Something Like Home

Life had a funny way of throwing people together when they least expected it.

Sometimes it was a wrong turn down a backroad. Other times it was a crowded bar with only one empty stool left. Or maybe a motorcycle breaking down on the side of the highway, a chance conversation at a gas station, an unexpected job, a family barbecue, or simply being in the right place at the right time.

No one ever really knew when a stranger was about to become someone important.

Cypress Bend had always moved at its own pace. The air was thick with humidity and the scent of rain. Spanish moss draped from ancient oak trees, swaying whenever the breeze stirred its tendrils. Backroads stretched for miles between little towns, where everyone knew everyone else’s business and country music spilled from open windows on summer nights.

Weekends belonged to bonfires, crawfish boils, dance halls, fishing camps, and neighborhood gatherings where family wasn’t always defined by blood.

It was a place where people worked hard, spoke their minds, and measured wealth in loyalty rather than money.

And for Daisy DuPont, it was home.

She sat on the edge of her porch with a glass of sweet tea between both hands, watching the sunset bleed orange and pink across the bayou. Her bare feet rested against the porch railing, and a warm breeze teased strands of auburn hair loose around her face. She relaxed and listened to the music of bullfrogs croaking, crickets chirping, and a generator humming away down the road somewhere.

Then she heard it. The familiar rumble of a Harley coming down the road. Daisy’s face brightened before she could stop herself.

Kane was home.

She watched the motorcycle turn into the driveway next door, gravel crunching beneath its tires. After fourteen days offshore, he looked exactly like she imagined he would: worn out, sun-darkened, and probably in desperate need of a shower.

She cupped a hand around her mouth, shouting to be heard over the engine’s noise. “Welcome back, Kane!”

The Harley’s engine gave one final throaty growl before going silent. Kane swung one leg over the bike and planted his worn boots on the gravel. Daisy couldn’t help smiling. Those boots looked like they’d been through half the state with him. Oil rigs, bars, backroads, and God only knew what else.

He pulled off his helmet and shook out his dark hair before glancing toward her porch.

A slow grin spread across his face. “Well, well. Look what the cat dragged out here.”

Daisy laughed. “You look like you’ve had a long week, sugar. You hungry? I made way too much stuffed peppers again, beef with red gravy.”

Kane hung his helmet from the handlebars and stretched, his faded shirt lifting slightly before he tugged it back into place. Daisy’s gaze caught on the strip of skin at his waist and moved away a second too late.

He grabbed his gear bag from the saddlebag and tossed it over one broad shoulder.

“Stuffed peppers, huh?” He scratched the back of his neck, pretending to consider the offer. “Now, why would a sweet girl like you be makin’ too much food when she knows I just got back from work?”

“Because I’m neighborly, that’s why.” Daisy tried to sound stern, but the smile tugging at her mouth ruined it. “You want some or not? I ain’t gonna beg, Kane Thibodeaux.”

Kane stopped. He turned toward her with one hand pressed dramatically against his chest. “She ain’t gonna beg.” His blue eyes widened in mock offense. “Listen to this woman.”

Daisy bit back another laugh as he dropped his gear bag in the driveway and leaned against his Harley.

“You know what, Miss Daisy? I been eatin’ nothin’ but processed garbage and fish stew for fourteen days straight. My body’s literally startin’ to shut down.” He patted his stomach. “But nah. You go on and keep your peppers. I’ll just suffer over here. Starve to death on my own porch like a sad, lonely man.”

Daisy rolled her eyes.

Kane pushed away from the motorcycle and started toward his house. After a few steps, he looked back. “You got sweet tea too, or you just sittin’ up there bein’ cute with an empty glass?”

Daisy’s eyes widened. “I do have sweet tea!”

She stood so quickly that her foot snagged the edge of the porch step. She stumbled, her arms windmilling. “Whoa!” She caught herself against the doorframe before she could embarrass herself further.

From the driveway came Kane’s unmistakable laugh.

Daisy pointed at him. “Don’t you dare!”

“Didn’t say nothin’.”

“You were laughing.”

“I was breathin’.”

“You were laughing!”

His grin widened.

Daisy shook her head and hurried inside before she could embarrass herself any further.

Her kitchen was warm and lived-in, with mismatched magnets covering the refrigerator and a cat-shaped clock on the wall that was perpetually five minutes slow. A cutting board sat on the counter beneath a pile of stuffed peppers she’d definitely made too many of.

