Boone rested on his side and kissed my throat. “What’s wrong? Is reality not living up to your fantasies?”
“Oh, Boone,” I said, panicked that he would think he wasn’t better than any dream. “You’re so much more amazing than I imagined. I couldn’t really picture how you’d be with the girls. I feared you’d only tolerate them like they were a job you had to do to be close to me. Instead, you’re so sweet to them. The way you dealt with the boogeyman and that bully was perfect.”
Boone’s dark eyes searched my face before he asked, “Then, why do you seem upset today?”
“It’s all happened so fast,” I said and cuddled closer. “But I don’t want to slow down. But I’m also not great at adjusting to change without fretting over every little thing.”
“What have you been fretting over today?”
“That the girls would be scared here. That I’d need to share your home with them. That I’m a bad mom fornotwanting to share your home with them. That this place is dangerous. That us being here is upsetting other people. I’ve worried about every little thing, but I’m also really happy.”
As Boone considered my words, he looked around the room as if searching for how to respond. Finally, he wrapped his arm around me.
“Should we put our clothes on just in case the girls wake up suddenly?”
“Maybe, but I don’t want to.”
After kissing me, Boone grinned. “I never expected you to be stubborn. I’m excited about what else I’ll learn about you,” he said and rolled out of bed. “But I’m not excited about the girls knowing what my dick looks like. So, I’ll put on my boxers, just in case.”
Reaching for my shirt, I changed my mind and dropped back on the bed. “I feel like an overly dramatic teenager. I want to be lazy and selfish.”
“You didn’t get to have fun as a teenager,” Boone said and gave my butt cheek a nibble. When I laughed and squirmed away, he crawled over me and trapped my body under his. “You want to go wild. That’s why you spew attitude at Exile. You need a dad figure to rebel against.”
“But why is he spewing attitude against me?”
“He thinks you’re a little girl in need of saving. Change causes people to act out. I think once shit settles down, you and your brother will get along better.”
“I keep thinking my wild side will click on, and I won’t be afraid anymore. But I always feel anxious about the bad things that could happen if I go too wild.”
“Wild can mean many things. Goldie is tough in plenty of ways, but she’s afraid of marriage and kids. My sister genuinely believes she’ll lose her steel spine if she falls in love. In that way, you’re tougher than she is. As time goes on, I bet you’ll find ways to be wild that feel natural for you.”
Boone’s words made me realize I didn’t see the foxes correctly. I viewed them as fearless. They rode motorcycles, got tattoos, and jumped into fights. But they were women like me, with their own hangups and weaknesses to go with their strengths.
“The girls want to spend the night here,” I told Boone as he sucked at my throat.
“What do you want?”
“To be with you. Here or at the house doesn’t matter. But a little space from Dan wouldn’t hurt.”
“He’s irritated with me staying over, so having us here might give him a break from his bad mood.”
Grinning, I asked, “So I’d be doing him a favor by staying here?”
“Sure,” Boone said and kissed my belly. “Speaking of family, my mom hasn’t responded, and she hasn’t shown up. I’ve gottenno messages from my dad or Goldie. That means Yarrow isn’t on her way here.”
“I want her to like me.”
“She will.”
“What if she thinks I’m using you?”
“If you mean using me for sex, I don’t think she’d mind that.”
Grinning, I rubbed his head as he nibbled at my belly.
“You did really well with the girls today.”
“I’m crazy about them,” Boone said and then gave me a curious gaze. “Would you ever be interested in making more?”
