Page 64 of Austin
He gave a small laugh. “Reno. Of course.”
“It’s a company I had targeted from the beginning.”
“Good luck with that.” Austin folded his arms over his chest. “I’m…uh…giving an inspirational speech at a high school in a couple days.”
“Really?” She tried not to look surprised.
“Yep. I’m going to talk about taking a non-traditional path to success.”
“You’re the poster child for that.”
“I am.”
Kristen smiled as an awkward silence settled over them. She wanted to move, but she was afraid to move.
Austin shifted his weight. “Well, I just wanted to say goodbye.”
She nodded, her gaze traveling over him, stirring memories and causing yet another swell of heat to warm her body from the inside out. She swallowed. “I appreciate it.”
“Good luck with the job interview.”
“Thanks.”
Austin dropped his chin to his chest, then raised it again. Their gazes met. Held for one heart-stopping electric moment.
This isn’t wise.
Austin reached for her, almost as if he couldn’t help himself, and a second later her arms were around his neck; her mouth was on his. He grew hard against her stomach as he ran a hand over her hip, cupped her ass and pressed her against him.
A car pulled into the far end of the lot and they broke apart, putting a good two feet of gravel between them. Austin shoved his thumbs into his belt loops and Kristen folded her arms over her chest, but their gazes held. He wanted her. She wanted him.
Not good.
Kristen cleared her throat. Her face—make that her entire body—felt like it was on fire. “That was…unexpected.”
“Was it?” He swallowed after he spoke.
“I’d convinced myself it was.”
“We’re going to have to work harder.”
“Yes.” She meant it. “Like maybe not see each other.”
“Do we need to go that far?”
“We might.”
When they’d been in Salt Lake City, she’d convinced herself that after they’d returned to Marietta, to their everyday lives, their perceived closeness would be revealed for what it was—something ethereal, created in a false environment. Something that couldn’t stand up to reality. They would be friends, but not confidants and lovers. That had been just a quick side trip. Her adventure.
“Don’t think too hard about this.”
Kristen frowned at him, disturbed that he knew exactly what she was doing. “Yeah. Right.” How was she not supposed to think about this?
He tipped her chin up. “We’ll get this under control.”
“Probably, because there’s a good chance we won’t be bumping into one another all that often.”
“Which is why you don’t need to think too hard.” He spoke in a low voice that made her insides tumble again.
