Model Attraction

“Yes, it has, and please call me Sheila now that you’re all grown up. You’re even lovelier than I remember.” She stepped back but didn’t release Janna’s arms. “Patrick and I are so proud of you and all of your accomplishments.”

Heat rose to Janna’s cheeks. She had always liked Austin’s mother. Not just because she’d often told her how cute or sweet she was, but because she was so warm and loving. Growing up in foster care, she went through a period when she felt unlovable, especially knowing that her parents hadn’t wanted her. But Mama Adel had always made her feel cherished.

“Have you seen Austin yet?” Sheila asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Panic rioted inside Janna. She hadn’t considered that Austin would be there. When they were younger, he’d hated attending anything formal, which was one reason she had been shocked to see him in a suit the other day.

“I’m sure he would love to see you.”

Janna shook her head. “I wish I could be that sure,” she said quietly. Their last face-to-face hadn’t gone well, and she didn’t think she could take another rejection from him. “Mrs. Rey—I mean, Sheila, Austin and I didn’t part on the best of terms. I want you to know that I didn’t mean to...”

Sheila squeezed Janna’s hand; her gentle eyes and easy smile relieved her of some of her anxiousness.

“That was a long time ago. Talk to him, sweetheart.” She pulled Janna close and gave her another hug. “My son can be extremely stubborn, but you two were once very close and I think he can use a friend. Promise me that you’ll at least say hello to him.”

Janna nodded and they talked a few minutes longer before Sheila was summoned away.

Instead of catching up with Macy, Janna headed to the bar. If there was a chance that she was going to run into Austin, a little liquid courage might not hurt.

* * *

Austin roamed around the perimeter of the room, sipping from his glass of scotch as he perused the items up for bid for the silent auction. He was more of a behind-the-scenes type of guy. Events like this made him uncomfortable. But for his mother, there wasn’t much he wouldn’t do. Besides, it was for a good cause. From the literature given to him when he walked in, he’d learned that more than 350 million people suffered from depression and the annual financial cost of the disorder to the US was mind-blowing. Of course he wanted to do what he could to help the cause, especially since their family had first-hand experience of the effects of the disorder.

He slowed as he approached the next table of donations. He had already bid on a 2009 cabernet and an abstract painting done by a local artist, but the item he was currently standing in front of totally caught him off guard. A Day in the Life of a Model. What surprised him even more was seeing that it had been donated by Janna.

Reading the sheet that explained the donation, Austin decided to place a bid. A friend of his had lost his wife months earlier, and their sixteen-year-old daughter was scheduled to attend prom that following weekend. With the recent loss of her mother, T’Keyah wasn’t interested in prom or much else. If he won the bid, the gift would be perfect for her.

He set his glass on the table and quickly filled out the sheet, tripling the starting bid.

Knowing that Janna had donated made him wonder if she would be attending the event. As soon as the thought popped into his head, Austin’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of her across the room speaking to his mother. She gave a whole new meaning to the term breathtaking. She was easily the most beautiful woman in the room, and the red dress that hugged her hourglass figure should have come with a warning sign—Too Hot to Handle.

“Wow, so that’s Janna Morgan all grown up and in the flesh, huh?” Malcolm Reynolds, Austin’s older brother by two years, said when he walked up to Austin. They both stood staring as Janna stopped and talked to a few people, even posing for a picture with a young woman. “I drove by a billboard on the way here, an advertisement for perfume. I can honestly say the picture didn’t do her justice. And considering the number of guys hovering around her, I’d say I’m not the only man who has noticed.”

Jealousy crept through Austin’s body and his hand tightened around his glass of scotch when Timothy Cowden, the son of one of their father’s colleagues, grabbed Janna by the elbow to keep her from walking away. Austin wanted to snatch the man by his shirt collar and toss his ass outside. But who could blame the guy for buzzing around her like a moth drawn to a flame when she looked that hot? Besides the fact she was dressed to the nines, her hair was piled haphazardly on top of her head with a few tendrils framing her face, making her look sexier than any woman had the right to look. And then she smiled. Damn, he’d missed that smile that lit up her entire face.

Frustration coursed through his veins and he glanced away, mentally shaking himself. He wanted to be mad at her, wanted to hate her for the way she left him without as much as a note or telephone call. The last thing he should be doing was standing there, salivating over how amazing she looked and remembering how much her smile once affected him.

When his gaze returned to where she was standing, he watched as she pulled away from Timothy, her long, graceful stride taking her to the bar.

“I know you still have some issues that you haven’t dealt with when it comes to her, but if I were you—”

“Well, you’re not me, so you can just keep your thoughts and opinions to yourself.”

“Touchy, touchy.”

“I need another drink.” Austin walked away, ignoring his brother’s laughter.

It’s going to be a long night.

Austin walked up to the bar, where Janna was now standing. Her intoxicating scent of roses and baby powder sent a jolt of awareness to a certain part of his body.

“Hello, Janna,” he said when she glanced at him, surprise in her eyes. Just as quick, something else showed. Fear? Regret? Whatever it was, he was sure it had everything to do with the way he had treated her the other day. Instead of apologizing for his rudeness, he said, “Can I get you something else to drink?” He nodded at the semi-empty glass in her hand.

“Are you sure you want to do that? The last time I was near you and had a drink in my hand, it didn’t end well,” she said, the sultriness of her voice a reminder that she was all grown up now.

He chuckled. “I’ll take my chances. What would you like?”

“Ginger ale.” Austin lifted an inquiring eyebrow. “Two alcoholic drinks, which I have already consumed, is my limit.”

