Fourteen

FOURTEEN

Paxton

"I don't think I could handle this."

I'd just gotten the last of dinner set out for my animals when Aria made her declaration. I was happy to have her here now, as I was thoroughly enjoying her company, but her words left me feeling a bit unsettled.

"Pardon?"

Twirling a lock of her hair around her finger as she leaned her hips against the counter, Aria said, "Don't get me wrong. I think it's incredible what you do. I admire you for it. But I'm convinced I'd never be able to handle this level of commitment to pets. You're responsible for so much."

Leaning my hips against the opposite counter, I crossed my arms over my chest. "Ah, it's not so bad. We've got a routine going, which seems to help. But the reality is that setting out food for one dog or three dogs doesn't require much additional effort. "

"Maybe not. But you've added two cats and a bird to the mix," she reasoned. "If I were you, I'd be so exhausted trying to keep it all straight, I'd probably never make myself any food."

I gave her a half-smile. "I think you'd be surprised by what you'd do. I mean, it's clear you're a hard worker, considering you've got two jobs. And Sasha's certainly not starving, so I think you're doing alright."

Her cheeks turned pink, her chin dipping slightly, as she murmured, "Thanks."

"I'm just being honest."

"I was, too. I think you should be proud of yourself, Paxton. You're such a humble, caring guy. And to know you do what you do for a living and that you have the capacity to take in these animals is a testament to that," Aria insisted.

It wasn't often I felt unsure of myself, and I couldn't say that's what I was feeling now. I wasn't quite sure how to describe it. All I knew was that it felt good to hear that praise from Aria.

I did what I did for Tiny, Brutus, Patty, Flash, Bell, and Franklin because I could, because it was something I felt called to do. I wasn't doing it for recognition or anyone's approval, but there was something about Aria noticing what I did that I liked a whole lot.

"That's kind of you to say, Aria. Thanks."

She inclined her head. "You're welcome."

For the next several moments, the only sound that filled the room was that of the dogs eating and their paws on the floor.

But that didn't mean nothing else was happening.

My eyes were fixed upon Aria's, and she was gazing back at me. In a split second, she seemed to realize what was happening between us, blinked, and looked away. "Oh, um, well, I should probably get going. With all this stuff I just watched you do, I'm exhausted, so I can only imagine you must be tired."

Was it weird that I didn't want her to go?

"I'm not in any rush to get to bed. It's still early. Plus, I do need to make my own dinner," I reminded her.

"Ah, right. Do you ever get to relax?"

"Of course."

"And is that something as simple as vegging out on the couch?" she pressed.

I offered a shrug of indifference. "Sometimes, it is. It just depends on what kind of relaxation I need."

Her brows furrowed. "It's not all the same?"

I shook my head. "Not at all. If I'm exhausted, the couch and some television or movies is what I'm after. Sometimes, it's taking the dogs out for a walk or playing with the cats. Rarely, it's attempting to teach Franklin to talk. And if I'm looking to relax after a long and challenging week at work, I'll do some archery."

Excitement washed over her. "Oh, I've wanted to ask you about that."

The corners of my mouth tipped up with a smile. "Yeah, there was that day I saw you in the window."

Her face flushed, and she looked away briefly as she tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I wasn't trying to be a creep," she promised.

"I never thought that."

Aria lifted her hand to the side of her head and tugged on her earlobe. I couldn't help but assume she was feeling nervous. While I didn't want her to feel anything but comfortable around me, the idea that she might have been a bit nervous about me because she felt an attraction stirred something inside me.

When she struggled to say anything, I questioned her. "So, what is it you wanted to ask me about archery?"

She moved her body from side to side, twisting at her waist. "I saw you hit the target several times, and you're obviously very talented. And when the neighborhood kids came over, I noticed you teaching them how to do it. I've never had the courage to try something like that, but I always thought it would be fun to do."

Something she'd said hit me square in the chest. Aria had walked away from the window when the neighborhood kids showed up; however, she was now admitting she knew I'd taught them how to use a bow and arrow. Had she been watching me from the window intentionally? I'd naturally assumed she'd glanced out that day as she was passing by her window. Now, I was being led to believe something different.

And considering the other part of her statement, I believed it was reasonable to assume that was the case. Instead of pointing out that she'd watched me with those kids weeks ago, I focused on the present moment.

"Did you want me to teach you?"

Her eyes twinkled. "Would… Would you do that?"

