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It was Boone’s turn to yelp. “I won’t be for long with hands like that under my shirt.”

He pretended to struggle to get away from her and she couldn’t hold back her laughter. When Boone was around, he always made her feel. Sometimes joy. Sometimes heat.Sometimes stressed, or sad, or confused. But she’d been numb for so long, she wanted to feel everything. He gave her that.

“We need to get you inside, babygirl. Want a ride?”

“A ride on what, Daddy? There’s no one here but you.”

“Well, I guess you’ll just have to ride Daddy.”

As if she weighed nothing at all, he lifted her off the ground and somehow swung her around to his back.

“Wrap your legs around me and hold on tight.”

That was the only warning he gave her before he started galloping like a horse. She threw her arms around his neck and held on for dear life. After shoving open the massive front doors, he galloped her across the great room, past the kitchen, and all the way to the dining room table.

Everyone had already started serving their plates and with everyone seated, there was only one chair left. Boone didn’t even pause. He walked them to the chair. She should have expected what happened next, but she never dreamed he would swing her around and sit down with her in his lap. Not in front of all the people gathered at the table.

But there she was, sitting in his lap like a baby. Her face flamed. What would everyone think? She struggled to move off him, but he held her in place. “Patience, little girl. I’ll fix us a plate.”

She’d heard people talk about being embarrassed to death, and she’d thought they were exaggerating. But no. She could feel death by mortification creeping up on her.

Yes, they sat this way on the yacht. And sure, she’d loved it. Especially when he fed her from his plate. It made her feel all warm and squishy inside.

But they hadn’t been sitting at a table with, she scanned the room and got a headcount, ten other people. People she didn’t know. People who might think she was crazy. Or worse, think Boone was.

He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “Relax, bluebell. You don’t need to worry about anyone else at this table. First, what they think doesn’t matter. Their thoughts are not our problems unless we let them be. Second, when I said everyone here was in the lifestyle, I wasn’t just talking about my brothers. There is no one at this table that is going to judge you. Everyone means everyone. So, if they feel anything, it’s jealousy that I have such a beautiful, smart, Little girl sitting in my lap.”

Each dish was passed around the table and people took what they wanted. Boone did the same. She wrinkled her nose when he added roasted cauliflower to his plate, but as long as it wasn’t the dreaded artichoke heart she’d at least taste it. The large helping of mac and cheese he plopped on a minute later had her stomach growling.

When she reached for the utensils, Boone smacked her hand. “Mine. Someone has to make sure you eat some of everything on this plate, and I don’t think that would be you, little girl.”

Tildi huffed, but that was all she could do when he was, in fact, right.

Kenzie laughed. “I’ve missed you brother, giant neanderthal that you are.”

Tildi bristled at Kenzie’s words. They were meant to help, she was sure, but she didn’t appreciate anyone calling her Daddy a neanderthal. “I had a great time this morning, Daddy. You wouldn't believe everything I got to do. Ruby and Kenzie do more in one morning than the people I used to work with did in a week. And I get to go with Ruby and Kenzie this weekend to deliver Christmas presents. How cool is that?”

“Pretty cool, bluebell. I don't know if I can top that this afternoon, but I'll give it my best shot.”

She grinned. “It might be hard. So far today I've boxed up 800 million pieces of candy and I grated enough cheese to feedmac and cheese to the whole army of Switzerland and Sweden combined.”

Boone grinned down at her. “Well, I'm glad you had a few things to occupy your time this morning. I hated I couldn't be here when you woke up, but I needed to ride the fences.”

“I was fine, Daddy. I’m always fine.” He frowned at that. Had she hurt his feelings? “I had plenty to do but I did miss you. Are you going to be busy all afternoon?”

After a nerve wracking few seconds of him staring at her, he shook his head and smiled and her heart tripped a little. “I am. I have a very important job this afternoon. First, I have to finish riding the fence that runs by the river’s edge. But after that I'm showing the prettiest little girl in the county around the ranch.”

“That would be awesome. What does it mean to ride the fence?”

“Well, it’s pretty complicated. Not sure how to describe it. I guess you'll just have to wait and see, little one. But I think you'll like it.”

If it meant spending time with him, she knew she’d like it. If they were the only ones on the fence, she’d love it. She didn’t have to know what it was. Anything that involved spending time with Boone was her favorite thing to do.

He was going to spend the rest of the afternoon with her. Hopefully, that didn't mean he would not be able to get his important work done. Because even though he said she was his very important job, she knew she'd have to get used to him being away from her.

She’d gotten spoiled those three weeks on the yacht. Being together every second of every day might get on some people’s nerves, but not hers. She loved it.

But now they were back in the real world. Now things were different. Boone had lots of responsibilities that didn’t haveanything to do with her. So, now she needed to get busy trying to figure out what her responsibilities were supposed to be.