Chapter 26
26
That kiss…everything had changed with that kiss. Aubrey was just sure of it.
She didn’t even know how long they had stood there, just holding each other. It had been Aubrey who had pulled back first. She’d been overwhelmed. No denying that.
Now…he had held her hand and walked her back up the walkway that was now lined with lights. So that Ayla could find her way—Guthrie’s brother Gunn had done that. For her sister. The Hillers were like no men Aubrey had ever met. No denying that.
They stepped inside to a silent house. She checked the clock. “I didn’t realize it was so late.”
Almost one. She was very rarely up this late at all. “I should…go…to bed…”
Okay, no thinking about bed. Not with him, not right now.
Aubrey wasn’t even going to think about that yet. She just wasn’t ready. She was just about to tell him good night and make a strategic retreat when she heard a sound from the kitchen. Down the hall from the back door they’d entered.
A sound she’d heard before. Many times.
Guthrie started to say something. She held up her hand. “Shhh. Did you hear that?”
She lowered her hand. “I thought I heard my sister. The crutches make a certain sound on hardwood.”
“Let’s check. In case we need to hide. I don’t want her to see us doing something scandalous.” He just smirked at her, making Aubrey want to just…kiss him again. Then he turned serious. “I’d hate for her to fall on the stairs into the living room.”
“She’s pretty good at getting herself around. But she’s not super-familiar with this place.” And Aubrey really could use the emotional back-up here. If her sister was out there, well, then Guthrie wouldn’t get to look at her like he was right now. Aubrey was two seconds away from just pulling that man into the guest room with her. And them just…holding each other all night.
It had been a long time since she had held and been held by someone like that.
Not just someone. But by a man she genuinely cared about…and trusted.
Somehow she ended up being pulled down the hall, with her hand still wrapped in Dr. Guthrie Hiller’s. They darted across the open door leading to Genny’s room—they could hear her in there with Chad. Cooing at each other.
Neither she nor Guthrie wanted to get caught by those two.
So they just kept going down the hall.
The world had gone completely sideways here. Aubrey couldn’t explain it. She felt like a teenager, having adventures with the hot boy next door or something.
Not exactly anything she had ever done, even when she had been a teenager.
He shushed her, when she tried to say his name. His finger brushed her lower lip. Then, to her utter shock…she found herself lifted right off her feet and into his arms. Again.
“I just can’t help myself,” he whispered. Then he kissed her. Soft and sweet and so perfect she wanted to cry for just a moment there. Then he pulled back. “Let’s see who is skulking around my family’s house.”
Aubrey just nodded.
This man…this man was seriously going to be dangerous to her plans. There was no way to escape it.
They crept across the carpeted hall. This place was huge. One of the biggest ranches in this part of Texas, Grady had told her earlier. When he was trying to impress her, and flirt with her, at the dinner of salmon and rice everyone had shared. He’d flirted—Guthrie had growled.
Aubrey wasn’t that naive. Guthrie Hiller was attracted to her. And he was in pursuit.
But...maybe she was letting him pursue her? Why else would she have come here?
Yes. Genny had come home from the hospital today, but…Chad was more than capable of watching over Genny. And the other man wasn’t letting Genny out of his sight. Not to mention, Guthrie was there, too.
Aubrey didn’t have to be there.
But after everything that had happened lately, she just hadn’t wanted her and Ayla to be at their house alone. Not tonight.
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 could see. 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 and sweet 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.