Stripped Love (Guys Next Door #1) - Baylin Crow Page 0,47

he asked as he tipped his head back to look up at me, and my stomach clenched tight as I peered back down into his brown eyes so deep I could get lost in them. I hated that name coming from his mouth.

Telling Archer about Aiden made me feel like shit. The idea of Archer being with someone else would be bad enough, but seeing them together and watching him walk off with the imagined guy…

Putting myself in his shoes, I didn't like the picture it created. At all. Not that I could control what Aiden did.

"Can we talk somewhere else?" I glanced around, surveying the gathered crowd. Curious stares slid our way and I really didn't want to have this conversation out in the open.

"Sure." He pulled back and held his hand out. Without hesitation, I took it. Tightening my grip as if he'd slip through my fingers, I let him tug me farther into the backyard.

"No one stays in the guest house. Will that work?" Archer glanced over his shoulder.

"Lead the way." I took deep breaths as we stepped onto a brick pathway toward the building that appeared like a miniature version of the main house. The lights from the house didn't reach this far out but as we approached, a motion lamp lit up.

Archer tested the door. "Locked, but there's a porch in the back."

I followed him as we circled around the guest house. The concrete porch was screened in but the thin wire door was unlatched. Inside, there were four blonde wood rocking chairs. From here the music was muted enough that we could talk easily. I pushed two of the chairs closer together and took a seat, patting the one next to me.

He sat, and I took his hand in mine again as we rocked back and forth in time with each other. The breeze had picked up, bringing the scent of a storm and rustling the tall grass from the field behind the property.

Archer's concerned expression loosened my lips.

"I'm really not looking forward to this conversation. But after that shit show, I feel like I owe you an honest explanation." He sucked in a shaky breath and I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "It's not that bad, but I just don't want you second guessing this thing between us."

"I'm not, but I am curious what happened out there. How do you know him?"

Like I'd told him before, I wasn't ashamed of my past. One tiny difference and I might not be sitting next to him, holding his hand, and wondering how the hell I'd caught someone like Archer's eye. But Aiden was a mistake. One I wished like hell I could take back.

"His name is Aiden, and for a short time we used each other for…" I couldn't bring myself to finish the sentence as once again I put myself in his shoes.

"You slept together," he finished for me without judgement in his tone, and it made me appreciate him even more.

"Right," I confirmed. "So, it wasn't serious. Not even close. But it was convenient because…we work together."

His chair stilled, and I tensed in response. "So, you see him all the time?"

I hesitated briefly and held his gaze. "Yes, but there's nothing there. He wanted there to be, so I broke the arrangement off. He hasn’t taken it well."

"How long ago?" he whispered, and a slight tremor shook his hand in my grasp. A slew of curses rang in my head. I fucking hated the whole situation.

"Months, Arch. I swear to you, you have nothing to worry about." Words didn't always mean much, so I was counting on his trust.

He nodded and my shoulders sagged in relief that he hadn't pulled away.

"So that was about…me?" he asked.

"Honestly, yes and no. It was about him. He was drunk, and even if I'd been alone, he would have caused some kind of scene." He'd done it before and seeing Archer only exacerbated the situation.

Archer was quiet and I felt the tension creep back into my shoulders. "Is it going to bother you that we work together?"

He tilted his head as he scanned my face. "I trust you."

"That's not an answer, Arch." I frowned. "I've asked our manager to keep him away from me and for the most part, she does. You have nothing to worry about,” I repeated, hoping he could read the sincerity in my eyes. “The men at the club—Aiden—none of them mean anything to me."

"Okay," Archer said simply and resumed rocking with