Tell Me You Want Me (5 page)

"Guys like boobs no matter what size they are." Sara picked up a random shirt and tossed it at her friend.

Jane scowled at the mirror, sticking her tongue out at the girl in the frilly dress.
Nope, not it.
She pulled off the dress and tossed it on the bed. Desperate to find something decent, she yanked open her dresser drawer and pulled on her favorite jeans.
Not bad.
She held up the shirt Sara threw at her—fitted, but not tight; simple, but not plain; bold red, but not flashy.
That could work.
She felt good in it. She felt like... Jane Elliot, and not like a girl trying to impress the campus stud.

Maybe she was, but he didn't need to know that. "I think this is it."

"Good." Sara picked up her backpack and her keys. "I have to go. Have fun and stay out of trouble." She offered a weak smile and left.

Jane ignored her warning. Maybe a little trouble would be good for her.

She'd felt Austin's presence in the library before she'd seen him. Her skin had tingled where his eyes touched her. No other man had ever looked at her like that. And when he'd called her Janie....
Oh wow.
Jane had shivered. No one had called her Janie since she was six years old. She'd hated it then, but Austin made it sound so sexy. That's how he made her feel, too: sexy.

One more look at the mirror and....
Shoes!
She searched her closet and found a pair of high-heeled boots she'd bought months ago, but had never had the courage to wear. Giving in to a rare impulse, she slipped them on and stood up—a little shaky, but not too bad. The four-inch heels made her legs look longer, and gave her butt a nice boost. She felt so good in them, sexy and a little bit naughty. She felt like... Janie.

Bad girl Janie nodded her approval.

A quick look at the clock revealed that she had
ten minutes—ack! Hair!
She twisted it into a knot but that looked too severe, so she flipped it over her shoulders and let it fall down her back. Much better. Jane had to wear her glasses; she couldn't see without them. Hmmm... sexy librarian lets her hair down? She hoped so. Another look at the clock: seven minutes. She dashed to the living room and flipped through the channels while she waited for him, shivering as she relived their kiss.

His hands had wandered over her body as if he owned it. She should've stopped him, but instead her fingers had slipped between the buttons on his shirt, and she'd touched his bare chest. If she'd let him continue, he would've had her naked before their first date, and then it would've been over. She wanted this—whatever it was—to last as long as it could.

A brief flicker of doubt taunted her.
Austin is not the guy you take a chance with.
Sara's warning rang in her ears. He would show up, right? Maybe he'd played her, and would leave her waiting while he laughed at his cruel joke. No, he wouldn't kiss her like that and not finish what he'd started. If nothing else, Austin Sinclair never left a girl wanting.

***

Austin turned on the water and swore when the cold blast hit him in the face. He needed it, though. Having spent the whole day thinking about where to take Janie—and what to do with her—a cold shower would do him some good. The water slowly turned warm as he stood under it, letting it run though his hair, dripping down his back, and flowing over his chest. He closed his eyes and imagined that, instead of water, Janie's fingers were sliding over his naked skin, caressing his shoulders and his arms, stroking his thighs.

Why couldn't he stop thinking about his Janie? His Janie. Austin smiled. He could picture the look she would give him for that—disapproving eyes but a tiny smile. That was one of the things he liked about her. She didn't let him get away with his usual tricks. He wouldn't know her name if she hadn't forced him to find out. He could've seduced her in the locker room or the library if she hadn't made him take her out on a real date.

He liked that too.

He enjoyed spoiling women and did it with pleasure. Some girls jumped into his bed without much pursuit or persuasion. Not that he complained, but he appreciated a good chase every now and then. The only question was how long he should let the pursuit go on. Should he capture her tonight or let her tease him a bit longer? He wanted to enjoy this girl as long as he could, and right now he was having too much fun to let it climax—Austin grinned—so soon.

A drop of water trickled into his ear, and he shook his head.
Call it off now before you get hurt again.

What?
He poked his head out of the shower. The empty bathroom remained silent, and the locked door gave no clues. Where had that voice come from? He pounded the side of his head with his palm, making sure no more bubbles lingered.

