Tell Me You Want Me (4 page)

Yet somewhere deep inside her, the lonely, reckless, bad girl part of Jane came back to life, and hoped Austin would remember her name.

How the hell could he remember her name? Austin dropped his head back on the pillow. What did he know about her? Long brown hair that felt like silk in his hands, deep emerald eyes that melted him, soft full lips that tasted like strawberries, smooth skin that warmed to his touch, small perfect breasts that begged to be caressed.... Okay, that didn't help, but he sure liked thinking about it. Long legs, the kind meant to be wrapped around his lean waist....

Carrie, the bouncy blonde cheerleader, snuggled closer, sliding her hand under the covers. "I'm not tired."

His
overactive brain
had kept him awake, for once, instead of his
dick
. "Good." He smiled and rolled on top of her, kissing her pretty red lips. She moaned when his hand found her breast, his fingers teasing her nipple.

"Mmm... don't stop."

No way. It would take more than a stubborn brunette soccer player to distract him. He nuzzled his way down to her other breast, but as hard as he tried, couldn't help wondering what a certain pair of perky round breasts would feel like in his mouth. "Hey, baby, do you know anyone on the soccer team?"

"Why are you thinking about the soccer team?"

"No reason."
Not the team, just one player in particular.

"I know a bunch of the guys: John, Dan, Glenn, Chris, Dave, Eric—"

"Not the guys. The girls' team."

"The girls' team?"

Oops.
"Never mind." Austin took her nipple in his mouth before he said anything else stupid.

"You could find a team picture on the school's website."

Ah-ha.
Problem solved. Austin smiled at the beautiful blonde in his bed, but imagined the beautiful brunette naked under him, instead. He sighed; the cheerleader would have to go before he could pursue the soccer babe. What was her name again? Carrie? She snuggled into his arms, making herself comfortable in his bed, causing him to stiffen, but not in a good way. He didn't share his bed with anyone—not for longer than necessary, anyway.

He jumped up and pulled his jeans on. "Baby, I think we're done here."

"Mmm...." She reached for him and smiled. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, I am."

His serious tone got her attention. "What do you mean?"

"I mean we had fun while it lasted, but it's over."

"I see." Carrie stood up and dropped the blankets.

Austin looked at her flawless naked body—he couldn't help it—but when he didn't respond, she slapped him right across the face.

He'd seen that coming, and deserved it, so he didn't flinch. Girls had slapped him before, so nothing new here. "I'm sorry, but—"

"You're not sorry. You already have another girl eagerly waiting, don't you?"

He didn't argue.

Carrie snatched up her clothes, yanking her shirt over her head. "All my friends warned me about you." She pulled up her jeans and gave them a hard zip. "They said you wouldn't stick around. They said you were great in bed but lousy in relationships."

He didn't argue with that either.

The angry girl grabbed her coat. "Someday, Austin, you're going to meet a girl who will keep your interest for longer than—" She looked at her watch. "—longer than this."

"I doubt it."

Carrie shook her head. "I just hope you realize it before you break her heart." And with that, the bouncy blonde cheerleader walked out of his life.

Okay, that went about as he'd expected, but it had to be done. Austin would not—under
any
circumstances—cheat on a girl. Something his mother had said once, a long time ago, stuck with him:
Don't make her cry.
He rarely made girls cry. Mostly he pissed them off, but he could handle that.

He sat down at his desk and turned on his computer. Yeah, he had another girl waiting... sort of. She might not want him yet, but he'd overcome her objections easily enough. But he wouldn't get anywhere with her—eager or not—until learning her name. He looked up the soccer team's website and found her—sexy librarian glasses, pinned-up, messed-up hair, and a smile that hardened his resolve, among other things.

Austin smiled back at her. "Now you're mine, Jane Elliot."

***

"You told him what?"

"I told him I'd go out with him if he could figure out my name," Jane said.

"Oh, that was brilliant." Sara snapped her book shut and peered over the top of her glasses at her friend. "All he has to do is find you in the yearbook."

