"Yes, I am."

"Then how come you're still here?"

Sierra pointedly looked at his palm that seemed to be burning a hole through her shirt, right to her skin.

Boone removed his hand. Those striking brown eyes met hers and he lifted his eyebrow in challenge.

She didn't move. She stayed right there, gazing into his handsome face, understanding what Marin had meant by mooning over him-wanting what she couldn't have. Somehow she forced herself to sit up. "You suck at returning text messages, West."

"I've been studying for finals and covering Alan's shift since he's on vacation. Or I've been working out."

"I can tell. You've got some beefy biceps going on."

Boone flexed. "Check 'em out."

Yes please. She b.u.mped him with her shoulder. "No. It might compromise your virtue if people saw me feeling you up." She b.u.mped him with her shoulder. "No. It might compromise your virtue if people saw me feeling you up."

"Might be worth it." His intense focus traveled from her eyes to her hair. "Sorry for throwing gra.s.s at you." He leaned close enough she could see his pulse pounding in his throat. "I'll get it."

"Boone-"

"Relax."

She stayed frozen as his fingers started at her scalp and drifted down the strands of her hair with such deliberation she'd swear he was dragging it out.

You know better.

"So what did you need to talk to me about?" he asked.

Sierra's gaze roved over his face. From his dark eyes, so intent on his task, to his full mouth, his lips parted to release shallow breaths, to his angular jaw. Such a beautiful man. She could just look at him all day.

"Sierra?" he murmured.

"Oh. Right. I wanted to see if you were coming to the branding next Sat.u.r.day. You don't have to help with the actual work part, just come to the after party."

"Why the invite? The McKays need a West whipping boy? Or are your dad, psycho uncles and cousins gonna castrate me?"

She turned her head and sank her teeth into his wrist. Hard.

"Jesus, McKay! Let go."

She slid her mouth free and licked her lips. "Yep. As salty as I expected."

"What'd you do that for?"

"Because you're being a d.i.c.k."

"Remind me not to really p.i.s.s you off," he muttered.

"Too late. I'm already mad at you. Anyway, I'm filling in the blanks on the McKay/West feud for the entire McKay family. I wondered if you wanted to be there since you helped with the research."

He tucked her hair behind her ear. "I can't. I'm working a twelve that day."

Disappointment flooded her.

"But I heard there's a pre-graduation party at Phil Nickels' parents' cabin at the lake that night."

"Are you going?"

"I wouldn't have told you to come if I wasn't."

Close enough to an invite for her. "I'll show up. Think Angie, Kara and Tyler will be there?"

His eyes turned cold. "I'll flatten that f.u.c.ker Tyler if he comes anywhere near you."

"So we'll have to pretend we're together again?" Stop acting like that's what you want. Stop acting like that's what you want. "You have to be tired of that." "You have to be tired of that."

"Never." Boone gave her a light head b.u.t.t that shouldn't have been sweet, but was. "I gotta get back on track."

Sierra groaned.

"See you around, McKay."

Chapter Thirty-Six

Rielle stayed in the greenhouse long past dark. She'd finished her work hours ago, but she couldn't force herself to be in the house with happy Gavin and his equally happy sidekick Sierra.

She was in a mood. This type of surly, sulking mood was rare, but once she became infected with it, look out. Which was why she'd hidden herself away from the people she cared about.

Gavin wouldn't track her down. He understood the demands of her business. So with any luck, and with the help of isolation and booze, she'd shake this mood and return to normal tomorrow.

For the next hour she accomplished exactly nothing except pacing and fretting. Running calculations in her head caused a headache and she threw in the towel. She slipped on her jacket and shut the lights off, her trusty pal Sadie trotting alongside her on the road to the house. On the porch she crouched and hugged her dog. "You're a good girl, Sadie. Sorry I've been lousy company."

The house was quiet but she saw the glow from the TV upstairs which meant Gavin was glued to some sporting event. Addicted to sports was better than being addicted to p.o.r.n, she supposed, but she'd never understand the man's undying love of the games. Rielle found it ironic the sport Gavin's brother competed in on a professional level held zero interest for him. He'd watch Chase ride, but he turned the channel the instant Chase was done.

A long shower removed the dirt but not the black cloud hanging above her. She stared out the window for a while, until she realized if she'd be up all d.a.m.n night without a sleep aid. She wandered to the kitchen and grabbed a six-pack of Mike's Hard Lemonade. During her unproductive navel-gazing in her room, she'd already downed half the second bottle when a knock sounded on her door.

"It's open."

"I heard you in the kitchen. I thought you were still working." Gavin's arms encircled her waist and he pressed a kiss on her neck. "Why didn't you come upstairs?"

Rielle pointed to the six pack. "I'm lousy company."

"I doubt that."

