"What it needs is a full-blown face-lift." She paused and eased back in
her chair.
"Maybe later we could build."
"Well, now," he drawled in a mocking tone, "that's mighty agreeable of
you."
"Knock off the sarcasm, okay?"
"How 'bout you knocking off that superior attitude?"
Cassie's mouth thinned.
"As for the deal, it's too late to back out now. So any time you're
ready to look at the land, we'll go. Meanwhile, I'll keep you posted on
what's happening."
"I'm going to fight you on this," He laughed, then stretched his legs out in front of him, looking totally in control and relaxed."
" You know,; I think you've finally grown up."
That unexpected comment caught her completely off guard.
"Don't push it." The warning was clear in her tone.
Austin held up his hand.
"I know. I know. You don't want to get personal."
"That goes without saying."
"There's something else that goes without saying. You've turned out to
be a beautiful woman."
There was a husky note in his voice that made every nerve in her body tingle.
He stared at her for a long moment, and without thinking, she stared
back.
Despite the air-conditioning being on, sweat pooled under her bra as something vital seemed to leap between them.
"Did he ever hurt you?" That husky note again.
Sudden tears burned Cassie's eyes, from anger and another emotion she
didn't want to identify.
"Lester's off-limits," she snapped.
"Okay. What about Tyler? Is he off-limits, too?"
Her heart dropped somewhere around her ankles. Watch it, Cassie. Play it
cool.
"I guess not."
"You guess not, huh?" he muttered.
"Well, that's real charitable of you."
Cassie shifted her gaze, feeling the muscles in her body grow taut.
"So tell me about him," Austin pressed.
"What do you want to know?" The stiff caution remained in her tone, but
she couldn't temper it.
"When am I going to meet him, for starters?"
"As much as you're at the house, I'm sure it'll be soon."
"Ah, so you're going to stay there?"
"For now."
"I think that's wise, considering what you've been through."
"And just how do you know what I've been through?"
"Hell, Cassie, your daddy's my best friend, and I'm family, remember?
Although he didn't tell me much, I know you had a nut case for a husband
who forced you into hiding all those years."
"I won't talk about that, Austin."
"I'm not asking you to."
Cassie remained silent, sucking her lower lip between her teeth.
Thinking she heard his sharp intake of breath, she whipped her gaze back
on him. His face told her nothing, although his next words did.
"Dammit, Cassie, you're right. We can't go on like this. Somehow we have to get over our past."
She went rigid.
"I already have."
He didn't say anything for a moment. When he did, it certainly wasn't
what she expected.
"So take your best shot."
She frowned in confusion.
"Excuse me?"
"You aren't the least bit curious about me, are you?"
Bitterness edged his words, and something else, too, perhaps a hint of
pain.
Whatever it was, it made her uncomfortable.
"Of course I'm interested," she finally said.
"Liar," he whispered.
Cassie's face flushed a deeper red, and she clenched her fingers into
fists.
"Why are you doing this?"
"What?"
"You know very well what!"
"I wish the hell I knew," His eyes were on her, generating heat.
"I know you're ... seeing some" -- Mortified at her carelessly spoken
words, Cassie stopped short of finishing her sentence and turned away.
"Does that bother you?"
That loaded question sent her into orbit.