I pushed him away. 'I'm not that easy.'
He puled me closer and kissed me softer. 'You could be.
I know you could be.'
'Austin…' His name eased out of me on a sigh. 'This isn't a good idea. Can't we just be friends?'
'What? Are you shitting me?' His hands gripped my waist,
but he wasn't pressing me against the wal anymore.
I sagged against him, my head in the place it fit just right on
his chest. 'No. I'm not.'
His grip tightened on me, then released. I mourned the loss
of his body when he stepped away from me, even though I
knew it was for the best. Fucking like tigers had its place,
no doubt, but I didn't think I could keep surviving the
scars.
Austin smoothed my hair off my forehead and hovered his
mouth over mine without kissing me. 'Fine.'
'Yes?' I refused to let myself feel miffed. It was what I
wanted, after al. To stop the constant game of catch and
release we'd begun so many years ago.
'If that's what you want. If it's al you want.'
I stepped out of his embrace. 'I think it's better for both of
us, Austin. If we…you know. Move on.'
us, Austin. If we…you know. Move on.'
'If that it's what you want,' he repeated. 'I'l do whatever it takes.'
I blinked slowly. 'What's that supposed to mean?'
He shrugged and looked around at the night before
looking back at me. 'It means I'l do whatever it takes.
Whatever you need. What you want. I'm your guy.'
'Austin,' I said warningly, but he held up a hand.
'It's stupid not to have you in my life, Paige. We've known
each other too long and too wel to just throw that al
away. I told you that when you left me.'
'That was a long time ago.'
'It hasn't changed.' He shook his head and shot me a
smile. 'So. Friends? Fine.'
'Whatever it takes?' I said warily. 'Uh-huh.'
He leaned to kiss me again, and this time I let him. He hit
my cheek with his lips, his kiss chaste and demure. He
didn't even grab my ass.
didn't even grab my ass.
'I'm going home,' I said.
'I'l walk you.'
I pointed down the block. 'You don't have to. I can see
the door to my building from here.'
'I'l walk with you anyway.'
He did. We didn't speak. He didn't try to kiss me again, or
come upstairs. He didn't shake my hand, either.
'I'l cal you,' Austin said, and I had no doubt he would.
Chapter 28
Not everything is meant to last forever, no matter how
