Tell Me You Want Me (7 page)

"Yeah." She gasped for breath. "Are you?"

"Yeah, you broke my fall." Austin grinned, pressing hard against her.

Jane felt something between them—not like that—she actually felt his—yeah, that—and the evil grin on his face told her he felt it too. Did she dare tell him? She knew he would like it, but then he would know she'd noticed, and she didn't want to go there yet. Good thing her mouth decided not to cooperate. She fought off the temptation to find out what would happen if she said something provocative.

"Glad I could help." She squirmed beneath him, trying to move into a position less... intimate.

Austin smiled and moaned when she wiggled her hips.

"Are you enjoying this?"

"Oh yeah."

He smiled down at her, and for a split second, she wanted to slap that naughty grin right off his face. Then those wicked blue eyes met hers, and her anger turned into another kind of passion. Her hand landed on the back of his neck and she pulled him down for a kiss.

His arms tightened around her body, lifting her up into him as he pressed down, pinning her against the ground. He rocked against her—slowly, gently—and she wondered if he knew he was doing it.

Should she make him stop? No, she didn't want that. Should she move with him? Mmm... that seemed like a good idea. He felt so good—hard, warm, strong. Yes, she definitely wanted more—more kissing, more touching, more of his body against hers.

She moaned into his mouth, arching against him as his body tensed and his maddening motion stopped. "Who's the stiff one now?" She was asking for trouble, but she didn't care.

Austin looked into her eyes, and she stared right back. He shifted his weight, leaving no doubt about how much he wanted her. "Is this what you want, Janie?" He ground his hard cock between her thighs. "I can give you exactly what you're asking for, and I can give it to you all night long."

She bit her lower lip and he sighed.

"That's what I was afraid of." He kissed her and rolled onto his side, taking her with him. Sliding his hand into her hair, he gently pulled her head back, exposing her throat to his mouth.

Jane sighed and cuddled closer to him. She played with the buttons on his shirt, wondering if she should open one. Heat seared her through his clothes, but she wanted to feel his skin. His tongue made circles on her neck just below her ear, moving slowly down her body to the top button of her blouse. She held her breath, hoping he would rip it off with his teeth, but instead, he kissed his way back up her neck, driving her crazy. When he kissed her lips again and ignored her silent wishes, she decided to open the damn button herself.

Before she could do it, he took her hand and moved it to her ribs, entwining his fingers with hers--a sweet, romantic gesture, but she wasn't in the mood for sweet and romantic. She pushed him onto his back and straddled him, leaning over to kiss him hard. She smiled when he moaned.

"Ah, Janie." He sat up, keeping her in his lap with his arms wrapped around her, and touched his lips to hers. She fiddled with his buttons and he grabbed her hands, kissing her fingertips one by one.

She caught her breath. Even a simple sweet kiss from him melted her to her toes.

"Janie, sweetheart, baby, I think it's time to call it a night."

"What?" Bayfield's bad boy wanted to go home early? Alone? Maybe he didn't sleep with every girl he met, after all. "Why?"

"It's getting late."

Right then Jane realized she wanted to sleep with him. She knew she wouldn't see him again after tonight, but hoped tonight would at least last till morning. "Tomorrow is Saturday." She kissed him. "You said we could sleep in."

He chuckled. "I did say that, didn't I?"

He didn't seem to want her. She suddenly felt hot, and the stars started to spin. He'd played her all along.

"I see." She stood up on wobbly legs. He held her arms to steady her, but she jerked away from him. "Take plain Jane out on a date, get her all hot and bothered, and then dump her. Haha. Good joke." She ran away from him, not caring that the Jeep was waiting in the other direction.

"Janie, no!" Austin ran after her. "It's not like that at all."

"Really?" She turned around but kept walking backwards. "Austin Sinclair actually knows how to say no?" She ran off again.

"Janie, wait."

"Don't call me that. Ever."

"Get back here, woman. Let me explain."

She stopped in her tracks, and turned to face him with arms crossed. "This better be good."

