Falling for Owen by Jennifer Ryan Page B

pissed I didn’t tell her, blamed me for the whole incident, and said I was jealous. That was the end of a really good friendship.
    “Oh, and I apparently tried to stab you last night.”
    Owen laughed, along with Brody and Rain.
    “He probably deserved it,” Rain teased.
    “No, he took care of me last night and I appreciate it.”
    Claire yawned, reminding him neither of them got much sleep last night.
    “I need to take you home. It’s late and you need to get some rest.”
    He’d paid the check for the table during dessert, so everyone stood. Just because he needed to, he brushed his hand down her long hair, placing his hand at the small of her back to lead her out behind Brody and Rain. Despite Brody and Rain joining their date, he felt it went well, and he’d gotten to know Claire better. Maybe it hadn’t been the intimate evening he wanted, but somehow this seemed better. He liked seeing her with Brody and Rain. The women hit it off.
    Outside the restaurant, Claire stopped beside him. He shook hands with Brody and hugged Rain. “Bye, beautiful. I’ll come by and see the girls soon.”
    “Any time you want. Bring Claire.” She cocked her head in Claire’s direction, then pulled her aside for their goodbye.
    Rain and Claire stood together talking, so Brody pulled him aside. “Everything at her place is set up. The directions are on the table.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Sorry about crashing your date. I really didn’t know you were coming here tonight, but I think it worked out.”
    “You stayed so Rain and Claire could get to know each other. Claire doesn’t have many close friends in town and you knew they’d hit it off.”
    “Claire has a lot of Rain’s finer qualities. I like her. I’m glad you like her. It’s about time you made me an uncle.”
    Owen laughed. “If you keep showing up on all my dates, that’s probably not going to happen.”
    “I’ll back off. I was worried about her after last night. No word on Dale?”
    “Nothing.”
    “Let me know if you need help with him. I’ve got your back.”
    “I’ve got yours.”
    Owen went to Claire, wrapped his arm around her back, put his hand on her hip, and drew her close. She leaned in to him. He wanted to believe it was only because she wanted to be close, but he felt her fatigue in the sigh she let out.
    He looked down at her bandaged feet. “How are you feeling?”
    “Tired. A little sore, but I had a great night.”
    He gave her a squeeze to his side. “Me too. We’ll see you guys later. I’m taking her home.”

 
    Chapter Thirteen
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    C LAIRE SAT NEXT to Owen in his truck, tired from the long day, and at peace to be quiet with each other. She liked the comfortable silence. His hand settled over hers. She turned her hand to link fingers with his and gave him a squeeze. He returned it, briefly letting his gaze stray from the road ahead to settle on her and sweep down her body and back to the road. The look was enough to keep her warm, but the heater pumped out hot air to ward off the chill of the night. The stars glowed overhead. The lull of the engine relaxed her as much as Owen’s presence.
    “I had a really good time tonight.”
    He cast her a sideways glance; his charming smile made her insides turn over. “Even though my brother crashed our date.”
    “I like him. Rain is really great. Does Brody mind you calling her beautiful all the time?”
    “Not at all. He knows how much I love Rain, and I’m just being affectionate. Brody and I grew up wild on the ranch, the old man drinking himself into oblivion most every night. We never had a normal home life. When I came back to town to help Rain with the girls, she made me part of their family. I learned what a real mother is, and how to be a father figure the girls can look up to and respect. So, yeah, I call her beautiful, not because she is on the outside, but because she is on the inside where it counts the most.”
    “She means that much to you.”
    “She’s my sister