Page 25 of Easton’s Claim

She let out a soft gasp, feeling like she’d just been sucker punched, and stood there feeling self-conscious as she tried to think of something to say. “Oh,” was all she came up with. Why the hell would he have told them that?

“I wasn’t supposed to say anything, but you’re one of my best friends and I thought you should know. We were both pretty surprised.”

Uh, yeah. “Well then that makes three of us.”

Charlie tipped her head to the side and crossed her arms over the plaid flannel shirt she wore. “Just so you know, he’s dead serious about you.”

Piper resisted the urge to squirm and rub a hand over the back of her tightening neck. “I really don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know, in case you didn’t believe him. I know you’ve been through a lot and that he took you off guard last night, but I’ve never seen him like this. I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”

“Nothing’s going to happen between us, Charlie. I’ll be leaving for Minnesota soon,” she said, as if that explained everything. “I already took the job, so my mind’s made up.”

Charlie’s eyes filled with sympathy. “We’ll all miss you when you go.” She hugged Piper and stepped back with a sunny smile, then changed the subject. “I’m heading out to Wyatt’s for a bit, but we’ll see you at your place later, once you’re finished with your showings.”

Piper nodded, dreading seeing Easton and being alone with him in between appointments today. She owed him an answer, but didn’t want to hurt his feelings and couldn’t bear to break his heart. Had to be done though. She’d just do it as gently as possible and do whatever she could to salvage the friendship.

“Thanks. You guys don’t know what it means to me to have friends like you.”

“Yeah we do, we have you.”

After Charlie left, Piper glanced at the window above the farmhouse sink and spotted Easton walking toward the house from the barn. Her heart did a funny little roll at the sight of him in a worn pair of jeans and a button-down chambray blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to expose his thick forearms.

When she’d first moved here from Minnesota he’d been an awkward, gangly teenager. A wild, annoying kid with a bratty attitude and a penchant for irritating the hell out of her. She’d been the victim of more than her fair share of his practical jokes.

Well, there was nothing remotely awkward or bratty about the man he’d become. He moved with the confidence of a man who knew exactly who he was, and was comfortable with himself. She used to know how that felt.

Piper blew out a long breath as she watched him walk toward the house. To be honest, she’d spent a good portion of the night wrestling with the whole taboo, perving-on-Wyatt’s-little-brother thing, and was mostly at peace with that part now that the initial shock of it all had worn off. He was a grown man and she was a grown woman. There was nothing to feel guilty about simply because she was attracted to him now.

Not that she had any intention of acting on those feelings. Of course she loved him, she’d known him for almost twenty years. She adored him and he meant the world to her, but there was no way she would jeopardize everything by crossing the line with him from friends to lovers.

She no longer trusted her judgment where matters of the heart were concerned. He’d laid a lot on the line with her last night, without spelling out exactly what he wanted from her. She’d been too afraid to ask him for details.

Anxiety clamped around her stomach like a vise as he pushed open the back door and stepped inside, his gaze locking with hers. A warm, sexy smile curved his mouth, making her pulse accelerate. “Hey. You ready to go?”

“Yes, just let me grab my purse.” She spun away and went to retrieve it from the little table in the foyer, ordering herself to calm down. They were going to be together for most of the day and if she didn’t figure out a way to fight these nerves, she was going to be a wreck before lunch.

Not wanting to get too close, she stepped past him when he held the back door for her and walked out to his truck. He jogged ahead and beat her to the passenger door, opened that for her too.

“Thanks,” she murmured, not looking at him as she slid into her seat. God, she couldn’t even look at him without triggering a chaotic mix of emotions.

Her stomach muscles tensed as he started the engine and headed down the driveway, the tension inside her building to the breaking point. They couldn’t avoid the talk forever. She fully expected him to bring up last night and ask her for an answer, so his next words were a surprise.

“You still want to stop at the café first?”

Relief flooded her, and the pressure around her lungs eased. He was giving her a reprieve and she was grateful. “Sure. I’m starving.”

“Me too. Wyatt figures it’ll only be another day or two before you can start showing your house again.”

At that, she looked over at him. “Really?”

He nodded. “And Austen’s working her magic on the pie chest, so you’ll have that back as well.”

She swallowed to ease the sudden tightness in her throat. Was this wanting ever going to go away? “You guys are all so good to me.”

“It’s what friends do for each other,” he said with a shrug.

But I don’t know if I can be just your friend anymore.Now that he’d made her seriously contemplate the idea of being with him, she couldn’t stop thinking about it, and every time she did, her body tingled all over.

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