“I see.” He turned to the bartender and placed their order.

Silence loomed while they waited for their drinks, and Austin’s gaze lingered to her right hand resting on the bar. The promise-me ring with the small diamond he’d given her was on her middle finger. He had worked months, saving every penny in order to purchase it before her special day. He couldn’t believe she still had it, let alone was wearing the jewelry.

He still recalled the day, her sixteenth birthday. He had taken her on a picnic in Roosevelt Park in Edison, New Jersey. The memory made him smile. It was a beautiful autumn day when the leaves on the trees were starting to change and the air was a little crisp. They’d sat huddled together near the gazebo overlooking Meadow Lake as he fed her fruit and entertained her with corny jokes, loving the fact that she’d laughed at all of them. That was also the day he had proposed marriage to her, as only a seventeen-year-old boy could do.

Austin shook his head, hoping to rid his mind of the unwelcome thoughts. He didn’t want to think about the absurdity of proposing at that age. And now realizing he had proposed marriage twice, to two different women, in the last ten years made him feel like an incompetent loser. Sure, Janna and Zoe had accepted, but he still hadn’t been able to close the deal with either, which in hindsight was lucky for him. Clearly he had a problem making good decisions when it came to matters of the heart.

“Here you go.” The bartender placed the drinks in front of them.

“Thank you.” Janna lifted her glass to Austin in a silent toast before taking a sip.

“My pleasure.”

Austin took a long drag on his beer, hoping the bitter liquid would tamp down his desire to question her decision to leave him years ago. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for her response, but a part of him needed to know.

“I like a woman who plays hard to get,” Timothy slurred when he saddled up to the other side of Janna. She rolled her eyes and groaned, moving slightly closer to Austin, but Timothy was not to be ignored. “I don’t give up easy.” He dropped his arm around her shoulder.

Austin’s protective instincts kicked in and he almost grabbed Timothy, but he stopped himself. Janna was no longer his responsibility. He kept quiet, hoping Timothy didn’t go further than a little flirting.

“What part of ‘I’m not interested’ don’t you understand?” she ground out only loud enough for those right next to them to hear. She shook his arm loose. “Besides, I’m already with someone.”

She turned, and before Austin could form his next thought, she stepped in front of him. Her hands rested on his chest, and her mouth covered his.

Sweet. Soft. Potent. Her kiss was everything he remembered. All rational thought fled his mind and, as if on autopilot, one of his hands went to the back of her neck, the other to the small of her back. He pulled her against his body and his tongue explored the inner recesses of her mouth, tasting champagne. How many times had he dreamed of touching her, holding her, kissing her?

She moaned into his mouth, spurring him to deepen their kiss. The heady scent of her perfume was even more captivating now that her body was molded against his. Her arms eased around his waist, stoking the fire the kiss had started. She still fit perfectly in his arms.

Some sane part of his mind screamed, Danger! Stop and slowly back away. He couldn’t. He couldn’t stop the heat that soared through his body as their tongues tangled. He couldn’t stop the desire that singed every nerve ending, making him want so much more than a kiss. He couldn’t stop the possessive thought—mine—that floated to the forefront of his mind.

He knew at that moment that he would never really be free of her. She would always hold a part of his heart.

* * *

Janna’s heartbeat thumped faster when Austin’s large hands moved from her body and cupped her face. She might have started the kiss, but with the demanding mastery of his lips, he had quickly taken charge. His fresh, clean scent was more potent than the alcohol on his tongue.

That peace she’d always felt in his presence settled over her like a soft silk-wool sweater. God, she had missed him. His closeness, his warmth and his hands on her felt so familiar. Like old times.

She heard herself moan.

His body stiffened.

Her heart lurched, and the wistful murmurs from people nearby penetrated the fog in her head caused by the toe-curling kiss. The last thing she wanted to do was open her eyes, but then she heard what sounded like a camera.

Her eyes flew open.

Oh, crap.

If Austin had hated her before, the scathing look in his dark eyes now said that he was beyond angry.

“Let’s go,” he growled under his breath and held her elbow, guiding them through the small crowd that had gathered. He pulled her along, using his large body to block their faces from any additional photographs, and didn’t stop moving until they were outside. “What the hell was that all about?”

“Austin, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think—”

“Yeah, that’s the problem, Janna. You never think about how your actions are going to affect someone else. You’re still the selfish, careless, impulsive person you were years ago.”

Fury rumbled inside her and she placed her hands on her hips, stepping closer to him.

“Now, you wait just a minute! You have every right to be mad at me for kissing you, but I will not stand here and let you call me names. You don’t know me!”

“And whose fault is that?”

Janna stared at him. Hurt flickered in his eyes, but disappeared so quickly she thought she might have imagined it. Guilt churned in her gut. He wasn’t only talking about tonight. Tension bounced off him like heat from a roaring fire as she struggled for the right words to say. So many times she had imagined what she would say to him when she had a chance to apologize. Yet nothing seemed to be good enough.

“Austin, listen.”

“No, you listen. I don’t know what that kiss was all about back there, but count me out of any games that you’re playing. You gave up your rights to kiss me on a whim years ago. Now stay the hell away from me.”

Instead of going back to the event, he stormed away along the concrete path that led around the building.

Remorse settled in her chest. She and Austin had once been so good together. He was her first love. The first person outside of Mama Adel who’d made her feel special. She had vowed back then to love him forever. Instead, she had discarded their plans for the first opportunity for fame and fortune that had come her way.

Janna toyed with the promise ring that went everywhere she did. She knew now that Austin would never listen to anything she had to say. He would never forgive her.

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