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He pulled away and shook his head. “No.”
A sigh burst from her lips, sailing into the air between them. “Then why—”
His mouth covered hers. The dry bite of Merlot swirled along her tongue as he moved against her, nipping at her bottom lip. His hands squeezed her waist, digging into the fabric of her dress.
She gulped for air, lifting her face to the night sky, his breathing heavy on her neck.
“I don’t understand,” she gasped. “Is that it? That’s why you’re acting so weird?”
He pressed another kiss to her neck before pulling away, sinking back to the brick patio floor.
“You’re scaring me, Austin.” Sweat coated her body, the chills of desire battling with the still warm temperature of the summer night. She groaned and tipped his chin upward until their eyes locked.
He froze, his stare penetrating her soul.
That’s not it.
“Casey, I was offered a new job today.” He gulped, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down.
“Okay...”
Spit it out!
“Boyd and Bernstein... they asked me to join them as their partner.”
A smile grew along her lips, her heart returning to a steady rhythm as a bubble of laughter released from her belly.
“Fuck! Austin, that’s incredible!” She sank to the floor beside him, pushing her chair away as the metal raked across the brick and toppled over.
He fell backward under her weight, the first true smile breaking free on his lips since the steamy shower they shared that morning.
She kissed him and straddled his body on the patio floor. “I’m so happy for you, Austin!” she whispered, gliding her hands over his cheeks. “Congratulations, California boy—”
He inhaled, the smile disappearing from his lips as his eyes found hers. He stared, searching her heart until Lauren’s voice crashed into her mind.Once he’s made partner, he’ll move home to California.
The breath left her, escaping her lungs as she sank backward. Her ears rang, disrupting the symphony of crickets, each rub of their little legs falling short as the blood raged through her body, coursing through her system until the adrenaline of the moment subsided. A cold sweat broke out across her forehead.
“The job’s here, isn’t it?”
He tucked an escaped curl behind her ear as his head tipped forward, pressing his forehead against hers. “It’s here,” he whispered.
Casey swallowed, understanding gripping her heart and squeezing her soul. Her lungs deflated, all air escaping her body as the weight of his words rocked the only thing in her life worth smiling for.
I can’t ruin this for you.
Clearing her throat, Casey summoned the sole ounce of courage in her body. And with a forced smile, she opened her mouth. “Then here, you’ll stay,” she whispered and pressed a kiss to his lips.
After all, when you love someone, their success is your happiness too.