She grabbed a clean glass and filled it with ice.Then she paused.

Kane had been gone for fourteen days.

She didn’t know why she was suddenly smiling at the thought of him sitting on her porch, or why the sound of his laugh still seemed to linger beneath her skin.

“Get a grip, Daisy,” she muttered to herself.

Outside, Kane climbed onto his own porch and dropped into the old rocking chair. He tipped his cap back and stared toward the darkening sky, letting out a deep breath. Fourteen days of hauling pipe and working twelve-hour shifts in Louisiana heat would do that to a man.

Still, something about being home seemed to loosen the tension in his shoulders. Maybe it was the quiet. Maybe it was the familiar sounds of the bayou.

Or maybe it was knowing that the little red-haired teacher next door was currently making enough noise in her kitchen to suggest she was preparing a feast for a man who absolutely had not asked for one.

From inside Daisy’s house came the unmistakable sounds of cabinets opening and closing. Ice clinked against glass. Something hit the counter. Then came a faint curse.

Kane chuckled. He propped his boots against the porch railing and folded his arms behind his head. “Hey, darlin’?”

Daisy appeared briefly at the kitchen window. “Yes?”

“Don’t rush on my account. A man can enjoy the view from here just fine.”

But he wasn’t looking at the view.

He was looking at her.

At the loose strands of auburn hair brushing her cheek. At the way she pressed her lips together when she was trying not to smile.

Daisy’s cheeks warmed. “I’m not rushing. You’re just impatient, sugar!” Her head disappeared from the window.

Kane laughed, the sound low and warm. “Impatient? Me? Nah, darlin’. I’m the most patient man you’ll ever meet. I just spent fourteen days waitin’ for somebody to hand me a cold drink without it tasting like diesel.”

By the time she stepped back onto the porch, the evening had settled into that particular shade of Louisiana blue that wasn’t quite night, but also not quite day anymore. Daisy carefully balanced the tray of peppers and tea as she crossed the small stretch of grass separating their porches. “Here you go.”

Kane opened one eye. His gaze landed on the tray, then traveled up to her face. “Well, ain’t you precious.” He grinned and sat up to reach for a glass.

Daisy watched as he took a long drink.

Then he closed his eyes.“Lord have mercy.”

Daisy smiled.“Good?”

“That’s the best thing I ever tasted.” He looked at her over the rim of the glass. “Fourteen days of brackish water and powdered drinks’ll make a man romantic about real sugar.”

Daisy laughed softly and placed the tray on the little table between the two rocking chairs.

Kane picked up one of the stuffed peppers. He examined it with exaggerated seriousness before taking a bite.

His eyebrows shot upward. “Darlin’.”

Daisy held her breath as she waited.

“This is stupid good.”

She felt a small burst of pride. “You really think so?”

“You sure your talents ain’t wasted bein’ a teacher?” He pointed at the pepper. “You could open a restaurant.”

Daisy sat down in the rocking chair beside him. The chair shifted, bringing her close enough that her knee nearly brushed his. She tucked her skirt beneath her legs and pretended not to notice how aware she was of the heat coming off him.

“Aw, stop it. I just threw some stuff together.”

“Well, whatever stuff you threw together, keep throwin’ it.”

She smiled.“How was work, sugar? You look all tuckered out.”

Kane leaned back.“Nah. I’m fine.”

Daisy’s eyes immediately went to his arm. She’d noticed it when he’d first walked into the yard, but now that he was closer she could see it clearly.

A bruise. Large, purple, and green along the edges.

“Kane.”

He glanced down as though he’d forgotten it was there. “What?”

“That bruise looks somethin’ awful.”

He shrugged. “Got worse than this shavin’.”

Daisy frowned. “Do you need some ice or somethin’? I got some lidocaine gel in my room if you want.”

“Nah. This is nothin’.”

Something about the way he said it bothered her. Maybe it was the tiny tightening of his jaw. Maybe it was the way his eyes briefly shifted away. Daisy had always been terrible at ignoring things that felt wrong.

She leaned forward. “I’m fine,” she said softly. “But you’re clearly not.”

Kane picked up another pepper. “You always fussin’ over somebody, you know that?” His tone was teasing, but she could hear the deflection beneath it. “I appreciate it, though. Truly.”

He took another bite.

Daisy studied him. There was a slight slump to his shoulders that hadn’t been there before his trip, and when he rolled his neck, something popped loudly enough to make her wince.