"She's not Natalie," he reminded himself, and anyone else who might be listening. By the time he got out of the shower and got dressed, Jack had breakfast burned beyond recognition, along with the kitchen stove.

Jack took one look at dressed-up Austin and groaned. "Is your date tonight with the same girl you met the other day?"

Austin gave him a blank look.

"The girl whose name you couldn't remember?"

"That narrows it down."

"Good point." Jack laughed. "The one from the girls' soccer team."

"Yeah. You owe me a six-pack."

"It's in the fridge."

Austin laughed and picked up a football, tossing it between his hands. It would have been an easy move any other day, but now it bounced off his fingers and hit Jack's arm. "Damn it. Sorry."

"Nervous?"

"Why the hell would I be nervous?" The football somehow bounced away from Austin and rolled across the floor. He grabbed it and slapped it on the table. "Stay."

"She's not Natalie."

"Huh?" The ball rolled off the table and smacked Austin's foot. "Were you listening...?"

"To what?"

"Never mind." Austin shook his head and fished the ball out from under the table.

"And you're not the same guy anymore. You have goals and direction now."

"Yeah, but is it good enough?"

Jack looked straight at him. "For her or for you?"

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Natalie dumped you because she thought you had no ambition."

"Thank you so much for reminding me."

"She thought you'd get injured playing football and have nothing to fall back on."

"She was right. I got hurt." Austin rubbed his knee.

"She was wrong. You have a new dream now."

"Yeah, funny how that works."

"The only question is: is it enough to get you over those bad memories?" Jack grinned. "Or do you need help from someone else?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Jack laughed. "I've watched you get ready for more dates than I can remember. I get the feeling this girl is different."

"She's not my usual type."

"True, but I think it's more than that."

"I think you think too much."

Jack's words rushed at him like a runaway train, and the emergency brake dangled just out of Austin's reach. Janie's natural, easy beauty put her in a class above the girls he knew. The more he thought about her, the more he realized Jack could be on the right track. She was different. She resisted him, and he liked that. Her deceptively pretty face had caught his attention, but her strength and determination held it.
She
kept
him
coming back for more.

Natalie had made him feel like that... until she'd called him a dumb jock and said he wasn't good enough for her.

Whoa, Austin, stop right there.
His brain screeched to a halt, and he turned to Jack, his jaw set. "I had to work to get her to go out with me. That's all there is to it."

Jack nodded. "That's a start."

Austin rolled his eyes and then smiled. "Don't wait up."

He hadn't decided if he'd bring Janie home or not, but he'd be ready for any possibility.

When Janie opened her front door, Austin barely recognized her; but when she smiled at him, his heart flipped and he knew he'd found the right girl. Wearing jeans that fit her like a glove, and a rich red shirt that highlighted her luscious brown hair, she'd stand out in any crowd. She met him in the hallway, her eyes almost level with his.
This is new
. His gaze traveled down her long slim legs. Oh, how he loved a woman in heels.

Janie stood up tall in those four-inch heels and met his eyes straight on. "I'm ready."

"Are you sure about that, Janie?" He wanted to rip her clothes off right then, but no, he would wait... for now.

"Yes I am."

They walked out to the crowded parking lot. Did she realize she turned all the guys' heads? Didn't matter because she was with him tonight. No one else could have her.

"That's good to know." He wanted to kiss her again but not here—too many people around to do it the way he wanted to. He may not have cared about what other people thought of him, but he remembered that she did.

"Let's go." He took her hand and led her to his old, beat-up Jeep Wrangler. Before he'd left to pick her up, he'd taken the faded vinyl top off, because he wanted to see her with the wind in her hair. He wasn't disappointed.

She tried to grab her flying hair and twist it, but the wind made it impossible, so she just flung it over her shoulders and brushed it away from her face. "So where are we going?"

"You are absolutely beautiful." He had to tell her that before he did anything else.

"Oh." She blushed and looked away. "Thank you."

