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He walked farther in. “You’re still livid with her.”
“Can you blame me?” I said a little too loudly. I turned toward him, so fast that my hair whipped against my face. After pulling a few strands of hair from my lips, I said, “I don’t think I could ever forgive her, but boy, am I glad”—I released a heavy sigh of relief—“that Alec will never forgive her.”
“That’s kinda harsh, isn’t it?”
I leaned against his white marble sink, resting my hands on the edge, my eyes meeting his through the mirror. “It’s not harsh if you’re his sister, who cares for his utmost well-being.” I paused, thinking to the drunken tirade when Justin had brought him home. “He was so in love with her …” My voice trailed off. “Part of me believed he’d take her back.”
I couldn’t even think of that kind of betrayal, but I understood how love could make you do unimaginable things.
Austin frowned. “I don’t think Brandy would have done that to him—gotten back with him. I think she was confused, and who the hell knows? Maybe she was stupid over James. I mean, I know how he is. I know the type of guy he is, how he views women, and … he can charm the pants off of anyone.” He flinched.
I hung the towel on the rack and moved past him to exit the bathroom. He followed me out the door.
“How does he view women?”
“He’s not the settling-down type, which makes me hate him a lot more than I dislike my sister.”
I moved to the couch, where my sleeping bag of a coat was. One thing I needed was out of this place. This was way too much drama for one day, and I’d had more than enough drama lately to cover me for years.
“Hey, where are you going?” Austin asked, sounding disappointed.
Well, I was disappointed too. And tired. And besides that, I was feeling way too many emotions all at once, hot with anger from seeing Brandy and also hot from the proximity of Austin …
“Home,” I said, slipping the jacket on.
“No, you’re not. I ordered food.” A small, charming smile surfaced on his face.
I sighed. I’d like to stay and have dinner, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t keep doing this to myself or to him. Whatever was happening between us—or not happening because I wouldn’t allow it—had to stop now.
My voice was quiet. “I don’t want your sister to get the wrong idea about what’s going on here.”
“And what is exactly going on here, Sydney?” He stepped into me, his body so close to mine that it was unnerving. His nearness sent my senses spinning.
I shook my head as my gaze fell to the floor. “I don’t know. But I know what it looks like … how it seemed when I walked out of the room with a towel on my head. I don’t want it to get back to Alec.”
“I guarantee you, it won’t.” He pulled at the sleeve of my jacket. “Eat with me. You’re probably starving.”
His jaw was firm, his gaze feverishly bright, as though whatever I said mattered. It was only making my internal temperature rise even more.
My stomach grumbled, as though Austin had talked to it directly, and I cringed.Damn stupid stomach.“It’s fine. I’ll pick up food on the way home.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
I looked right at him. “Did you set things straight after I went back to the bathroom? With your sister, I mean.”
His smile fell, and he swallowed roughly. “No, but I will.”
I hugged my center, at the grumbling mess of what I would call my stomach.
“Sydney, we’re not doing anything wrong,” he said, trying to convince me. “I’m helping your agency, and you’re helping me recover. Plus …” He paused and struggled with whatever he was about to say. “Plus, I thought we were becoming …”
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.
“Friends,” he said.
A sudden sadness hit me, and I bit my cheek hard enough to taste blood. I should not be lusting over this man. I should not.
“But what’s all this other business?” I could feel my face distorting. “Like helping me train for this marathon, helping me check off things on that list?”
