Page 118 of Hushed

“Just give me the receipts, and I’ll reimburse you.”

Kenzie took the bags and looked at her in bewilderment. “I didn’t need a whole new wardrobe.”

She pulled a shirt out and held it up. “This is fabulous, though.”

“Isn’t it, though? I know I don’t know you well, but I thought of you as soon as I saw it.”

Gage leaned against the counter and watched a friendship form before his eyes, and he was grateful to Olivia for taking Kenzie in without question.

“I should go before I’m later than I already am. We’ll talk about our return trip to New York when I’m back.”

He hugged Reggie and Olivia again, then turned to Kenzie and pulled her close.

Reggie groaned and Gage rolled his eyes, but he obliged his friend’s discomfort and pulled Kenzie out of the kitchen and toward the front door so he could properly kiss her goodbye.

Pulling her close, he fisted a hand in her hair and dipped his head to meet her lips.

When he pulled away, he brushed the hair back from her face. “Behave while I’m gone. Olivia will take you and Reggie to the club so you can work in my office. I’ll meet you both there when I’m done.”

She bit her lip and put a hand on his chest. “Is there a chance anything bad happens while you’re gone?”

He put his hand on top of hers and squeezed. “There’s always a chance something bad happens every time you get out of bed, babe. But you can’t obsess about that. But no, I’m not anticipating anything bad happening at the White House.”

She frowned. “OK. Something seems off.”

He kissed her nose. “I’ll text you when I’m done, so you know I’m on my way. Get your work done so we can play again tonight.”

She grinned. “I do like the sounds of that.”

“Good girl. I love you. Don’t forget that.”

“I love you, Gage. So fucking much.”

Damn it, she was making it hard to leave her behind.

He didn’t want to tell her she was right about something being off about the meeting at the White House. No sense worrying her. He just hoped he hadn’t been lying to her when he said everything was going to be OK.

Chapter 23

Kenzie

“Will you sit the fuck down? You’re making me nervous,” Reggie barked as Kenzie paced Gage’s office at Exposure for the hundredth time.

Gage dropped them off seven hours ago, and there’d been no word from him since. Olivia went home two hours ago at her husband’s insistence, so Kenzie and Reggie were alone. And she hated that being in the same room with him was awkward for her. Things had never been strained in their relationship. But five years changed everything.

For starters, he was extremely angry. Grumpy old man had always been a good descriptor for Reggie, but this was more than grumpy. He seemed to have a lot of rage built up inside of him, and she wanted to know why. It seemed like his personality shifted from moment to moment. In her apartment the daybefore, he’d been in a blind rage. Then he calmed down. Twice today he’d lashed out at her in ways she’d never experienced from him, but both times, he shook it off and apologized.

“We should have heard from him by now. This isn’t right.”

“I’m worried, too, Kenz, but pacing isn’t going to do anything.”

“Other than keep me from going fucking insane.”

“What did Gage tell you to do while he’s gone?” Reggie asked, ignoring her outburst.

Kenzie looked at him like he’d grown another head. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“I’m thinking you might ought to do it.”

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