I did as told, and I did it liking that there was now a sexual component to something like that, liking that this was going to be a part of our lives, making even mundane stuff more intimate, even thrilling.

We ate.

We did the dishes together.

Mo came over because he was day duty seeing as Boone was on something for Hawk that he couldn’t take that for me.

Which reminded me of something that somehow in all the brouhaha with Boone I’d completely forgotten.

So I asked about it after Boone and I finished making out at the door (and just to say, I was beside-myself happy we had that back too).

“We haven’t talked about what’s going down with Brett.”

“Tonight, Ryn. Before I work you. Or tomorrow morning, after I work you.”

I forgot entirely what we were discussing.

All I could think about was Boone “working me” and how much I liked how he referred to it like that.

He knew I was thinking that. I knew he knew it when his eyes got lazy again and he instigated another makeout session.

Sadly, he had to end it and our days had to begin.

So that was what we did.

But for me, I did it not only because I had no choice.

But because it would bring me closer to having him back that night.

* * *

Later that morning, I was in a massive flooring warehouse with Mo, Hound and Joker when Boone called me, interrupting Hound and Joker having what I thought was a hilarious argument over the tile for the guest bathroom floor.

It was hilarious because I would never have guessed Hound even knew bathroom floors were tiled. He went in, he did his business, he walked out, and his environs mattered not, in a bathroom…or anywhere.

But Hound definitely had a vision for my house.

At least he did for the guest bathroom.

One that clashed with Joker’s vision.

So I walked away (not far away, because the minute I shifted, three pairs of male eyes shot to me) to take the call.

“Hey, Boone,” I greeted, ready to launch in about Hound, Joker and the bad news that the subflooring was going to have to be pulled up in most of the house because the cat stink had sunk into it, but the good news was, we were getting on that and the plumber’s quote wouldn’t mean I was looking for a buyer for one of my kidneys.

“Why didn’t you tell me how the guys were treating you?”

I blinked at stacks of tall boards displaying tile options.

“Sorry?”

“Lottie called and told me that Mo called her and told her that you and I got our shit together, so now I had to tell the boys to get their heads out of their asses and stay out of our shit when it turns to shit because it isn’t their business. And she’s right. Really fuckin’ right,” Boone said, and he said it really fucking unhappily. “Why didn’t you tell me the guys were acting like assholes?”

“Well, uh, they were doing it first, because they’re loyal to you, and although I wasn’t a big fan, I got it and I was glad you had that. And second, they were doing it while protecting me so I thought that might be a bit rude.”

“You should have told me.”

“We kinda were focused on discussing other things,” I reminded him.

“And after we did that, you should have told me.”

“Boone, honey, it wasn’t that big of a deal.”

“No one acts like an asshole to you,” he decreed.

I sucked in breath.

“Do you hear me, Ryn?” he demanded.

“Yeah,” I said softly.

“Not even one of my brothers. Yeah?”

“Yeah, Boone,” I said placatingly. “But listen to me, before you get angry at them, I’m just going to point out that you’re not the girls’ favorite person either. Or you weren’t, until I made the round of texts this morning that all was good again. But that’s what friends do. They take your side. Then they go back to all good when it’s all good.”

“Yeah, but none of your girls acted like bitches to me,” he returned.

“You haven’t been around them.”

“I had dinner out with Mag and Evie the night before last.”

Oh.

Evie hadn’t shared that, I knew why (I’d do the same), and I got why she protected me from that.

“And Evie was totally cool,” he went on.

“Evie’s kinda more mature than all of us. And there’s the small fact she’s a genius. Like, a certifiable one.”

“Babe,” he bit.

I shut up.

Man, this really bothered him.

He didn’t make me wait to understand why.

“You suck it up and move on,” he stated. “Your dad takes off on you, your mom’s gotta provide for you, you gotta eat, you teach yourself how to cook. Your brother falls down on the job, his woman does the same, you step in and look after two kids who are not your responsibility. You get kidnapped, you shake it off and go back to work. You get kidnapped again, you make fuckin’ friends with your kidnapper. With me, Ryn, you do not suck it up and move on. Nothin’ about me. We’re gonna fight. We’re gonna hit tough spots where it’ll be hard to see how we’re gonna find our way. But that’s ours. Nothin’ ancillary to me is going to be something you gotta suck up, put up with it and then move on.”

“Boone, seriously, that’s so sweet but that’d be impossible for you to achieve.”

“Well, I’m gonna fuckin’ try.”

There was the knight’s vow.

My heart started hammering.

“And one thing I know,” he kept going, “my boys are not gonna be dicks to you.”

I thought it best just to say, “Okay, baby.”

“Okay,” he gritted out.

“Are you gonna be all right?” I asked.

“I will be after I talk to Axl, Aug and Mag.”

Hmm.

“Okay,” I said. “Though, just so you know, seeing as I was there so I know more than Lottie, but Mag just kinda avoided me. He wasn’t a dick. He just wasn’t as sweet as he usually is.”

“That’s being a dick.”

Okay.

Right.

Moving on.

“And Auggie got Chaos involved with my house because he’s that good of a guy deep down inside, he couldn’t watch me tackle that huge project alone. And I’m at a flooring store with Mo, Hound and Joker, and they might get their knives out in a second, they’re so deep in the throes of getting the other to agree to a guest bathroom vision. But this is because of Auggie, as well as the fact that I’ve got a month’s worth of work I could do by myself done on the house in three days.”

I thought humor might get through with him.

It did not.

I knew this when he said, “So it was Axl who was the biggest dick.”

Uh, mostly, yeah.

I did not say that.

I said, “He wasn’t an overt dick.”

“He’s gagging for Hattie. He wants in there so bad, it’s fucking with his head. You and me fighting proved to him what he’s trying to convince himself of. It isn’t worth the risk. He still wants her, and like I said, wants her bad. And so it’s doubly uncool he took his shit out on you.”

“He wants Hattie bad?” I asked.