Page 62 of Rocky Mountain Devil

Laurel shook herself before glancing back at him. “Oh, nothing. I mean…” She wrinkled her nose. “Something, but it’s not as all-fired important as I thought it was.”

That made no sense. “You had something to tell me before you set up the picnic, but you don’t have anything to tell me now?”

She moved aside the few things between them so she could switch positions, settling herself close enough she was right beside him and able to lean against his chest. “Basically. I was upset this morning, but after talking with your mom for a while I feel much better.”

“My mom is a pretty cool lady.”

“She is.” Laurel looked up with a smile. “She’s very proud of you, you know. Thinks her youngest son can pretty much do anything he puts his mind to.”

“Only with a lot of help,” he said. “I’m glad you guys had a nice visit after church. But I don’t know why you didn’t go home and get changed before coming out here.”

She made a face. “We actually had tea at her place. After church.”

His spine stiffened, and he fought the frustration and worry that struck instantly. “I don’t really want you going out there.”

“I figured. But it’s okay.” Laurel laid a hand on his thigh and pressed down reassuringly.

“No, it’s not,” he insisted. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I don’t want you around my father.”

“I know, but I’m telling you it’s okay. I mean, I won’t go out of my way to get in his face, but I like your mom, and I plan to visit her more.”

“Dammit, Laurel, your face is red. What are you not telling me that’s close enough to a lie to set you off?”

“Noth—” She slammed to a stop and covered her mouth.

“Yeah, you watch yourself, because you weretotallyabout to lie.”

“I kinda bumped into your dad this morning, but everything is okay, really,” she rushed to assure him. “And I won’t get in his face…anymore.”

Shit. “Laurel…?”

“I was lippy.” The words escaped in a rush. “It was wrong, and if he mentions to you thatthe Sitko girl is a rude creature, he’s not lying. But it was my fault, not his, and afterward I had a great visit with your mom. Let’s focus on that part, okay?”

She looked so hopeful—the expression she used when playing down how bad they’d been because they weren’tevergoing to try that particular bit of mischief again.

There were downsides to knowing each other so well.

It was on the tip of his tongue to order her to never go near the homestead, but he couldn’t. Couldn’t boss her around when it was very clear she was aware of the problem. “While you’re on a streak, you got anything else you want to tell me about this morning?”

“How about you eat first?” Laurel grabbed another sandwich. “Or more importantly, let me eat because I’m starving.”

“Laurel…”

“I’m serious. Don’t you hear my stomach rumbling?”

Enough. He rolled her over his body, ignoring her squeal of protest as he kept them going until he had her pinned under him, mostly off the picnic blanket and resting on the soft grass of the hillside.

He plucked the sandwich from her fingers. “I’m very impressed you didn’t lose that.”

“Itoldyou I was hungry.”

“And we’ll eat in a minute. Now, spill.”

She seemed to be thinking hard before she spoke. “It’s nothing,” she insisted.

“I’ll spank your ass if you keep lying to me,” he warned.

Some sort of gibberish escaped her lips, as if she couldn’t figure out what words to say.