Page 27 of Finding Home

They were flirting. She knew this. Men just being nice didn’t have hungry eyes that devoured a woman as if she were the last piece of cake. Clayton looked at her like she was covered in frosting.

“Doc, you want to settle now or after?” Laney’s voice popped their flirty bubble.

She was in the middle of the VFW, ten feet away from her family, eye fucking Clayton. Molten heat flamed in her face. What was this man doing to her?

“After.” He cleared his throat, a light pink dusting his cheeks.

At least, Elle wasn’t alone in uncontrollable blushes. He had promised to be in it with her, and it appeared he was taking that promise to heart. Even when it came to eye fucking at the VFW.

“Well, you know where I’ll be,” Laney quipped, turning to help another patron.

“So, I heard you had the distinct pleasure of speaking with my assistant, Braedon.” Elle said, regaining non-eye fucking footing.

“Twice.” He held up two fingers for emphasis. “Braedon called again as I was parking here to tell me that they had conferred with Ms. Davidson and was awaiting a final decision and that they’d follow up with me on Monday upon your return to the office on the status of said decision.”

Elle placed a hand over her eyes.Oh, Braedon.“They’re an amazing assistant. Maybe a little overzealous at times, but the best.”

“I think I need a Braedon,” he mused.

Warmth fizzed in Elle at both the impressed expression that covered Clayton’s features and with his use of Braedon’s preferred pronouns. In meeting new people, Braedon alwaysintroduced themself with their preferred pronouns. There’d be no HR training for Clayton.

She beamed. “Everybody needs a Braedon.”

“How do you think they’d feel about running a small town veterinarian clinic?”

“I will fight you in the streets!” She poked his very firm chest and lost her train of thought over the images of burying her face against that chest.Calm your loins, Elle!

“Consider me warned.”

“We should get back to the table. You have a dart game to lose,” Elle teased with a sassy bump of his shoulder with hers.

“Oof, you wound me.” His hand covered his heart.

Shaking her head, she stepped around him, threading through the crowded bar. Falling in step, Clayton’s hand found the small of her back, guiding her to their table. Heat rippled from where his hand was pressed, traveling up her spine and reverberating everywhere. Reaching the table, his hand remained fixed until she sat in the chair beside Janet. He stayed close, just a step behind her. The heat radiating from his body to hers warmed her in an unfamiliar sensation of belonging, like they wore matching team shirts. It was foreign but not unwelcome.

“Owens!” Both Elle and Clayton looked to see Noah strolling their way.

“Wilson.” The two men greeted each other with the standard male back slapping hug.

“Elle.” Noah bent, hugging her.

“I di… didn’t know you two knew… were…” Clayton stuttered.

Elle fought the urge to grab his hand that rested on the back of her chair and twine their fingers. To squeeze away whatever had tripped up his words, letting him know they were in it together. That would be too brazen. Leaning back, she allowedher ponytail to drape over his arm, the silky tendrils kissing his skin.

“I had drinks with Elle on Tuesday at the Wine Down,” Noah said.

“Correction. I was having drinks with Carmen when Mathew and you crashed.”

“Clayton!” Jerome waved dart filled hands to get his attention.

“I should go.”

“Good luck,” she murmured, touching his arm causing him to turn and mouththank youbefore joining Jerome.

“Yeah, I should get over there. I’m playing with my dad. I’ll see you ladies Saturday.” Noah strolled away.

Aunt Janet elbowed Elle. “Either would be a good choice.”

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