by SJ McCoy
“Jeez!” She breathed. “This place is …”
“What?” It was important to him to know how she might finish that sentence. That final word, whichever one she chose would tell him a lot about her.
She shook her head. “It’s beautiful! Everything about it. I mean, of course, I’m a little bit taken aback that you live in …” She shrugged. “Some kind of rich guy mansion.” She gave an embarrassed little laugh. “Sorry. I don’t know how to put it. But …” She turned around taking in the entrance they’d just come from, the kitchen which he knew many chefs would kill for and the nook with the breakfast area built into the huge bay window, which overlooked one of the best views in the whole county. “But I can see why. Everything about it is just beautiful. The light, the views, of course all the furniture and everything. My dad would think he’d died and gone to heaven if he saw this kitchen.” She looked up at him. “You did it all yourself, didn’t you?”
“What makes you think that?”
She smiled. “It’s so … welcoming. I mean, normally in a house like this I’d be worried to touch anything—you know? But this feels really … homey, even though it’s all so beautiful.”
He went to her and closed his arms around her. He hadn’t intended this to be a test, but it turned out that it had been—and she’d passed with flying colors. “Thank you. That might be the nicest compliment I’ve ever had.”
She looked up at him. “I’ll bet you’ve heard much more eloquent praise for this place.”
“Nope. I don’t have people over often.”
She frowned but didn’t question him.
“Anyway. Let’s get that soda.”
~ ~ ~
Amber wandered over to the windows while he fixed their drinks. This place was amazing. And the view of the lake from here was something else. She and Jade had been born here in Summer Lake, but she didn’t remember it. Their parents had moved to Bakersfield when they were still tiny. Since they’d come up to help Lenny out, Amber had fallen in love with the place. It was so beautiful, and this view of the lake and surrounding mountains might be the most beautiful she’d seen yet.
Austin came and stood behind her. He rested his hand on her shoulder, making her close her eyes for a moment. If the feel of his hand on just her shoulder had that effect on her, what would it feel like if … She opened her eyes and turned to smile up at him.
“I want to say you’re so lucky to live here, but it isn’t luck, is it?”
“It is in some respects. I was one of only a few people who knew it was for sale. I knew the family. It belonged to an old couple, Mr. and Mrs. White. She died years and years ago. He kept the place, refused to leave. And after he died the family couldn’t agree what to do with it, so it stood empty for years. When they finally decided they were ready to sell, they came to me to list it. I asked if I could buy it and told them they should get someone else to tell them what they should ask for it. I wanted it all to be above board. But they knew what they wanted to get out of it and chose to save the fees rather than involve another agent.”
Amber raised an eyebrow, not sure she understood.
“Normally on the sale of a house, six percent goes to the realtors which the listing agent and the buyer’s agent split.”
“Oh, okay.”
He smiled. “Sorry. You weren’t asking how I bought it.”
“No, but it’s interesting to hear. Was it very run-down—if it’d been empty for years?”
“It was. I’m glad though. I wouldn’t have been able to afford it otherwise.”
Roscoe chose that moment to come and stick his nose up her skirt. She laughed and pushed him away.
“Roscoe!” Austin gave him a stern look and he peeked his head back out with what Amber could only describe as a grin on his face.
She had to laugh. “Don’t look so pleased with yourself. That’s rude. I won’t be able to come and see you again if you’re going to do that.”
Austin squatted down and took Roscoe’s face between his hands. “Did you hear that, bud? You’re about to blow it, for both of us. Can you please behave? I’m trying to make a good impression here.”
A rush of warmth filled Amber’s chest when they both turned to look up at her. It surprised her that he’d admit that he was trying to make a good impression. She wanted to let him know that he had. She smiled. “Don’t worry. I don’t think I’d be able to refuse if you asked me to come again. I’d just have to wear jeans or something.”
Austin looked pleased. He turned back to Roscoe. “Did you hear that? I don’t know about you, but I’m enjoying the dresses, so behave.” He got to his feet and smiled down at her. “I already know that I’m going to want to ask you over here again.”
She had to stop herself from bouncing on her toes. “I …” she was about to tell him that she already knew that she wanted to come. But then she remembered, and her smile disappeared.
Austin’s did to. He raised an eyebrow and waited.
“I’d love to, but I told you we need to talk. I need to explain about last night.”
“You already did. Your ex upset you.”
“Yes, but more than that. He made me feel like I need to go home.”
“But you don’t want to.”
“No.” She pursed her lips. He wasn’t making it easy for her to explain.
He gestured for her to sit on the cushioned bench around the breakfast table and went to get their drinks.
She waited for him to join her. “Jade thinks I’m stupid, and you’ll probably agree.”
He shook his head. “Nope. I know you’re not stupid.” He held her gaze for a long moment. “Misguided perhaps, by a sense of duty. But you’re definitely not stupid.”
She blew out a sigh. “It’s not that I want to go back to him.”
To her surprise, he smiled and took hold of her hand. “So, stay here and start seeing me instead.”
Her heart raced. She hadn’t expected him to be so … she couldn’t think of the word … honest? Assertive? “I’d like to.”
His smile grew wider.
