Page 29 of The Chance

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That kiss…everythinghad changed with that kiss. Aubrey was just sure of it.

She didn’t even know how long they had stood there, just holding each other. It had been Aubrey who had pulled back first. She’d been overwhelmed. No denying that.

Now…he had held her hand and walked her back up the walkway that was now lined with lights. So that Ayla could find her way—Guthrie’s brother Gunn had done that. For her sister. The Hillers were like no men Aubrey had ever met. No denying that.

They stepped inside to a silent house. She checked the clock. “I didn’t realize it was so late.”

Almost one. She was very rarely up this late at all. “I should…go…to bed…”

Okay, no thinking about bed. Not with him, not right now.

Aubrey wasn’t even going to think about that yet. She just wasn’t ready. She was just about to tell him good night and make a strategic retreat when she heard a sound from the kitchen. Down the hall from the back door they’d entered.

A sound she’d heard before. Many times.

Guthrie started to say something. She held up her hand. “Shhh. Did you hear that?”

She lowered her hand. “I thought I heard my sister. The crutches make a certain sound on hardwood.”

“Let’s check. In case we need to hide. I don’t want her to see us doing something scandalous.” He just smirked at her, making Aubrey want to just…kiss him again. Then he turned serious. “I’d hate for her to fall on the stairs into the living room.”

“She’s pretty good at getting herself around. But she’s not super-familiar with this place.” And Aubrey really could use the emotional back-up here. If her sister was out there, well, then Guthrie wouldn’t get tolookat her like he was right now. Aubrey was two seconds away from just pulling that man into the guest room with her. And them just…holding each other all night.

It had been a long time since she had held and been held by someone like that.

Not just someone. But by a man she genuinely cared about…and trusted.

Somehow she ended up being pulled down the hall, with her hand still wrapped in Dr. Guthrie Hiller’s. They darted across the open door leading to Genny’s room—they could hear her in there with Chad. Cooing at each other.

Neither she nor Guthrie wanted to get caught by those two.

So they just kept going down the hall.

The world had gone completely sideways here. Aubrey couldn’t explain it. She felt like a teenager, having adventures with the hot boy next door or something.

Notexactlyanything she had ever done, even when she had been a teenager.

He shushed her, when she tried to say his name. His finger brushed her lower lip. Then, to her utter shock…she found herself lifted right off her feet and into his arms. Again.

“I just can’t help myself,” he whispered. Then he kissed her. Soft and sweet and soperfectshe wanted to cry for just a moment there. Then he pulled back. “Let’s see who is skulking around my family’s house.”

Aubrey just nodded.

This man…this man was seriously going to be dangerous to her plans. There was no way to escape it.

They crept across the carpeted hall. This place was huge. One of the biggest ranches in this part of Texas, Grady had told her earlier. When he was trying to impress her, and flirt with her, at the dinner of salmon and rice everyone had shared. He’d flirted—Guthrie had growled.

Aubrey wasn’t that naive. Guthrie Hiller was attracted to her. And he was in pursuit.

But...maybe she was letting him pursue her? Why else would she have comehere?

Yes. Genny had come home from the hospital today, but…Chad was more than capable of watching over Genny. And the other man wasn’t letting Genny out of his sight. Not to mention, Guthrie was there, too.

Aubrey didn’t have to be there.

But after everything that had happened lately, she just hadn’t wanted her and Ayla to be at their house alone. Not tonight.

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