Tell Me You Want Me (6 page)

"And when you're bad...." His gaze swept her body. "You're even better."

He took the ball from her hand and tossed it aside, sliding his hands into her hair as he pulled her close and kissed her. She resisted just a little bit, as a few people glanced in their direction, but still, her body melted into his.

Why couldn't he stop kissing this girl? He knew he should. People started to stare, but he couldn't get enough. Her warm lips lingered on his mouth as if they belonged there, and her soft body fit like it was made for him.

When someone yelled, "Get some, Austin," he pulled back and growled.
If I find out who did that....
He looked at Jane and winced. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not." She smiled at him and stroked his right arm, keeping him close to her. "Show me what you've got, quarterback."

"Oh Janie."
Football. She means football, idiot.
"I'll show you anything you want."

"I want to see how good you really are." She smiled at him, and Austin caught a hint of mischief in her eyes.

Damn it, this is torture!
"You
are
talking about football, right?" He usually did the teasing, but he enjoyed being on the receiving end for a change.

"For now."

They stopped in front of the football cages. That sneaky little devil knew exactly what she was doing, even if he didn't. "As you wish."

He picked up a football and slammed it between his hands, reveling in his element. His first throw was short, quick and dead-on accurate. Twelve yards. First Down.

"Not bad," Jane said.

"Just wait till I get warmed up." The next pass had more power behind it. Fourteen yards. A crowd gathered to watch him.

"You have an audience."

Mostly female, he noticed, but that didn't matter. He just wanted Janie to watch. "I'm used to it."

Each pass got longer and stronger. Twenty-one, twenty-seven, thirty-two yards. He launched a rocket into the center of his target. Fifty-two yard touchdown pass! The crowd cheered.

"You
are
good." She smiled and watched as his friends and fans congratulated him. They loved their quarterback for good reason.

"Thank you, Janie. That means a lot to me." She was proud of him. Proud of him! That felt better than all the praise heaped on him by people he barely knew. Maybe he
was
good enough.

He shook a few hands and accepted some pats on the back, then shooed the crowd away and reached for her. "Come here and let me show you how it's done."

He pulled her into his arms and turned her back against him, so he could show her how to hold the ball. Guiding her arm, he whispered instructions in her ear, pressing his lips closer than he needed to.

She followed his orders and threw for fifteen yards on her first try.

"Great job." He swatted her behind and braced himself for a reprimand.

"You're a great teacher." She smiled and kissed him.

"You're a natural." He couldn't believe he'd gotten away with that ass slap.

"When you're good, you're good."

He laughed. "This is a new experience for me."

"What's that?"

"I've never dated an athlete before. I've only gone out with girls who throw like girls."

Jane smiled and threw a short fast pass directly to the center of the target. "You mean cheerleaders aren't real athletes?"

"Not the ones I go out with. They're more like... entertainment."

She winced.

"Bad choice of words, I know."

"Yeah, but at least you're honest."

"That's true." He put his hands on her hips and showed her how to put more torque into her throw. "I don't lie and I don't cheat." His body matched her motion, his groin rubbing against her ass.
Damn, that felt nice.
"I always break up with a girl before I go out with someone else."

"Oh that's comforting." She rolled her eyes and picked up another football. "So you've never been with two girls at once?"

"Well, there was this one time—" He shut his mouth so fast he nearly bit his tongue off. "Shit. Did I say that out loud?"

Jane turned and looked at him over the top of her glasses, and laughed. "Honest to a fault."

"My only fault." For some reason, talking to her came a little too easily. He knew she meant to give him an intimidating stare, but it was damn sexy too.

"Don't expect me to tell you what mine are."

"I can't find any, and believe me...." He offered his most wicked grin. "...I've looked close."

When she turned and reprimanded him again with her eyes, his arms tightened around her waist and he drew her in close. "The only problem I have with you is that you get all stiff when I kiss you in public." His lips touched hers, and her body went rigid just as he knew it would. He would have to fix that.

He pulled back and ran his hands up and down her back, trying to ease her tension. "Relax," he whispered.

Her lips parted but she didn't say anything. He took that as an invitation and kissed her again, still stroking her back. Her body went limp and he pulled her closer.

"That's my Janie," he whispered against her lips. He looked into those soft green eyes, but as he moved to kiss her again, something made him pause. "What is it?"

"Hmm?" She wouldn't look at him.

"You want to say something."

She bit her lower lip. "Um...."

"Talk to me. Don't be afraid."

Her body got tense again, and when she finally spoke, he barely heard her voice. "Let's go someplace more private."

He nodded. "Okay." He knew what that meant when other girls said it, but Janie was mystifying.

"I don't like having an audience."

He smiled and gave her one more hot kiss—just for the hell of it—and then they left.

***

Talk to me,
he said
. Don't be afraid,
he said
.

But Jane was afraid. Afraid of what might happen if she admitted to him, or even to herself, what she wanted. She wanted him—all of him—but would never have him. Not really. So she would take what she could get. Even without knowing exactly what would happen, she wanted to take the chance.

They drove to a quiet park near the campus, with no other cars and only a few people—couples making out in the dark. Austin turned off the engine and looked at her, his eyes glittering in the dark. The silence raised goose bumps on her skin, and she stiffened in her seat, twirling her hair around her fingers.

Now you have to sleep with him.
Her heart pounded out Sara's prediction.
Have to? No. Want to? Big possibility.

She looked around, trying to figure out if his Jeep had enough room to have sex in, but with his long arms and long legs, it looked pretty much impossible.

"You're so cute when you're nervous." He leaned close, touching her rigid arm.

"So are you."
Oh good one, idiot.

He laughed. "Mmm... a smart ass. I like that in a girl."

His smile was just short of heaven, but his blue eyes promised all sorts of sin. What had she gotten herself into?

