“So what’s going on with you, Mom? Anything new and exciting?”
“Hmm…not really. Work is always busy. We got a new computer system and everyone tells me it’s supposed to make our lives easier, but it confuses the heck out of me.”
“Technology isn’t my strong suit either so I completely feel your pain.” He smiled at her. “What about in your free time? What have you been up to?”
“Well…I joined a book club about a year ago. We only meet once a month, but I love it. Reading has always been a favorite of mine, and I’ve found some great new authors through the group.”
Austin immediately thought of Mia.
“What kind of books does your group read?”
“Oh, a bunch of different genres, but we’re a little partial lately to mysteries. Right now we’re reading a Mia Kingsley novel, Fall From Grace. It’s the second book in her series, and I have a feeling we’re going to keep going with it. The last book isn’t going to be out until next year, so…”
He was pretty sure his eyes had gone wide and his jaw was hanging slightly open. Clearing his throat, he asked, “Uh…how many books are in the series?”
“There are going to be five and the first book is being made into a movie!” she said with wonder. “I know you’re not much for reading for pleasure, but you really should check these books out. They’re so gripping that I can’t put them down!” Grace shook her head. “Hopefully the movie will be as good as the book, but sadly, they rarely are.”
Mia was famous?
“I wonder what it’s like to be so creative,” she went on, oblivious to her son’s confusion. “I’d love to know what her process is like and where she gets her inspiration from. A group of us went to a book signing a few months back for a local author and he told us how there was always a story going in his mind and how his characters would talk to him day and night. Could you imagine? I don’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse!”
“Voices in your head? Probably a curse.”
“Oh, stop. Don’t be so negative. I think it’s fascinating.” She looked like she was about to say more but something caught her attention. Austin followed her line of vision and saw an older man walk in. Well, older than Austin but probably closer to his mother’s age and suddenly he felt a little awkward.
“Mom? You okay?”
“What?” she said a little breathlessly. “I’m fine. Fine. Sorry. I got distracted for a moment. What were we saying?”
He looked over his shoulder again. “Do you know that guy?”
She shook her head and took a long sip of her water without making eye contact with him, and all Austin could think was how it was very possible that his mother was dating and inwardly shuddered. There was no way he wanted to even think about it, but the way she kept stealing glances at the guy made it seem like a very real possibility.
“Mom?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
She looked a little flushed, and he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do.
“I’m fine,” she said after a moment. “I don’t know him. He just looked familiar, that’s all. No big deal.” Then she smiled brightly at him. “So what were we talking about?”
“Um…”
“Oh! Mia Kingsley’s books. I’m telling you, Austin, you really should read them.”
An idea came to mind. “Do you happen to have one at home I could check out?”
It didn’t seem possible for her smile to get any bigger and yet it did. “I do! The first one and you are going to get hooked. It’s so good.”
All he could do was nod.
It seemed like his night wasn’t the least bit disappointing after all.
4
“You’ll never get away with this, Austin,” Melanie whispered. “I won’t give in to blackmail. I’ll see you in hell first.”
His grin was as devious as it was sexy as he advanced on her. “The only place you’re going to be seeing me is your bed.”
Before she could stop him or even utter a coherent word, his lips claimed hers. In her mind, she knew it was wrong—knew she should stop him, but she couldn’t. His large, work-roughened hands were everywhere and they felt so good. It had been a long time since a man touched her like this and she swore she wouldn’t react.
The moan of pure pleasure was out before she could stop it and she mentally cursed herself.
And Austin.
Wasn’t it just yesterday when she stood talking with half of the homeowners’ association and listened to how most of them wanted to kill him for the hell he’d put them through? So why was she letting him touch her and kiss her like he owned her?
Austin broke the kiss and stared down at her with the bluest eyes she’d ever seen and for a moment, she thought she saw something good there—something redemptive. It was gone in an instant and his sardonic smirk was back.
“Just like I thought,” he said, his voice as rough as gravel. “You’re just like the rest of them.”
“The…the rest of them?”
He nodded. “Yeah. This little slice of suburbia has been mighty satisfying. But you, Melanie, are the most decadent of desserts. I’ve been hungering for you for months and I’m finally going to have you.”
She shook her head, but he was kissing her again and all of her good intentions and resolve vanished. He was a skilled craftsman and right now he was using his skills in another way. Even though she knew she was going to regret it, she didn’t have the will to stop.
Stretching, Mia glanced down at the screen and frowned. This story was flowing like wild—along with her new edits—and yet her work on Twisted Deception was still at a standstill. Something had to give—soon. She had a call scheduled with her editor tomorrow and she was expecting an update. As of right now, Mia had no idea what to tell her and because Austin had been true to his word for the last few days, she didn’t have any excuse.
That’s when she realized she hadn’t heard a single power tool all day.
Leaning back in her seat, she had a clear view of his house and wondered if he was truly being considerate or if something was wrong.
“None of my business,” she murmured, closing out of the document and pulling up Twisted Deception. For thirty minutes, she read over her own words, waiting for inspiration to strike, but it didn’t happen. Growling with frustration, she pushed away from her desk and stomped to the kitchen to get something to drink. When she turned back toward her desk, she spotted Austin out on his deck.
Shirtless.
Oh my…
But he wasn’t working, she noted. He was sitting and looking at something. Maybe she was just desperate for a distraction, but she was curious about what he was looking at and carefully made her way over to the window—but just out of the line of vision, in case Austin looked up and saw her.
“No need for him to know I’m acting like a weird stalker,” she murmured. Tilting her head, she tried to see what he had in his hands and all she could tell was that it was a book. “He said he didn’t read.” With a snort of disgust, she squinted to try to see the title. With a muttered curse because she couldn’t see it clearly, Mia went in search of the binoculars she knew were around here somewhere, even though they were intended for dolphin watching and not people stalking.