Page 47 of Secretly Loving my Cowboy Best Friend

Austin opened his front door and his breath was momentarily stolen when he saw who was on his porch.

Poised with her hand in the air to knock on his door stood his Sofi.

“You’re here,” was all he managed even as his mind cautioned him to play it cool. This was his best friend, nothing more. His body’s yearning for her was natural, considering the time they’d spent apart.

Austin ignored the little voice that told him he’d never felt this way after such a brief separation from anyone else.

Sofi dropped her hand.

“Yeah. I know we’re doing the no communicating thing. Or you were. You didn’t exactly ask me if I wanted to do it.” Sofi stood up taller.

Austin grinned. Man, he loved this woman. He should have known she would take him to task for that one.

“I know. I couldn’t ask you. It was hard enough to make the decision. I knew if you voiced any hesitation, I wouldn’t be able to do it. And I had to do it. I know how much you want one of your relationships to really work. And it seemed like you really liked Bash.”

Sofi listened intently as Austin spoke and gave a single nod when he finished.

“I get it. I hated the lack of communication, but I get it. I kind of even admire you for it,” Sofi said with her teasing grin he’d missed so much.

Just seeing her here made him wonder how he’d survived these last two weeks. She was like air for him. Necessary and always a relief.

“Come in,” Austin said when he realized they still stood at his front door. He really was off his Sofi game. Any other time during their friendship she would have already been inside. Probably poking around in his snacks.

Sofi walked past him, the scents of jasmine as well as the smells of grilled meat flowing from her. Sofi’s smell was just like her: a perfect mix of his favorite things.

“So about Bash—” Sofi began as Austin said, “Do you want something to drink?”

Sofi waved her hand to decline, so Austin waited for her to continue as they both settled in on his couch. He passed her the knitted blanket he always hung on the back of the couch just for her. It didn’t matter that it was August, Sofi was always cold.

She snuggled into her spot and Austin’s heart warmed at the sight. This was where she was meant to be. Beside him.

But also with Bash, he reminded himself. Or someone like him.

Austin didn’t like that last part, but forced himself to mentally acknowledge it.

“I broke things off with him,” Sofi said, pulling Austin out of his thoughts.

What had she said? Austin hoped he was mistaken. Things had to work out with Bash. Austin hadn’t realized it until now, but if things didn’t work out with Bash, he might have to go through this same misery for every guy that Sofi dated, and he wouldn’t survive that. She had to make things work with Bash.

“What do you mean? I thought you really liked him?” Austin heard his voice getting high and panicky but couldn’t do anything about it. He felt frantic.

“I do. I mean, I did? I’m not sure what I mean. I just knew I couldn’t keep going on dates with him when I didn’t want to date him,” Sofi replied as she pushed her hair behind her ears and shifted onto her knees.

Austin loved when Sofi did that. He’d never seen a person so comfortable in such an uncomfortable position. Austin wasn’t sure he could sit on his knees like that for even a minute, much less choose to sit like that indefinitely.

Wait, he needed to stop getting distracted. Sofi had broken it off with Bash. Because she didn’t want to date him? Austin was confused. Hadn’t she liked him? What had gone wrong?

But even as confusion filled him, Austin had to admit a part of him only felt bliss at the idea that he no longer had to share Sofi. She was his and only his once more.

Even as he felt dread for future Austin who would have to endure those two weeks of torture, present Austin was thrilled. Sofi was back. For now. Until he had to let her go again.

But he wasn’t thinking about that now. There would be plenty of time to worry about the future in the future.

“So you don’t like him?” Austin asked, needing clarification. Wait—had Bash hurt her?

“Did he do something to you?” he tried to ask in his most nonchalant voice even as his muscles tensed in anticipation.

Sofi gave a light laugh through her nose. “No. You don’t have to go after the guy.”

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