“Work was work,” he finally said. “Platform’s runnin’ behind schedule, so we’ve been doin’ double shifts.” He paused to take another drink. “Some rookie named Marcus Whitman fell off the rig Tuesday. I had to dive in after him.”

Daisy’s eyes widened. “What?”

“Boy was screamin’ like a baby alligator.” He said it as casually as if he’d been describing the weather.

“You dove in?” She could hear the shock in her own voice.

“’Course.” Kane shrugged. “Carried Marcus to the boat with one arm. Other one went numb.”

Daisy stared at him.

He stared back, his glass paused halfway to his lips. “What?”

“You say things like that like they’re normal.”

“They are normal.”

“No, they’re absolutely not.”

A small grin tugged at his mouth. “Maybe not for you.”

Daisy shook her head. “You are impossible.”

“Been told that before.” He finished his pepper and wiped his hands against his jeans. Then he glanced at her. “So. How’s my favorite little neighbor been? School good?”

The question pulled Daisy’s attention away from his injury. “School’s good.” She smiled, thinking about her students. “The kids were wild today, though.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhm. One of them tried to convince me that his missing homework was eaten by a dinosaur.”

Kane’s mouth twitched. “Was it?”

“Apparently.”

“Sounds like a solid defense.”

Daisy laughed. Her gaze dropped to his arm again.The bruise bothered her. More than it should.

Before she could think better of it, she reached over and gently touched the edge of it.

Kane went still.

Daisy froze too. Her fingertips rested against his skin. For a moment, neither of them said anything.

Up close, the difference between them was almost comical. Her hand looked tiny against his broad, tattooed forearm. His skin was warm beneath her fingers, and a faint shiver moved through the muscle under her touch.

Kane looked down at her fingers. Then at her. Something in his expression had changed.

Daisy swallowed.

“You’re always so stubborn.” Her voice came out softer than she’d intended. “At least let me put the gel on it. It’ll put my mind at ease.”

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then his shoulders slowly relaxed. “...Fine.”

The word sounded like surrender. Daisy smiled.

“But I ain’t goin’ inside.”

She blinked. “What?”

“You heard me.” He leaned back in the rocking chair. “You come out here and do it.”

Daisy tried not to smile too broadly. “Okay.” She stood. “Give me one second, sugar.”

She disappeared inside. Kane watched the screen door swing shut behind her.

He shook his head. “Lord.”

He wasn’t sure when Daisy had become part of his routine. Maybe it had happened slowly. Maybe he’d simply stopped noticing when the little things became important.

Her porch light. Her voice calling hello across the yard. The smell of whatever she’d cooked drifting through his windows. The fact that she always seemed to know when he came home. And the way his chest eased whenever he saw her, as if some part of him had been waiting for that exact sight.

Kane had spent most of his adult life taking care of himself. He didn’t need anyone. That was what he’d always told himself. Then Daisy DuPont would appear with a plate of food and those enormous doe eyes and somehow make him question the whole damn philosophy.

The screen door opened again. Daisy stepped outside carrying the gel and a damp washcloth. “Sit still for me, okay?”

Kane eyed the washcloth suspiciously. “I didn’t ask for the washcloth.”

“You didn’t ask for the gel either.”

“Fair point.” She sat beside him and held out her hand. Kane gave her his arm. “Go ahead, nurse.”

Daisy carefully pressed the cool washcloth against the bruise. He flinched.

Barely. But she noticed.

Her brow furrowed. “So...” She glanced up at him. “You gonna tell me how this happened, or do I gotta guess?”

Kane’s jaw tightened. “A pipe swung loose.” He stared toward the bayou. “Hit me on the way down.”

Daisy narrowed her eyes. “Mmm-hmm.”

“What?”

“And I’m the Queen of England.”

His mouth twitched. “You don’t believe me?”

“Not even a little.”

He chuckled under his breath. “You always this suspicious?”

“Only when people lie to me.”

“I ain’t lyin’.”

“You’re leaving things out.”

Kane looked at her. For once, he didn’t immediately have a smart answer. The washcloth moved gently over his skin. Daisy’s touch was careful.

Too careful.

There was no judgment in her expression. No interrogation. Just concern. It unsettled him more than suspicion would have. He looked away.

“A pipe swung,” he repeated.

Technically, it wasn’t a lie. It just wasn’t the whole truth.

The pipe had come loose and struck Marcus Whitman, one of the rookies, knocking him over the side. Kane had gone after him without thinking. By the time he reached Marcus, the kid was panicking. Kane had hauled him back to the boat with one arm while the other went numb.