His eyes swept over her body and he nearly ran a red light.

"Maybe you should pay attention to the road."

"Yeah, good idea." The Jeep screeched through a right turn. "We're going to The Strike Zone. Have you been there?"

"I've always wanted to go, but I haven't done it yet." Jane shrugged.

"Then this will be a lot of fun." That's what he'd promised her. The Strike Zone's batting cages, pitching, food, and beer provided the perfect place for an action-packed first date.

She laughed. "I should've guessed. I just can't imagine you sitting still through dinner and a movie."

"Nope. You're lucky I can wait to get my hands on you."

"Am I?"

He saw a flash of anger in her eyes, but her tone made him wonder if maybe she wanted him as much as he wanted her. "Yep, you're a lucky girl, Janie."

"Why is that?"

He parked the Jeep and turned off the engine, and looked at the woman sitting next to him. Her serious green eyes challenged him from behind those sexy glasses. She wanted something from him, but he had no idea what. He wanted... well, that baffled him too. He wanted to get her into bed, no doubt about that, but he couldn't shake his longing for more. But more what? And why did he want to risk that again? Jack said Janie wouldn't hurt him the way Natalie had, but how could he be sure?

She kept staring at him. Damn if she wasn't as persistent as he was. Austin liked that.

"No, I'm the lucky one." He smiled and kissed her. He felt her sigh and his heart pounded as though he'd just thrown a 50-yard touchdown pass.

They found a table and ordered some wings and beer, and just as Jane was licking the last of the barbeque sauce from her fingers, Austin nodded toward the batting cages. She shrugged and followed him.

The football star picked up a bat and gave it a few swings. "Prepare to be impressed." He winked at her.

She smiled as he sent the very first pitch sailing over the wall.
Home Run
, the scoreboard jingled and danced.

"Lucky shot."

"Ha." Austin grinned and handed over the bat. "Your turn."

Jane let the first pitch go by. She swung hard at the second one, sending it into the backdrop with an impressive thud.
Standing Double
, the scoreboard flashed.

"Nice," Austin let out a low whistle. "Let's see that again."

"No problem." She hit the next pitch foul, but the one after that was another double. The pitching machine spit out a streaking fastball. She swung hard and sent it sailing into the backdrop—
Home Run
.

"Oh, Janie, you sure know how to get a guy excited."

She laughed and tossed the bat to him.

Austin couldn't be outdone by a girl. He waited for the pitch, swung hard, and missed.

Jane nearly fell over laughing. "What's the matter? Can't handle a bat when you're excited?" Her eyes sparkled.

"Woman, you are asking for trouble."

"Oh, I found trouble the moment I met you."

"That's true. Are you flirting with me?"

She winced. "If you have to ask, I must not be doing it right."

He put his hand on the small of her back, guiding her to the pitching cage. "Let's see what kind of an arm you've got."

A mysterious smile twisted her lips, and as soon as she picked up the ball and got into her stance, Austin knew he was in trouble. She sent a fastball toward the middle of the strike zone and, at the last second, it curved down and away, just catching the corner.
Strike one
.

"I remember you." A touch of awe colored his voice. "You're the girl who struck out half the guys' baseball team in practice last spring."

"Yes." Jane blushed. "You were one of those guys, weren't you?"

"Yes I was."

His embarrassment disappeared. Admiration for her athletic skill made him proud to be with her. Natalie had never respected sports. She'd always thought he was just playing games. Janie understood why he played because she did too. He smiled and watched her throw strike after strike. Even in those heels, her form looked flawless, her motion pure poetry.

"You're the star pitcher, and I'm the star quarterback." He wanted to drop to his knees and worship her amazing stance as she rocked back, preparing to throw another strike. "Hell, we're perfect for each other."

Just a bit outside.

Jane blinked and looked at him, her eyes wide.

"What more could a guy ask for?"

"How about a little humility?"

"Nah." He shrugged. "Humility is overrated. When you're good, you're good."

Gorgeous green eyes blinked at him over the top of her glasses.