Page 64 of The Science of Attraction

He snorted. “Yeah, somehow I doubt that.” His gaze drilled hot into the top of my head.

I delayed looking up, focusing instead on aligning my boots ever so nicely by the back door. When I finally did, that half-smile had morphed into a full-on grin. I narrowed my gaze. “Don’t you have work to do?”

He smirked. “It can wait. When I saw Liam heading for the house as I walked down from the woolshed, I knew you wouldn’t be too far away.”

My heart jolted in my chest.What did that mean?I searched his face.

“I mean, you twoaresleeping together, right?” He raised both brows, as if daring me to deny it.

I froze, trying to get said denial from my brain to my lips, but I had nothing.

And there was that smile again. “Yeah, I thought so.”

“Jesus, Ten, keep your voice down.” My gaze darted around the backyard, expecting my father to appear at any moment.

“Don’t worry. Liam and your father are in the front room and your mother is up at the shed.”

His reassurance didn’t make me feel any less exposed. “Just get inside, will you?” I opened the door and ushered him in.

He made straight for the coffee maker. “Want one?”

“What do you think?” I put milk and sugar on the table and watched as he set about putting pods into the machine. “How the hell did you know?”

He snorted and shot me a disbelieving look. “Really? Hell, the electricity between the two of you could light a small city after that afternoon of fishing.”

I blinked. “Really? But... we weren’t even... I wasn’t... he didn’t...” I snapped my mouth closed. “Jeez, was it that obvious?” And then it occurred to me. “Did Brent say something?”

Ten laughed and placed a full coffee mug on the table in front of me. I added sugar and milk and began stirring and stirring.

“If you consider glancing at the two of you and then rolling his eyes when I asked how the afternoon had gone, then maybe. But it wasn’t like I needed confirmation. You’ve been salivating after the poor boy ever since he got here.”

I bridled. “I have not.”

Ten arched those bushy brows and I sighed.

“Okay, maybe there was alittlesalivating,” I admitted. “Like a teaspoon or two.”

He laughed.

“Stuart has zero idea, you’ll be pleased to hear.” He sat in the seat opposite and took a sip from his steaming mug. “He’s far too busy mooning after this new girl he’s fallen madly in love with to pay any attention to you. And I doubt it would even occur to Marty that there could be two in the family. Plus, the two of you are pretty careful around your folks. I doubt they’ve noticed a thing.”

I blew a long sigh of relief and then downed half my coffee while Ten studied me quietly.

“So, is it serious between you then?”

Question of the fucking century. I ran a hand over the back of my neck. “I don’t really know.” I lifted my eyes to his. “I think I want it to be. It feels like we’re doing more than just fucking, if you get what I mean?”

He smiled and sat back in his chair. “I was married, remember? Of course, I get it.”

I frowned and considered him for a moment. “Can I ask how you knew I was bi?”And there I was, coming out again. Go me.

Ten shrugged and said simply, “I didn’t. Never even occurred to me. But the way you both behaved in each other’s vicinity after that day at the river, it hit me clear as a bell. I’d always felt Zach’s heart didn’t lie with girls. But you? You’ve always liked women. That’s been pretty obvious watching you. The fact you like men too was just a surprising development, put it that way.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, for me too. Not the bi part,” I quickly explained. “I’ve always known I liked guys as well, but I’ve had a preference for women. Liam was the surprise. He’s the first guy—” Heat raced into my cheeks. “Well, you know.”

Ten’s boot nudged my shin. “That’s pretty damn cute.”

“Fuck off.”

---