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Aya and Diego were basically my only close friends, and the last thing I wanted was to be that clingy friend who stole all their free time.
I noticed that stupid grin on Aya’s face. “Don’t you say a word.”
Her grin widened. “Oh, but where’s the fun in that? You two are just too adorable.”
I rolled my eyes and hopped off my chair. I needed to get away from this topic she liked far too much. Tyr rose from his seat and took my empty coffee cup to throw into the dishwasher with his. “So, what’s the plan for today?”
I pursed my lips. Seemed he was serious about babysitting me. “I still haven’t figured that out, since the first four hours of my day are now canceled. I didn’t plan to play any games until later tonight… I guess I’ll walk the property until I figure it out.”
Angel perked her ears at the word “walk” and snatched a ball, eager to go back outside. At least one of my companions was guaranteed to enjoy themself.
I didn’t lead an exciting life like Diego. I liked my homebody lifestyle with a dash of hiking or travel-excitement. But plenty would find it quite boring overall. I wouldn’t blame Tyr if he wandered off after a while in search of something more stimulating.
“That sounds nice,” Tyr said, surprising me a little. While I suspected he might be a fellow outdoorsy type, walks didn’t come off as his thing. Then again, I still didn’t know him all that well to make such assumptions.
“Have fun, you two,” Aya said in her sing-song voice as we headed for the door.
“Not another word,” I threatened, pointing back at her without looking.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” she said anyway.
I grumbled a few insults, and Tyr laughed. “At least you’re no stranger to her antics.”
Tyr opened the door for me. “Oh, you have no idea.”
The warm, mid-morning air greeted us. I sucked in a slow breath, relishing the freshness. Angel whined, and I shook my head before taking her ball and chucking it. She took off, and I picked a direction to walk.
Silence fell over Tyr and me until the house disappeared and Tyr took Angel’s ball from me. He chucked it hard into the thick of trees.
“Hmm, maybe I threw that a bit too far,” he mumbled while we watched Angel tear through the leaf litter in search of her toy.
I shrugged. “If she loses it, she’ll come back with a stick. Or another ball she previously lost.”
He barked out a laugh. “I suppose this place is littered with lost toys.”
“You’ve no idea.” I’d lost count by this point.
I glanced behind us to be sure the house was nowhere in sight. “You don’t have to keep following me. I don’t need a babysitter, and Aya and Carrie won’t see you break off to do your own thing as long as you don’t double back to the house.”
His brow furrowed. “You actually think I agreed to Aya’s request just to make her happy?”
I opened my mouth, and then promptly shut it. That was a fair point. I may have helped him through some of his issues the other day, but that didn’t mean he and Aya were magically best friends again. “I suppose I didn’t think you actually wanted to follow me around.”
“What lost hound wouldn’t follow a beautiful woman home when she promises to play with him?”
Heat flooded my cheeks. “You’re never going to let me live that down.”
Tyr grinned. “Never.”
I averted my gaze. I still didn’t know what came over me in that moment. Yes, he was attractive. And yes, seeing a man like him open up and be a little vulnerable was sexy to me, but it was so wildly inappropriate, even if he didn’t mind. I also couldn’t forget he was still struggling with his late wife’s loss.
I had to remember he was a client right now, and I had to maintain a professional relationship with him.Life’s a bitch…
“In all seriousness,” Tyr said. “I’d like to spend time with you to better know you. My request to speak with a friend wasn’t intended to only be for that moment.”
I glanced up at him to find him smiling. There was something about that smile that sent a flutter through my chest. “I would like that.”
Careful, Astrid. You’re walking a thin line.
