Page 34 of Falling Hard for the Billionaire Cowboy

Austin's eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe. He's so close I can see droplets of water clinging to his eyelashes.

"I don't know," he says softly. "You look pretty sweet to me."

My heart does a somersault, and I'm grateful for the cool water hiding my burning cheeks. Before I can think of a response, Duke decides it's his turn for attention and swims between us, breaking the moment.

So, tell me, how can I explain this feeling I’m having?

"Arf! Arf!"

The dog barks, causing me to look away.

At that moment, a mix of emotions hits me. Part of me feels grateful for the interruption, and the other part, well…

I pause.

What exactly am I expecting?

Shaking off the confusing thoughts, I swim towards the lake's edge, leaving Austin and the dogs splashing in the water.

"Are you leaving?" Austin calls out, causing me to look back briefly. He's still in the water, and… there is just something about a cowboy, water drops and the sunlight all at once.

"Oh no…" I mumble to myself. I need to get out of here as fast as I can. For the sake of my sanity, most importantly.

I climb out, wrapping my towel around myself and holding it close to my chest like a shield. "Yeah, I... I forgot I needed to do something," I reply, my voice sounding strained even to my ears.

Austin nods, his brow furrowing slightly. "Are you going to town? Do you need a ride?"

"No!" I snap, my voice louder than I meant. "No, no," I repeat in a softer tone, clearing my throat. I rush to assure him, the words tumbling out faster than I can control them. I let out a nervous laugh that sounded painfully fake.

Austin doesn't seem convinced, but he doesn't push it. Instead, he calls out to his dogs, "Duke! Rusty! Come on, guys, time to get out!"

They respond immediately, paddling towards the shore. As they climb out, shaking water everywhere, I find my gaze drawn to Austin once more as he follows them. Despite my best efforts, my eyes trail over his well-toned muscles, glistening with water droplets in the afternoon sun.

"Oh lordy," I mutter under my breath. I can feel Austin's gaze, and I swallow hard, looking up to meet his eyes. I hope the flush I can feel spreading across my cheeks can be attributed to the swim.

"I guess I might as well head out too," Austin says, running a hand through his wet hair. "Got some work to do back at the ranch."

There's a pause between us, the silence stretching out until it's on the verge of becoming awkward.

I can just go, right?

So… why am I still standing in place, my legs not moving?

In a desperate attempt to fill the awkward silence, I blurt out, "What type of work?" Then, realizing how odd that sounds, I quickly add, "I mean, I know there's always something to do on a farm."

Austin chuckles, the sound sending an unexpected shiver down my spine. "Yeah... and other stuff," he replies vaguely.

For what feels like the hundredth time today, I'm struck by the realization that something is changing between us. Or maybe it's all in my head, and the Texas sun is finally getting to me. One of the dogs – Rusty, I think – licks my hand, jolting me back to the present.

I wet my lips nervously. "I should really get going," I say, bending down to shove everything into my beach bag.

I straighten up, ready to escape, but Austin's voice stops me. "I'll see you around the ranch, yeah?"

I nod, not trusting myself to speak without creating another awkward moment. But before I can take a step, Austin speaks up again, his voice softer this time.

"Hey, Hayley? I was wondering... would you be interested in going to dinner with me?"

I stammer, not sure if I've heard him correctly. "D-dinner?"

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