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Austin rolled his eyes, sighing until his lips found hers again, his tongue tasting her, moving in her mouth until ripples of pleasure sizzled along her spine.
“You can’t distract me,” she murmured. “That was a good try though.” She pulled away and licked her lips.
He snorted and tilted his head, sighing as his hand gripped the doorknob behind him. “I don’t know what to do about this job, Case.”
She wrapped her arms around his body, resting her cheek against his chest. The scent of the yellow rose on his jacket mixed with the sandalwood clinging to his skin. The smell intoxicated her senses as his heartbeat pounded in her ear.
“Well, you have to take it.”
He shook his head and pulled away. “How can you say that? You know what that means for us, right?” His eyes searched hers.
“It means you move home. I get it. Chicago was always temporary.” She smiled and reached for him, tugging his hands back around her waist. “I guess I just hoped that when you left, you’d pack me into your suitcase on the flight back.” She squeezed his upper arms and smiled. “I’m pretty small. I could fit!”
His lips flattened into a thin line. “You’d really move here?”
“Well, yeah... I mean, I kind of love you and stuff.” She pushed her face back into his chest as warmth flushed her cheeks.
Wait, maybe you don’t want me here?
His arms tightened around her body as his lips pressed to her neck, sending a parade of tingles to march along her skin.
“Beyond any doubt, Casey McDaniels... I love you too.” He cupped her chin and tilted her head upward to meet his gaze. “And that’s exactly why you can’t move here with me.”
Her heart skipped a beat, confusion infusing with the sweet words his lips just delivered to her soul.
I don’t understand.
“I, umm... so, you’re saying...”
Footsteps sounded in the hallway outside, and Lauren’s face appeared through the half-closed door.
“Oh! Sorry, I came for Band-Aids.” A curl broke free from her elegant bun and hung in her face. She blew at it out of the corner of her mouth. “Ah, perfect,” she added, snagging the white box from the still open drawer. “You guys okay?”
“Women’s shoes are terrible.” Austin pointed toward Casey’s feet.
“Tell me about it.” She lifted her right foot and showed off the smudged streak of dried blood on her big toe. “Pain is beauty and beauty is pain... or something like that.”
Casey nodded and swallowed the heartbreak settling in her soul.
He doesn’t want me here.
“Come on. They’re getting ready to serve dinner! We need the head table filled.” Lauren grabbed Casey at the elbow, tugging her to follow.
Turning to lock eyes with Austin, Casey frowned as his gaze held firm to the floor as he shuffled behind them.
––––––––
Frank Sinatra’s boomingvoice sailed through the speakers as the dying sun dipped lower over the ocean behind Templeton Manor. Delicate white twinkle lights illuminated the dance floor as Mavis and Josh waltzed their way through their first dance as husband and wife.
From the head table, Casey eyed Mavis, swaying with perfection in her skintight lace dress as Josh dipped her body low on the dance floor. Each step demonstrated the truth of Austin’s admission to junior high ballroom dance lessons for the twins.
“A perfect ten,” Casey muttered as Austin dropped back in his seat beside her, two fresh rum and cokes in his hands.
“Hmm?”
“A perfect ten,” she repeated, pointing to the new Dr. and Mrs. Templeton as the guests clapped at their performance.
Austin smirked. “I told you, Mrs. Pennington taught us well.” He pushed one of the drinks in her direction.