“But …”
He squeezed her hand and shook his head. “There doesn’t have to be a but. You already went out with him and you know it’s not what you want. I’m asking if you want to go out with me and …”
He didn’t finish the sentence and that made her wonder what he could have said—and find out if he was what she wanted? She looked up into his eyes. She liked that he was showing such strong interest, but she was kind of surprised, too.
He smiled. “Sorry. I know I’m being pushy—and that’s not like me. But … I’ve wanted to ask you out for a long time. You know that. And now that I have, now that you’ve said yes, I don’t want to give up without a fight. I want you to know how I feel.” He gave her an earnest look. “Of course, I respect how you feel. If you were saying you weren’t sure about whether you still wanted to be with him then I’d butt out. But you’re not.”
She shook her head. “I really don’t. And you know that I’ve hoped for this—for you and me to go out—ever since we first met.”
He smiled. “So, say you’ll give me a shot?”
“I want to. But it doesn’t seem right—doesn’t seem fair to you—when I don’t know if I’m going to crumble and go back home. I wouldn’t be going back to him, but I would be going because he manipulated me into it. I’m not dumb. I can see it. I know what he’s doing. But I’m the sort of person who has a strong sense of responsibility to my family.”
“I know. And I like that about you, even if it is working against me right now.” He moved closer and leaned toward her, making her heart beat faster.
He brought his hand up and touched her cheek. “I like everything about you. I appreciate that you don’t want to lead me on and then walk away. But you’ve made me aware of the situation, and it’s up to me whether I want to take the risk, right?”
She nodded. She found it hard to drag her eyes away from his lips, knowing that any s
econd now they were going to meet hers. She looked up into his eyes.
“I’m prepared to take the risk. If you’ll let me?”
She nodded again, and her eyes fluttered closed as his lips came down on hers. His arm curled around her and pulled her against him. She brought her hands up to his shoulders and clung to them as he kissed her deeply. There was something about his kisses. He wasn’t wild or demanding, but he made her squirm in her panties the way he opened her up and his tongue slid inside.
His hand closed around the back of her neck, and she sagged against him, wishing that he was the kind of guy who’d make good on what his kisses suggested.
~ ~ ~
Austin was surprised at himself. He knew that if it weren’t for Diego’s encouragement, there was no way he would have been so honest with her. He would have waited for her to decide what she wanted and gone along with it. This felt strange, but it felt good. And he could tell by the way she was reacting to him that it felt good to her, too. Not just the kisses, but from the way she kissed him back, those were making her feel good. But more than that, he was being honest about what he wanted. He was still listening to her, but instead of focusing on her doubts, he was focusing on the hope that she wasn’t denying what she felt about the two of them.
When he finally lifted his head, he looked down into her eyes. “So, will you go out with me again?”
She nodded, but didn’t look as happy about it as he’d like her to. “I will.” She sucked in a deep breath. “You know I want to, but I think I need to put one condition on it.”
He frowned. “What condition?”
“I’d like to see you—to keep seeing you. But my parents are supposed to come up soon. I don’t know when yet. But within the next couple of weeks. So, how about we see each other until they do, on the understanding that I might find that I need to go back with them.”
He sucked in a deep breath. He couldn’t argue with that. “Okay.” He smiled. “That’ll give me the chance to persuade you that you’d rather stay here. And when they come, you can tell them that.”
“When they come, I’ll be able to talk to them without him around. To see if they really do need me.”
Austin nodded. He wouldn’t want her to let them down if they needed her. No matter what he might want for himself. He understood loyalty to family. He smiled. “Okay then. Now that we have that figured out. How about we get on with just having some fun?”
“I’d like that. What did you have in mind?”
The glint in her eyes let him know that she’d be up for the kind of fun that that kiss had left him longing for, but he couldn’t go there. A thought struck him and he couldn’t help smiling. He might be crazy—might be cutting off his own nose to spite his face, but not really. “I don’t think we should think about that kind of fun if you’re not going to stay here.”
Her mouth fell open and a comical little oh sound fell out.
He chuckled. “I’m not saying I don’t want to. But it just doesn’t seem right. To me, that’s part of a relationship—a real relationship. So, until we know if you’re going to stick around for one of those, we should stay away from that.”
She searched his face. “You’re serious?”
He nodded. He was also wondering if he might be stupid, but he meant what he’d said. He wasn’t someone who slept around. He’d only ever slept with girls he’d been in a relationship with. It was just part of who he was.
“Well. Okay then.” She didn’t look too sure about it.
He raised an eyebrow. “You’re good with that?”
She nodded slowly. “If you are.”
He couldn’t help but chuckle. “I am, but I’ll be hoping that your parents come and visit real soon.”
She laughed. “Me, too.”
It was late by the time he dropped her off back at home. They’d managed to move on from their awkward conversation about whether they were going to see each other again and whether they were going to sleep with each other. He was still surprised at himself about that but it felt like the right thing to do.
When he pulled up in front of her building, he cut the engine and turned to face her. “I had a great time today, Amber.”
“I did, too. Thank you—for calling and for not giving up on me after last night.”
