Page 48 of Chasing Dreams
The man in her dreams.
She hadn’t had the dream since coming here. Of course that man was Austin. How had she forgotten his anguish in the dream?
What was going to happen to cause him such anguish? Who was going to do that to him?
Her.
No. She didn’t want to think that. That wasn’t why she’d come. She’d never considered the possibility that his helping her could hurt him so much. Was knowing ahead of time that hurt was coming enough to keep it from happening? She couldn’t quit now. Wouldn’t. She was too close to finding a way to get to Jack.
Strong. Solid. Assured. Those were the only ways she’d seen this man until now. But now she knew, understood somehow, that a profound vulnerability lurked just beneath the brawny surface.
She didn’t want to be responsible for the pain she believed would be his once her dream came to pass. She knew no way to stop it, however. Not without packing her things and heading back to Omaha.
And that was out of the question.
She did what she’d resisted, and placed the backs of her fingers against his neck, just below his ear.
His hands paused on the keyboard.
She turned her hand and stroked his skin, tested the thick texture of his hair.
He typed a couple of words.
She stepped behind him and kneaded the muscles of his neck and shoulders, loving the warmth and strength beneath the soft sweater.
Her own boldness surprised her.
He made a soul-deep sound, not quite a groan.
She locked her fingers in his hair, and he dropped all pretense of trying to find what he was looking for and rested his head back against her midriff.
After stroking his temples, she ran her hands down his stubbled cheeks and brown throat and across his chest.
He swiveled the chair so she was at his side, and with a gentle tug, pulled her down. Shaine fell into his lap, heedless of the chair arms cutting into her back and legs, and searched his dark eyes. The same fire burning in her chest, gave his expression a sultry ardency.
He’d warned her he wouldn’t commit himself. Was a night or a few weeks enough for her? Was this attraction something that could be enjoyed and forgotten? She didn’t think so.
Nor was it something she’d be able to pretend she’d never felt and go on without learning what could have been.
“What are you doing, Shaine?” he asked, his voice a husky rasp.
“I don’t know.”
He tucked her hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek, his thumb stroking the crest of her cheekbone. “Well, you’re distracting me.”
“You were distracting me,” she countered.
“I wasn’t doing anything.”
“You don’t have to.”
His brows rose.
She blushed, but with his knuckles, he prevented her from ducking her chin to hide.
Austin’s gaze took in her lovely long-lashed eyes, the sweeping bow of her tempting lips, and didn’t miss the fluttering pulse that beat at the base of her throat. He moved his thumb to that susceptible point. His hand was dark against her lovely pale skin.
She didn’t weigh much, but it was a weight he craved. He drew her toward him until he could kiss her throat. She smelled wonderful. He opened his lips on her soft flesh. She tasted wonderful. A tremor ran through her body, and she released a sweet sigh. Against his chest, she clutched his sweater in a fist.
