Her using the wordfrienda hundred and fifty or so times, dodging his touch and avoiding eye contact was the exact opposite of what he wanted.
Butthen they’d started doing dishes and she’d been staring at him—staring at him and making him want to kiss her more than anything.
I’m a damn fool.He ran a hand over his face.He was lonely.He was so lonely, he was seeing what he wanted to see—not what was.This was all him.It was one hell of a deflating thought, but it was the truth.Now all he had to do was come to terms with it.“If you’re sticking around, Rylee, feel free to help me finish up the dishes.”
Delilah skipped into the kitchen.“Can I color, pwease, Daddy?”She held out the gift bag from Cody, all smiles.
It was hard to stay glum with his daughter around.She was a walking, talking ray of sunshine, and he was so grateful for her.“You can.”He pulled one of the kitchen chairs out for her.
“Thank you.”She sat in the chair.“Want to color with me, Auntie Wylee?”She patted the chair next to her.
“Go on.”Braden nodded at his sister.“I got this.”
“I’m going to make a rea-l pretty picture for Cody.”Delilah pulled out the large box of crayons and coloring books.“Oh, wook.”She held up one book.“Dino-saw-r.”She beamed.“Dino-saurs coworing book.”
Braden grinned.“Figures.”
Thanks to Maggie, there wasn’t much to clean up.He was putting the last plate into the dishwasher when his sister asked, “Delly, is this the first time Cody and his mom have had breakfast with you?”
Real subtle.
“Yep.It was fun.Just wike when we went hiking and to the footbaw game.”Delilah paused.“Cody is the bestest.”
Braden started the dishwasher.“It was nice of him to bring you a present.”He joined them at the table and sorted through the coloring books.“Dinosaurs, princesses, horses and cowboys.”
“Yep.”Delilah nodded.“I’m drawing this for Maggie and then one for Cody.”
Braden eyed the pink and purple dots Delilah was adding to the Tyrannosaurus rex.Maggie wouldn’t mind the artistic license his little girl was taking with the colors.Cody, however, might not appreciate her take on the predator.“She’ll like it.”
Delilah nodded but didn’t look up from the coloring book.“Cody says we are gettin’ together soon so I gotta finish.”
This was news to him.He and Maggie hadn’t set any plans before they left.
“Oh, really?What are you going to do next time?”Rylee paused her coloring to glance his way.“Too bad it’s too early for the Pumpkin Spice Festival.A hayride can be fun.Snuggling up together to get warm.All cozy—even romantic.”
Braden ignored his sister’s teasing.
Romance wasn’t going to be a part of his relationship with Maggie.It sucked, but it was a fact.His track record should be enough to remind him that he had no idea what he was doing when it came to women.It’s just, damn, things with Maggie had been different.He sighed.Because they were friends.He didn’t have a whole lot of female friends.From now on, he was going to keep a firm rein on his emotions.He’d use his head, not listen to his gut.Maggie had told him what she wanted from him, so he’d give her what she wanted.If she changed her mind—something he wasn’t going to count on—she’d have to make the first move.
Chapter Ten
In the week since their impromptu breakfast, Maggie had gone over the conversation she’d had with Braden more times than she wanted to admit.She’d been so overwhelmed byhimthat she’d fumbled with her words and babbled over him instead of hearing him out.At the time, she’d thought he was simply reaffirming that he wanted them to be okay—as friends.But later, when her brain was no longer short-circuiting from the super tight T-shirt that clung to his sculpted muscles, she wasn’t sure that was what he’d been trying to say after all.And that teeny-tiny doubt ate at her.
Since then, she, Cody, Braden and Delilah had gotten together twice.Tuesday had been a pine cone collecting expedition that had been cut short due to the nippy wind and Delilah’s aversion to being cold.Thursday, the four of them had met at the Silver Spur Café for pie.
Both times, they’d laughed and had fun.That was why she felt 80 percent confident that things were exactly the way they were supposed to be between her and Braden.But, once or twice, she’d caught him watching her.If his clenched jaw, ever-so-slightly flared nostrils and magnetic gaze hadn’t melted her insides and left her aching, there’d be no doubts or anything to worry about.
But each and every time, she had been reduced to a quivering,aching, puddle of a woman—which was very concerning, indeed.That’s why she wasn’t sure how to feel about tonight’s football game.But, this time, she’d packed multiple blankets so there would be no cuddling or getting too close.
“Ma,” Cody called from the other room.“Braden and Delilah are here.”
Too late to back out now.She shoved water bottles into the backpack, added a bag of trail mix and zipped it closed.She took a deep breath, slung the backpack onto her shoulder and walked out of the kitchen and into the front parlor.
Braden sat on the couch.She wasn’t sure how it was possible, but he seemed to get better looking every time she saw him.Now was a perfect example.In his blue-and-gray flannel button-up shirt, his eyes were extra blue and extra gorgeous.But then, all of Braden was gorgeous.
“Ma.”Cody patted the couch beside Braden.“Come sit for a second.”
And stop staring.She nodded and sat beside Braden, leaving space between the two of them.
