Tempt Me

It hurt, she thought, his pulling back, but reminded herself she had made the decision first. Not him. She was the one who couldn’t handle casual and not get her heart hurt. So if he was following her lead, who was she to argue?

“Along those lines, while I’m gone, I have someone outside watching the house. After the break-in, I didn’t want you home alone.”

She nodded. “Thank you. I’m grateful.” And overwhelmed by the lengths he’d go to in order to keep her safe.

“I should get going,” he said, glancing away. “I don’t want to be late for this meeting with Kayla. The sooner I get her out of our lives for good, the better.”

Mia nodded. “Can I get you a travel mug to take with you?” she offered.

“That would be great. I could use some more caffeinated fortification.”

She pulled a mug from the cabinet and drew a deep breath as she poured the coffee, doing her best not to over-inhale and upset her stomach again. She felt better, but in a fragile, it’s-still-there sort of way.

She closed the mug with the cover and handed it to him, careful to avoid their fingers touching.

“Thank you. Listen, I need to ask you something,” he said. “I have to go to a party this weekend at my boss’s house.”

“That’s nice,” she murmured.

“And I don’t want you home alone. Not after someone broke in with the alarm set. Plus, the party is to celebrate Summer Michelle and my pal Ben’s return to the States after a short European tour and I know how much you’d love to meet her. Being that she’s your favorite pop star.” He winked at the reminder of their walk in the woods and the get-to-know-you questions that they’d indulged in.

She remembered in detail… how small her hand felt in his, how warm and sensual his skin was wrapped around her palm. Just like how hot and strong his naked body felt when it came down over hers. She trembled and shook her head in an attempt to dislodge the thoughts that had no place in her mind right now.

“The point is,” he went on, oblivious to the turn her mind had taken, “I want you to come with me to Dan’s.”

“Dan?” she asked stupidly, still lost in being with Austin in all the ways she’d pushed away.

He wrinkled his brows, obviously confused. “Dan, my boss. You’ve heard his name before.”

“Yes. Of course. Sorry. I’m still a little queasy,” she said, blaming her stomach for her frazzled behavior.

This time he did reach out and lift her chin with his hand. “Are you okay?” he asked, seriously worried as he looked into her eyes.

She did her best not to get lost in his. “Yes. I think I might have picked up a stomach virus or something. I’ll rest today. And as for your party… I’ll go with you,” she said.

She wished she was going as his date but again it all came down to choices. And what she could and couldn’t live with. Besides, who knew, even if they were together, if he’d have taken her as anything more than a means to keep her safe. Or to allow her to meet her favorite pop star.

* * *

Austin drank from the travel mug Mia had made him, trying his best to focus on the road, but he had so much on his mind, not the least of which was his ex, who he was meeting with, hopefully for the final time, and Mia, who he’d left home not feeling well and dealing with trial shit that should have been in her past.

He was so used to her being perky and happy that seeing her sick had thrown him. With her pale coloring and glassy, big green eyes, he’d wanted to pick her up and carry her to bed. He’d wanted to take care of her in the most primal, elemental way.

Which made no sense to him. He took care of his daughter. Women were secondary. Or had been until Mia.

He gripped the steering wheel harder and forced himself to concentrate on how he planned to handle Kayla, which meant he was prepared when he walked into the diner and caught sight of her sitting alone at a table, drinking a cup of coffee like she didn’t have anything to worry about except collecting her paycheck.

He strode over and settled into a seat, facing his duplicitous, smug-looking ex-wife, who sat drumming her fingertips on the table. She wore a satisfied smile on her face and a tight dress, though she had to know he was immune to anything she had or tried to offer.

“I’m so glad you called,” she practically purred. “I knew you’d come around to my way of thinking.”

He forced a smile. “I decided it was time we talk terms.”

He could see the dollar signs in her eyes and the pleasure he was about to get magnified tenfold.

“So.” She trailed her fingers across the table until she curled her hand around his. “What are you willing to give me?”