The foreman had called it an equipment malfunction and quietly moved on. Kane wasn’t about to explain all of that to Daisy.

Not yet, at least.

Her fingers traced the edge of the bruise. He felt his pulse quicken. He cleared his throat. “You always this gentle with them kids at school? Or you savin’ all this tenderness for me specifically?”

The words were playful. Mostly.

Kane smiled as Daisy looked away. “Maybe I just care about my neighbors.”

“Uh-huh.” He studied her. “For a teacher, you’re real easy to fluster.”

“I am not.”

“You are.”

“I’m not.”

He leaned forward slightly, close enough that she caught the clean, warm scent of soap beneath the lingering traces of work and sun. “Anybody ever tell you that before?”

Daisy’s heart gave a strange little flutter. She tried to ignore it. “You’re just teasing me.”

“Maybe.” His eyes held hers. “Maybe I like watchin’ you blush.”

Daisy shook her head, but she couldn’t stop smiling. “You are trouble.”

“Never claimed otherwise.”

A bullfrog croaked from somewhere near the bayou. The generator down the road sputtered before falling silent. Without the mechanical hum, the night seemed suddenly quieter.

Closer.

Daisy became acutely aware of how close his knee was to hers, how his arm remained beneath her hand even though the gel had already been applied.

Kane nudged her knee lightly with his. “Now quit stallin’ and put that gel on before I change my mind and take my arm back.”

Daisy rolled her eyes. “Yes, sir, Mr. Grumpy Pants. Hold still.” She squeezed a little gel onto her fingers.

Kane barked out a laugh, genuine and surprised. “Mr. Grumpy Pants? That’s what you’re callin’ me now?”

“Maybe.”

He shook his head, grinning. “My mama used to call me that. Not that exact name, though. She had a whole list.” His smile softened for a moment before he tugged his cap lower. “And I ain’t grumpy.”

Daisy raised an eyebrow.

“I’m selectively displeased.”

She laughed. “That’s just grumpy with extra words.”

“Don’t get smart.”

She touched the gel to his bruise.

Kane sucked in a breath. “Easy, darlin’.”

“You said it didn’t hurt.”

“I said it was nothin’. That’s different.”

Daisy smiled and deliberately pressed a little harder. “Good. You deserve a little discomfort, Mr. Grumpy Pants.”

His eyes narrowed. “Oh, so now you’re mean?”

“I’m taking care of you.”

“Looks suspiciously like torture.”

She giggled.

Kane watched her for a second longer than necessary. The porch light caught the auburn strands that had escaped around her face. She had a tiny smear of gel on one fingertip and a crease between her eyebrows from concentrating so hard.

He found himself smiling. “You got a little devil in you, don’t you, Miss Daisy?”

“Maybe.” The answer came with a little smile that did something inconvenient to his concentration.

Before he could respond, he reached over and flicked her forehead.

Daisy gasped. “Hey!”

“There. Now we’re even.”

She rubbed her forehead before swatting his chest. “You are so mean! I’m trying to help you!”

Kane caught her hand. The playful moment disappeared. His palm closed around hers, warm and rough.

Daisy went still. So did he.

Her hand rested against his chest, and suddenly she was aware of his heartbeat beneath her palm.

Kane looked down at their hands. Then slowly lifted his eyes to hers.

For once, neither of them had a clever remark ready.

His thumb shifted against the inside of her wrist. A tiny movement. Barely anything.

Daisy felt it everywhere.

“Mean?” His voice had dropped. “Me?”

She swallowed.

Kane’s gaze flicked to her mouth before returning to her eyes. “Darlin’, I let you doctor my arm, insult me to my face, and feed me stuffed peppers.” A faint grin returned. “That’s practically affection.”

Daisy’s lips curved. “You have a strange definition of affection.”

“Works for me.”

He released her hand. Daisy immediately missed the warmth of it. She pretended she didn’t.

Kane leaned back, as though the moment hadn’t affected him at all. “You gonna finish fussin’ over me, or you wanna sit a while?”

Daisy cleared her throat. “Sit.”

She rubbed the last of the gel into his arm. “There. All better.” Quiter, she muttered “Big baby.”

Kane shook his head. “Lord.”

Daisy settled into her rocking chair and pulled her knees toward her chest. The stars had come out above the bayou, bright enough to make the darkness feel almost soft.

“I love looking at them.”

