Page 156 of Bride of Choice

“Khri say wait for Khri say, come back,” Booger mumbled miserably to Kooky.

“Khri goot male,” Kooky assured him. “Boog be back.”

As if his assurances bolstered him, Booger rumbled his thanks and even lifted his head a bit higher.

Pausing at the door, I glanced over my shoulder.

Kooky looked a little lost as his gaze continued to dart from me to Boog. “If you’re going to be gone for long stretches, just stable Baby at Dorothy’s and have them get word to me. You know I’ll take good care of her.”

Kooky grunted out a softly uttered thanks, scowling as his arms folded over his chest and he twitched, shifting from foot to foot.

Don’t want me to go? Just fucking say so.

He didn’t.

I made it all the way out the door and down the way. Boog and I were idly chatting it up as we walked when I heard a loud shout in the distance.

Turning, I spied Kooky rushing up on us.

My hopes were dashed as I spotted the flash of color waving in his hand. My beanie.

“Forget,” he called out, striding over to stuff it down on my head.

“Can’t forget that,” I mumbled under my breath glumly, though I smiled my thanks.

It really hurts to fake smile. Learn something new every day.

“Jo.” Kooky stalled, rocking back on his heels as he loomed over me.

Forcing myself to meet his gaze, I stared into smoky blue-grey eyes, wishing for more. “Yeah?”

Bending his tall frame, leaning in towards me, giving me all kinds of horror flashbacks of my misstep, it was an automatic response, leaning slightly away from him.

Kooky’s lips tightened as he noted this. It took him several tries to spit it out, his voice had grown so deep, sounding like he had rocks in his mouth, as he mumbled, “This what Jo want?”

“I want to help Booger. He needs me.” Plainly put, blunt, there it was. No need to dance around, erm, other subjects, however related to my choices.

Kooky stared into my eyes as if searching for something before giving a loud grunt and nodding. “I get Baby,” he grunted out.

“Nah. Don’t fuss with harnessing her.” My hand lifted and I waved it off. “The walk will be good for me. Besides, I’m sure you have other things you’d like to be doing than escorting us back to the village.”

Kooky once more glanced over at Boog, frowning, grunted, but didn’t otherwise respond. I’d swear he was annoyed at Booger’s presence but trying to hide it.

Boog hadn’t done anything wrong, though.

“It’ll be like a vacation. No need to pop in and make sure the human hanging around is still kicking, right?” Reaching out to give his arm a pat, I froze up and dropped my hand limply to my side.

Kooky scowled from my hand to my face, canting his head as my cheeks pinkened.

Right. Time to go. Awkwardness abounds. With an overdone wave and a mumbled, “Better be going. Catch ya later,” I spun on my heel and tromped through the snow.

“Beed safe,” he called after me.

“You be safe,” I called back over my shoulder, carrying on without another backwards glance.

I couldn’t. If I looked back and found even a hint of that something I’d hoped for, my sad little ass might rush back into that house and never leave. I had my head too far up my own ass with him to see, even after I’d been given obvious proof. He don’t want cha, woman! Deal with it!

He was pretty fucking perfect, my ideal dream guy. Kooky cared, so fucking much it made my head spin, and had no problem showing it. But he wasn’t into me.

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