Page 30 of The Chance

Just…not tonight.

It was the anniversary of the night she’d almost lost her sister. Aubrey would never forget.

If surrounding herself with one of the best families she had ever met was wrong, well…she’d just deal with that later. She and Ayla needed to be here, tonight.

With friends. People who cared about them.

To help some of the hurt go away.

She and Guthrie made it to the end of the hall, where the stairs waited. Together they crept down. And through the second hall—toward the back entrance to the kitchen and sunroom.

Aubrey stopped abruptly at what she saw. Guthrie’s arm slipped around her waist, and he pulled her back down the hall. They couldsee.But they wouldn’t interrupt.

This was the last thing she wanted to interrupt.

Gunn Hiller stood there, Aubrey’s baby sister swept up in his arms, while Ayla grabbed…a container of milk and a package of Oreos off the counter.

“I got’em. Success!” Ayla said, triumphantly. Sometimes a gallon of milk would be too heavy for her little sister, when she was having really bad inflammation days. “I’m ready, big guy. You are very muscle-y for a pasty-faced preacher guy. And you probably won’t ever drop me, will you?”

“No. I’ll never drop you. Hook your arm around my neck, and we’ll head outside.” Gunn held Ayla like she was precious to him. Aubrey watched as they headed out to the patio and Guthrie’s brother lowered Ayla to a lounge chair. Her sister just grinned up at Guthrie’s brother, who looked down at her like he was a bit drunk.

Fascinated. By Ayla.

No man had ever looked at Ayla like that. Not like Pastor Gunn Hiller was. Ayla hadn’t ever dated—she’d been too afraid. Aubrey’s eyes stung at what she was seeing.

Never had Aubrey seen anything more perfect than the two of them in that moment.

Guthrie’s arm wrapped around her waist. He pulled her back up the stairs—and into his own room. Aubrey just looked at him, trying to catch her breath. He just kept going—until they were on the balcony that their suites shared.

“I think your sister has captivated Gunn. I…know how he feels.” And then Guthrie was kissing her. Yet again. Soft andsweet and in the moonlight, with her sister and his brother in the garden below. He pulled back.

“All I want is a chance, Aubrey Fisher.”

“A chance?” The man wasn’t making sense again. “On what?”

“A start. You and me. Maybe…forever, if you decide I’m not the troll you think I am. But the ball’s in your court. I’m not ever going to rush you. So you decide. Will you take a chance on me?”

Aubrey had never felt this way with a man in her life.

Guthrie Hiller…was dangerous.

And she didn’t know what she was going to do at all.

So…Aubrey just kissed the confounding man right back.

27

Aubrey had sleptwith Guthrie Hiller. In his room. In his bed. In his arms.

Andnothinghad happened.

She was still trying to wrap her head around that. They had just cuddled together on his balcony until she had been too cold to even think. Then he had lured her back inside, wrapped a quilt around her shoulders—and she found herself sitting on his lap in front of the window.

She’d told herself she was just waiting for Ayla to get back inside—but that had been a lie. And hadn’t happened. Ayla had apparently been more than content to just stay in the garden with Gunn Hiller, blankets wrapped around her shoulders, and Guthrie’s brother right next to her. Just talking.

Aubrey and Guthrie hadn’t spied, but she had been taking care of her sister for her entire life. She’d just made certain Ayla was okay and then she and Guthrie had focused on…each other.

Aubrey’s lips still tingled three days later. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep in his arms; it had just happened. And she was keeping that little secret to herself.

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