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“Did you get a haircut?”

“No.”

“New shirt?”

“Same shirt.”

“Maybe you grew overnight.” I scan his body, pausing briefly where he appears to be straining against his zipper, before bringing my eyes back to his. “Are men your age still growing?”

He drops his head an inch closer, his eyes boring into mine. “Define growing.”

I pull my bottom lip in, having to bite down harder now.

“I know.” I tap my finger on his chest. “You got a manzillian.”

He blinks. “A what?”

“You know.” I rip my hand through the air making a whipping sound. “Balls to ass.” I hold his stare for half a second longer before my smile betrays me and I drop my head back, clutching my chest as laughter erupts from me. “I’m kidding, you got your sling off.”

I grab hold of his bicep and he cups my elbow. The touch is so simple, likely not causing a second thought in his head, but it makes my heart skip a beat.

“Mhmm.”

“You look good.” I arch an eyebrow and lean into his touch.

“You got a minute? I want to show you something.”

I twist, checking the timer on the oven, and slide my hands into the back pocket of my jeans. “I’ve got fifty-four of them actually.”

Knox reaches behind me and my breath catches when the warmth of his hand slides down my backside, finding one of my pocketed hands. “Then let’s ride.”

“Oh my God!”I stop dead in my tracks, creating a small dust storm around me. “What did you do?”

“You said you wanted to ride a horse,” he explains, extending his hand to me. “I got you a horse.”

I’m left standing dumbfounded at the giant animals in front of me, beside the man who got them for me because of one throw-away comment I made.

“What’s wrong?”

“I guess I just didn’t realize how… big they are.”

Knox’s fingers intertwine with mine, his thumb rubbing a comforting pass along my wrist and I loosen a breath, taking a tentative step forward with him.

“This is Pinto Bean.”

“You’re joking.”

“Nope.” He reaches into a bucket, pulls out an apple, and feeds it to the brown horse before petting his mane, all while never letting go of my hand. “This guy has been with me since my first year of secondary school—hence the name.”

A pinched expression forms on Knox’s face as he drops his right arm, and I feel like an asshole. He’s just gotten his cast off and was probably told to take it easy, but instead, he’s out here wrangling a horse because of my lie.

I settle my nerves and step closer to him, gently rubbing his shoulder. “Does it hurt?”

“Nah, it’s just a little stiff.”

“Mmm.” My lips pull tight as I fight back my slightly inappropriate response but he reads me like a book. His head drops back and he laughs a deep laugh that soaks through my chest and vibrates all the way down between my legs.

“Go ahead. Make your dirty joke, Nova girl.”