Page 10 of Unexpected Second Chance For Love

His fingers itched to reach out again, but he resisted. Instead, he indulged himself in the curiosity that had been gnawing at him since she moved in.

“I’m surprised Griffin didn’t tie you down to keep you from moving here.”

Payton straightened her spine and cut him a look. “I told you, I’m a grown woman and make my own decisions.”

Austin couldn’t let it go. “But he wasn’t happy about it.”

No need to make it a question as he knew Griffin almost as well as he knew himself.

“He would have been unhappy no matter where I moved,” Payton hedged. Her fingers played absentmindedly with the rough edge of the hay.

“But the fact that it’s with me makes it worse.” Austin really needed to stop. It was like picking at a scab. Painful but satisfying.

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” Payton turned the tables on him—again. She had this way of setting him off balance so he was never quite on solid ground.

“You know he doesn’t talk to me anymore.”

“But I don’t know why?” She turned again to face him fully and the weight of her stare pinned him in place.

He turned to face her and electricity crackled between them. Austin was no longer thinking of pulling her braid, but of cupping her face in his hands and kissing her.

Dangerous territory.

“It’s complicated.”

“That’s what Griffin said when I asked him. That’s basically adult speak for I messed up and don’t want to admit it.”

“Griffin didn’t tell you what happened?”

He held his breath waiting on her answer. He shouldn’t care as much after a decade, but damn if he missed his friend.

“Nope. I got the same infuriating non-answer. For two grown men, you both sure are stubborn.”

Austin huffed out his breath. “It’s really up to your brother. He’s the one who made it clear he never wanted to speak to me again.”

“You’re going to see each other eventually. We live in the same small town. And I live with you.”

“Not with me. On my property.” The distinction was important to him. Living with Payton brought all kinds of other ideas to mind that were not for him.

Payton rolled her eyes. “Close enough.”

“Yes, but your front door is in my backyard.” Not far enough.

He tried to push the fact they were so close out of his mind every night as he tried to fall asleep and found himself wondering what she was doing in her apartment. If she was lying in bed, too.

“My point is that Griffin will visit me here or you will run into him in town. You can’t avoid the inevitable forever.”

Payton sounded like his conscience and guilt prickled his spine. It was a mistake coming back to Wildwood Falls. He was naive to think he had outrun his past.

He shrugged. “I’m planning to avoid it as long as I can.”

“Suit yourself.”

Silence fell between them and a heightened awareness of their close proximity. It was cool and quiet in the old barn and it felt like they were the only two people in the world. There wasn’t even the faint hum of the ranch work this morning.

Sunlight came through a weathered beam and landed on Payton like a spotlight. As if the universe was pointing out just how special she was. Austin didn’t need the reminder.

He gave in to the temptation to flick her braid again, except his fingers didn’t cooperate and he found himself holding one, fingering the smooth hair. Payton’s eyes widened with surprise, but she didn’t make a move to pull away. Her pupils flared, just enough to tell Austin that she was curious where this would lead.

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