Page 37 of Coerced
How it was possible for Aria’s body to tense further was beyond me. And a moment later, she loosened the firm grip she had on me, pulled out of my arms, and stepped back.
Instantly, I felt so much regret, which surprised me, because I didn’t think I should have felt that way for wanting to be sure she was alright. But it became clear the only reason she’d stepped out of my arms was because I’d broken the silence and forced her mind back to reality.
“I’m… I’m so sorry about that, Paxton,” she murmured, looking everywhere but at my face.
“I don’t need any apologies, Aria. Honestly. Is everything okay?”
She closed her eyes and audibly sighed. Following a beat of silence, she peeled her eyes open again, lifted her chin, and asked, “Could we get some breakfast first?”
I offered her a reassuring smile and a slight nod. “Absolutely. How do you feel about doughnuts?”
Some of the tension that had been lingering in her features eased as her brows shot up. “Doughnuts?”
“Doughnuts.”
“I love them.”
Grinning like I’d just gotten my first victory, I declared, “Then it’s a good thing you came to Steel Ridge, because I’m taking you to The Early Bird.”
“What’s that?”
“Oh, only the best place in town to get breakfast,” I declared. “But the only food you’ll be getting there is doughnuts, which is why I wanted to be sure you enjoyed them before I took you there.”
For the first time since she opened her door to me, a small smile formed on Aria’s pretty face. Victory number two. “Steel Ridge is looking better and better with each passing second. If this keeps up, I might contact my landlord about extending my lease for at least another year.”
My grin grew. This was working out beautifully, and we’d barely gotten the day started. “We’ll give you a few more things to like about this town before you do that.”
“That sounds wonderful,” she said, more relief spilling onto her features. “Is what I’m wearing okay for whatever we’re going to do today? I figured it was best to keep it casual.”
Given the question, I didn’t hesitate to allow my eyes to wander down Aria’s body and over her outfit. It was certainly casual, but that didn’t mean I didn’t find it attractive. She was wearing a pair of jean shorts, a white T-shirt, and sandals. I noted the pink polish on her toes before myeyes began traveling back up her body. Admittedly, my stare lingered longer on her legs than was necessary to be able to answer her, but a fantasy or two involving having those legs wrapped around my waist and my head had flashed in my mind. I couldn’t just pretend they didn’t exist.
Returning my attention to her face, I said, “What you’re wearing is more than fine for today.”
Jerking her chin down slightly, she replied, “Perfect. Let me just grab my bag and give Sasha a quick scratch behind the ears, and I’ll be ready to go.”
As Aria turned to handle what she’d just indicated, I found myself feeling quite a bit of relief. With just a few seconds of conversation, most of the tension that had been present from the moment Aria opened her door had since vanished. I intended to discuss whatever was bothering her, so long as it was something she wanted to share, but after seeing how quickly we turned things around, I wasn’t so worried that whatever was going on with her would ruin our day together.
The drive to The Early Bird was a quick one. And since I wasn’t quite sure what had prompted the reaction from Aria this morning, I used the time on the drive to point out some noteworthy spots in town. I figured it was the best way to fill the silence without risking things getting awkward for either one of us. It seemed to work, because Aria was engaged in everything that I was telling her, even asking questions along the way.
We made it to our breakfast spot, and I quickly rounded the car to open Aria’s door for her. She seemed surprised by the gesture, but she didn’t hesitate to place her hand in mine so I could help her out. Once she wassteady on her feet, my hand went to the small of her back and urged her toward the doughnut shop.
Aria and I stepped inside and made it halfway to the front counter when I heard, “Hey, Paxton.”
My eyes landed on the woman behind the counter just as we came to a stop in front of her. “Hi, Tarryn. Looks like we have good timing.”
“You do. There was a bit of a rush that cleared out about ten minutes ago, and I suspect there will be another in the next fifteen.”
I offered a nod of understanding and said, “Tarryn, I’d like you to meet Aria. She’s my new neighbor.”
Before I could get another word out, Tarryn’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, I’m so happy to finally meet you, Aria. I talked to Mallory the other day, and she was telling me about you working at the deli with her.”
Confusion washed over Aria’s face, so I jumped in to explain. After pressing my fingertips into her back slightly, I shared, “Tarryn is the owner of The Early Bird, and she and Mallory know each other well because Tarryn’s married to Nixon’s cousin, Royce Blackstone. Royce happens to be the owner of Harper Security Ops.”
Understanding dawned on Aria’s features, a hint of surprise lingering there. “It’s nice to meet you, Tarryn. Apparently, Steel Ridge really is a small town.”
Tarryn laughed. “That’s for sure. So, what can I get for the two of you today?”
Aria and I ordered half a dozen doughnuts, and while I grabbed a coffee, she asked for tea. We sat down at a table in the front corner of the shop, and neither of us hesitated to pull a treat from the box.