Kane tipped his head back. “You know what I miss most offshore?”

She glanced at him.

“Stars.” He pointed upward. “Can’t see nothin’ past the platforms. Just lights and smoke.”

His voice had lost its teasing edge. Daisy watched him quietly. She liked this version of him. The quieter one. The one who didn’t seem to need to prove anything.

After a moment, he glanced over. “You always sit out here alone?”

“Sometimes.” Her fingers found the hem of her shirt. “It gets quiet when it’s just me and Mama at the house.”

Kane nodded. “Yeah.”

He looked toward his own dark house. “House feels real big when it’s just you.”

Something about the way he said it made Daisy wonder how often he’d felt lonely without telling anyone. “You should get a dog.”

He snorted. “A dog?”

“Or a cat.”

“A cat would hate me.”

“How do you know?”

“Look at me.”

She laughed.

Kane stretched his legs out. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“You ever think about getting one?”

“I’d love a dog, but Luke already has Otis and I’m gone all day at school. Who’d take care of it?”

“Get one that sleeps all day.”

“You make that sound easy.”

“It is.”

Daisy smiled. “You’re not much of a worrier, are you?”

“Somebody’s gotta worry about you.” The words slipped out before he could stop them.

Daisy looked at him. Kane looked back.

Neither spoke.

Then he cleared his throat and reached for his tea. “Could get a boyfriend, too.”

Daisy blinked. “A what?”

“A boyfriend.” He said it casually, but his eyes stayed on her. “That’d give you somebody to come home to.” He took a sip. “Somebody to cook dinner with. Watch stars with.”

Then, after a beat: “Anybody got your eye?”

Daisy giggled. “Oh, hush, Kane. You know I ain’t got no boyfriend.”

“Yeah.” His gaze dropped briefly to her lips before returning to her eyes. “I know.”

Something in the way he said it made her smile falter. “Why?”

He shrugged. “Just figured somebody would’ve snatched you up by now.”

Daisy looked down. “I don’t know.”

“What?”

She twisted the hem of her shirt around her fingers. “Sometimes I wonder if maybe I’m just not...” She stopped.

Kane waited. “Not what?”

“The kind of girl guys want.”

His expression changed. “What kinda girl is that?”

Daisy hesitated. “The kind who knows how to flirt.” She swallowed. “Who wears short skirts and knows what she’s doin’ to a man.”

Kane stared at her. Then he gave a quiet laugh. “That’s what you think?”

“I don’t know.”

“Daisy.” His voice was serious now. “Short skirts don’t make a woman worth wantin’. Neither does flirtin’.”

She looked at him.

“Any girl can put on a short skirt. Any girl can learn how to flirt.” He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “But you?” His eyes moved over her face. “You don’t even realize when you’re flirtin’.”

Daisy’s eyes widened. “I don’t flirt.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “Exactly.”

She frowned. “What does that mean?”

“It means you have no idea what you do to people.”

Her cheeks warmed. Kane noticed. Of course he noticed.

His smile softened. “See?”

“See what?”

“That.”

“What?”

“That blush.”

Daisy immediately covered her cheeks. “I’m not blushing.”

“You are.”

“You’re imagining things.”

“I’m not.” He leaned a little closer. “You’re real easy to fluster, sweetheart.”

She lowered her hands. “Maybe you’re just good at it.”

Kane’s smile disappeared. For one suspended second, they simply looked at each other. Then his gaze dropped to her mouth.

Daisy’s breath caught. His eyes returned to hers.

The moment lasted only a heartbeat. But it was enough.

He leaned back. “Maybe.”

Daisy looked away. Her heart was beating far too fast.

Kane cleared his throat. “You know what’s dangerous?”

She glanced at him. “What?”

“A girl who’s sweet and don’t even know she’s doin’ it.” His voice was quieter now. “That’s the kind that’ll ruin a man.”

Daisy stared at him. “Are you calling me dangerous?”

“Maybe.”

One word. Low and deliberate.

Her stomach fluttered. Kane’s eyes held hers. “You sit out here makin’ me peppers, patchin’ up my bruises, callin’ me Mr. Grumpy Pants...” He paused. “And then you look at me like that.”

Daisy’s heart skipped. “Like what?”

His jaw tightened. “Like you don’t know you’re sittin’ there drivin’ a man crazy.”

She blinked. “I wasn’t doing anything.”

“I know.” His smile returned, but it was smaller this time. “That’s the problem.”

