Page 27 of A Fighting Chance

Her eyes narrow at me.

Wow, I’m failing hard.

“What exactly do you think you’re doing with my sister?” she asks.

Ah, okay, there it is.

I choke on, well, nothing at all. “I’m not sure,” I admit.

“Listen, I’m not here to berate you.”

“Oh? You could’ve fooled me,” I say.

She gives me another pointed look. “I’m here to give you some advice, butt-face.”

“Did you just call mebutt-face?”

“Do you want the advice or not?” She stomps her foot down but it barely makes a sound.

I roll my eyes at her this time. “Fine.” I cross my arms and lean back against the post, willing to listen. ThisisLyla’s sister, after all. Maybe she does have something valuable to give me here.

“If you want Lyla, you’re gonna have to make some moves. And we’re all grownups here, so let’s not play games. I mean, if you want her for a night or two nights or a week or forever. Whatever the length of time, you’re gonna have to make the moves. I don’t think she’d do it. I think she wants to, but she won’t. It’s a strange situation and she’s not one to take chances. I can’t explain it, but it’s like she’s been in a shell her whole life. A protective one. Well, since our parents died, at least. She’s kept everyone at a distance in fear of feeling too much and then losing them.”

Harper’s words sink in deep. They make a lot of sense and I can’t ignore them.

“Do you think she likes me?” I ask, sounding like a middle school kid or something.

Such an idiot.

“Oh yeah,” Harper says without hesitation.

I press my lips together, not completely sure if I believe her.

“Look, I’ve been her sister a long time, okay? My whole life in fact. I can tell when she’s into someone,” she says.

“You’re sure?” I ask, not wanting to sound totally desperate, but really wanting to make sure before I go and make a complete fool of myself.

“Look, I know the split from Cassie was weird. I know it didn’t hurt in a conventional way. Not the way people expected. And I know you’re looking for something. I can’t promise you that’s Lyla. But I thinksomethingis there. If I’m wrong about this, I will birth the next calf all by myself,” she says, her expression serious.

I nod slowly, letting everything she said marinate. “Okay, okay, I got it.”

“Are you sure?” she says.

I nod my head in an exaggerated manner. “I got it, okay?”

She gives me a big smile and turns, walking out of the barn, seemingly satisfied with herself.

Great. Now what?

I go back to work polishing the leather of the saddle in my hands, brushing over it with my thoughts still on Lyla. I like her, sure, but then what? She’s going to leave. Why put that kind of pressure on her? Or myself? Wait, assuming she would even feel pressured. I mean, she might look at me like I have two heads. She might look at me like I’m scum. Then again, she might just accept having fun and willingly walk away at the end without any regard for me. None of these things sound like great options.

I walk to the edge of the barn door and peer out over the fields, tracing the tree line with my eyes. I spot Lyla coming down the trail just then, her black leggings hugging her features, tank top blowing in the breeze. Her hair is in a high ponytail and she’s running just the way I’ve seen her do every day she’s been here. Her headphones are tucked in securely and I wonder what she’s listening to. I watch her as she comes to a stop and begins stretching, reaching down to the earth, leaving her ass in the air. I like it, despite trying really hard not to.

I rub the back of my neck, making every attempt to look away, but my eyes come right back to her bent figure. A tiny part of me feels a little like a scumbag for eye fucking her from a distance like this but, apparently, I don’t feel bad enough to actually look away.

Nice. Real nice.

She finally moves into a new position, with her arms stretched far over her head, shifting from side to side. Her tank top rises up to expose a delicate sliver of her midriff and the soft curve of her hip bones peek out from the top of her leggings.

---