Page 138 of Cold As Ice

“You miss me?” Bitter laughter bubbled up my throat. “You barely know me.”

“Not true.” Defiance shone in his eyes as he watched me carefully. “I know you’re a great mom. I know you’ll do whatever it takes to give Imogen the best life you can. I know you love to dance but don’t think you have the body or confidence to get up on stage and do it.

“I know you’ve been hurt in the past, that there’s more to your story. I know you probably had dreams of your own before having Imogen, but you gave them up when she came along. Because you’re selfless like that. I know—”

“Austin, stop. Just… stop.”

“Sorry.” His expression crumpled. “I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”

Pressing my lips together, I fought to compose myself. “I just don’t understand what you want; it’s done. You walked away. And I get it, I do. It was just sex.”

“Is that what you think?” His eyes darkened. “That I was just using you for sex?”

“I…” I inhaled a quiet, shaky breath, my eyelashes fluttering as I remembered every moment with Austin. The way he’d touched me. Kissed me. He was right. It had never felt like just sex.

But that didn’t matter because we both knew it couldn’t be more either.

“Madison, I think we both know it was more than that.”

“I have a daughter, Austin. A sassy, headstrong four-year-old who is my world. You’re in college.College.”

“I’m a senior, Madi. There are only a few months left.”

“Even if you want to pursue whatever is between us, my priority is Imogen. She will always come first, she’s—”

“And she should,” he countered. “It’s one of the things I admire most about you. I didn’t have a good childhood, Madi. My dad walked out, my mom… Well, the less said about her, the better. I only had my sister, and I let her down. I…” He stopped himself, swallowing whatever words he’d been about to say.

God, I wanted to know this man.

Even now, after everything, I wanted to know him.

It wasn’t simple curiosity either; it was soul-deep recognition that meeting Austin was more than just happenstance.

“What are you saying?” I asked, my heart crashing wildly in my chest.

“I want you, Madison Reynolds. I want to try…with you.”

Oh God.

I didn’t know what to say.

Everything inside me, the parts of me damaged and broken by Warren, was screaming at me to tell him no. To run far, far away from Austin and never look back.

But those other parts of me, the parts I’d protected, the parts that Imogen had slowly repaired. That Jeremiah, Fawn, my friends, and work colleagues had pieced back together wanted to say yes. They wanted to grab hold of Austin’s words, the hope they represented, and never let go.

“You don’t know what you’re saying. You have your whole life ahead of you. I’m tethered here, Austin. My life is here.”

“And if I want to be a part of it?”

“I… I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I stood abruptly, too overwhelmed at his words.

At the possibilities they offered.

“Madison, please.” He stood too, his expression softening, his eyes pleading with me to give him a chance.

“I appreciate your apology. I do. But I don’t think it is a good idea.”

“I don’t accept that.”

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