Page 76 of Twins for Three Bad Boys

He lifts a brow. “Movin’ to a town you never heard of. Livin’ with a man who looks like he could break someone in half with his bare hands. Takin’ care of a kid who apparently runs a dinosaur militia.”

I snort before I can help it. “I didn’t know about the militia part.”

Rex laughs. Warm and rich and unfairly attractive. It slides right under my skin.

“I’m serious,” he adds. “Not a lot of people would do what you did.”

I don’t know what to do with the praise, because I don’t feel brave. I just ran out of options, and my survival instincts grabbed the nearest lifeline and yanked hard.

So I shrug, trying to make it casual. “It wasn’t really a choice.”

Rex’s gaze sharpens just a little. “It’s always a choice.”

I glance at him. “Is it?”

He holds my eyes. “Yeah, darlin’. It is.”

Before I can respond, Evan shouts, “June, Bolt is helping!”

Rex and I both turn to look.

Bolt is, in fact, helping.

By sitting directly on the “dinosaur trap” like it’s the comfiest thing he’s ever seen.

Evan looks both delighted and offended.

“Bolt,” Rex calls mildly. “You gotta let the dinosaurs breathe, buddy.”

Bolt sneezes.

Evan points at him. “He’s crushing them!”

Rex gasps. “Bolt would never.”

Bolt lets out a huff and flops even harder, fully committed to sabotage.

Evan groans dramatically. “He’s a bad dog.”

Rex puts a hand to his chest. “Don’t let him hear you say that. He’s sensitive.”

Evan narrows his eyes. “He’s not sensitive. He’s squishy.”

That does it. I laugh, fully, helplessly, and Rex looks at me, pleased with himself for earning it.

“I like you,” Evan announces suddenly, turning his big, serious gaze on Rex, delivering a verdict.

Rex’s brows lift. “You do?”

Evan nods firmly. “Yeah. Because your dog is funny.”

Rex tips his head back, laughing. “That’s fair.”

Then Evan adds even more seriously, “And you call June darlin’.”

My whole body goes hot, but I freeze so hard my bones probably creak.

Rex stills too, just a fraction. Like he wasn’t expecting that.