Anton blushed. But he turned around.
“So how long have you been here?” Boone asked. “I haven’t seen you around town.”
“Just since Saturday. We moved from Arizona.”
“You here for good?”
I hope not. “Probably.”
Boone rested his forearms on his thighs and leaned closer. “You don’t seem too happy about that.”
“It’s not that. It’s just…I don’t know anyone.”
“You will soon enough, trust me. Half the school will wanna get to know you a whole lot better.”
She wasn’t sure how to take that.
The bus started to slow down. Boone tapped Ky on the shoulder. “You’ll make sure Sierra gets off at the McKay bus stop?”
“Duh.”
“The McKays have their own bus stop?” Sierra asked Boone.
“The McKays could have their own bus.” Boone stood and slung his backpack over his shoulder, flashing that dimpled grin again. “See ya around, McKay.” On his way down the aisle he lightly tapped his younger cousins on the back of the head. They all complained, but she could tell they were happy to have his attention.
Aware that Kyler’s and Anton’s eyes were on her, Sierra tried really hard not to check out Boone’s butt.
Maybe this riding the bus home thing wouldn’t be so bad.
Chapter Six
September…
“Now that Sierra has started her second week at school and you have everything unpacked, what will you do this week?” Rielle asked him.
“Thought I’d try to beat my high score on Grand Theft Auto,” he said with a perfectly straight face. “It’ll probably take more than a week, though.”
“Oh.”
“Then I’ll tackle Vision Quest. It’s a bitch to reach the tenth level, but once you do it’s worth it because the reward is an orgy. In full color. Better than p**n . Or so I’ve heard.”
Rielle’s eyes widened. “Sounds…interesting.”
“It’s awesome to finally have all this free time. I’ve always wanted to sleep in until noon.”
“Noon?” she repeated. “That’s…”
Gavin couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Gotcha.”
She lightly smacked his arm. “Gavin Daniels, that’s just plain mean. As if I’d believe you’d lounge around all damn day playing video games. Aren’t you buying up squares of land and putting houses and hotels on them, monopolizing the market?”
“But you did believe it, Miss Up-at-the-Buttcrack-of-Dawn-Every-Morning. I thought you knew me better than that.”
“I do. You’ve blabbed all your secrets to me, remember? Since you’re constantly underfoot pestering me.”
“No, I’ve withheld a few secrets. It adds to my manly mystique.”
Rielle laughed. “As Sierra would say…you’re a dork.”
“You laughing at my jokes proves you’re equally dorky.” He reached over and brushed his fingers beneath her jawline. Her skin was so soft right there.
Rielle’s pale green eyes were enormous as his fingers moved across her jaw. “What are you doing?”
“Umm…you had flour left from this morning’s bake-a-thon,” he lied to cover up his strange compulsion to touch her.
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” He tried really hard not to stare at her ass as she retreated and busied herself refilling their mugs with the last dregs of coffee.
“What are you really doing today?”
“Chet and Remy West are coming by this morning to show me the tentative plans for the four-car garage they’re building.”
“Ha ha. You almost got me twice today.”
“I’m not kidding.”
A moment passed and then she demanded, “When did you decide that?”
“Last week. They’ve promised to get it done before the snow flies.”
“Where on earth are you going to put a four-car garage?”
Gavin sipped his coffee, hating that their easy banter was about to end. “On the right side of the drive. The structure will be attached to the house and be accessible—”
“Through the mudroom in the basement.” Rielle looked as if she wanted to say something else but she didn’t.
“As long as they’ll already be doing dirt work, we’re revamping the front. Since this isn’t a B&B, there’s no need for a full-sized parking lot. Adding a garage will fill the space and close it off, giving it a more residential feel, as well as adding symmetry.”
“So the barn?”
“What about it?”
“Just wondering if you were making changes to it too.”
Not just prickly, but pissy. Not that he was surprised. “The barn is new, and from what you’ve told me and what I’ve seen, largely unused.”
“You sure aren’t letting grass grow under your feet when it comes to making changes, are you?” She slapped her hands on the counter. “Speaking of grass…please tell me you don’t intend to lay sod across the entire length of the former parking lot? That’d be a serious waste of natural resources. Water is as scarce here as it is in the desert. No one has groomed lawns in the country, Gavin, not to mention the deer and turkeys will rip it up—”
He placed his fingers over her mouth. “Don’t go off half-cocked on environmental self-righteousness, hippie chick.”
“Hippie chick?” she mumbled beneath his fingers.
“I figured you’d prefer that to granola head or tree hugger.”
Rielle’s eyes darkened.
He grinned. “Ree. I was trying for levity to make this easier on both of us. Yes, I’m making changes, but not without help. I intended to ask if you had time to talk to a landscaper. You know everything about this chunk of land and I don’t. I prefer the natural look. Maintaining a manicured lawn is the last thing I’d ever do.”
She turned her head, dislodging his fingers. “I’m glad to hear you aren’t completely an urban idiot with visions of becoming a hobby farmer, calling your riding lawnmower a tractor.”
He murmured, “Touché.”
“If you’re serious about hiring a landscaper, I know a local guy in Spearfish who is excellent and specializes in xeriscaping.”
“I’d appreciate it. I’ll tell the West brothers we have that part handled.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”