"I doubt he has one, and I'm sure he has no idea where the library is."

Jane and Sara spent most of their free time in the library, even when they weren't studying, but they rarely saw any of the football players there.

"True," Sara agreed, smirking, "but he can find you on the soccer team's website."

"Oh my God, I hate that picture." Jane held her book up to her face as if that would hide her. "I forgot about that."

"So now you have to sleep with him." Sara cringed.

"
I
never said anything about sleeping with him." She searched her memory to be sure. "
He
did." Her face got warm when she remembered his "castle whore" comment, but even though Jane usually told Sara everything, including her plans for her dream career, she decided to be careful in this instance. "I said he had to take me on a real date."

"Did you tell him you've never had one before?"

"I've had dates," Jane protested. She focused more on school than her social life, but that didn't mean she'd
never
dated.

"Did you tell him you've never had sex before?"

"I have, too."

Sara frowned, took off her glasses, and rubbed her eyes. "Clumsy McWhatshisname does not count."

"Yes he does." No he didn't. The memory of her first and only sexual experience lasted longer than the encounter itself—quick, awkward, and not much fun. "Do you think it matters?"

Jane didn't know why she worried about it. She didn't plan on having sex with Austin, but then, she'd never planned on going out with him either.

"No," Sara said. "He just wants to get laid."

"He can do that anytime. He doesn't need to go to the trouble of taking me out on a date to get lucky."
Wait, that doesn't sound quite right.

Sara frowned and flipped through another book. "Guys like him like variety. You're something new, and right now, you're a challenge. As soon as a pretty new face comes along, he'll forget all about you."

"Yeah, I know." She really couldn't expect anything more from Austin. "Still, it could be fun while it lasts."

Why not just enjoy it for a change? Maybe her second time would be better. He did tell her they were going to have a lot of fun together.

Sara sighed. "He won't fall in love with you. He's a heartbreaker."

"I don't expect him to fall in love with me. I know better than that. I just want to have a little fun with him. You're the one who told me I need to have more fun."

"Oh, it'll be fun... till he breaks your heart." Sara scowled at Jane. "And then what will you do?"

"Enjoy it while it lasts and appreciate it for what it is." She squared her shoulders and picked up her book, hiding the uncertain smile on her face. Having more fun... good idea. Having fun with Austin Sinclair...?

***

Now that he knew her name, how the hell was he going to find her? Austin looked in all the places he usually met girls, but he'd never seen her in a bar or a classroom before, so why would she be there now? He had to be missing something.
Think, Austin.
Where would a Bayfield Dean's List academic scholarship soccer player hang out?

The library, dumbass.
Just like Natalie had in high school.
Great. Where's the library again?
He couldn't remember the last time he'd gone there, having avoided all libraries after his breakup with Nat.

A couple of wrong turns sent him in circles, but he finally found the building. It looked a lot bigger than he remembered—three floors and stacks and stacks of books.
She'd better be worth it. Just fun—no promises.
He smiled, determined to make it worth his time and effort—no matter what.

It took him nearly half an hour, but he finally found her in the basement, searching the stacks for a book that somehow eluded her. Her fingers crawled across worn spines as if touching the books might reveal the one she wanted. She didn't look up, so he leaned against the bookshelf and watched her. Her glasses were perched on top of her head, and a few strands of her hair tumbled loose from the knot she kept the rest of it in.

Why didn't I ever notice her pretty face? I need to hang out in the library more often. Bookworms need love too.

Damn it, no.
Fun
—not love. Not again.

When she finally looked at him, he gave her a smile that sparkled in her gorgeous eyes. She waited, but he didn't say a word.

"I will hear you say my name," she said.

He just walked over to her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, staring into her eyes so intently she looked away. He put his arms around her and pulled her close. His lips found hers, soft and sweet. She held his shoulders and leaned back against the bookshelf.

"Jane." Kiss. "Marie." Kiss. "Elliot." Kiss.

"Mmm, you are thorough."

"I'm just getting started."

