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“What?”

“That’s poison ivy.”

“Shit.” He hopped out with his hands still covering his family jewels and almost fell backward.

I ran to my trunk and threw him a blanket. “Wrap yourself in this. You definitely don’t want to put on those clothes.”

We got in the car, and I didn’t take a breath of relief until we were on the main road.

“So, I steal a kiss from Muffy, and your payback is poison ivy. Doesn’t seem like a fair trade.”

“That part was an accident and unintended.”

“Maybe, but if I get a rash on any parts I hold dear, you had better watch it.”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s a promise, and I never make promises I don’t intend to keep.”

I don’t know why, but his words warmed me. I had a feeling he meant what he said… in all aspects of his life.

* * *

Lucas and I tiptoed through the front door and I shut it quietly behind us. Lainey was coming out of the den, so I nudged Lucas to go upstairs.

He ran up, and his foot caught the end of the blanket on a step. He just dropped it and went up the rest of the way in his birthday suit. I held my hand over my mouth to stifle a giggle.

Lainey came toward me and looked up the staircase. “Was that Lucas wrapped in a blanket?”

“Yeah, he went for a swim at Whittemore.”

A smirk settled on her lips. “With or without clothes?”

I shrugged, and she shook her head. “Just be careful with that.”

“With what?”

“Don’t forget who he isandwho his father is.”

I waved her off. “Nothing is going on between us. I’m just being a good hostess.”

“I know what Grandma Hattie wants you to do, but… be careful with that heart of yours. That’s more important.”

I swallowed. “I’m fine.”

Although that kiss had me feeling not so fine.

She brushed my cheek with the back of her hand. “Okay.”

Lainey headed back to the den, and I started the task of cleaning up a possibly infected blanket. With rubber gloves on my hands, I shoved the fabric into a trash bag and threw it down into the basement. By the time I came up, Lucas was coming out of the guest bathroom in gym shorts and a T-shirt.

“I took a quick shower. I didn’t see anything, and I don’t feel itchy, yet, so that’s a good sign, right?”

“Depends. Some people get a rash in a few hours, for others, it takes days.”

“That’s not the news I was hoping for.”

“Just don’t scratch, no matter what. We have calamine lotion in the medicine cabinet if you need it.”