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“You’re nothing to be afraid of.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I’m pretty sure I do.” He lifted her chin with a finger, his other hand still clasping hers. “We’re quite a pair, aren’t we?” When she didn’t respond, he leaned in a little closer. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t pull away.

So, he kissed her. Only a brief brush of lips. Only for a second. But the impact rocked his world as surely as an earthquake beneath his boots. Couldn’t have been that, though. The lake remained perfectly calm as evening shadows lengthened across it.

“Paisley?”

“Hmm?” She stared down.

He cupped her jaw with his free hand, his fingers catching in the thick braid that hung over her shoulder. “I want to help you. I care about you.” The realization was a rolling aftershock to the earthquake he’d just experienced. “If you need time off, I’ll speak to my grandfather for you. If you like.” But that meant she’d be leaving, right when he’d figured out that she wasn’t an annoying gnat in his life but rather something like a butterfly. Pretty. Alluring.

Not that he’d ever wanted to kiss a butterfly.

Or anything. Anyone, not since Rayna. Until this moment.

His fingers tangled in her hair, and his thumb caressed her cheek. Slowly, he drew closer once again. “I guess I should ask if I can kiss you again.”

What if she said no? She was going to say no. She was going to surge to her feet and bound out of here like a startled doe.

But she didn’t. She froze, staring into his eyes from just a few inches away. She sucked in her lips.

Weston stifled a groan of longing. She hadn’t said the words, but her actions were speaking loud and clear. Slowly, he drew nearer. She could stop him if she wanted to.

“Paisley.” He closed the remaining gap and touched his lips to hers with the same electrifying rush.

“Want to take out kayaks?” a man’s voice asked.

Weston shot backward, nearly falling backward. Who was in their space?

“Sounds fun. Maybe we can catch the sunset.”

Paisley retreated until two or three people could easily have sat between them. Weston felt like snarling at the couple. Couldn’t they have come down ten minutes ago? Or ten minutes later? Or possibly never?

The guy grunted and a kayak hit the ground. “Life jackets are in that shelter. Want to grab a couple?”

“Sure.”

The watercraft scraped the rocky beach as the guy dragged it to the water. Seconds later, a second kayak thudded to the ground and was hauled away. The couple’s voices came from a greater distance as the scraping sounds turned to sloshing then the dipping of the paddles.

But the moment was broken. Paisley sat with her knees drawn up, her arms cradling them tight as she stared out at the lake.

Weston scooted over, but at her wary glance, he left a gap between them and mimicked her posture. As the shadows lengthened, the air temperature chilled. “You warm enough?” Not that he had anything to offer her.

She shrugged. “I’m okay.”

“Are you?” Because he definitely was not okay. Not in temperature, nor in anything else. The past few minutes had rocked him to the core. Rayna hadn’t ever affected him like this. Not even close.

Paisley sighed. “I feel like this conversation is going in circles.”

“I don’t. I’d still like to kiss you again. That’s a circle I wouldn’t mind exploring.”

“Men.”

But she didn’t sound bitter or even resigned. Amused? He could work with that.

“You don’t like me, remember? I’m annoying.”