Page 113 of Knot Baked Out For This

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"What's wrong?"

"It's stupid."

"Nothing you feel is stupid."

She pulls her knees up, making herself smaller.

"I'm scared. Of Korrin. Of him just... showing up. I don't know any self-defence, I can't—if he comes here?—"

"He won't."

"You can't know that."

"I can make it very unlikely." I set down my mug, turn to face her properly. "What would make you feel safe? Right now, today, what do you need?"

"Security system," she says immediately. "Cameras. An alarm. Something so I know if?—"

"Done. I'll install them tomorrow."

"Luca—"

"What else?"

She bites her lip. "This is going to sound needy."

"Good. Be needy. What else?"

"Would you—one of you—stay? Just until we know he's really gone? But that's crazy, you all have lives and homes and?—"

"We'll stay."

"You can't just?—"

"All three of us. We'll rotate if you want, or..." I look around the small apartment. "That couch pulls out?"

"Into the world's most uncomfortable bed."

"We've slept on worse. Levi once slept in a horse stall for a week because he was convinced Buttercup was depressed."

"Was she?"

"No, she was pregnant. He's an idiot."

She laughs, tension easing from her shoulders. "You'd really stay?"

"Until you feel safe. longer if you want. This place is nice."

"This place is tiny."

"This place is you. That makes it perfect."

There's that pink in her cheeks again, and I want to trace it with my fingers, see if it's as warm as it looks.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" she asks.

"Can't. Have to help Levi with the horses. We're transferring them to the Watson ranch for winter. Annual partnership deal."

"Oh." She looks disappointed, which does things to my chest.

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