Page 39 of Austin
And boy did she. She saw taut muscles straining against the forces placed upon them. A light sheen of sweat showed on his bare chest and pecs, making the contours of his torso look utterly amazing. She cleared her throat, which was starting to feel dry. “I have some more shopping to do. I’ll let you get on with your training.”
“You don’t have to leave.” He grabbed the towel on the back of the chair and slung it over his shoulder. “I’ll even put on more clothes.”
“You’re fine,” she said.
He gave her a look.
“I’m used to naked men.” Although Lynn’s ex had looked nothing like Austin.
“The flaccid kind. I remember,” he said dryly. “I’m going to shower and then maybe we can get something to eat before it gets too packed downstairs.”
“Sure.” She managed a smile. “I’ll change while you’re in the bathroom.”
“You look great the way you are.”
She glanced down at her white cotton dress, then back up at him. He shrugged as if her looking good was a no-brainer before turning toward the bathroom.
“In that case, I guess I’ll just sit out here and think about you being naked in there.” Okay…maybe she hadn’t fully moved on from the morning’s conversation. She’d do better in the future.
“You’re not making this easy,” he said as he closed the door.
“Easy wasn’t part of the deal.”
*
Austin was gladhe’d been on his way to the john when Kristen tossed out her last remark, because his dick started to thicken as soon as she mentioned thinking about him naked. Spandex was not a good medium for containing a hard-on. In fact, it was one of the worst.
He closed the bathroom door and tipped his head back to look up at the ceiling. Tried to recall his mission. It wasn’t to sleep with Kristen.
Was it?
He couldn’t see how that was a bad thing, but she was dealing with some shit, and women that were dealing with shit, sometimes made poor choices. As did guys. No need to be sexist.
He’d kissed her on impulse that morning and then regretted it as he started to consider consequences—for Kristen. And when she’d said she wanted fun with no scars, well, that had clinched matters. No screwing around, because how in the hell could he guarantee no scars?
She wanted to mess around…
Her meaning had been more than clear. She wanted an adventure. Scar-free if possible.
Yeah. As if there was such a thing when it came to emotions.
He released his dick from the spandex and worked the black stretchy stuff down his legs, kicking it free before he turned the water on.
They’d go to dinner tonight. Then go to their own beds. Alone. If Kristen had been a casual travel companion, if they didn’t have history, and he wasn’t friends with her sister, if she wasn’t growing on him the way she was, then he might not be so slow to act. But as things were, the situation was ripe for a major fuckup.
Things were certainly a lot easier when Kristen was all frozen up. But he was the guy who’d drawn her out, and now he was the guy who was going to have to make sure he didn’t do anything either of them regretted later.
An hour later they were seated at one of the better tables in the hotel restaurant and Austin was determined to keep things on a friendly, personal, but not too personal level.
They ordered drinks and then perused the menu. Kristen ordered a salad. Austin ordered a steak. Then they settled back in their booth and sipped their beer.
“What are your plans after you go home?”
Kristen shrugged. “I’ll smooth things over with my parents, and try to find a job.”
“In…what? Accounting?”
“That’s my degree.”
