Page 74 of Coerced
With a smile, she returned, “Perfect. Your meals should be out shortly.”
“Thank you,” I said.
Once she’d walked off, I declared, “I’m surprised by how comfortable things seemed between you and those kids, but I’d also be lying if I said I didn’t expect it to be that way.”
Paxton’s fork had been on its way toward his mouth, but my words made the movement of his hand stop in midair. “What do you mean?”
I’d just taken a bite of my salad, so as I chewed, I set my fork down on the edge of my plate and lifted my napkin from my lap to wipe at the corners of my mouth.Once I’d chewed, swallowed, draped the napkin over my lap again, and picked up my fork, I explained, “Well, it’s you. If I was a kid and I saw a guy like you walking down the street with his dogs, especially as many as you have, I’d take one look at you and be too terrified to approach. You’re slightly intimidating. And I certainly wouldn’t have ever approached you if you were out in your driveway shooting arrows at a target. Of course, if I ever worked up the courage to actually do it, I’d quickly learn that you’re the nicest guy in the world. And if I was in a group, I figure it’d be much easier to approach you.”
Paxton smiled. “Do you really think that?”
My brows shot up, questioning him. “That you’re the nicest guy in the world?”
He nodded.
“Without a doubt,” I confirmed. “That’s why it doesn’t surprise me that the neighborhood kids like you so much.”
“I think they like my dogs, Aria,” Paxton joked.
Shaking my head, I insisted, “I saw you with them, Paxton. They were laughing at things you said. They might like your dogs, but to those boys, you’re like a real-life superhero. And to be honest, I can’t say I don’t get that part of it, either.”
Intrigued by my declaration, he asked, “What is that supposed to mean?”
I took a moment to consider the best way to explain it to him. After all that Paxton had done and been for me, I wanted him to have an accurate understanding of how others, especially me, viewed him. “Up until a few days ago, I never would have imagined you were a man who experienced conflict. I mean, I knew what you did for a living, and I guess I knew there had to be some level of itthere, but I never believed you experienced it in your personal life. Like I said, you’re the nicest guy. You rescue hurt or abandoned animals. All they have to do is ring your doorbell, and you’re willing to take them in. I’m not sure it gets much nicer than that.”
“Are you saying that your impression of me changed a few days ago, when that guy followed you home and attacked you?”
A hint of uneasiness lingered in his tone, and I felt compelled to quell his fears. “Not the way you might think. It’s why I mentioned the kids thinking of you like a superhero.”
“I don’t look at what I did as me trying to save the day.”
I finished the last bite of my salad, took a sip of my drink, and explained, “I know. That’s what makes you even better. All I’m saying is that I had mistakenly assumed you were always so easygoing, and I saw something different that night. I saw a man who wasn’t afraid to always do the right thing, regardless of the situation.”
Some understanding dawned on his features, his expression softening. “Well, if I have my choice, I prefer to be laidback and kind to others, but I’m also the kind of guy who won’t stand by while someone needs my help, especially someone I care about.”
And there it was.
I wasn’t just somebody who needed his help. I was someone he cared about who needed his help.
Something warm hit the center of my chest and spread out from there as my thoughts ran wild. What did he see in me? Sure, I could understand physical attraction. But didn’t it need to go deeper than that when itcame to caring about someone the way Paxton had just insinuated?
When it came to the way I felt about him, I thought it was easy to see why I had an attraction that went beyond the physical.
My curiosity got the better of me, and I didn’t hold back what was on my mind. “So, you care about me?”
Shocked, he countered, “You have to ask?”
Before I could respond, our server returned with our meals. As she set the plates down, removed what we no longer needed, and confirmed we didn’t need anything else, I kept my gaze on Paxton. There was a tightness in my throat, something I knew was a direct result of feeling like I’d gotten something I’d lost a long time ago.
The moment we were alone again, I spoke quietly. “What was it that made you go from interested enough in me to caring about me?”
There was still a look of utter confusion on Paxton’s face. “Do you really not know?”
I didn’t.
Truthfully, I didn’t.
I couldn’t think of anything I’d done that would have led him to this place, and I was genuinely curious to know.