Model Attraction (10 page)

* * *

Austin wanted to make her come over and over again, and today he planned to. His pulse pounded wildly as her erotic sounds filled the quietness of the room. His own control was hanging by a thread as he watched her come all over his fingers.

She whimpered and her eyes opened at half-mast when he removed his fingers. Grabbing one of the foil packets from next to the bed, he quickly sheathed himself.

“I wanted to take this slow, but...” With a hand on either side of her head, he nudged her thighs wider and entered her in one smooth move.

Janna's legs trembled as her interior walls fisted around his shaft. A blast of pleasure shot through him at the heat their joined bodies generated.

Austin cursed under his breath, knowing this round was about to be over way before he wanted it to, but she felt so good. Damn good.

Oh, yeah, this was worth the weeks of waiting
, he thought as he picked up the pace. His thrusts grew faster, harder and he went deeper, losing himself in her sweet heat. She matched him stroke for stroke as he increased the speed.

He gripped her hips and plunged even deeper. Her body trembled in his grasp and her nails dug into his shoulders.

“Au...Austin,” she whimpered her breathing more ragged, her moves more jerky. “I...I'm...” Her words stalled when another orgasm ripped through her and she screamed his name.

Austin held on to her soft flesh, knowing he was right behind her. One last thrust and desire tore through his body, sending his world into a turbulent tailspin. He growled her name as an explosion of fiery heat sent him over the edge of his control.

Collapsing on top of her, he held her tight as he struggled to catch his breath. Totally spent, but not wanting to keep too much of his weight on her, he rolled onto his back.

“That was mind-blowing,” Janna said, still gasping for air when Austin pulled her into his arms.

He placed a light kiss against her damp forehead. “Yes...yes, it was.”

Chapter 10

J
anna lay tucked against Austin's side, his arm around her and his hand resting on her hip. She'd had a feeling that when they finally came together it would be explosive, but the reality exceeded her fantasy.

“You're awfully quiet. Are you okay?” Austin shook her gently.

She lifted slightly and smiled up at him. “I'm better than okay. I thought my first time with you was special, but this was beautiful.”

He watched her, his eyes barely open. “I agree.” He rolled her onto her back and sat up, resting his weight on his elbow while staring down at her. “I have missed you so much. Being with you again, and like this...doesn't seem real. I never want to lose you again.”

Excitement bubbled inside Janna. Her vacation was quickly coming to an end and for the last few days all she could think about was the two of them.

“So what happens now?” she asked, her hand caressing the smooth skin of his solid chest.

“You mean, after I make love to you again?” He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

She laughed. “No, silly. You know what I mean. What happens now...with us?”

“What do you want to happen?”

“I want
us
to happen. I know getting back to what we once felt for each other might take some time, but I don't want what we've had these last couple of weeks to stop just because we live in different cities.”

Though she knew without a doubt that she was in love with Austin, she wasn't sure how he felt. Janna knew she had hurt him, but she wanted another chance for them to rebuild what they once had.

“I agree,” he said, breaking into her thoughts. Austin fluffed one of the pillows and placed it under his head, his attention still on her. “But I have to be honest. I have never considered a long-distance relationship. It's hard enough maintaining a connection when you live in the same town as the other person. Living in different states will pose some challenges.”

“I guess we'll have to figure out how to do this so that it isn't so hard.”

“I don't want it to be hard, either, but I know anything worth having is worth working for. I'm ready and willing to do whatever it takes. What about you? Are you willing to put in the work?”

“Definitely. How about if I start now?” She threw off the sheet covering their naked bodies and struck a seductive pose.

He threw his head back and laughed. “Works for me.”

* * *

The next morning, Austin sat in his office thinking about what he wanted for his future. His father had started grooming him from his first day in college to one day take over the business. But that's not what Austin wanted long-term. Numbers and finance had always come easily to him and he enjoyed his job, but the CFO position wasn't something he wanted forever. He had always enjoyed working with his hands and preferred to be in the trenches with the tradespeople they employed, working with wood.

Now that Janna was back in his life, something else was on his mind. Marriage and a family. That's what he wanted with her. Unfortunately, after a failed engagement—two, if he counted his youthful proposal to Janna—he didn't trust himself when it came to matters of the heart. But deep inside his soul, he knew Janna was the woman for him. What he felt for her was like nothing he had ever felt for anyone. He was in love with her, but could he trust her? Could he trust her not to toss his love away like she had before?