"Trust me, it's true." She drained the bottle and set it on the windowsill.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"Gavin, I appreciate your concern, but I'm b.i.t.c.hy right now and I'd rather you didn't see this side of me."

His mouth brushed her ear. "Am I to take that as you've never been b.i.t.c.hy with me before?"

"Funny."

"Or you think I can't handle you being less than my Ree of sunshine?" He paused. "Ray of sunshine. Get it?"

She smiled, in spite of herself. "Yes, I got it."

"Were you really going to sleep down here?"

"Yes."

"Well, that sucks. Not only because I looked forward to having my wicked way with you-which I was-but because that means you've shut me out. And you know what? I don't like being shut out."

Rielle didn't detect hurt in his tone, just concern. "I'm sorry. This...sharing your bad day stuff is still new to me." stuff is still new to me."

"To me too. But we both know every day won't be perfect and I want you to be able to tell me what's eating at you."

She always handled stuff on her own. "It's not a personal thing between us, but a business thing for me."

"Oh. Well, that's different. f.u.c.k this talking about your business s.h.i.t; if it doesn't have anything to do with me and you, I'm going to bed."

She froze.

Gavin's arms tightened around her. "See how crazy that sounds? Ree. I'm in your life. All aspects of it. I'm a pushy d.i.c.k who won't leave this-or you-alone until you talk to me."

How had she ever gotten so lucky to have this man in her life? She leaned back into him. "I lost the Twin Pines bread account today. Which means I also lost the Creekside B&B account since they're owned by the same people." There. She'd said it without choking on it or letting loose a string of profanities.

"Did they indicate why they were terminating the contract?"

"They're bringing the baked goods in-house."

"No wonder you're upset," he murmured.

Now that she'd opened her mouth, everything just spilled out. "The Twin Pines is the first place that contracted me for baked goods before the bakery closed. So it feels like I'm losing a cornerstone of my business, even when their orders had dropped off in the last year."

"I understand that. But the upside of this situation is that it isn't the quality of your product that caused their decision. So there's nothing you could've done to prevent it."

Gavin wasn't just being the sweet supportive boyfriend, but he looked at this from the business side and she appreciated that.

"Are you worried other restaurants and businesses will follow suit and take the baking in-house?"

"That's part of it. But I know a big plus to the restaurants I supply is my products are unique to each place. The only restaurant you can get the savory and honey seven-grain rolls is at Fields. Same with the other five restaurants I supply."

"Which is smart. You don't need me to tell you that." Gavin gently turned her around to face him. "What else has put that wrinkle in your brow and the clouds in your eyes?"

"After I left the Twin Pines today, I didn't immediately start researching other restaurants I could sell to, to fill the gap."

"You've always done that in the past?"

She nodded. "I've always needed to replace the income right away. Over the last few hours as I've dissected this reaction every possible way, I realized I don't want to seek out replacement restaurants." She hated talking about money with Gavin, but her mindset in this case went beyond money and it involved him. "So I have to ask myself: Have I gotten lazy?"

Gavin burst out laughing.

"Gavin. I'm serious."

"Ree. Honey, rest a.s.sured you're not a slacker. I'm pretty sure losing the Twin Pines and Creekside B&B business will only be a blip in your daily routine. If the income loss isn't substantial enough to worry you at all, then you're exactly right in questioning the immediate need to find replacement income."

She kissed his smirking mouth. "You're so...I hesitate to say right because you'll get a swelled head, but you are. Even if you are pushy."

"Only so I won't have to push you again and you'll come to me on your own next time."

"I will. I promise. Thank you."

"What else?"

"I also had to question whether the reason I didn't want to add more business was because of you." She hadn't choked on admitting that either.

His brow furrowed. "Personally or professionally?"

"Both."

"Because filling that gap is no longer a financial necessity? Since you now have me as a fall back guy?"

She blushed. "Does that make any sense?"

"Whacked out Ree sense, yes, but that's why I love you." His eyes grew serious. "You're permanently involved with me, a guy who has no financial worries. If you lost all your businesses now it wouldn't affect your standard of living because I'm there to pick up the financial slack-even when I know you'd never ask me for a dime. You've never had that long-term stability before and it scares you." His voice dropped to a husky whisper. "You know I'd like to make your life easier.

"Don't let that be an issue between us. I love your independence and that you are a self-made woman. I still think you work too hard, but that's a huge part of who you are and what formed you. I love the whole of you, Ree. But I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that counting on me-physically, emotionally, financially-doesn't make you soft or lazy."

"Gavin. I..." She forced the words past the lump in her throat. "I don't want you to make my life easier. But you already make it better. That's all I want from you."

He rested his forehead to hers. "I know. Just don't shut me out anymore, okay?"

"Okay."

An odd sort of acceptance shifted between them in the silence.