He caught up to her and reached his arm out, but she backed away, prompting him to raise his hands in surrender. "I want to take you out again."

She huffed.

"Did you have fun tonight?"

"Till now."

"So did I. We had a great time. Admit it."

She set her jaw and shook her head.

"Damn stubborn woman." He swore under his breath. "I had a great time watching you pitch and teaching you how to throw a football. I even had a great time talking to you. I've never done that with anyone before."

Jane pressed her lips together, trying to stop the smile from taking over.

"I could take you to bed with me tonight, and believe me, I want to." Austin moved closer to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "And you know that."

His soft, husky tone made her shiver as he pulled her against him. She didn't resist.

"I think if we slept together tonight, it could ruin whatever it is we have here."

"You want to wait? Why?"

"I don't know what's going on." He shook his head as if he couldn't believe it either. "But I want it to last as long as it can."

Could she trust him? He flirted entirely too much and said outrageous things, but as far as she knew, he'd never lied to her. "I do too."

"Good, then let me take you out again sometime next week. No, you tell me—when, where. It's all up to you."

She finally smiled. "You're taking a big chance, you know."

"I'm not afraid of you."

"You should be." She loved teasing him.

"I'm not afraid of you... Janie." He ducked and ran.

She tried to run after him, but she stumbled in those shoes.

"Do I have to carry you back to the Jeep?"

"Just don't drop me again."

"Don't tempt me." Those sinful blue eyes sparkled. "I liked where I landed."

"I'll bet you did."

He scooped her up in his arms. "You did too, Janie. You were all over me. You're a bad girl."

She opened her mouth to argue, but couldn't. "I'll deny it. You can't prove anything."

"Don't worry." He kissed her with soft, warm lips. "I'll never tell."

"You don't kiss and tell?"

"Nope. All the rumors you heard about me came from someone else."

"You don't brag to your friends just a little?"

He winced. "Maybe just a little, and only to the ones I trust, but I never name names."

She laughed. "Because you can't remember names."

***

They drove back to her apartment, laughing and teasing and kissing at every red light. Austin hummed while he walked her to the door. He didn't want to say goodnight already, and was pretty sure she didn't either. She'd felt so perfect under him—like she belonged there. It would be so easy to take her to her bedroom and rip her clothes off.

This was supposed to be casual and fun.
What the hell am I waiting for?

He couldn't remember. It would be so easy to let her have her way with him. Too easy.

What's wrong with easy?

He didn't want her to be easy, or like every other girl. He wanted her, no question, but he suddenly remembered his mother's words:
Anything worth having is worth waiting for.

Janie was worth the wait.

Yeah, think about your mother, Austin. That'll make you wait.

"You kept your promise." Jane pulled him into the darkened doorway.

Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "What promise?"

"You didn't disappoint me."

That simple statement answered his questions. He'd told her he'd wait, so he would. End of discussion.

He held her close. "That was an easy promise to keep."

He would take it slow. Maybe he wasn't used to being patient, but he didn't mind waiting for her. Somehow, it felt like the right thing to do. But that didn't mean he had to stop kissing her.
Definitely need more kissing.

A wicked smile found its way to her lips. "I was hoping for a little more fun, but no, someone decided to go all virtuous on me."

Teasing him like that could lead to all sorts of trouble. He hoped that was what she wanted.

"Ha. It won't last long." If he didn't leave now, he would have her naked right up against her front door. "I promise."

She pressed her body against him, her lips touching his. "Tell me you want me."

"I want you, Janie."

"Good. I just wanted to hear you say it."

He groaned and kissed her, pinning her to the door with his hard body. "Tease."

"Oh, I'm the tease? You're the one who brought me home early." She pulled at him so hard he fell against the door and nearly crushed her.

"I have to leave now...." He pushed away from her, panting. "...or I never will." A lousy excuse, but he didn't know how to explain it to her. He barely understood it himself. Girls usually begged him for a second date, not the other way around.

"And that's a bad thing?"

