The girls smiled and bounced at his words. They had been so excited when we set up the night light.
“Did you want to sleep in here tonight?” I asked. “Elle and Zodiac are babysitting.”
Skylar frowned. “But Bebe makes us sandwiches.”
“Elle will probably order food. You could ask for sandwiches.”
The girls looked at each other and whispered food ideas while I smiled at Boone.
“I like your shirt,” I said, winning a sly grin from him.
Once the girls decided they were okay with Elle watching them, I kissed their little heads and followed Boone outside. He opened his truck door for me, and I climbed inside. My heart was racing. We were truly alone for the first time.
Boone slid into his spot and smiled. “I’m kissing you now.”
“Thank God,” I murmured and leaned toward him.
The way his lips felt on mine erased my fears. Boone tasted like a sexy dream come true. As soon as he pulled away, I knew I wasn’t interested in the movies or a crowded restaurant.
“Can we change plans?”
Boone instantly frowned. “Why?”
“I don’t want to be around people. I mean, besides you. Can we go to your place, watch a movie, eat dinner, and be alone?”
Boone’s expression shifted immediately to a smile before returning to a frown.
“Do you want to be alone because you’re nervous about going out in public?”
“No, I want zero distractions. No friends showing up, or strangers talking too loudly, or little kids wanting our attention. I’d like to enjoy you and me somewhere quiet.”
The sexy grin he flashed me sent my heart racing. Boone was so handsome when serious, but his smile had stolen my heart from across the room the first time I saw it. Now, I was the person making him smile.
BOONE
Nothing had gone to plan with Nova so far. That’s why I wasn’t particularly surprised when she changed our evening plans.
On the ride to my condo, I pointed out a few local places with good food. I wasn’t sure what Nova wanted, but I felt like she ought to be the one to choose.
“I grew up in a small town with people who never left,” Nova said in an eerie tone. “Everything they cooked was what they had been taught to cook by other people who had never tried anything new. They called it tradition, but life was stagnant.”
Nova’s big blue eyes focused on me. “After moving to Baton Rouge, I never grew as a person. I told myself I was too busy being a mom and renovating the house. The reality is I don’t know who I am, and I’m afraid to find out.”
“Why be afraid?”
“What if I’m a loser?”
Frowning, I asked, “Wait, who would be the one judging you as a loser?”
“People,” Nova said and shrugged. “Or just me.”
“Well, as someone who grew up around people with zero fucking interest in the opinion of outsiders, I believe you should be proud to be you.”
“But I don’t know who I am.”
“Because you were stuck in a small town. You also made it seem like you didn’t have any friends in Baton Rouge. Now, you have options. So, I suggest you try things to test what you like.”
“What if I like stupid stuff?”