Daisy didn’t know what to say. The night suddenly seemed much warmer. She rubbed at her arm. “Well...” She stood. “I should probably go inside. These mosquitoes are eating me alive.”

Kane’s eyes dropped to her arms. Only then did he notice the bites scattered across her skin. “How long have they been chewin’ on you?”

Daisy shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“You’ve been sitting here getting eaten alive?”

“I was listening.”

Kane shook his head. “You could’ve said somethin’.”

“I didn’t want to interrupt.”

His expression softened. “You’re ridiculous.” He stood. The rocking chair groaned behind him as it settled.

Daisy had to tilt her head back to look at him. For a moment, she was suddenly aware of the difference in their height. Kane noticed too. His eyes traveled briefly over her face before settling on hers.

“You wanna come inside?”

Daisy hesitated. His house was only a few steps away. She’d never been inside. “Why?”

“I got bug spray.”

“Oh.”

“And...” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I ain’t got the lights on, so it’s probably dark as hell in there.”

Daisy smiled. “That’s reassuring.”

He laughed. “Or you can go back in yours and fight them mosquitoes alone like a martyr.”

She looked toward her house. Then toward his. Kane had already started walking.

He stopped at his screen door and looked back. “Ain’t gonna bite.”

Daisy’s eyebrow lifted. “That’s exactly what someone who might bite would say.”

His grin widened. “Fair point.” He opened the door. Daisy’s heart fluttered again. Kane disappeared inside.

She stood there for another moment, staring at the doorway. Then she took a breath and followed him. Behind her, the rocking chairs continued to sway gently in the warm Louisiana night. The screen door whined as Daisy pushed through it, stepping from the warm porch air into the darkness of Kane’s house.

It smelled like him.

Not cologne. Not anything fancy. Wood. Leather. Motor oil. Something warmer underneath, something that had settled into the walls after years of one man living alone. A single lamp flickered on in the far corner of the living room, casting long shadows across the worn hardwood.

Kane was already rummaging through a cabinet in the hallway, his back to her. His shirt had ridden up slightly, exposing a strip of tanned skin above his belt and the edge of a tattoo she’d never seen before. “Give me a second.”

He found the bug spray and turned. Then stopped.

Daisy stood in the middle of his living room with her arms wrapped around herself, looking as though she’d wandered into a wolf’s den and was trying very hard to convince herself she hadn’t.

Kane glanced around. It wasn’t dirty, exactly. Just unmistakably his. A battered leather couch with a permanent dent in one cushion. A television with a stack of DVDs beside it, mostly old westerns. Boots lined neatly by the door. A half-empty bottle of whiskey on the coffee table beside a dog-eared paperback.

No photographs.

No flowers.

Nothing soft.

Just a big, quiet house that looked like a man had lived there alone long enough to stop noticing the silence.

Kane cleared his throat. “It ain’t that bad.”

Daisy looked at him. “I didn’t say it was.”

“You were thinkin’ it.”

She smiled. “Maybe.”

He shook the can of bug spray. “Come here. Turn around.“He crooked one finger toward her. “Let me get your back before you scratch yourself raw.”

Daisy hesitated before walking into his space. She stopped close enough to feel the heat coming off him.

Her eyes caught on the sliver of tattoo above his waistband again. “You have a tattoo back there.” Her hand lifted before she could stop it, fingers hovering near his waist.

Then she realized what she was doing and quickly pulled it back. “Sorry. I wasn’t looking.”

Kane’s mouth twitched. “Sure.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Didn’t say you were.”

Her cheeks warmed. She turned too quickly, her shoulder brushing his chest as she passed. “Okay. I’m ready.”

Kane watched her hand retreat as though she’d touched a hot stove. Something warmer than amusement moved through his expression. He didn’t comment. Instead, he sprayed some of the repellent into his palm and stepped behind her.

“You weren’t lookin’, huh?” His voice came low beside her ear. “Funny. Most folks don’t reach for somethin’ they ain’t lookin’ at.”

Daisy’s breath caught.

His hands settled on her shoulders. Warm. Heavy. Careful.

He worked the spray across her shoulders, then down her back. Daisy clasped her hands in front of herself, rubbing one thumb over the other.

Kane noticed. Of course he did.

He moved slowly down her back, stopping where her shirt had ridden up above her waist. His fingers brushed bare skin.

Daisy straightened.

“You got a mess of mosquito bites back here.” He sounded almost casual. “How long you been sittin’ outside?”

