“Jordan,” Austin said, his voice vibrating with a low warning.
“Well, it’s true,” Jordan said as Austin slowly, reluctantly, climbed the stairs to join Jordan and Teddy. “You’ve been acting like the Grinch since Christmas morning.”
Austin’s dark green gaze flickered to Teddy, the depths of which were filled with a misery she was all too familiar with. “Maybe that’s because someone stole my Christmas.”
Teddy’s heart sank to her knees. What if Austin had decided that he no longer wanted a relationship with her? What if she’d hurt him so badly he no longer trusted her with his love? And what if she’d destroyed the one thing she needed the most from him—the way he believed in her, his unconditional acceptance of who and what she was. She had to make him realize that what she was offering this time wasn’t a convenient fling, or a part-time fantasy. It was the real thing.
Jordan leaned close, but didn’t bother lowering his voice when he spoke. “If my brother is stupid enough to let his pride get in the way of the best thing that’s ever happened to him, I’m always available.” He gave her a teasing wink, one she suspected was designed to rile his brother.
Jordan’s scheme worked. Austin visibly bristled and a possessive light sparked in his eyes. “Get lost, Jordan,” he growled fiercely.
A huge, unrepentant grin lifted the corners of Jordan’s mouth. “Hey, consider me gone.”
Austin stared after his brother with a frown, waiting until Jordan had unlocked the front door and stepped inside the house, leaving them well and truly alone. His unfathomable gaze traveled back to her, though he said nothing, letting the awkward silence stretch between them.
Since he didn’t seem inclined to start any conversation, she shifted anxiously on her feet and attempted a truce. “Hi,” she said, hating the quiver in her voice.
He didn’t offer a polite greeting in return, but cut right to the chase. “What are you doing here, Teddy?”
“Pleasing myself,” she said, the truthful declaration slipping from her prematurely.
His eyebrows rose, making her realize how selfish that had sounded, when she’d meant it to be a liberating statement—that she’d finally realized what was important to her.
“Excuse me?” he asked.
Deciding that starting from the beginning would be the most logical approach, she drew a calming breath and said more steadily, “I’m here because I wanted to talk to you.”
He leaned against the opposite railing, folded his arms over his chest and crossed his legs at his ankles. He offered no verbal encouragement; his seemingly casual pose the only indication that he was willing to listen to her.
“I, um, got the promotion,” she said, thinking they could start on neutral territory and work their way to more personal issues—if he softened up along the way.
“I’m happy for you. I had no doubt you’d get it.”
He sounded genuine, and beyond the reservation in his gaze she caught a glimpse of warmth and sincerity. Knowing that he still cared gave her hope for what lay ahead.
As much as she wanted to close the distance between them, she stayed where she was and forged on, knowing she had to tell him everything, even as unpleasant as some of the recollections were. “Louden was arrested for assault, and I was the one to press charges.”
His entire body tensed at that announcement, his expression turning fierce and intense. “What happened?”
She explained the confrontation with Louden in full detail, how he’d assaulted her, how Anna had witnessed the attack, and the fact that Louden spent the night in jail and was fired from Sharper Image. And during her spiel, she watched Austin’s body language shift, watched how protective and outraged he became on her behalf. Surprisingly, she found his possessive behavior endearing and chivalrous, not at all smothering.
“Since that incident, three other women in the company have stepped forward with claims of sexual harassment against Louden.”
“Good,” he said gruffly. “Hopefully, Louden will get his comeuppance.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “It looks like he will.”
Austin scrubbed a hand along his jaw and released a heavy breath. “So, it sounds like you’ve got everything you want.”
No bitterness coated his words, no resentment, just a resignation that Teddy refused to accept. “Not quite everything,” she said quietly, curling her fingers around the top of the railing on either side of her hips. “I want you.”
His smi
le was a little sad. “With that promotion, I doubt you’ll have time for me in your life.”
She’d given him every reason to express that skepticism, to be leery of her claim. And then she realized that there was one thing left for her to prove after all…her love for Austin.
“You know, the incident with Louden was a real eye-opener,” she said, capturing his attention once again.