Page 45 of Entangled with a Mountain Man

What the hell have I gotten myself into?

I shake my head, trying to clear it. This is just business. A mutually beneficial arrangement. Nothing more.

But as I head inside to start dinner, I can't shake the feeling that I'm lying to myself.

The house feels different with Kenzie in it. Warmer, somehow. More alive. I can hear the girls' excited voices echoing through the halls as they show her around.

"And this is where we have movie nights!" Harper's voice drifts down the stairs.

"And sometimes forts," Hazel adds.

"Ooh, comfy," Kenzie replies, and I can hear the smile in her voice.

I busy myself in the kitchen, pulling out ingredients for dinner. Spaghetti and meatballs - the girls' favorite. As I work, I can't help but listen to the tour happening upstairs.

"This is your room, Miss Kenzie!" Hazel announces.

There's a pause, then Kenzie's voice, soft and awed. "It's beautiful. Thank you."

I remember setting up that room, making sure it had everything needed. It's not much, but now it's hers. The thought of her having a space of her own here does something to my chest that I'd rather not examine too closely.

The sound of footsteps on the stairs pulls me from my thoughts. Kenzie appears in the doorway, the girls flanking her like tiny bodyguards.

"Hey," she says, a little breathless. "Need any help with dinner?"

I shake my head. "I've got it covered. You girls go get washed up."

The twins scamper off, leaving Kenzie and me alone in the kitchen. The silence stretches between us.

"This place is amazing," she says finally. "I can't believe I get to live here."

I shrug, focusing on stirring the sauce. "It's just a house."

She laughs, the sound light and genuine. "Just a house? Everett, this place is like something out of a dream."

I look up at her then, really look at her. Her eyes are bright, her cheeks flushed with excitement. She looks... at home.

The thought hits me like a punch to the gut. I clear my throat, turning back to the stove.

"Well, I'm glad you like it. The girls seem pretty excited to have you here."

"I'm excited to be here," she says softly. "Thank you again, Everett. For everything."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. She lingers for a moment longer, then turns to go.

"I'll go make sure the girls actually wash their hands," she says with a laugh.

As she leaves, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. This woman... she's dangerous. Not in the way I'm used to dealing with, but in a way that threatens to upend everything I thought I knew about myself.

I shake my head, focusing on the task at hand. Dinner. Feed the girls. Get through this evening. Then, review the blueprints for Raven V. That's all I need to worry about right now.

I took the girls out to lunch, hoping to get them squared away for a few hours of focused work. We went for a hike, then the park, and ended our outing at Millie's since the girls had such an awesome week.

Never in a million years did I think I'd have Kenzie under my roof tonight.

I freeze at the sound of laughter.

Not a crash. Not "sorry, daddy." Not "ut-ohhh."

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