I grinned. "Of course. If you don't have any other plans for this evening, I'd be happy to show you tonight. In fact, why don't I order us some pizza? Neither of us will need to cook, and we can have some fun."

She beamed at me, positively exhilarated at the suggestion. "I'd love to do that. Are you sure you don't mind? "

"Not only do I not mind, but I'm also looking forward to it," I assured her.

Aria bit down on her bottom lip to contain her excitement. My eyes were drawn to her mouth, and they lingered there until she spoke. "I would just like to run back home so I can take care of Sasha. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure. Do whatever you need to do. I'll get the pizza ordered before I pull out everything that we'll need for archery."

Aria smiled and nodded. "Okay. Then I'll be back shortly."

Smiling back at her, I said, "Take your time."

The first thing I did after Aria left was call for pizza. Then I got to work on pulling out the target, bow, and arrows we'd need for me to give Aria her first archery lesson.

And if I was honest, my heart was beating a little faster at the thought of my change in plans for the evening. Aria had been expressing her concern about the lack of time I had to relax, and with the way I felt now about being able to spend some time with her, I felt like I could have gone out to run a marathon.

I was energized. Excited.

When I'd walked over to her place after work, I hadn't expected this was how my night was going to turn out, but there wasn't a single thing I didn't like about it.

Aria returned with near perfect timing. No sooner had she walked back over from her place, the pizza showed up.

I grabbed us some plates and drinks, and we sat outside eating while I explained all things archery to Aria. She listened intently, asking questions along the way .

Whether Aria was feeling the same excitement I did about us being able to spend this time together, or if she was truly just eager to get started, I didn't know. But it wasn't long after we'd sat down to eat, she set her plate down and declared, "The pizza was wonderful, Paxton. Thanks for treating me."

I had just finished my second slice, but she'd only had one. "Are you sure you don't want more?"

She shook her head. "I'm good. I think I'm too excited about being able to use a bow and arrow that I've got butterflies in my belly. I'm worried I might get sick if I continue eating. But if you're still hungry, please don't rush to finish."

My lips twitched. I'd never seen someone excited to the point of butterflies over learning how to use a bow and arrow.

So, I set my plate down on top of hers, grabbed a sip of my drink, stood, and held my hand out to her. "Sounds like we should get started."

Aria's eyes went to my outstretched palm before returning to my face. She hesitated for just a moment, but it was enough for me to think the butterflies she was experiencing had less to do with archery and more to do with what she felt happening between us.

With Aria's hand folded lightly in mine, I picked up the bow and quiver and led her to a spot that was a reasonable distance from the target to start learning.

"Alright, so I'll demonstrate what you need to do, then you can give it a try," I told her.

"Okay, good. I was hoping you weren't going to just expect me to know. I'd make a complete fool of myself."

"I promise I'll help you every step of the way. "

She sent an appreciative smile in my direction before I began the lesson. I took my time explaining once more how to do each step in the process until I finally released the arrow and shot it directly into the center of the target.

"Wow. That was a perfect shot," she marveled.

I offered a dismissive wave of my hand. "I've been doing it a long time. You're just as capable. Trust me."

Aria sent me a look that indicated she wasn't entirely sure she trusted that was the case, but when I held out the bow to her, she didn't hesitate to take it from me.

I grabbed an arrow, handed it over, and asked, "Do you remember how to get it set up?"

"I think so," she answered.

Aria did exactly as I'd demonstrated only moments ago and got everything set. I watched and waited to see what she did next, and when she lifted the bow to take aim, a look of concern washed over her.

"What is it?"

She lowered the bow; her face twisted with embarrassment. "I don't think I'm strong enough."

"What?"

"I can't pull the bowstring back," she murmured, the defeat evident in her tone.

I lifted my hand to the outer part of her shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Yes, you can. You just need to tug on it a little bit harder than you might think. Do you want my help this first time?"

"You made it look so simple. I always thought this would be something I could easily learn."

Keeping my hands on her, I shifted my body around hers and insisted, "It's not that difficult. I promise. Here, let's get you into the proper stance first." Without thinking about it, I placed my hands lightly on Aria's hips. A quick vision of Aria's naked hips being held in my hands flashed in my mind. I swallowed past the mounting tension in my body and explained, "Stand perpendicular to the target, and shift your back foot slightly behind the front one while keeping them shoulder distance apart."

"Like this?" she asked, glancing down at her feet.