She shoved the door open and jumped out of that suffocating Jeep. "Let's go for a walk."

A cool breeze blew through her hair, and she took a deep breath. The moon rose over the horizon, casting a silver shimmer on their perfect night. She couldn't think of a thing to worry about.

What about tomorrow
, an annoying voice whispered in her head.
Tomorrow doesn't matter. Enjoy now
.

Austin offered his hand and she took it, following him down a rocky path by the river. She walked beside him, leaning against his arm when the path got narrow. She wobbled a bit and he caught her.

"Stupid heels."

"Come here." He found a big rock and sat down with her between his legs, her back leaning against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Comfy?"

"Yup." He buried his nose in her hair and breathed deep.

She felt him relax. She couldn't remember him ever being so quiet, but she didn't worry.
Wait... is he humming? Could Austin Sinclair be content? Is such a thing even possible?

"Why do you hate your name?"

Austin stiffened. So much for being content. Maybe she should've started with a less probing question.

"It's my father's name." The night breeze carried his tense words away, and she leaned close to listen.

"Oh." That couldn't be good.

"My father is... not a nice guy."

No, not good at all. "I understand."

"He cheated on my mother. I don't know how many times. He finally left her for a pretty face half my mother's age." His voice got louder and picked up strength. "Cheated on
her
too. I think he's on wife number four now."

"I see." He'd told her much more than she'd bargained for, but if he wanted to talk, she would listen.

"I know you're thinking that I'm just like him." He let out a sigh. "I guess I am."

His admission surprised her, and she couldn't believe he kept talking.

"But I won't ever make the mistake of committing to one woman. I couldn't live with myself if I broke her heart... if someone got hurt." He said the words with conviction and a hint of something. Grief, perhaps?

Should she point out the obvious? "And yet you're known as the campus heartbreaker."

He chuckled. "How's that for irony? I never make promises I can't keep. I won't fall in love, and no one gets hurt."

He won't fall in love. That's exactly what Sara had said. How did she know him so well? "Love doesn't have to hurt."

His eyes questioned her.

"Love can heal."

"Ha." He snorted.

"Look at my family. My mother is a super-religious, overprotective, uptight control freak. She's afraid I'm going to meet a guy and not finish college like she did, so she doesn't approve of anything I do, and she's constantly judging me."

"You're telling me that doesn't hurt?"

"It hurts a lot. But instead of trying to protect me from the 'sinful world,' my dad sent me out into it. My mom wanted me to stay home and study all the time—and I mean
all the time
—but my dad got me involved in sports. He taught me to play baseball, took me to games, and even let me have a sip of his beer."

"Way to go, Dad."

"My mother did not approve. It was a constant battle between them."

"So your parents hated each other."

She shook her head. "Not at all. They loved each other like crazy."

Austin frowned. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know." Jane had to think about that. "It just worked out for them because they were right for each other."

He laughed. "That only happens in the movies."

"They balanced each other. She worried about everything, and he worried about nothing. She felt guilty all the time, while he laughed and enjoyed life. They were good for each other."

Silence descended, and she jumped when Austin finally spoke. "You're talking about the past. Something bad must've happened to them."

Her voice caught in her throat. "My dad was killed in a car accident two years ago." Tears suddenly flowed down her cheeks.

"Oh, Janie, I'm so sorry." He gently rocked her.

"After he died, my mom thought she was being punished for all the fun she had with him, so I told her something he once said to me."

"What's that? Love is all you need?" He sneered.

She ignored that. "He said falling in love with her was the best thing that ever happened to him, and he wished she believed that too."

"Did she?"

"Yes, but it was too late." She scowled and plucked the grass beside her, yanking it from its roots and tossing it aside. "She's still judgmental and overprotective."

"And that's why I don't believe it. If love healed her, then why does she still hurt you?"

Jane bit her lip, pitying the girl who ever fell in love with Austin. That would hurt more than anything. Another tear escaped her eyes.

He brushed her cheek with his thumb and whispered softly, "Hey, why are you crying on our first date? I haven't even looked at another girl."

That earned a little smile from Jane. "It hurts to know you think love is so worthless. Don't you ever get lonely?"

Pain and loss flickered in his eyes, but he glanced away. When he looked back at her, his usual naughty grin had reappeared. "There are plenty of cheerleaders around to keep me company."

"I don't believe that."

"Not enough cheerleaders? Maybe I'll start dating the women's soccer team."

Jane punched his arm and he laughed. "I can change your mind."

"Think so, huh?"

"I'll prove to you love doesn't have to hurt."

"Good luck with that."

"You don't think I can?"

"No one can." But even as he spoke, he pulled her closer. "I decided a long time ago that love is not an option."

She sighed. "I guess I should be careful what kind of questions I ask you. I forgot how honest you are."

That comforted her somewhat. Sara had said a lot of bad things about Austin, but she'd never once said he lied.

"Don't ask questions you don't want answered." His voice warned her, but his eyes played.

But he was hiding something else... something he didn't want her to see.

"Maybe we should keep walking." She stood up and wobbled, nearly tumbling down the riverbank.

Austin grabbed her arms and held her steady. "Are you sure you can handle this trail in those shoes?"

"I can take them off."

"Or I can carry you."

She squealed as he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. "Austin, put me down!" She laughed and pummeled his back with her fists.

"Nope." He spanked her wiggling ass. "Hold still, will ya?"

Jane slapped his butt, giggling when he flinched.

"Woman, you are in trouble now."

She pushed up on his shoulders, but the shift of her weight made him stumble and fall forward into the grass. Austin tried to catch himself, but he fell, still holding her tight.

She grunted when he landed on top of her. "Ow."

"Are you okay?" He raised himself up on his hands, looking down at her.