“Not long.” Too quick.

The corner of his mouth lifted. He sprayed along her sides, his hands moving lower. “Hold still.”

“I’m trying.” Her voice came out smaller than she’d intended.

The next pass made her shift anyway. Kane caught her hip for half a second, steadying her.

Neither of them moved.

His hand remained there a moment longer than necessary. Then slid away.

The refrigerator hummed in the kitchen. Somewhere outside, a frog called from the bayou again.

Kane finished the spray across her lower back. Then paused. “I missed a spot.”

Daisy swallowed. “Where?”

His hand hovered near the small of her back. “You ticklish?”

The question was innocent. His voice wasn’t.

“Just a little.” She let out a nervous laugh.

A low chuckle rumbled behind her. “Just a little?” His fingertips touched the skin above her waistband, featherlight. “Or a lot?”

Daisy flinched.

Not away from him. Toward him.

She caught herself with a sharp breath.

Kane’s hand stilled. Goosebumps rose along her arms.

For one suspended moment, neither of them seemed to remember why he’d brought her inside in the first place.

Then Kane moved again, barely touching her. Careful. Mostly. He told himself he was simply finishing the job.

Nothing more.

She’d been getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, and he’d offered bug spray. That was all.

Except Daisy had a way of making simple things feel complicated. Her sweet tea. Her stuffed peppers. The way she’d fussed over his bruised arm. Those big eyes that somehow made him feel like she saw more of him than most people bothered to look for.

His thumb brushed once over the small of her back. “You’re shakin’.” He leaned closer, his breath stirring the hair near her neck. “Am I makin’ you nervous, sweetheart?”

Daisy lifted her chin. “No.”

Soft. Barely audible.

Kane’s hand stopped. She glanced over her shoulder, close enough that their eyes met. His gaze dropped to her mouth. Then rose again.

A truck passed somewhere out on the road, headlights sweeping briefly across the ceiling before disappearing.

He finished spraying her back. But he didn’t step away.

His hands settled lightly at her hips. Daisy didn’t move. Neither did he.

“There.” A beat. “All done.”

Still, neither moved.

Daisy turned slowly within the space between his arms. Her shoulder brushed his chest. Her hands landed against him, uncertain at first. Then stayed.

Kane looked down at them. She looked up. For a heartbeat, the room seemed to hold its breath.

Then her phone rang.

The spell broke.

Daisy jumped. She looked down at the screen. “David.” She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Kane stepped back, sliding his hands into his pockets as Daisy answered. “What’s wrong now, D?”

David’s voice boomed through the speaker. “Baby sister! What’s good? You home?” Music thumped somewhere behind him. Someone shouted. Someone else laughed.

Daisy closed her eyes. “Where are you?”

“At Buck’s. Listen, I need a favor. Me and the boys are here and my ride just bailed.” A pause. “I know it’s late, but come on. You’re like ten minutes away. Pleeeeease?”

Kane leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed. His eyes stayed on Daisy.

She sighed. “Fine. Give me twenty minutes. Don’t move. And don’t cause any trouble. I’ll be there soon.” She hung up.

For a moment, she just stared at her phone.

Then she looked at Kane. “We’ll have to find another time for stargazing.” His expression tightened. “I need to go get Dave.”

“Your brother.” It wasn’t quite a question.

“Yeah.”

Kane looked toward the door. Then back at her. He knew David.

Everybody did.

Luke was the one people respected. David was the one people heard about later.

Kane pushed away from the counter. “Let me ask you somethin’.” He walked her toward the door. “It’s almost eleven.” He opened the screen door, letting the humid night air spill inside.

“You’re a woman, and your brother can’t call one of his buddies? Can’t get a ride? Hell, can’t call an Uber?” He looked back at her with a sour expression on his face.

Daisy gave him a look. “He called me.”

“Yeah.” His jaw tightened. “He calls you every time?” There was no anger in his voice. Just quiet frustration. The kind that came from watching someone he cared about get taken for granted.

Daisy reached for the door handle. “He’s my brother.”

Kane sighed. “Alright. Go get him.”

Then he looked directly at her. “But Daisy?”

She paused.

“You don’t gotta say yes every time he calls.”

She hesitated. “You’re right.” Her fingers tightened around her keys. “But he’s my twin, from womb to tomb.” Kane’s expression softened despite himself. “We always have each other’s backs.”

He nodded slowly. “I get it.” And he did.

Family was family.

