Page 3 of Tempting Bo (Montgomery Dreams #2)

KENZIE

It's been years since I've been here, but nothing has changed. Sure, new flowers are in the pots and the walkway leading up to the house has a few new cracks in it, but all the important stuff has stayed the same. The same dark blue curtains hang in Bo’s window.

Has he changed anything in his room, or is it the same as it was in high school?

I knock twice on the familiar oak door.

My heart leaps up into my throat when the door opens to reveal none other than Bo himself. He’s looking over his shoulder with a teasing grin tugging his dimples, a white tank top stretched tight across his chest and a ragged old flannel hanging open over it.

He looks even better than I remember.

“Dude, lay off the sugar in that tea,” he shouts. “I still want to have teeth by the time dinner’s over.”

I burst into laughter, not even trying to hold it back.

Bo swings around to face me, his face going slack in surprise as he traces his eyes over me.

It lights up in joy as soon as the shock wears off, and he damn near knocks me over with the force of the hug he wraps me in.

He’s a head taller than me, just like he’s always been, but he’s broader than I remember.

My heart kicks at how smothered I feel in his embrace.

“Kenz, holy shit!” he says, lifting me up off my feet and squeezing me until I worry my ribs are going to break. “You're back!”

“I'm back!” I say, giggling as he finally lets me down.

He holds me at arm’s length, looking me over properly. Affection shines in his brown eyes, reminding me why I fell for him in the first place. Bo always made me feel so special, even if he doesn't see me that way.

“Mom wouldn't tell us who was coming over,” he says. “I’d have dressed up if I knew it was you. God, you look great. Your hair’s so long!”

I laugh off his comments as he ushers me inside to join everyone. The second I step in, Hailey and David are all over me, smothering me in hugs, and insisting I sit and have a glass of wine so they can ask me a million questions.

I catch everyone up on my plans for work and where I’m staying, tossing stories of college around as I help set the table.

I was nervous about coming by after so long, but I’m as welcome here as I’ve always been.

Sure, Oakley is off at college with Jamie and getting ready for the start of the next semester, but there were plenty of nights that I came over for dinner when she wasn’t here.

It’s comforting to take my usual seat beside Bo and pass a bowl of mashed potatoes down the table.

He sits at the edge of my periphery, chiming in to fill me on things I’ve missed, his knee bumping into mine beneath the table every so often.

Dinner is full of jokes and stories we’ve all heard a thousand times. Maggie even reluctantly joins in too. The conversation turns to the topic of relationships after Hailey catches me up on everything between Oakley and Jamie.

I should really keep my mouth shut, but I can’t resist glancing over at Bo.

“Are you or Maggie seeing anybody?” I ask, keeping my voice casual.

“As if,” Maggie scoffs.

Put her in yellow plaid, and she'd be a star.

“The ranch keeps me plenty busy,” Bo says. “I don't want to bother with dating unless I know it's the right person.”

Relief slams into me like a tidal wave, even though Bo being single doesn't mean I have a chance. He was single for pretty much all of high school, and we didn't date then. Nothing will change now.

“What about you?” Hailey asks. “I’m sure you had plenty of boys chasing after you in college.”

A frown crosses Bo’s face, but I’m sure it has nothing to do with any of this. He’s always in his own little world. I laugh, shaking my head before taking a sip of my tea–extra sweet.

“I was holed up in the library all three years,” I say. “I hardly even remember my professor’s names.”

“Maybe now that you’re back home, you’ll find someone nice to settle down with.

” Hailey shrugs, glancing between me and Bo in a way that makes me cringe.

I’m trying not to be obvious, especially after being away for so long.

Besides, if Bo wanted something more than friendship with me, I’d know.

“I’m sure you’ll stay plenty busy, though. ”

Thankfully, David chimes in and the topic changes again. We chat about the ranch and the rodeo scene and how Hailey’s veterinary practice has become responsible for all of Greg Walker’s livestock now that he and David settled their differences. It’s good to know that life is treating them all well.

We chat far past sundown, moving from dinner to dessert to coffee.

“It’s getting late. I really should head home,” I say when I realize it’s nearly nine.

I stand and give everyone a hug, even Maggie accepts a pat on the head.

“Let me walk you out,” Bo says, his hand warm and heavy on my shoulder.

“Sure.” Like I could ever say no, especially when he smiles at me like that. “It was great to see you all! I’ll text Oakley and make sure I can come by next time she’s home.”

Hailey and David wave their goodbyes to me while Maggie shoots a dismissive nod my way.

I follow Bo toward the door, all of my attention focused on the feeling of his hand where it still lingers on my arm.

I can feel the scratch of his calluses and the strength of his fingers, even as they rest lazily on the curve of my bicep.

“It’s been way too long,” he says as he walks me outside. “Promise you won’t be a stranger now that you’re home.”

