Free Wyatt's Stand (Colebrook Siblings Trilogy Book 2) by Kaylea Cross Page A

anything?” She got the feeling he didn’t often invite people over for dinner.
    “No, just make yourself at home while I get everything set out.”
    Austen sipped at the crisp, cold wine as she wandered through into the living room. She loved the feel of the cabin, masculine without being unwelcoming, and snug. Her gaze caught on some pictures set on the mantel above the fireplace. An urn sat in the center of it, a dog collar wrapped around it.
    Stepping closer, her heart lurched when she saw the framed photo of Wyatt before he’d been wounded. He was dressed in his combat utilities, on one knee beside a shepherd-breed military dog. God, just look at him. A true all-American hero. He was wearing sunglasses, a wide, proud smile stretching across his smooth, clean-shaven face.
    Seeing him like that, prior to the hell he must have endured after being wounded, sent a sharp pain through her chest. Realizing what the urn held put an unexpected lump in her throat.
    His quiet footfalls sounded behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see him paused in the doorway, his expression unreadable. “Was this Raider?” she asked of the picture, using the name etched into the urn.
    Wyatt nodded. “Lost her in Afghanistan. The day this happened.” He gestured to the scarred side of his face.
    “I’m sorry. What kind of dog was she, a shepherd?”
    “No. Belgian Malinois.”
    She didn’t know much about the breed, except that they were used a lot by military and law enforcement. “I’m sorry,” she repeated softly, wishing she knew what else to say. “That must have been hard.” As soon as she said it she mentally cringed. Seriously? That sounded so stupid, even though it had been sincere.
    A muscle flexed in his jaw, then he nodded. “Yeah.” He straightened, his posture and expression making it clear the topic was closed. “You hungry?”
    Wishing she could somehow undo the last two minutes, she nodded and followed him into the kitchen, determined to try and salvage the rest of the evening.

 
     
     
Chapter Seven
     
     
    Throughout dinner Wyatt tried not to stare at Austen but he couldn’t help being distracted every time her lush lips closed around a forkful of food. Damn she was sexy, even more so because she seemed unaware of it.
    Seeing her on his front porch earlier in that pretty yellow dress that showed off her toned arms and legs had kindled the hunger inside him. She’d left her hair down, all those springy dark curls bouncing around her shoulders and making him wonder if they’d wrap around his fingers if he ran his hand through them. In the overhead light above the kitchen table her creamy brown skin seemed to glow, her dark lashes making the silver-gray color of her eyes even more vivid.
    She twirled pasta around her fork and slid it between her lips, her eyes meeting his. They crinkled slightly at the corners as she smiled and he was glad there was no lingering awkwardness after the abrupt end to their brief conversation about Raider. He didn’t like talking to people about his military working dog, or that day, because experience had shown that civilians didn’t understand, and they said stupid things in an attempt to make him feel better, when in reality it just pissed him off.
    “This is really good, thanks,” Austen murmured when she’d swallowed the mouthful. Her tongue darted out to lick some sauce from her lower lip and all he could think about was reaching across the table to slide his fingers into her hair and do the licking for her.
    That was never going to happen, since she was technically his boss and that would spell disaster. Besides, he wasn’t relationship material. He’d closed himself off from everyone but family, and didn’t know if he’d ever be ready to open himself up again.
    “You’re welcome. It’s a lot better than what I’m capable of in this kitchen, that’s for sure.” He could boil pasta and heat up jarred sauce, but he’d wanted to feed her better food