Page 55 of Starcrossed Colorado

My bedroom door was open, but Ashford still knocked. “Hey, there you are. What’s been keeping you so busy?”

“I have a bunch of new students for private lessons. Just doing some lesson planning.” I closed my journal and set aside my pen on the nightstand.

Ashford stuck his hands in the pockets of his athletic pants. Those sexy, formfitting ones. Which I should not be noticing.

“I thought maybe you were avoiding me.”

My gaze shifted away from him. “Why would I do that?”

Since Grace’s visit, I’d been making an effort to keep my distance. At least as far as Ashford was concerned. I had been filling in as a babysitter for Maisie whenever he asked, and in the evenings, the three of us had cooked dinner together a few times. Those were some of my favorite parts of each day.

But after Maisie’s bedtime, I always made sure I was busy in my room. No alone time between me and Ashford.

Because that was the way of temptation, and I was determined to be good.

“Aren’t you supposed to be teaching your jiu-jitsu class?” I asked.

“Not on Fridays. What are you up to?”

“Just about to take Stella on a walk.” At that magic word, she looked up from her doggy bed, where she’d been lazing.

“I’ll go with you. We should hit up the park.”

“Maybe another time. I need to run some errands. It’ll be boring.”

I got up from the futon and went to squeeze past him through the doorway. But then Ashford said, “Emma,” all low andgrowly, making me freeze right there an inch away from him. Like that bossy tone had connected with some instinctual part of me and forced me to be still.

He rested his elbow on the door frame above my head. I blinked up at him, endorphins flooding my body at having him so close, his scent in my nostrils, his heat like my own personal sunbeam.

“I think youareavoiding me. What I want to know is why. What did I do?”

I swallowed, bracing my hands behind me against the other side of the door frame. “Nothing. I promise.”

He studied me for another long moment. “Okay. Then how about I help you with your errands, and then you and Stella come with me to the park. Maisie is playing baseball with Callum. Piper and my sister are going to be there too. Same with Elias and Judson.”

“A meeting of the Lonely Harts club?”

He groaned. “I hate that name. But yeah, I guess. Club meeting. There’s a cart that sells bad hot dogs and half-melted popsicles. Dogs and kids running wild. A Silver Ridge summer tradition. Stella will love it.”

“She will?”

“Yep. It’s doggy paradise. You don’t want to deprive her, do you? Look at that face.”

We both looked at Stella, whose eyes ping-ponged between us. Her tail wagged.

I didn’t want to say no. Besides, I wouldn’t be alone with Ashford. We’d be surrounded by his family and friends, including his sister.

I assumed Grace would be keeping a watchful eye on us.

“I guess I could save my errands for another day.”

One side of his mouth curved, a sexy half-smile that made my breath catch. “Good answer.”

On our way to the park, I could hear the laughter and shouts of dozens of people from a couple of blocks away. The park was a happening place in Silver Ridge on a summer Friday night.

The Lonely Harts crew had a red gingham picnic blanket laid out beneath a huge shade tree. Over in the grassy area, Callum gently pitched the ball to Ollie. They had a tee set aside, I assumed for the younger kids. Maisie stood with her glove in the air in the outfield.

“I’d better head over there and help,” Ashford said. “Callum is dangerously outnumbered.” He reached out and squeezed my arm before jogging away, such a small, simple gesture. Yet it made me feel like I belonged here. And set off a flurry of tingly sensations in my stomach.

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