Page 83 of Renewal After Dark

“Jeez. Are you trying to give me a stroke or something?”

“Not at all,” she said, laughing. “I’m just trying to get you out of your own way.”

“I’m trying to be respectful of you. And Rosemary.”

“You’ve been nothing but respectful, but now it’s time to be a little less… proper.”

He sputtered with outrage. “I’m not proper.”

“You’re like an old cross-stitching church lady.”

“Are you trying to piss me off?”

“Is it working?”

“Nah, takes more than that.”

Smiling, she said, “I like you, Duke. I really, really like you.”

“It’s your funeral.”

McKenzie laughed. “Drama queen.”

“What’s a sexy woman like you want with a guy like me?”

“Everything. I want everything with you.”

He placed his hand on her forehead. “You running a fever or something?”

She swatted his hand away. “I’m perfectly healthy.”

“Then you’ve lost your marbles.”

“Nope. All my marbles are perfectly fine.”

“Did you see the way those fire department guys and Coasties were looking at you earlier?”

“What? No.”

“They were checking you out.”

“Is that why you got so weird on the way home? Because you think I belong with one of them?”

“It would make far more sense than this does.”

“I don’t even know them.”

“You barely know me.”

“That’s not true. You’ve shown me your heart from the first time you arrived at Tiffany’s with the things you rescued from the cabin, and then again when you brought Mr. Bear and offered us a place to stay. You’ve shown me every time I’ve seen you or talked to you since then, and guess what?”

“What?”

“I like what I see.” After a pause, she added, “I’ve had my share of boyfriends.”

He frowned. “I’m sure you have.”

She dropped her forehead to rest against his. “You know what I’m ready for now?”

---