But loyalty didn’t have to mean dropping everything whenever someone snapped their fingers. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of auburn hair away from her forehead. The gesture was almost casual.

Almost. “Just drive safe, alright?” His gaze lingered on her. “Back roads get slick after rain.” He stepped back. “And text me when you get there.”

The words were out before he could reconsider them.

Daisy blinked. Kane cleared his throat. “Or don’t. I ain’t your daddy.” A pause. “But I’d like to know you got there in one piece.”

Something softened in her expression. “I’ll text you.” She smiled. “Promise, sugar.”

She squeezed his arm before turning toward her car.

Then Kane noticed something. “Daisy.”

She stopped.

He looked down. She looked down too.

Bare feet.

He stared at them. “You ain’t got shoes on.”

Daisy glanced back at him. “I forgot.”

“Course you did.” He disappeared inside. The screen door slapped shut behind him. Daisy waited.

She heard a drawer open inside. Something heavy thumped against the floor. Then Kane reappeared carrying a pair of old work boots. He tossed them across the yard. They landed in the grass with a soft thud.

Daisy stared. “Kane.”

“Ain’t gonna fit pretty.” He crossed his arms. “But them roads are dirty, and you’ll cut your feet up.”

She looked from the boots to him. “Those are yours.”

“Yep.”

“They’re enormous.”

“Then you’ll have plenty of room.”

She laughed. “That’s not how shoes work.”

“Put ’em on.”

Daisy shook her head, smiling as she picked them up. “You are bossy.”

“Only when you’re bein’ ridiculous.”

She slipped her feet inside. As expected, the boots swallowed them. She wiggled her toes. Nothing.

Kane bit the inside of his cheek. Hard.

She took one step.

Then another.

The boots clomped against the ground. Kane looked away.

Too late.

She looked adorable. And he knew it. “Don’t fall.” His voice was carefully neutral.

Daisy narrowed her eyes. “Are you laughing at me?”

“No.”

“You are.”

“I ain’t.”

“You totally are.”

He finally looked at her. The grin he’d been fighting broke through. “A little.”

She planted her hands on her hips.

Kane shook his head. “Lord.” He pulled off his cap and ran a hand through his hair before replacing it.

Then Daisy headed toward her car.

“Hey.”

She turned. “What?”

“What time you think you’ll be back?”

The question came too fast. Kane immediately tried to recover. “I mean, no rush.” He leaned against the doorframe. “I ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

Daisy’s lips curled. “Why, Kane Thibodeaux?” She took another step backward. “Are you gonna miss me?”

A sharp laugh escaped him. “Miss you?” He crossed his arms. “Nah.”

His eyes stayed on hers. “I’m just sittin’ here enjoyin’ the quiet.”

Liar. He didn’t say it. He didn’t need to. Daisy’s grin told him she’d heard it anyway.

“Go on.” He pointed toward her car. “Your brother’s probably already drinkin’ somebody else’s tab and tellin’ lies about you to impress some poor girl.” He let his hand drop back to his side.

She laughed. “You’re terrible.”

“Text me.” A beat. “That ain’t a request.”

Daisy took another step. Then stopped.

She looked down at the boots. Then back at him. “You’re gonna wait up, aren’t you?” The teasing was gone from her voice.

Kane’s fingers stilled. He had been subconsciously drumming his fingers on his thigh. A nervous habit. “Yeah.”

No joke. No shrug. Just the truth.

Something tender flickered across her face. “Then I’ll come back.”

Kane held her gaze. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Daisy.”

“I can keep this one.” She crossed the distance between them before he could answer.

Then she rose onto her toes and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. Warm. Soft.

Gone almost immediately.

But her hand remained on his shoulder. “I’ll text you when I get there,” she whispered to him and smiled gently. “And when I leave.”

Then she stepped back. Kane didn’t move.

Daisy turned and walked toward the Civic in his boots. He watched until she reached the driver’s door. Only then did he lift his hand to his cheek.

She’d kissed him.

A damn innocent little kiss. And somehow it had landed harder than anything he could remember.

The car started. Its headlights swept across the yard and Daisy rolled down the window. “Goodnight, Kane.”

His throat felt tight. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

She drove away. The red glow of her taillights faded down the road until the darkness swallowed it.

Kane looked down. Bare feet.

He’d given her his boots. He’d told her to text. And he’d promised to wait.

He turned toward his house.The lamp was still burning in the living room.

For the first time in years, the quiet didn’t feel quite so empty.