One Summer Evening - One Summer Evening Part 35
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One Summer Evening Part 35

Cassie put her buttered biscuit back on her plate and swung around,surprised by her son's sudden exuberance. When she saw Austin threadinghis way through the tables in the restaurant toward them, the breathrushed out of her lungs. He was the last person she wanted to see thismorning, especially in light of the difficult task she had facing her.

"Can he sit with us?" Tyler asked, his face still beaming.

Oh, brother, she thought, her stomach flip-flopping, making the eggs infront of her totally unappetizing. She pushed the plate away.

"I.

imagine he'd rather eat alone," she said in quiet desperation.

"No, he wouldn't," Tyler countered with unabashed certainty.

Cassie hid her sigh as her gaze unwittingly tracked Austin, whose darkhair glistened as if he'd just gotten out of the shower. His face wascleanly shaven. He was dressed in an off-white sport shirt and a pair ofslacks that showed off the strong muscles in his legs as he moved.

He appeared so calm, so cool, so in control. It must be nice, shethought with a bitterness that shocked her. Even though theair-conditioning was blasting, she felt clammy all over, and a chokingfeeling assailed her. She didn't want to react to Austin in this way.But, dammit, his sex appeal was undeniable.

He smacked of it, the room suddenly filling with an erotic energy.

It was Saturday and, on the spur of the moment, she had decided to stopby the hotel and eat breakfast before heading out of town. She hadthought Tyler would enjoy the novelty of eating the lavish brunch, plusshe had wanted to check out the food and the service. So far, both hadbeen superb.

Austin was on target with the new chef; she would have to give him that,only not in person.

"Hiya," Tyler said, his mouth stretched into a full grin when Austinreached their table.

"Mom said you wouldn't want to sit with us, but I bet you do."

Cassie cringed inwardly and wanted to shake her son. Instead, she forcedherself to meet Austin's direct stare. Humor lurked around the edges ofhis eyes and mouth, which heightened the pull he exerted on her.

"You bet right," he said.

"If it's okay with your mom, that is."

Cassie didn't dare look at Austin. Anyway, she was too busy trying to

control her emotions. : "Aw, she doesn't care," Tyler quipped.

Cassie forced herself to rally and gestured toward the empty chair.

"Of course I don't."

"So how are the'sullivans this bright Saturday morning?" Austin asked in

that Cajun drawl that never failed to send tingles up her spine.

His cologne didn't help any, either. It was subtle, yet seductive.

And those eyes.

They were delving into--and through--her with shameless hunger. She had

thought she was immune to their effect. She wasn't. Their intensity

seemed to strip her bare as they concentrated on her coral-stained lips.

Suddenly Cassie had the urge to cross her legs, to offset the heat building there. Dear Lord, she had to stop letting him get by with this attack on her senses. But how? If not for Tyler. No. She couldn't afford to indulge herself like that. She might want him, but she could never have him.

"We're fine," Cassie said, finally regaining her composure.

Austin's eyes changed, but the lurking humor teasing his lips burgeoned into a smile as he tousled Tyler's hair.

"How's the grub?"

Tyler giggled.

"It's the best, especially the hot- cakes."

"Glad you like 'em. That's one of our specialties." Austin's gaze, hot

again, sought hers.

"What do you think?"

Cassie swallowed.

"Actually, I haven't tried them."

"Mmm, too bad." Austin took a bite out of Tyler's oozing pile of

hotcakes and winked at the boy.

While he was blatantly toying with her senses, he was also making an all-out effort to be pleasant. Why couldn't she? Well, she was still peeved about the land deal, for one thing, and if he thought buttering up her son was going to make her change her mind, he couldn't be more

wrong.

When Tyler had returned from the campout, all he had talked about wasAustin this and Austin that. That kind of hero worship had made her anut case But she had once again refrained from saying too much, for fearof tipping her hand.

But the main reason for her uptightness was his potent sensual effect onher.

There was only one way to clammy all over, and a choking feelingassailed her. She didn't want to react to Austin in this way. But,dammit, his sex appeal was undeniable.

He smacked of it, the room suddenly filling with an erotic energy.

It was Saturday and, on the spur of the moment, she had decided to stopby the hotel and eat breakfast before heading out of town. She hadthought Tyler would enjoy the novelty of eating the lavish brunch, plusshe had wanted to check out the food and the service. So far, both hadbeen superb.

Austin was on target with the new chef; she would have to give him that,only' not in person. , "Hiya," Tyler said, his mouth stretched into afidk grin when Austin reached their table.

"Mom said yonj wouldn't want to sit with us, but I bet you do." ^ Cassie cringed inwardly and wanted to shake her sob Instead, sheforced herself to meet Austin's direct star^ Humor lurked around the edges of his eyes and mou^B which heightened the pull he exerted on her.^ "You bet right," he said.

"If it's okay with yew; mom, that is." M Cassie didn't dare look atAustin.

Anyway, she wa^sl too busy trying to control her emotions. ; i "Aw,she doesn't care," Tyler quipped. ^ Cassie forced herself to rally andgestured toward the empty chair.

"Of course I don't."

"So how are the'sullivans this bright Saturday moi ing?" Austin asked inthat Cajun drawl that never fail to send tingles up her spine. Hiscologne didn't he any, either. It was subtle, yet seductive.

And those eyes.

They were delving into--and through--her wit shameless hunger. She hadthought she was immune r their effect. She wasn't. Their intensityseemed to strip her bare as they concentrated on her coral-stained lips.

Suddenly Cassie had the urge to cross her legs, to offset the heatbuilding there. Dear Lord, she had to stop letting him get by with thisattack on her senses. But how? If not for Tyler. No. She couldn't affordto indulge herself like that. She might want him, but she could neverhave him.

"We're fine," Cassie said, finally regaining her composure.

Austin's eyes changed, but the lurking humor teasing his lips burgeoned into a smile as he tousled Tyler's hair.

"How's the grub?"

Tyler giggled.

"It's the best, especially the hot- cakes."

"Glad you like 'em. That's one of our specialties." Austin's gaze, hot

again, sought hers.

"What do you think?"

Cassie swallowed.

"Actually, I haven't tried them."

"Mmm, too bad." Austin took a bite out of Tyler's oozing pile of

hotcakes and winked at the boy. While he was blatantly toying with her senses, he was also making anall-out effort to be pleasant. Why couldn't she? Well, she was stillpeeved about the land deal, for one thing, and if he thought buttering up her son was going to make her change her mind, he couldn't be more wrong. When Tyler had returned from the campout, all he had talked about was Austin this and Austin that. That kind of hero worship had made her anut case But she had once again refrained from saying too much, for fearof tipping her hand.

But the main reason for her uptightness was his potent sensual effect on her.

There was only one way to combat that. She had to get a grip on herself and relax, stop flinching every time he came near.

The church outing had not done any real harm. Her secret remained safe.

Tyler was safe. And as long as she kept her relationship with Austin strictly business, she would be safe.

With that in mind, Cassie turned the tables on him and flashed him a

real smile, which took him aback. His sharp intake of breath bore that

out.

"Mother wouldn't be able to find fault with the way you've run things in her absence."

"What about you?"

Cassie's eyes swept the premises, taking in the huge urns of flowers, the beautifully set tables and the happy- faced customers.

"I'm impressed."

"At least I've done something right."

"As far as I know, you've only made one mistake." He shrugged, then said

in a low, easy tone, "We'll see."