get to bed. I can let myself out when I’m finished.”
“Not at all. Make yourself at home. I always have such a hard time winding down after an event. I’ll get it for you.”
“If it’s no trouble.”
“None.”
In no time, tea and a plate of double chocolate chip cookies were set in front of Austin. He bit into the moist center of gooey chocolate as Hailey walked into the room dressed in vivid pink pajama pants covered in maniacally grinning bunnies. Her ponytail bobbed with each step.
Austin glanced at her small perky breasts accentuated in her white, spaghetti strapped top while she yawned and stretched. “Hey, guys. Did you have fun?”
Flitters of desire sparked to life as he met her friendly honey brown eyes. He stared down at the table as guilt drowned any remaining embers. She was a college kid, for Christ’s sake.
“If you consider almost getting trampled to death and spending the night listening to actors and actresses talk about their craft fun, then yes, I think we both had the best time of our lives. Not to mention the hour-long ride through traffic.” Sarah grinned at Austin, then Hailey.
“Well, I can’t wait to hear all about it, especially the trampled part, unless you spoke to any really hot actors. I’ll want to hear about that first.” Hailey took a glass from the cupboard, filled it with water. “Pretty flowers. Please tell me they’re from a Hollywood hunk and he’ll be picking you up for dinner tomorrow night.”
Sarah frowned. “I thought they were from you and Kylee.”
Hailey sat down at the table. “Nope.”
“Well, then, I don’t know.”
“I didn’t even know blue roses existed—and look how they match your eyes. That’s pretty cool.”
Sarah’s frown deepened. “Yes, I guess they do, but where did they come from?”
“Maybe you have a secret admirer.” Hailey winked. “You did look hot tonight.”
Austin took a sip of the wretched tea, tried not to squirm. Headlights hit the window and he got to his feet, relieved. “I think that’s Ethan. I’ll go check.”
“Ethan?” Sarah stood, following him to the front door. “Austin, why is Ethan here?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s him; let me go check. Stay inside.” Like a rat abandoning a sinking ship, he sent her a sheepish smile before he closed the door.
Puzzled and slightly miffed, Sarah went back to the kitchen.
“Sarah, why are Ethan and Austin here? I haven’t seen Ethan around here in days, which is really weird, now that I think of it.”
“He’s been busy,” Sarah said quickly as she walked over to the vase. The pleasure of receiving flowers dimmed, leaving her uneasy. Who had they come from? She turned again, staring at Austin’s mug all but untouched and the empty plate of cookies, realizing she’d been had.
Ethan and Austin walked in and their conversation stopped.
Ethan zeroed in on the roses before he met her gaze.
Trickles of unease tensed her stomach as she watched the hard light come into his eyes. “What’s going on?”
“Have a seat and I’ll tell you.”
The cool slap of his voice raised her hackles. “Can I get anyone anything first? Austin, can I freshen your tea? I know how much you enjoy a good cup.”
Austin winced. “Sorry, Sarah. I wanted Ethan here before we started.”
“Just sit down, Sarah, so we can get this over with,” Ethan snapped.
Hailey’s eyes popped wide and slid toward Austin’s.
“Don’t you talk to me like that. This is my house.” She yanked a chair back, sat down.
“Um, I’m going to bed, or maybe I should just go home. Would you mind walking me, Austin?”
Sarah pinched the bridge of her nose, blew out a breath. “Please don’t, Hailey. It’s well past midnight. I’d feel better if you stayed.”
“Okay, then. Good night.” She gave Sarah’s hand a squeeze before she left.
Austin’s phone rang. He pulled the cell from his pocket, looked at the readout. “I need to take this. It’s Michaels.” He left
“Not at all. Make yourself at home. I always have such a hard time winding down after an event. I’ll get it for you.”
“If it’s no trouble.”
“None.”
In no time, tea and a plate of double chocolate chip cookies were set in front of Austin. He bit into the moist center of gooey chocolate as Hailey walked into the room dressed in vivid pink pajama pants covered in maniacally grinning bunnies. Her ponytail bobbed with each step.
Austin glanced at her small perky breasts accentuated in her white, spaghetti strapped top while she yawned and stretched. “Hey, guys. Did you have fun?”
Flitters of desire sparked to life as he met her friendly honey brown eyes. He stared down at the table as guilt drowned any remaining embers. She was a college kid, for Christ’s sake.
“If you consider almost getting trampled to death and spending the night listening to actors and actresses talk about their craft fun, then yes, I think we both had the best time of our lives. Not to mention the hour-long ride through traffic.” Sarah grinned at Austin, then Hailey.
“Well, I can’t wait to hear all about it, especially the trampled part, unless you spoke to any really hot actors. I’ll want to hear about that first.” Hailey took a glass from the cupboard, filled it with water. “Pretty flowers. Please tell me they’re from a Hollywood hunk and he’ll be picking you up for dinner tomorrow night.”
Sarah frowned. “I thought they were from you and Kylee.”
Hailey sat down at the table. “Nope.”
“Well, then, I don’t know.”
“I didn’t even know blue roses existed—and look how they match your eyes. That’s pretty cool.”
Sarah’s frown deepened. “Yes, I guess they do, but where did they come from?”
“Maybe you have a secret admirer.” Hailey winked. “You did look hot tonight.”
Austin took a sip of the wretched tea, tried not to squirm. Headlights hit the window and he got to his feet, relieved. “I think that’s Ethan. I’ll go check.”
“Ethan?” Sarah stood, following him to the front door. “Austin, why is Ethan here?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s him; let me go check. Stay inside.” Like a rat abandoning a sinking ship, he sent her a sheepish smile before he closed the door.
Puzzled and slightly miffed, Sarah went back to the kitchen.
“Sarah, why are Ethan and Austin here? I haven’t seen Ethan around here in days, which is really weird, now that I think of it.”
“He’s been busy,” Sarah said quickly as she walked over to the vase. The pleasure of receiving flowers dimmed, leaving her uneasy. Who had they come from? She turned again, staring at Austin’s mug all but untouched and the empty plate of cookies, realizing she’d been had.
Ethan and Austin walked in and their conversation stopped.
Ethan zeroed in on the roses before he met her gaze.
Trickles of unease tensed her stomach as she watched the hard light come into his eyes. “What’s going on?”
“Have a seat and I’ll tell you.”
The cool slap of his voice raised her hackles. “Can I get anyone anything first? Austin, can I freshen your tea? I know how much you enjoy a good cup.”
Austin winced. “Sorry, Sarah. I wanted Ethan here before we started.”
“Just sit down, Sarah, so we can get this over with,” Ethan snapped.
Hailey’s eyes popped wide and slid toward Austin’s.
“Don’t you talk to me like that. This is my house.” She yanked a chair back, sat down.
“Um, I’m going to bed, or maybe I should just go home. Would you mind walking me, Austin?”
Sarah pinched the bridge of her nose, blew out a breath. “Please don’t, Hailey. It’s well past midnight. I’d feel better if you stayed.”
“Okay, then. Good night.” She gave Sarah’s hand a squeeze before she left.
Austin’s phone rang. He pulled the cell from his pocket, looked at the readout. “I need to take this. It’s Michaels.” He left
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