“You are,” Austin murmured, his voice a low, intimate caress that sent fresh heat curling through her. “And you like it when I call you that.”
“I do not,” Deena insisted, but the words emerged thin and trembling, lacking any real conviction.
Austin’s smile turned slow and wicked, the corner of his mouth lifting in that devastating way that made her want to both slap him and kiss him.
“Liar,” he said softly, the word almost tender.
Deena swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry.
This must end.
“If anyone is a liar here, it’s you.” The accusation was cold, and Austin’s smile vanished.
His dark brows drew together, and the playful glint in his eyes sharpened into something more serious. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
She lifted her chin, forcing herself to meet his gaze even though her heart hammered so loudly she was sure he could hear it. “You haven’t been honest with me.”
He stilled. “About what?”
Deena’s fingers twisted in her skirts. “You know what.”
Austin studied her for a long moment, and the teasing curve of his mouth faded completely. When he spoke again, his voice was quieter and more careful. “If you’re talking about the blackmailer?—”
“I’m talking abouteverything.” She kept her voice low, aware of the eyes still lingering on them from across the lawn. “You let me believe you were untouchable. That scandal slides off you like water. That you don’t care what thetonthinks. But you do. You care very much.”
He did not deny it. Instead, he exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. “And you think I’ve lied to you?”
“I think you’ve omitted the truth.” Her gaze flicked to his mouth, then back up. “There’s a slim difference.”
Austin stepped closer, and she tipped her head back to hold his eyes. “Then let me be perfectly honest now.” His voice dropped to a near-whisper. “I’m terrified, yes. I could lose everything if you slip up and make me look bad in your little articles.Everything.And I’m running out of time to stop it.”
Deena’s breath caught. “Ifyou’rerunning out of time and you care about what people say, then why do you stand close to me in front of everyone, waste your time with me, and make me laugh? Do you not care how that makes me look? Is this part ofyourplan?
Austin’s frown deepened. “What do you think I’m planning, Dee?”
“I think you’re planning to reel me in, a fellow scandalous person, and then blackmail me, as well, when things don’t go according to your plan.”
Her words shocked him, but he did not argue with her, and she worried that she may have spoken the truth.
“Do you know why I pretend that nothing matters? Because if I let myself think about it too long, I’ll go mad.” He gave a short, humorless laugh. “So, I flirt. I race. I kiss beautiful women in meadows. I pretend the world isn’t about to collapse under my feet. But I will never sit around and plan the ruin of someone. Especially a woman who is my best friend’s sister.”
She stared at him, seeing the cracks beneath the velvet surface for the first time. “Was I just another distraction then?”
Austin’s expression hardened. “Deena, the world does not revolve around you.”
His words stung.
Deena looked away, towards the distant pond where fireflies had danced the night before. “I have one day left, Austin.”
Austin’s jaw tightened. “I know.”
“The blackmailer won’t wait.”
“I know.”
She turned back to him. “So, what do I do, since youknowso much?”
He exhaled slowly. “I gave you permission to draft another article about me. Delay them. Give us more time.”
