Page 51 of Whispers of Sweetwater

‘I’ll walk you to the door,’ he said.

‘You don’t have to,’ she replied, even as she was already opening her door.

‘I want to,’ was his overwhelmingly sexy response.

They strolled the short path beneath the stringybark trees, with the verandah light spilling a golden glow across the steps. It was quiet but for the gentle crunch of gravel beneath their boots and the soft rustles of nocturnal life. Hayden stayed close, as if to catch her if she tripped and fell. She did her best to stay upright and walk a straight enough line.

Arriving at the front door after a slightly precarious four-step climb, she turned to face him. ‘Thanks again, for the lift, for dinner, for the fun company.’

He gave her a small smile, hands in his pockets, watching her like he wasn’t ready to leave just yet. ‘You’re welcome, Bri.’

Their eyes met, and for a second, the world narrowed. A breath. A heartbeat. The air between them thickened, humming with something unspoken and electric. Her breath catching, she felt it ripple over her skin like a phantom touch, the kind that left goosebumps and restless thoughts in its wake. Then, at an achingly pivotal moment, Hayden’s gaze dipped, lingering for the barest moment on her mouth before snapping back to her eyes. The warmth in his regard of her wasn’t just affection. No, it was hunger, restrained and careful, but undeniable. She felt it in the taut stillness of his body, the way his fingers flexed at his sides like he didn’t trust them not to reach for her. Her breath caught sharper. Her heart thundered like wild horses’ hoofs. Hayden took a step forwards, close enough that she could smell the faint trace of leather on his shirt, feel the heat radiating from him like a sun barely held at bay.

But then, just like that, he stopped. The air between them still crackled, his nearness wrapping around her like heat off a fire. He cleared his throat, the sound low and rough, like it was costing him to force the distance.

And then he stepped back.

‘Night, Bri,’ he murmured, voice husky, laced with something he didn’t let himself say.

She nodded, though her heart thudded so hard she could barely trust her voice. ‘Night, Hayden.’

For a suspended beat, neither of them moved. The silence stretched, filled with everything unspoken – the brush of his hand that lingered too long, the way his eyes searched hers, the pull between them that begged to close the gap.

In another time, another life, maybe she would’ve leant in. Maybe he wouldn’t have stopped.

But tonight wasn’t the night.

She turned away before her resolve could crumble, every step towards the door leaving her body aching with the memory of his almost-touch, and the echo of the kiss that didn’t happen.

CHAPTER 13

Brianna woke with dawn sunlight slanting across her bed and a familiar ache in her chest, the kind that always settled in after a night full of almosts. She could still feel the heat of Hayden’s body near hers, the way his gaze had dropped to her mouth, the breathless second where the world had narrowed to a single choice he didn’t make.

She shouldn’t care. In reality, she barely knew him.

And yet …

She rubbed her hands over her face and swung her legs out of bed, irritation flaring at herself as she rose, nursing a hangover. Padding across the room, she caught a glimpse of herself in the dresser mirror – hair a wild tumble, and her favourite animal-patterned pyjamas skewed, the top twisted at one shoulder, one shorts leg hiked up.

A mess, she thought, snorting softly.

A lust-sick, ridiculous mess.

She headed down the hallway with Sherlock in tow. By the time she’d let him out for his morning duties and made coffee strong enough to wake the dead, the sharp edge of her headache had dulled, replaced by the rhythm of organising her workday, eagerly planning each of her visits to animals in need. It was nice to not have any jobs on until eleven, but that left her here, twiddling her thumbs. And the echoing quiet didn’t bring peace, only space for her thoughts to loop back over what hadn’t happened. Why hadn’t he kissed her? Was it restraint? Doubt? Or something else entirely? And why had she wanted him to? She still wanted him to. It made her stomach knot in a way that annoyed her, because she wasn’t some lovelorn teenager. She was a woman with a career mission.

Still, the ache lingered as she moved through her morning chores more slowly than usual, letting her hands work on instinct while her mind wandered to places she wished it wouldn’t.

Just over an hour later, she was settling back at the kitchen table with her Vegemite on toast and a glass of orange juice when her phone buzzed with a new message.

Grabbing it, she smiled when she saw the sender was Tilly.

Hey, lovely! How about brunch at Chapter One? Friday, if you aren’t already booked up with work? Just us girls. I really enjoyed last night. So much! You’re good company, Bri. I mean that. T xx

Unexpected, simple and warm, the message grounded her as she smiled, and texted back.

Hey, Till, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Meet you there at ten-ish?

Perfect, I drop the kids to day care at 9.30. Can’t wait! T xx