He smiled. “I was going to. I was going to wait and wonder if you’d call me like you said you would. But …” He shrugged. “I’m glad I didn’t.”
“Me, too. Do you want to get together in the week?”
“I’d love to … when?” He’d been about to ask her, he was thrilled that she’d asked first.
She shrugged. “I’m free whenever.” She smiled.
He thought about it. “I have a showing tomorrow evening and …” He frowned. “I have a meeting on Tuesday after work. That usually runs late. How about Wednesday?”
“That’d be great.”
He got the impression that she wasn’t thrilled to wait that long. He hadn’t done it deliberately, but he was pleased that she was eager. He smiled. “Okay, I guess I’ll see you then.”
She leaned across the console and landed a peck on his lips. “You will.” She smiled. “I feel like the tables have turned somehow. Before you called this afternoon, I was thinking that I shouldn’t see you again. Now I can’t wait.”
He slid his hand into her hair and drew her closer. “I can’t either. I wish I could see you sooner. But it’s probably better this way.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“I’ve laid it all out on the line for you, Amber. You know what I want. You’re the one who still has to decide if I’m worth sticking around for.”
She nodded breathlessly. “I already know that you are. I just …” Her eyes dropped to his lips.
He’d heard what he needed to. He didn’t have to make her explain it. He lowered his lips to hers and she met him eagerly, kissing him back with a hunger that again made him question the wisdom of saying he didn’t want to sleep with her until she knew she was going to stay.
He could have kissed her all night. But he reluctantly broke away. “I should let you go in.”
She nodded, and he could tell she didn’t want to go. Maybe there was something to what Dallas always said about leaving a woman wanting more. He had no doubt that Amber wanted more from him right now.
He touched her cheek. “Goodnight, Amber.”
“Goodnight.”
Chapter Nine
“Where are you guys going?” asked Jade.
“I don’t even know! He only texted me this afternoon to say that he’d be here at seven.”
Jade smirked. “And it’s driving you nuts, right?”
She blew out a sigh. “It is! It shouldn’t, but …” She shrugged. “I suppose it serves me right.”
Jade frowned.
“I just mean, I was the one who said I shouldn’t see him till I know what I’m doing, and he took me at my word. He made it very plain that he wants us to start seeing each other, but he’ll play by my rules until I make my mind up.”
“That sounds fair enough to me.” Jade chuckled. “If it were anyone else, I’d think he was trying to teach you a lesson.”
“What do you mean?”
“The way he’s holding back. You’re gagging for it, aren’t you?”
Amber laughed. “That sounds awful!”
Jade laughed with her. “Only because it’s true.”
She made a face. “I suppose.”
“Well, you can’t have it all ways.”
“I know. I wish I could just …”
“Don’t bleat to me about it. You’re the only one who’s stopping you. You could call the folks up right this minute and tell them that you’ve met someone and that you’re not going back. They’d be happy for you once they understood that it’s what you want.”
“Do you really think so?”
“I know so! Look at the way they are with me. I’ve always made it clear that I need to do my own thing, and they’ve
never had a problem with it. They accept that’s just who I am. The only reason they hold onto you tighter is because you’ve always let them believe that’s what you want.”
“I did want. I knew they enjoyed having me around.”
“They did. But they don’t need you. Why won’t you get it through your head? They just want to see you happy. They think—because you’ve never told them otherwise—that Milo made you happy and that being there—being part of the business—made you happy.”
“You really think I created the whole mess?”
“I wouldn’t put it that way. You’re just too nice. You agree with what you think people want before you know if it’s what you want, and then you get yourself stuck and don’t know how to get out.”
She checked her watch. “He should be here soon.”
“I hope you guys have a good time.” Jade waggled her eyebrows. “You know, if you called the folks now and told them that you’re staying you could tell Austin that you’d made your decision—and I’m sure he’d want to thank you.”
She had to laugh. “That almost makes me want to do it.”
“So, do it! There’s no time like the present.”
“No, they’ll be coming soon. I’d rather sit down with them.”
“Have you talked to them this week?”
“No. Have you?”
Jade shook her head. “I might give them a call tonight.”
Amber narrowed her eyes at her. “What are you thinking? Why can’t you wait till tomorrow and we can call them together?”
Jade smirked. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it.”
“Ugh. I will now. I know that look. You’re up to something.”
Jade just shrugged and went to look out the window. “He’s here!”
Amber grinned. “Okay. I’ll see you later.”
“I wish you wouldn’t.”
She made a face. So, did she, but it wasn’t going to happen.
~ ~ ~
Austin smiled when he got out of the SUV and the front door opened. Amber bounced out—there was no other word for it—with a big smile on her face.
“Hi!”
“Hi.” He’d wanted to call her the last couple of days, wanted to talk to her, see how she was doing, but he’d held back. He was supposed to be giving her some space while she made her mind up if she was going to stay. He’d talked to Dallas about it, and instead of telling him that he should go full on and try to persuade her to stay, he’d told him he was doing the right thing by holding back. Dallas had always had girls running after him, and he did nothing to encourage them. Austin thought of it as the old treat ‘em mean and keep ‘em keen thing, and his brother didn’t deny it.