His foot hit the sidewalk, but he turned and leaped the four steps back to her, and crushed her against the door again. "Janie, you have no idea what kind of bad things I want to do with you."

"Tell me." She breathed hot in his ear.

"No." He kissed her hard, plunging his tongue into her mouth, one hand grabbing her hair, the other grabbing her ass. "I'll show you." But he pushed himself away again. "Later."

He ran down the steps and never looked back.

"You're home early."

Austin caught the football Jack threw at his head. He fired it back and bounced it off his roommate's chest. "That's why you're a running back instead of a receiver."

Jack grunted. "So there's a girl out there who can actually resist your charms."

"Yup. I finally found her." Not that he'd been looking.

"Off your game tonight?" Jack leaned back on the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table.

"No." He didn't offer an explanation. If word got out he'd decided to go to bed alone, his reputation would be shot. He'd worked hard to earn that reputation; he deserved it.

"So what happened?"

"Nothing." That was the truth. Sort of. He didn't want to ruin Jane's reputation either. The less said the better. He shuffled to his room, and took off his clothes as the green digits on his clock flashed 9:55—too early to go to bed. Thanks to Janie and her wandering hands, he had a ton of pent up energy he needed to do something with.
Hmm... booty call?

Call Janie.

He shook his head. Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? He must have known a hundred girls. Why could he only think of one? He put on a t-shirt and shorts, then tied his shoes while Jack came in and bounced the football off Austin's leg.

"You're going for a run at this time of night?"

"I gotta do somethin'."

"Why not call Brenda?"

Brenda... the blonde... no, redhead... damn it, why can't I remember her?

"You could try to patch things up with Carrie."

"Too much work." Besides, he didn't want Carrie anymore. He could only think of one girl worth the effort. "No, I need to work out."

"You need to get laid."

No shit, Sherlock.
"I will."

"The best way to get over a girl is to replace her." Jack picked up the football and juggled it. "Isn't that what you told me?"

Austin grinned. He didn't want to replace Janie yet. "I don't give up that easy."

"This one's a challenge, huh?"

"Damn right."
Stubborn, funny, smart, smart-mouthed, beautiful, sexy....
"I like a challenge."

"Going out with her again?"

"Yeah."

"Why does she have you so interested?"

That question lingered in his brain. He couldn't remember the last time a girl had turned him down, and he never refused a girl who wanted him, so why go out with her again? He wanted her. No, something else kept him coming back.

Austin didn't have an answer, so he told Jack what he expected to hear. "Because I haven't slept with her yet."

"Yeah, that sounds about right."

Good. At least someone doesn't think me virtuous.
Austin shuddered.

He batted the football out of Jack's hands and threw it in the closet. "I better not hear about this from anyone else."

If that got back to Janie, she would think he had only one thing on his mind, and while it was true at the moment, he couldn't stand the thought of her being hurt by rumors and misunderstanding.

"Hey, I don't tell your secrets and you don't tell mine."

Austin nodded. He dashed out of the house and took off down the street, running out to the quiet, peaceful football field. He realized his mistake as soon as he got there. The last thing he needed was peace and quiet; he needed a distraction so he couldn't hear Jack's question echoing in his head.

Why am I so interested in Jane?

He still couldn't believe he'd said no to sex. She wanted him, but all he wanted to do was hold her. The last time he felt like this, he.... The last time had started out well, but hadn't ended that way.

Natalie was his past. Janie was his future.

What? Now. Janie is now.
Focus on the moment
.

The way he talked to her—wow—a new experience for him. He and Natalie had talked but never like that. Janie had asked questions; she wasn't shy. Even though he'd told her never to use his full name, she'd asked why anyway. No one ever asked about his name. Once he told someone not to use it, no one ever did. That stubborn woman had asked anyway, but even better than that—she'd listened. Without thinking, he'd confessed his deepest secret, his deepest pain, to a girl he couldn't stop holding.

He'd stopped short of telling her about Natalie. Janie didn't need to know about his heartbreak and humiliation.