He pressed her into the bookshelf, and slipped his tongue between her lips as his hands explored her body. Her hands did a little exploring of their own, sliding down his back, stroking his muscles through his shirt—light, hesitant touches, as if she wanted more but didn't dare.

Austin couldn't remember all the first kisses he'd given, but this had to be better than any of them. His senses went into overdrive, capturing every touch, every sensation—her warmth and softness, the sweet taste of her mouth, the smell of wildflowers and a little bit of soap on her skin. Her little gasps for breath sounded so sexy, and he couldn't stop peeking at the pretty fringe her eyelashes made on her cheeks.

He should probably stop before getting carried away. Anyone could be lurking nearby, and she'd already warned him not to start any rumors. But he didn't want to stop. Not now. Not ever.
Holy hell, this is not good.

She put her hands on his chest and pushed back, slowly breaking their kiss.

Keep it casual.
He grinned. "Well, that was easy."

"Ugh," she grunted. "It's over before it started." Her eyes narrowed and she pushed him away.

Austin stumbled back against the opposite bookshelf. "Janie, wait! I didn't mean
you
were easy."

She ignored him and stomped off.

"It was easy to find out your name." He ran after her. "That's what I meant."
Holy shit, it's hard to keep up with this girl.

"Yeah, whatever."

"You're not easy at all."
What will it take to make her happy? Why do I care?

"So you thought one good kiss would get you out of our date?"

"Good? Damn, girl, that was great." Even by his standards. "I'm not trying to get out of our date. Kissing you was just—I don't know—it seemed like a good idea at the time."

She stopped and turned so fast he nearly fell on top of her. "Got any other good ideas?"

"Yeah, I've got lots of good ideas... and lots of bad ones too." His grin froze when her scary green eyes burned holes through his skull. "Let me take you out tomorrow night, somewhere fun 'cause, believe me, if there's anyone who needs a little fun, it's you, Janie."

"Tomorrow night?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow's Friday, so we can sleep in Saturday morning." He winced as the words came out of his mouth.

Her green eyes narrowed for a second, but then they softened a bit and she smiled. "You can't control your impulses, can you?"

"I don't want to." Austin grinned and braced himself, waiting for her to smack him, but she kissed him on the cheek instead.

"Tomorrow night."

"I'll pick you up at seven and take you... somewhere." All his energy had burned out getting her to agree to a date. Now he had to decide what to do with her... besides the obvious.

"Sounds promising." A hint of worry colored her voice.

"Ah, Janie, I promise you will not be disappointed."
Damn it! What am I doing?

"You promise?"

"Absolutely." He fought his impulses again, and lost, pinning her against the bookshelf, claiming her lips with a kiss that left them both breathless.

He disappeared among the stacks... and took another half hour to find his way out of the damn library.

***

Jane stood in front of her full-length mirror, analyzing what had to be the fifteenth outfit she'd tried on.

Sara pulled another dress from the closet. "This?"

Jane shook her head. "No, it's too cold for that."

Her friend put the dress back. "I think you've exhausted your options."

They'd spent the last couple of hours trying on everything in her closet and dresser. A heavy sigh came from the closet. Jane bit her lip, determined not to let her roommate's lack of enthusiasm bring her down. She'd hoped her own excitement would rub off on Sara, but no such luck.

Sara frowned at the mountain of clothes on her roommate's bed. "Do you want to go through my closet?"

Jane glanced at the clock. "I don't have time."

She looked back at the mirror, tilting her head as if she would like her reflection better from another angle, in her hot-pink lace bra and matching panties—bold and daring. Maybe Austin would get to see them, maybe not. A tingle shot through her just thinking about it. She'd tried on something sexy, something pretty, something plain. Now she wore something... well, something besides her underwear, at least, although Austin would probably rather have her show up naked. Heat rushed to her cheeks.

"It would help if you knew where you were going." Sara picked through the clothes piled on the bed.

"It would help if I had some decent boobs." Jane grabbed her chest with both hands and shoved her breasts together, trying to create some cleavage.