His cell phone rang, pulling him out of his musings.

“Hello.

“Hi, handsome,” Janna crooned, bringing an automatic smile to his face.

“Hi, yourself. Where are you?”

“I'm at the hotel now. I just had lunch with Macy and then I went by her medical complex. I haven't been there since the grand opening and can I just say that your company did a beautiful job. The building is marvelous.”

Months ago, Reynolds Development had completed a project spearheaded by Macy and her husband, Derek. Macy had always dreamed of opening a medical complex and Derek, an architect, worked up the designs. They had commissioned Reynolds to renovate a seventy-five-thousand-square-foot building. The day of the grand opening had been when Austin spotted Janna from a distance. Little had he known that Macy and Derek were related to her.

“I'm glad you liked the building. So how's your sister doing?”

“She's great, and as expected, I had to suffer through her talking about her pregnancy all during lunch. But I'm happy for her. She's an awesome mother to Jason and Amber. Having another baby only seems fitting since she's wanted a family like...forever.”

Austin listened as Janna talked about her siblings. Besides rehashing the plans that they'd made in the past, he and Janna hadn't discussed marriage or having a family yet. He wasn't sure if she wanted either. Though that was a path he wanted to take, right now Janna's career was her priority. Besides, they had only been dating a few weeks, way too early to be thinking about marriage.

“Are you sure you'll be able to get the next few days off in order to spend this Memorial Day weekend with me?” Janna asked, pulling him back into the conversation.

“Positive. I was even able to get a seat on your flight.”

“Even better!”

It worked out that he had some business to attend to in New York, and he planned to spend a few extra days there with Janna.

“I'm so glad you're going back with me. I have a photo shoot Friday morning, but the rest of the weekend, I'm all yours. Except there is one thing.”

Austin kept himself from groaning. With Janna, that one thing could be anything. “Okay, I'll bite. What is it?”

“Will you be my date for a dinner party that Vera Wang is having Saturday night? I know you hate stuff like that, but I promise, it won't be that bad.”

Austin shook his head and smiled. There wasn't much he wouldn't do for her, even attend a party where the topic of conversation would be fashion.

Days later, Austin carried their luggage into Janna's Fifth Avenue penthouse. The two-story unit had spectacular views that could be seen through the wall-to-wall windows clear across the room. She had told him that she could even see Central Park.

Leaving the bags in the foyer, she gave him the grand tour of the four-bedroom, five-bathroom apartment.

In his line of work, Austin had seen his share of grand places, but he had to admit Janna's stood out more than most. From the architectural details to the stunning scenery beyond the windows, she had definitely chosen a gem. Considering all the traveling she did, he wondered when she actually had time to enjoy the place.

“This is my second-favorite space in the house,” she said of the kitchen.

Austin laughed. “I'll admit it's incredible, but why is it your favorite when you don't even cook?”

“Because I like to eat.”

He shook his head, finding that just as funny, considering she ate like a bird. He walked around the eat-in kitchen, taking in the oversize stainless steel appliances as well as the cabinets of the same material, some with doors, others without. The unusual beige-and-tan backsplash caught his attention as well as the white dishwasher that stood out like red paint on white carpet.

“So what's your favorite room in the house?”

“My bedroom.” She grinned. “Come on. I can't wait to show you. You're going to die when you see my closet.”

Austin laughed again, unable to help himself considering her excitement. He dropped his arm around her shoulders and placed a kiss on top of her head. Her enthusiasm was contagious. The last few weeks had been filled with plenty of laughs, a lot of fun, and her companionship was second to none. At some point, they would have to spend some time apart since she had to get back to work and he would eventually return to Atlanta. But until then, he planned to enjoy his time with her and live a little.

“Okay, so what do you think?” Janna asked once they finished the tour and returned to the living room.

“I think the space is almost as beautiful as you are.” He pulled her into his arms. “Almost.” His lips touched hers, but before he could deepen the lip lock, the doorbell rang.

Janna groaned. “Don't go anywhere. I'll get rid of whoever it is.”

“You do that, and in the meantime, I'll take these bags to the bedroom.”

* * *

Janna looked through the peephole and sighed when she saw her visitor.

She swung open the door.

“What are you doing here?”

“Hello, Janna. Welcome back. May I come in?”

