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ROSI
My eyes stretched wideas I took in Austin’s beautiful face in detail, down to the blond stubble splattering his cheeks. The scent of earth grounded me as his soft gray eyes wrinkled in concern.
I was about to snatch my hand back when he covered it with his own, steadying me even as the sturdy thump of my own pulse eclipsed all other sound. His lips moved. He must’ve been speaking.
Another arm brushed my right side, and I turned to find a face I also recognized from the news vids. Up close, Owner and CEO of all the Fantasy Resorts, Nicole Bennet, was just as beautiful and powerful as she looked in the media in an Insta-fit suit of pseudo carbon fiber. For today she had altered the ensemble to dark-blue pants with matching blazer and a flowing silk looking tie. Clothing that could change color, fit, and shape like that cost enough to feed a family for half a year.
My head cleared as the same commanding voice I heard earlier came into focus. I wasn’t surprised it belonged to Nicole.
“…warm welcome to our contest winner, Ms. Rosalind Sanchez. I’m sure you have many questions, but we don’t want to overwhelm our guest. So we’ll take three.”
Three questions? For me?I never agreed to this.
As if sensing my distress, Austin’s hand gave a reassuring squeeze. God, it was huge, completely dwarfing mine. I wondered if there were other parts of him just as big…
Oh my Lord, I must’ve been panicking worse than I thought.
Nicole pointed to somewhere in the masses as a hovercam slid close, angling its lens down toward where Austin and I connected.
“Rosalind, what’s it like to win the vacation of your dreams?” a woman’s velvety voice asked.
My throat felt like the Sahara climbed in my mouth. I licked my lips, trying to form words. “It—it—it’s great.” Oh, Lord, I sounded like an incompetent idiot. Great?
“What are you looking forward to most?” a man asked as I considered the plethora of adjectives I could have conjured instead.
“Forward to?” I repeated, blinded momentarily by a flash of light.
Austin squeezed my hand again.
“Austin,” I said out loud, glancing at him. Then I stopped, mouth hanging open with the realization I’d just insinuated that I was most looking forward to him specifically. Not his expedition.
His cheeks darkened slightly as he grinned out at the audience, pointedly not making eye contact with me. “Who can blame her?” he asked, and a resounding bout of laughter echoed off the icy walls.
Fuckity fuck fuck fuck. “No I—”
“One more,” Nicole said, indicating somewhere in the midst of the crowd.
“Rumor is you’re working on your…doctorate?” The man hesitated as though he might have gotten the information wrong. I nodded as my stomach curdled. “In anthropology at USC. Think you might make any interesting discoveries while you’re here?”
Forcing down the dry bulge in my throat, I prepared to launch into my field of interest and mention the classes and museum I was so intrigued by, thinking that might redeem me to some extent.
A woman spoke first. “Let us know if you discover whether Austin wears boxers or tighty-whities.”
The crowd erupted into hysterics once again, and my mouth snapped shut. The embarrassment was all encompassing as Austin patted my hand before letting go. I desired to melt into the ground and let the ice swallow me whole but found myself trapped on a stage, stupefied face likely broadcast on holos worldwide. I’d be famous for being the inarticulate, sex-crazed imbecile who embarrassed Austin Cooper. Yay me.
“I’m sure Ms. Sanchez is tired from her trip. Let’s all give her some space to enjoy herself, shall we?” Nicole clapped and, in what felt like a single blink, the crowd dispersed.
The smile melted off her face as she turned toward me, sizing me up.
I cleared my throat. “Sorry, I would have prepared but I had no idea—”
Nicole waved her hand, cutting me off. “That was perfect. Now every young woman watching will imagine herself here instead, fantasizing about how she could impress Austin better.”
I could find literally no good response to that.
“I hope you enjoy your stay, Ms. Sanchez. Let us know if there’s anything you need.” Nicole nodded and walked away, her heels clicking against the clear floor.