I chuckle, leaning into the hand on my arm and looking up at him affectionately.

“Pinky promise.”

“Good.”

We reach my car far too quickly, and I almost pout at the thought of the night ending already. I want to spend so much more time with Bo, but I’ll have other chances now that I’m back in town.

I turn my back to my car, debating stealing another hug from him. He’s right in front of me, barely half a foot between us. When I look up into his eyes, the air around us shifts, feeling charged in a way it didn’t a second ago.

I glance between his eyes and his lips, unable to stop myself from fantasizing like I always do.

He’s still so close to me, and he hasn’t pulled his hand back this whole time.

Maybe I’m overthinking things, but I can’t help it when he’s close enough for me to smell the woodsy scent of his cologne and see the flecks of gold in his brown eyes.

He licks his lips, and my breath catches in my throat. Then he steps back, finally dropping his hand from my arm.

It feels cold where he’d been touching.

Guess I was overthinking it after all. I laugh softly under my breath, shaking my head at my own hopelessness. I won’t ever get over Bo, but it’s something I’ll have to deal with.

“It was really good to see you, Bo,” I say softly.

I look down while rooting through my purse in search of my keys. Leaving is always bittersweet. Bo is my best friend, just like he always has been.

Just like he always will be.

“I missed you, Kenz.” His voice is so quiet I almost miss it, and when I meet his eyes, something I don’t recognize lies there. “It’s been too long.”

“Well, I’m back in town for good,” I remind him. “I’ll be on the normal school schedule, so we should have plenty of time to catch up, if you want.”

“Of course I do,” he says, sounding genuinely hurt that I’d think he didn’t want to hang out. “All I’ve got is work. I’ll always make time for you.”

How am I not supposed to fall for him when he says things like that?

“Text me, then. We’ll get together sometime.”

It’s a disappointment when my fingers bump into my keys, but I don’t want to linger longer and bother everyone. It’s still cold out, although the harsh snap of winter has faded for the most part. Bo’s still in a tank top and an unbuttoned flannel, and I’m sure he’s chilly.

“Yeah. Soon, okay? Don’t make me miss you.”

“Soon,” I promise.

I pull my keys out of my bag with a smile, but before I can say goodbye, Bo’s hand is on my arm again. His fingers wrap around my elbow, and then he steps forward, and I gasp when my back meets the cold of my car.

Then his lips are on mine.

I’m back on the Montgomery Ranch after years of being away, seeing Bo for the first time since I left for college.

And Bo Montgomery is kissing me .

As soon as I get over the shock, my mind goes blank from the pure sensation of it.

One of his hands is on my arm, the other resting softly on my waist. His lips move against mine, slow and sensual and adoring.

His breaths come shakily out through his nose, and his heart is pounding in his chest, so hard that I can feel it beneath my palm.

I don’t know when I tangled my fingers in the collar of his flannel.

This can’t be real.

Bo’s hand tightens on my waist, his body firm and pressed up against me from collar to knee.

This cannot be real.

My head spins from shock and lack of oxygen by the time he pulls back. The soft, uncertain smile on his face nearly knocks me to the ground. I blink at him, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. He just stands there, still pressed against me, still holding me. All I can do is laugh.

“Oh, thank God.” Bo dissolves into chuckles along with me, dropping his head down onto my shoulder and breathing out a massive sigh of relief. “I thought you were mad at me.”

How could I ever be mad at him? Especially for kissing me like that ?

“Do it again?” I ask softly, still not quite certain this is real.

I'm more prepared for it, and I kiss him back properly this time. He tastes like roast and mashed potatoes and sweet tea.

I've never tasted something so perfect.

This kiss is a little longer than the last one, but Bo still pulls away before I can melt into a puddle in his arms. My heart pounds in my chest as he beams down at me, his lips red and shining slightly under the starlight. He looks like something out of a dream.

“I’ll see you again soon, right? You promised,” he says.

Those words hold so much more weight now.

“I promise.”

He beams at me, his eyes flicking down to my lips one last time before he takes a deep breath and steps back. It looks like it takes a lot of effort for him to let me go, his hand lingering on my arm for as long as he can before he finally drops it to his side.

“Goodnight, Kenzie,” he says. “Let me know when you get home safe?”

“Yeah,” I agree. “Goodnight. Bo.”

I’m fucking floating as Bo steps away and heads back toward the house. I unlock my car before slowly sliding into the seat.

There are several moments where a single thought doesn’t form in my brain, and then pure joy slams into me so hard I can hardly breathe through it.

There’s no way that just happened. I lift a trembling hand to my lips, still warm from Bo’s mouth, and laugh in baffled excitement.

The whole world feels like it’s lit up with fireworks, and I have no clue how to even process any of this.

God, what the hell?