Page 63 of Entangled with a Mountain Man

Kenzie stands, wiping her hands on her jeans. She gives me a tentative smile, and I can't help but throw her a wink. Her cheeks flush slightly, and I swear I see her knees wobble just a bit.

"Think you can get cleaned up for dinner in town?" I ask, letting a hint of flirtation creep into my voice.

She raises an eyebrow. "Depends on what you have in mind."

"The diner," I say, watching her reaction carefully.

Kenzie hesitates, and I can see the wheels turning in her head. The diner means being seen in public together, facing the town gossips head-on. I step closer, my voice low and firm.

"They'll have to go through me first."

Her eyes widen, but then she squares her shoulders a little taller. "All right," she says with a nod. "Girls! Let's clean up. I've got a taste for a milkshake."

The twins cheer and take off towards the house. Kenzie calls after them, "Take off those muddy boots. And no running inside!"

Their pace slows to an exaggerated shuffle, and I chuckle. As Kenzie moves to follow them, I reach out, catching her arm gently. She turns, a question in her eyes.

I'm acutely aware of the tension between us. It's my fault. That night in my office, I let things go too far, and my retort was to pull back. To give us some distance.

Kenzie, in her own special way, didn't push. And it only makes me fall faster.

I close the distance between us, my stomach in knots.

Without overthinking it, I tilt her chin up and press my lips to hers. The contact is electric, and my mind goes blank.

The kiss is soft, feather-like, but it's everything I've been longing for all day. The taste of her lips, the feel of her body against mine, it's like coming home.

My heart soars and plummets all at once, a whirlwind of emotions I didn't know I could still feel.

Her lips are warm and yielding, and she doesn't push me away. Instead, she deepens the kiss, her tongue timidly seeking mine. I groan, my hands instinctively finding their way to her hips, pulling her closer.

Our bodies meld together. All that matters is the two of us, the chemistry between us, and the way she makes me feel.

Reluctantly, we break apart, both of us breathless and flushed. Her eyes, usually so guarded, are now wide and filled with vulnerability.

I know she's as affected as I am, and I know I'm in over my head.

"I've been wanting to do that all day," I confess.

"What was that for?" she asks, her voice soft.

I shrug, trying for nonchalance even as my heart races. "For being you."

"We'll be ready in thirty." Kenzie walks backward with a smile that's hot enough to make my knees weak.

"Holler when you're ready."

And with a nod, she's off. I take a deep breath, steadying myself.

This thing with Kenzie, it's real. And for the first time in a long time, I'm ready to take that leap.

I give them time to get cleaned up before heading inside myself. The sound of laughter and splashing water drifts down from the upstairs bathroom.

Our house feels alive.

As I change into a fresh shirt, my mind drifts to the mission ahead. Tomorrow, I'll be back in soldier mode, focused on the job at hand. But tonight? Tonight, I'm just a guy taking his family out to dinner.

Family. The word catches me off guard. When did I start thinking of Kenzie as part of our family?

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