Only she didn’t fall.
An arm banded around her waist from behind.
“Careful,” a voice rumbled in her ear.
Owen.
He pulled her upright, his fingers lightly grazing her stomach as he let go. She turned to face him and her eyes immediately glued to his chest. His naked, sweaty,tattooedchest. She followed the flock of birds from his shoulder to his pec where Avery’s name was in script under his heart. She dropped her gaze even further, taking in the happy trail down his stomach. He didn’t have well-defined abs like when they were in college, but she couldn’t deny her attraction.
Both times they’d almost kissed rushed back to her mind.
She could kiss him now.
Shewantedto kiss him now.
“Well, hello there. I think I’m finally seeing the appeal of Cedar Falls.” Morgan’s voice interrupted Ava’s fantasies about kissing Owen on the sidewalk for everyone to see. “You’ve been holding out on the men around here, Ava.”
Owen coughed, as if embarrassed Morgan found him attractive. An irrational surge of jealousy burned in Ava’s chest that she tamped down immediately.
“Morgan, this is Owen. Summer’s brother. Owen, this is my friend from New York, Morgan. We work together.”
Morgan drew the arm she’d extended to Owen back to her chest at Ava’s introduction. Her look of interest morphed into something much less impressed. “Oh. You’re Owen,” Morgan said, with far too much emphasis onyou’re.
Ava closed her eyes in embarrassment, worried about what Morgan would say next. Probably nothing good, knowing Morgan’s opinions about the whole being friends with the sister of her ex-boyfriend situation.
“It’s nice to meet you, Morgan,” Owen said.
Ava opened her eyes.
Owen smiled at Morgan, perfectly at ease despite standing shirtless in front of a stranger who had a clear dislike for him. Then he turned toward the Agatha Building. “Hey Doobie,” he yelled out to one man on site. “Watch where your crew is putting materials. You can’t block the sidewalk. It’s a safety hazard.”
The man yelled back an apology and waved two guys over to clear the materials further away from the sidewalk.
Morgan’s expression changed to something more thoughtful, but still wary.
“Are you alright?” he asked Ava.
“I’m fine. We’re coming from Summer’s yoga class. Not quite used to all the poses, must’ve lost my balance,” Ava said. She gestured at her yoga pants and loose tank top, though now that she considered it, her clothes weren’t much different from her normal attire since coming to town.
Morgan snorted but didn’t interrupt.
“Glad to see you’re feeling better,” Owen said. He stepped closer to her and lowered his voice. “I’m sorry I had to leave before you woke up the other day. Had to get to the café.”
Ava sucked in a breath, heat creeping into her cheeks. She knew he was referring to the night she cried in his arms after receiving her dad’s ashes, but in front of Morgan, she worried it sounded far more salacious.
“It’s fine. You did more than enough. Really. Thanks for being there,” she said.
“Anytime,” he said. He reached out to tuck a strand of hair that’d fallen from her messy bun behind her ear. The graze of his fingers on her sensitive skin sent a shiver through her.
“I’ll catch you later, yeah?”
Ava nodded, and he gave her a smile that brought back Ava’s urge to kiss him.
“Great to meet you,” he said to Morgan. Without waiting for a response, he left them on the sidewalk and headed to talk to the men working on the Agatha Building.
Ava was so distracted staring at his muscled back and the way his jeans hung low on his hips, she didn’t even question why he was walking around the Agatha Building construction at all.
“So that’s Owen. I can see the appeal,” Morgan said.
