows in his eyes. “Hey.”
Kenzie stepped into the warmth to see Gabby bounding across the carpet toward her. She scooped up the excited fluffball, accepting puppy kisses. “How’s my baby girl?”
“She misses you.”
“I miss her, too. Are you behaving for Uncle Harrison?”
Lips that had kissed her senseless curved in a grin. “No accidents today. She slept in her crate last night, which means I didn’t sleep much at all. She’s been out in the snow a few times to go potty. I shoveled off a bit of grass for her because she didn’t want to walk on it.”
“Great idea. See, Harrison? You’re a natural at this.” Kenzie snuggled the puppy close. “Snow is new to you, isn’t it, Gabby?”
“She slept for most of the time I was at New Moon with Esri.”
