Page 88 of Not That Ridiculous

“Fair point. But I still don’t think there will be any treasure up there.”

“Will you let me look?”

“I don’t know. Once I break that seal, it becomes something I have to deal with, and I’m not exactly keen to take anything new on. My to-do list is full, thanks. I’ve got unopened moving boxes of my own in the garage which I really need to unpack first.”

I opened my eyes wide at the noise of absolute outrage that came out of Kevin.

“You haven’tunpackedyet?”

“…no? Whatever’s in those boxes, I haven’t needed it. Maybe I’ll leave it all for the next owner to sort through. Or my heirs.”

Currently, that meant my sister and a second cousin once removed on my mother’s side.

“I can help you there, too,” he said, almost beseechingly. “I helped Griff empty his mum’s garage two hours ago. I can do yours, too. I’msogood at this stuff, Charlie. Like, I don’t brag about shit. You gotta trust me. When I say I’m good at something, it’s because Iam.”

I squeezed his fingers. “I do trust you. That is not in question. You’ve already fixed my cabinets and my door. I refuse to take advantage of you, Kevin.”

I had a feeling a lot of people got Kevin to do things for them.

Craig Henderson being the worst culprit of all.

He slowly drew my arms up and around his neck, watching my face. “You trust me?”

I nodded.

“Then how about you take me to bed?” he said, releasing my hands, and running the backs of his fingers down the outsides of my arms and around my waist. He rolled his hips into mine.

My stomach twisted with nerves.

“This is where you lead the way upstairs,” he encouraged.

“Right! Yes. I will do that.”

Kevin’s eyes warmed when I did not do that.

“Unless you don’t want to,” he said. “We can watch a movie or something instead. Cuddle on the sofa. Big fan of cuddling, me.”

I was probably a big fan of cuddling, too. I didn’t know. I hadn’t cuddled anyone other than Phil, and that was guaranteed a very different experience from cuddling Kevin.

“Hmm.” I hesitated long enough for Kevin to start looking worried, then I grinned at him. “I don’t want to watch a movie. Let’s go.”

Heart in my throat, I turned and did my best nonchalant walk across the kitchen.

I’d never been so aware of my body in my life.

Kevin caught up with me in two strides and plastered himself against my back, a strong arm wrapping around my middle as he synced our steps up. He’d done this before and it was a little silly, but I was grateful for it.

Things were always easier when he was touching me.

“Can’t believe I finally get to see your room,” he murmured happily into my neck, then growled. “Your bed.”

My steps faltered. We’d made it to the stairs at that point, and Kevin steadied us with a hand on the bannister.

Fuck.

Kevin was going to see my room.

“Uh,” I said.

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