Page 7 of Cold As Ice

“Fair point.” I smiled, and his gaze dropped to my lips.

Did he want to kiss me?

God, I was so out of touch that I’d forgotten what it was like to have a guy’s attention.

Fawn was right; I needed this.

I needed to remember I was still a person. I needed to remember what it felt like to be desired, to feel my heart race in my chest and butterflies flutter in my stomach. But it had been so long that everything felt strange, unfamiliar, and a little awkward.

There was something about Austin, though.

Something that had made me invite him up before I could do the sensible thing and talk myself out of it.

He hadn’t even given me his actual number, for God’s sake. Not that I planned to ever call him beyond tonight.

No. This was a one-time thing.

Then, tomorrow, normal life would resume.

I unlocked the door, and Austin followed me inside. Thankfully, the place wasn’t as messy as I remembered. Fawn must have cleaned up a little before we left.

“Nice place,” he said as I kicked off my heels and made a beeline for the kitchenette.

“Drink?” I asked. “She doesn’t have beer, but there’s some leftover vodka or tequila.”

“I’ll have a water, thanks.”

“Water it is.” I grabbed two bottles and joined him on the couch. “Do you want something to eat? I’m sure she has some chips lying around, or I can make—”

“I’m good.”

An awkward silence filled the room, making the butterflies in my stomach beat harder.

I glanced over at Austin, and he looked as uncomfortable as I felt.

“Why does this feel so weird?” I said, and his mouth twitched.

“I can go.” He got up, but I blurted out, “Please, stay.”

“I’m not sure—”

“I didn’t mean stay the night or anything. God, I’m not usually this awkward.” I ran a hand through my hair. “I just don’t get out much, and I definitely don’t meet hot guys anymore.”

“You think I’m hot?” Amusement danced in his eyes as his lips curved with a panty-melting smirk.

“Did I say that aloud?”

“I think you did.”

“My mistake.” I grinned.

“So Madison…”

“Reynolds. Madison Reynolds.” I offered him my full name.

“If you’re not a student at LU, what do you do?”

“I work.”

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