Janna stepped back and Nelson Heath walked in as if he owned the place. Tall, lean and impeccably dressed, Nelson had a presence about him that made both men and women take notice whenever they occupied the same space.

She gave him a once-over. It seemed as if she wasn't the only one who had taken a little vacation. His spiked blond hair and tanned skin looked as if he had gotten a little sun recently. Even at fifty-five, he didn't look a day over forty.

“What can I do for you, Nelson?” Janna moved past him and walked back into the living room, knowing he would follow. She sat on the sofa and he rested in the upholstered chair across from her.

Nelson typed something into his handheld device. “I figured we could get an early start discussing some assignments that—”

“You do remember that I fired you, right?”

He looked up and frowned. “What? You were serious?”

“As a heart attack. Do you have any idea what you did to me? To Austin?”

He set his tablet on the small round table next to him and crossed his legs, showing off argyle socks in the same colors as his shirt.

“I know I kept a sixteen-year-old safe. I know I jump-started your career, ultimately making you a successful model in a seriously competitive industry. I also know that I made both of us very wealthy. Okay?”

His cockiness grated on her last nerve.

“But you also ripped me away from the only man I have ever loved, and that's not okay.”

“Janna, love, I was responsible for you. Not just for your safety, but also your well-being. I did what I thought was best. You were a child. If I had to do it all over again, I would make the exact same decision.”

“Well, it's a good thing you won't get the opportunity to do it all over again.” Austin's deep voice filled the space and Nelson leaped out of his seat, his hand on his chest.

His surprised expression would have been comical had this not been a serious situation.

“I take it this is Austin Reynolds,” Nelson said once he recovered. “The man you've been playing kissy face with while in Atlanta.”

“Be careful, Nelson.” Janna stood next to Austin. Nelson might have been almost like a father to her over the years, but she wouldn't stand for him belittling or disrespecting either of them.

She and Austin had already talked about her not seeking out a new manager and giving Nelson another chance. But she'd figured she'd let her manager stew for a while, knowing he wouldn't give her up without a fight. By showing up at her place before she could settle in, his actions were as she predicted. They'd had their share of disagreements over the years and she'd fired him a number of times. He always came back days later as if nothing happened. And she always took him back.

“I'm sorry, all right? I owe you both an apology.”

“Yeah, you do,” Austin said and snaked his arm around Janna's waist. “And for the record, we might have been young, but we were very clear about our feelings for each other.”

“The only way I'll accept you back in my life, Nelson, is if you promise to never do anything like that again. Austin means everything to me. If you ever come between us again, you'll be very sorry.”

Janna had no intention of letting anyone or anything interfere again. Ever.

* * *

“Drop your head back slightly and tilt it toward me so that I can get a glimpse of the diamond-studded earrings in this shot,” the photographer said to Janna and he snapped shot after shot.

For the past hour, Austin had watched as Janna showed why she was one of the most sought-after models in the industry. She smiled, smirked and at times laughed out loud during the photo session as if she were having the time of her life. Most times the photographer let her do her own thing and just took pictures. She was clearly in her element.

The photographer stopped and pointed out a few things on his computer screen to Janna.

“I'll have the contact sheet available later. If you want, I'll let you take a look at the proofs before I send them over to the client,” he said.

“Kenny, you're the best,” Janna gushed and hugged him. “I know you don't do this for just anyone, but thanks for looking out.”

While they talked, Austin watched her as she gave her opinions about the various frames. Some days he still couldn't believe she was back in his life. And in the two days they'd been in New York, she'd shown him how invested she was in her career. He'd already known how hard she worked, but for the past day and a half, he'd witnessed it.

The photographer took a couple of additional shots as per Janna's request. Austin's heart swelled with pride. She was exquisite. He didn't even want to think about what the world would have missed out on had she not pursued this career choice. The plans they had made years ago were good, but he could honestly say he was glad she'd gone after her dream. It would have been selfish of him to not share her, that gorgeous face and her beautiful spirit. His mother often said that anything meant to be would be, and he now knew Janna was meant to be a model.

“Hey, baby.” Janna walked up to him and threw her arms around his neck, planting a noisy kiss against his mouth. “I'll probably need another hour. Do you want to stick around?”

He had come directly from having breakfast with a potential client to the studio, unable to go another minute without seeing her. Yes, he was tired after a week of submitting proposals and reworking budgets, but being with her always gave him extra energy.