Page 93

“What does Josie call you?” I asked.

Boone went still.

Not angry. Not yet.

But his hand stopped moving on the mug.

“She calls me Boone.”

“Not what I meant.”

“I know.”

I swallowed.

His eyes held mine. “Why?”

I had three answers ready.

Curiosity. Heard something once. None of my business, forget it.

All of them would have got me out of the kitchen intact.

None of them would have got me what I’d come for.

“There’s a woman asleep in my back room,” I said.

“I know where she sleeps.”

“Right.”

He waited.

I breathed out. “I kissed her.”

Boone’s eyes narrowed a fraction. “She want that?”

“She kissed me back.”

“That wasn’t my question.”

The chair suddenly felt too small.

“I thought she did.”

Boone said nothing.

“She pulled away. I let her go.”

“Good.”

“She’s kept her distance since.”

His gaze stayed level. “Then keep it.”

“I have.”

“Keep keeping it.”