“How about something stronger?”

He gave a faint smile. “You really did have a bad day, didn’t you?”

He moved to the wine rack on the counter and chose a bottle of red wine. Grabbing two glasses from the cupboard over the sink, he glanced over his shoulder. “Are you going to tell me about it or do I have to tickle it out of you?”

“Hmm.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “I’m kind of leaning toward the tickle.” Her expression sobered when he shot her an evil look. “Fine, fine…I’ll tell you.”

Brody poured the wine, handed her a glass and then led her to the patio doors. The backyard was spacious, adorned with more flowers that Brody’s mom must have planted. The fence surrounding the area was so high she couldn’t see the neighboring yards, not even from the raised deck on the patio. At the very far corner of the lawn stood an idyllic-looking gazebo surrounded by thick foliage.

They stepped onto the deck, where a surprisingly warm breeze met them. It was a gorgeous night, the warmest she’d experienced since coming home, and she breathed in the fresh air and tilted her head to admire the cloudless sky before finally releasing a long breath.

“I paid a visit to my stepmother today,” she said.

She filled him in on the details, leaving her conversation with Doug for the end. Brody’s jaw tensed at the mention of Doug’s name, but as he’d promised her that night they’d skated at the arena, he didn’t freak out about it. When she’d finished, he set his wineglass on the wide rail ringing the deck and gently caressed her shoulders.

“You didn’t have to tell him about us,” he said.

The remark surprised her. “Of course I did. I told you about him. Doesn’t he deserve the same courtesy?” She lifted her glass to her lips.

“You’re right.” He paused. “So it’s over between you and Doug?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “He hung up on me, which is very uncharacteristic of him. I don’t think he’s happy with me at the moment.”

When Brody didn’t answer, she put down her wine and reached up to cup his strong chin with her hands. “You’re not happy with me, either, are you?”

He looked her in the eye and said, “I am happy, babe.”

“You are?”

“I love being with you, Hayden.” He blew out a ragged breath. “And I’m glad it’s over with Doug. It was frustrating sometimes, knowing there was another man in your life. And not just any man, but a man who works in your field, who shares your passion for art and is probably much better at those intellectual conversations you’re always trying to have with me. I feel like a dumb oaf in comparison.”

A pained look flashed across his handsome face, and it took her a moment to realize it wasn’t really pain she saw in his eyes, but vulnerability. The idea that Brody Croft, the most masculine man she’d ever met, could be vulnerable stole the breath from her lungs. God, did he actually feel inadequate? Had she made him feel that way?

Her heart squeezed at the thought and she found herself reaching for him. She twined her arms around his strong, corded neck and brushed her lips over his. “You’re not a dumb oaf,” she murmured, running her fingers over the damp hair curling at the nape of his neck.

“Then you won’t mind if I make an intelligent, rational point about how difficult you’re being.”

She raised her chin. “And what on earth am I being difficult about?”

Brody let out a breath. “Come on, Hayden, you think I don’t see that look in your eyes whenever I have a plane to catch? Every time I left town this week you withdrew from me. I felt it.”

Discomfort coiled inside her belly, causing her to drop her arms from his neck. Why was he bringing this up?

“See, you’re doing it again,” he pointed out, smiling faintly.

“I just…” She inhaled slowly. “I don’t see why it’s an issue.”

“If it keeps you from entering into a relationship with me, then it is an issue.”

A tiny spark of panic lit up inside her. “We agreed to keep things casual.”

“You agreed to keep an open mind.”

“Trust me, my mind is very open.”

“Your heart isn’t.” His tone was so gentle she felt like crying.

She drifted over to the railing, curling her fingers over the cool steel. Brody moved so they were standing side by side, but she couldn’t look at him. She knew exactly where this conversation was going, and she had no idea how to proceed.

“I think we have something really good here,” he said quietly, resting his hand on hers and slowly stroking her knuckles. “You’ve got to admit we’re good together, Hayden. Sexually, sure, but in other areas, as well. We never run out of things to talk about, we enjoy each other’s company, we make each other laugh.”




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