"That's perfect. Now, you've already nocked the arrow, so we just need to get your arms into position. Lift them."

As Aria did that, I suddenly had a second thought about whether this had been a wise move. Because now my body was wrapped around the back of Aria's, my hands were guiding her arms into the correct spot, and the scent of her was consuming me. The urge to take that half step closer to her, so her ass would be nestled firmly against me, was strong, and it took superhuman strength to hold myself back. As it was, the current proximity to her was almost too much temptation.

I closed my eyes briefly, drew in a long breath, and willed myself to focus. Opening my eyes again, I said, "Okay, so your hand placement on the bow is perfect. Just tip your front hand a little higher here. You want your arm to be parallel with the ground."

Aria followed the instructions well, her arms moving into the correct position with gentle guidance from my fingertips. I brought my hand back to rest lightly on hers at the finger tab.

"Now, pull back on the bowstring," I urged.

Aria gave a light tug. "See? I'm not strong enough."

"You are," I assured her. "But there's tension here. Once you get it moving, it's easier to pull. See?"

I helped her pull back on the string, and the second she realized how simple it was, she gasped. "Oh, this is easy. I thought it was going to require so much strength the entire time."

"Nope. Now, you need to aim. Use the sight to line up with the target."

Aria made subtle movements to perfect her aim. "Okay, I think I've got it."

"Good. Now, relax your fingers and release the string."

The arrow sailed across the driveway and landed in the target. It wasn't a perfect shot by any means, but Aria had been successful.

"I did it!" she exclaimed, twisting her neck to look back at me with a bright smile on her face.

I returned the smile, gave her hips a squeeze, and said, "I told you that you could do it. That was excellent for your first time. Want to try again?"

She nodded her head furiously. "Yes. Please."

Releasing my hold on her, I stepped around Aria and moved to get her another arrow. This time, as much as I wanted to put myself right back where I was, I didn't. I wanted her to gain some confidence in her ability to do it on her own. But I'd have been lying if I said I didn't enjoy every second of being that close to her with my hands on her.

Aria took her second arrow, followed the steps to prepare for an accurate shot, and sent the arrow flying. The accuracy wasn't as good as it had been the first time, but she still managed to hit the outermost ring of the target.

When I gave her the third arrow to try again, she said, "As much as I'm enjoying learning, I don't know how you find this to be relaxing. "

"You don't?" I questioned her.

She grimaced. "I'm so stressed."

I chuckled. "This is supposed to be fun, not stressful."

Tilting her head forward, she insisted, "I don't want you to get the wrong impression. I'm having a good time. It's just that I didn't realize how much skill this takes. I'm not sure I'll ever hit the target."

"You just need practice. You'll get better over time. It took me a while."

Curiosity washed over her. "When did you start?"

"I was a kid. My dad taught me."

"Did he do it competitively?"

Shaking my head, I laughed. "No. No, it was just one of those things he wanted me to learn how to do. This was one of the tamer activities that he got me involved in. My mom would always cringe at the stuff my dad thought was fine for a kid to learn, and she was always terrified I'd get hurt. Fortunately, this was one of the things he and I did together that stuck with me, and my mom eventually realized this was not the worst thing I could have shown the most interest in."

Aria's features softened. "I'm glad you have such a wonderful relationship with your parents, especially your dad."

I was tempted to push the conversation further and seek additional information about her relationship with her family, but I didn't want to ruin this. She'd had an opportunity to share with me a few days ago, and she'd elected to keep parts of her story to herself. I figured it was best to let her be the one to share when she was ready.

"Me, too. So, what do you think? Do you want to try shooting another arrow on your own, or do you think it'd help if I guided you again like I did with the first one?"

I could have sworn I saw something flash in her eyes as her body shuddered. Her voice had a slight rasp when she answered, "I think it might be better if you help a few more times."

Maybe I wasn't the only one who enjoyed the two of us being so close to one another. It was just the boost of confidence I needed to send a knowing look her way before moving my body behind hers again.

And this time, I didn't keep that distance between us. I stepped close and had to stifle the groan threatening to escape when Aria scooted back just a touch closer.

By some miracle, we managed to focus on shooting arrows at the target.

It took her a few more tries, but Aria eventually hit the center of the target.

And when she celebrated by giving me a full-fledged hug, I could admit I held on to her in a way that told me I might not ever want to let her go.

The only question remained was whether I'd get the opportunity to make that a reality.