worry—"
"Knock it off, Austin. It's my job. I can handle a simple crime scene. I liked to hang out sometime, Sophie. But if you don't want to, that's okay, too," Ava said, giving a friendly smile and abruptly walked away.
"We should look at Axel's paw. Clean it up. Can we do it in your house?" Austin asked tentatively.
Sophie nodded. He reached over to help her up, but she shied away from him. He sighed quietly and gently picked up Axel. "Come on, buddy. Let's look at that paw."
They walked into her house, making their way to the kitchen where Austin set him gently on the counter. Sophie stood near them, wanting to comfort Axel, yet nervous to be around Austin with no one else around. She had come to trust he wouldn't hurt her, but being near him always played hell with her nerves.
Austin looked at his paw, then turned the water on, finding the right temperature. "Do you have a towel you don't mind getting dirty? I'd like to wrap his paw. It's not bleeding too badly, but just in case when he steps on it."
Sophie nodded, reaching into the drawer near the sink, grabbing a towel, not really caring what one she chose.
***
Austin smiled softly at her as he gently wrapped Axel's paw after cleaning it. He picked him up and set him on the floor where Axel quickly sat down next to Sophie's feet.
"I'm glad you're okay. You shouldn't have checked that noise out or went inside my house. You could've gotten hurt. I'd go nuts if you got hurt, Sophie," Austin said, waiting for her to look his way.
More words sat on the tip of his tongue, words that would probably make her go screaming from the kitchen in shock. Hell, the urge to pull her into his arms would probably make her go running from the kitchen. He steeled his emotions in a silent deep breath to tamper down any urge that riddled his body. Hard didn't begin to describe the intensity it took to do that.
"Axel was inside. I was worried about him. I really didn't do it. I swear it wasn't me who broke in."
He swore softly as he grabbed her hands. She jerked slightly at the touch, but he had to make her see. Make her feel what he felt.
"Listen to me, Sophie. I never once thought it was you. I still don't. I want to know everything about you, especially what happened to make you dislike and not trust cops. But I know you won't share it with me. I care about you. You're my friend and I wish you would trust me more than you do. I feel you shaking as I hold your hands. Can't you feel mine shaking right with you? That's me worried about you."
"It's not easy trusting. I've given it so many times just for it to be broken once again," Sophie said quietly, almost in a whisper.
"I may make you mad, I may drive you nuts, but I will never break your trust. Just give me a small chance. Hang out with me a little more. You don't have to share anything you don't want to. Axel enjoys your company and misses you. If not for me, at least for him."
"You're using Axel to get me to hang out with you," she said, finally glancing at him, shyly smiling back when she saw his sweet grin.
"I guess I am."
"Hanging out means what exactly?"
"I don't know. Watching a movie, baseball, or something boring on TV. I know you said you don't like baseball, but I think I can convince you otherwise. I need another supporting Twins fan because Ava's a diehard Yankees fan and I need help bantering back with her. Or we can take Axel for a walk. Or you could come out to the farm. I'd love to show you around. Maybe we could go horseback riding," he replied, suddenly hoping against all hope she agreed.
His uncertainty where to proceed with her vanished when he saw her sitting so lonely on the curb. The clarity of it all hit him so hard he almost staggered to the ground getting out of his truck. He was ready to take a chance on love, to see if he could have what his brother has. What did Zane say that one morning to him... companionship, love, a deep relationship with a magical woman ...that's what he wanted a
"Knock it off, Austin. It's my job. I can handle a simple crime scene. I liked to hang out sometime, Sophie. But if you don't want to, that's okay, too," Ava said, giving a friendly smile and abruptly walked away.
"We should look at Axel's paw. Clean it up. Can we do it in your house?" Austin asked tentatively.
Sophie nodded. He reached over to help her up, but she shied away from him. He sighed quietly and gently picked up Axel. "Come on, buddy. Let's look at that paw."
They walked into her house, making their way to the kitchen where Austin set him gently on the counter. Sophie stood near them, wanting to comfort Axel, yet nervous to be around Austin with no one else around. She had come to trust he wouldn't hurt her, but being near him always played hell with her nerves.
Austin looked at his paw, then turned the water on, finding the right temperature. "Do you have a towel you don't mind getting dirty? I'd like to wrap his paw. It's not bleeding too badly, but just in case when he steps on it."
Sophie nodded, reaching into the drawer near the sink, grabbing a towel, not really caring what one she chose.
***
Austin smiled softly at her as he gently wrapped Axel's paw after cleaning it. He picked him up and set him on the floor where Axel quickly sat down next to Sophie's feet.
"I'm glad you're okay. You shouldn't have checked that noise out or went inside my house. You could've gotten hurt. I'd go nuts if you got hurt, Sophie," Austin said, waiting for her to look his way.
More words sat on the tip of his tongue, words that would probably make her go screaming from the kitchen in shock. Hell, the urge to pull her into his arms would probably make her go running from the kitchen. He steeled his emotions in a silent deep breath to tamper down any urge that riddled his body. Hard didn't begin to describe the intensity it took to do that.
"Axel was inside. I was worried about him. I really didn't do it. I swear it wasn't me who broke in."
He swore softly as he grabbed her hands. She jerked slightly at the touch, but he had to make her see. Make her feel what he felt.
"Listen to me, Sophie. I never once thought it was you. I still don't. I want to know everything about you, especially what happened to make you dislike and not trust cops. But I know you won't share it with me. I care about you. You're my friend and I wish you would trust me more than you do. I feel you shaking as I hold your hands. Can't you feel mine shaking right with you? That's me worried about you."
"It's not easy trusting. I've given it so many times just for it to be broken once again," Sophie said quietly, almost in a whisper.
"I may make you mad, I may drive you nuts, but I will never break your trust. Just give me a small chance. Hang out with me a little more. You don't have to share anything you don't want to. Axel enjoys your company and misses you. If not for me, at least for him."
"You're using Axel to get me to hang out with you," she said, finally glancing at him, shyly smiling back when she saw his sweet grin.
"I guess I am."
"Hanging out means what exactly?"
"I don't know. Watching a movie, baseball, or something boring on TV. I know you said you don't like baseball, but I think I can convince you otherwise. I need another supporting Twins fan because Ava's a diehard Yankees fan and I need help bantering back with her. Or we can take Axel for a walk. Or you could come out to the farm. I'd love to show you around. Maybe we could go horseback riding," he replied, suddenly hoping against all hope she agreed.
His uncertainty where to proceed with her vanished when he saw her sitting so lonely on the curb. The clarity of it all hit him so hard he almost staggered to the ground getting out of his truck. He was ready to take a chance on love, to see if he could have what his brother has. What did Zane say that one morning to him... companionship, love, a deep relationship with a magical woman ...that's what he wanted a
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