Meeting back up with her in the living room, he noticed she was looking at the framed pictures he had on one wall. They were mostly pictures of the Walkers over the years, some of him and Greyson, but mostly just shots of him and his brothers fishing, hunting, and the like.
“Kitchen,” he told her, taking her hand and pulling her in.
His kitchen was state-of-the-art, although he didn’t cook much there. Not that he couldn’t cook, as he’d proved to Kennedy already, it was just that cooking for one wasn’t all that intriguing, so he usually opted to eat out or head to his parents’.
“Can I get you somethin’ to drink?”
“What are you offering?” she asked sweetly.
Sawyer opened the refrigerator. There wasn’t much there; aside from a six-pack of Heineken, a half gallon of milk, some bottled water, and a twelve-pack of Sprite, he had little else. He held the door open and allowed her to look.
Her laugh made him smile.
“Now, that’s what I had expected,” Kennedy told him. “How about a Sprite,” she told him.
“Plain? Or you want some vodka to go with that?” he offered.
“Plain works.”
Sawyer retrieved two cans of Sprite and then carried them into the living room, Kennedy not far behind him. After toeing off his boots and setting them near the wall, he took a seat on the couch while she continued to look around. He liked that she was showing interest in his place.
When she finally took a seat, she removed her boots, then pulled her feet up underneath her, sitting less than a foot away.
“How are things working out with Jessie?” Sawyer asked.
“Great. I have to admit, I’m gonna be terribly heartbroken when Kylie goes back to work and steals her back. She’s fantastic with people and animals. They all love her.”
“I’m glad she’s workin’ out. From what I’ve heard, she’s lovin’ it. I think she needs the interaction more than she needs to sit in an empty office. Right now, aside from Kylie renovating Cheyenne Montgomery’s place, they aren’t doin’ much.”
“My father’s old house,” Kennedy said. “He was happy it sold. Don’t tell anyone, but I think he was a little starstruck when he found out a famous country singer was purchasing the place. I noticed that they’re painting it.”
“Can you blame them?” Sawyer asked, grinning.
“No. It was blue. I always hated the color of the house.”
“So, things going well for your dad and Mack? They looked a little more . . . friendly tonight.” At least toward one another. As for the way they were responding to him, that was an entirely different story.
Kennedy smiled, glancing down at her Sprite can before setting it on a coaster on the side table. “I haven’t talked to him much about it, but yeah, I noticed the same thing.”
“Does he not want to talk about it?” Sawyer asked, remembering how tight-lipped both Ethan and Travis had been about their preferences for the longest time.
“No more than I want to talk to him about my relationships,” she admitted.
“Plural?”
“You know what I mean. And no, I’m not seein’ anyone else.”
“But you are seein’ me?” he asked, more because he wanted to hear her answer than because he needed to hear it. Or so he told himself.
“If that’s what you wanna call this,” she said, using her hands to motion between them.
“That’s what I’d call it.”
“What about you?” she asked, her expression turning serious. “Are you seein’ other people?”
Sawyer sat up, placed his can on the table closest to him, then turned to face her. “Do you really have to ask that?”
“No,” she said quickly, but followed it up with, “Maybe.”
Sawyer studied her for a moment. “You still don’t trust me, do you, Kennedy?”
He held his breath while he waited for her answer, his eyes searching her face, trying to figure out what she was thinking.
“Yes,” she said on a long exhale. “I do. I . . . trust you.”
“Good.” The relief was overwhelming. “Mind if I ask you something else?”
“I don’t mind,” she told him. “Doesn’t mean I’m gonna answer you.”
Sawyer smiled. “Why’d you say yes?”
“In regards to . . . ?” Kennedy’s eyebrow cocked up in question.
“You. Me. Us. What made you decide to give in?”
“I . . . uh . . .” Kennedy looked away momentarily, watching Buster sleeping on the floor.