Page 46 of Austin
He turned back to her and there was something in his expression that she couldn’t quite read. “I was trying to find you to see if you wanted to go to the function.”
“Am I invited?”
“You will be.”
Well, wasn’t that a surprise? Kristen took in the bull riders’ polished boots, starched shirts, shiny trophy buckles, then calmly met Austin’s gaze. “I don’t have anything to wear. I packed light, remember.”
“Maybe we could go upstairs and look.”
“Or you could have a drink with us,” Gustavo said with a crooked grin. The guy was definitely not shy.
Kristen looked at the trio of bull riders and shook her head. Part of her wanted to go have her damned drink and the other part wanted to go to the room and have a few things out with Austin.
“Maybe another time,” she said to Gus, who winced as if he’d been hit.
“You bet,” Josh said.
“Maybe we can hook up tomorrow,” Gus suggested. “After the prelims. You can have a drink with the winner.”
“I’ll give her your number,” Austin said, taking Kristen’s elbow in a light grasp and steering her toward the elevators.
“What was that about?” Kristen asked through her teeth as they walked back across the lobby. She took a sideways step when they stopped so that his hand dropped away.
“We can talk in the room.”
They caught the elevator they’d kissed in, but this time it took them straight to their floor with no side trips. Good. She had things to say to him and didn’t need to be distracted. As soon as they got to the room, Austin went to her closet and opened the door. Kristen closed it again and his gaze jerked up in surprise.
“Do you really want me to go to this function? Or were you just trying to pry me loose from your friends?”
“I know my friends,” he said darkly.
“That isn’t an answer.” She drew in a breath and asked the question that had been bouncing around in her mind since Austin interrupted her trip to the bar. “What business is it of yours who I hang with?”
“I didn’t think you needed to end up in Gustavo’s bed.”
She gave a short laugh.Really?“And maybe that’s not your call.”
His gaze dropped to the carpet and he ran a hand over the back of his neck before looking back up at her. “I know it’s not my call.”
“Thank you,” she said with exaggerated politeness.
“But be warned—Gustavo will treat you like any buckle bunny on the tour.”
“Maybe that’s what I’m looking for.”
His eyes went dark. “You sure about that?”
She took a step forward and tilted her chin up to meet his gaze. Anger made it so much easier to say what she thought. It always had. “I’m sure that I can do what I want, see who I want. You aren’t in charge of my…scars.”
“You don’t even know him.”
“Well, the guy Iknowisn’t interested.”
“Kris…have you ever had a one-night stand?”
Her gaze slid down to his mouth, which was set in a flat line as he waited for her answer. “What do you think?”
“I think no.”
