“You…?”
“It’s got nothing to do with you.”
She shook her head at him. “It’s just your time of the month?”
“Something like that.”
“Right. You know what? Fine. Apology accepted. No harm, no foul. I’m hungry, and we don’t have all that much time.”
She stood up, pushed her chair into the table with enough force to let him know that it definitely wasn’t fine.
Boone closed his eyes. The whole thing was nuts. So she didn’t think that much of him, so what? This wasn’t a popularity contest. He was here because he owed Nate, that’s all. Because he wasn’t about to walk out on her before they’d caught the geek. So they’d had sex. Big deal. It didn’t mean anything. She didn’t mean anything. Nothing. Sure he was attracted to her, so what?
He opened his eyes to find Christie holding a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and a spoon. “What the hell’s that?”
“Ice cream.”
“You’re not having that for dinner.”
“Wanna bet?”
His anger rose again, filling him with heat and tension. “I’ll make you something, okay? You don’t have to lift a finger.”
“Don’t do me any favors,” she said, tossing the lid in the sink. She took a big spoonful of the chocolate ice cream and shoved it into her mouth.
“Goddammit,” he said, crossing the room in three steps. “Don’t you get it?” He pulled the container from her hand and shoved it into the trash can. “You’re fighting for your life here. It’s not a game. He wants to do you harm.”
Christie turned halfway to the sink, then swung at him so hard and so fast, she blindsided him with a punch right to the jaw. It hurt like hell, too.
Her left arm came at him, but he snatched her wrist halfway to his face. “Ow.”
“Let me go, you big oaf.”
“No.” He could feel her trembling with rage.
She pulled as hard as she could. “Let go. I’m not kidding.”
“Not if you’re going to hit me again.”
“Eating ice cream isn’t going to make a damn bit of difference,” she said.
He dropped her hand and walked out of the kitchen. It was everything he could do not to put his fist through the wall.
CHRISTIE WRAPPED HER ARMS around her stomach, nausea making her breathe hard for a moment before she could even look at Boone. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to screw this up.”
“You won’t.”
“How do you know that? I can’t even remember what I’m supposed to say.”
He touched her shoulder, and she jumped. “Christie, look at me.”
She met his gaze, fighting tears, fighting the urge to run until she couldn’t run anymore. She felt terrible about how they’d left things, what she’d said.
“You are the strongest woman I’ve ever met. You’ve faced this thing for months, all on your own. Now we have a plan. A way to get your life back. We’re not going to let this prick take everything from you.” He looked at the front door, then back at her. “This is your home. It’s your right to have your privacy. This man is scum, you understand me? And he might have some sophisticated equipment, but underneath all that, he’s a coward. Nothing more. We can take him. We will take him.”
She took another deep breath, this time letting it out slowly, focusing on Boone’s eyes. She thought about that day at the supermarket, how that clerk had looked at him and turned white with fear. Boone hadn’t even been trying. Then she thought about last night. He might not have the kind of feelings she wanted him to have, but he cared whether she lived or died.
He was a warrior, a fighter, and he was putting all his fierceness and his focus on one thing. All she had to do was trust him. Trust that his plan would work. That Seth and Kate knew exactly what to say and how to act. And she had to trust herself. That was the big if, wasn’t it? Could she come through when it counted most?
“I believe in you,” he said. “I believe in you the way I believed in Nate.”
She sucked in a breath at the sincerity in his eyes, in his words. He meant that. He meant it from the heart, and dammit, she knew Boone Ferguson wasn’t a liar. He’d spent his whole life fighting for the righteous cause, just like Nate. And if he thought she could play this part, maybe she’d better believe him.
“Christie?”
“Okay,” she said. She sat up straight, put her shoulders back. “Let’s lock and load.”
“That’s the ticket.” He looked out the kitchen window one more time. “They’re gonna be here any second. Remember, you’re agreeing to all this because you’re in love. You’re going to be married.”