“Well, you see—” The elevator dinged and the doors opened to the second floor.
Austin held the door open and motioned with his other hand. “Would you like to join me for a drink? There is a concierge lounge on this floor.”
“Oh, yes. That would be nice.” With any luck, there would be others there, too.
Austin waited until she walked beside him, and then he led them down the hall. When they entered the room, she quickly scoped it out…and then groaned. They were the only ones here so far.
He moved behind the counter to pour them drinks. This time he didn’t ask what she wanted, but she wouldn’t drink alcohol, anyway. She’d just have to act like she was drinking, just as she’d done when they’d been in his room.
Within moments, he brought the drinks to the nearest table. She lowered herself to the chair, and he sat across from her. When his gaze met hers again, his green eyes twinkled. Why did they have to do that? Now the fluttering in her bosom had returned. Even her knees felt weak.
“I must admit,” he began, “I’m happy to see you. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since you ran out the other day.”
Interesting.Why would he think about her? Maybe he felt guilty for frightening her and making her run. “Well, I’ll admit that you have been on my mind quite a bit, too.”
“Why?” He reached over and touched her hand resting on the table.
“Well, you see…” Stubbornness blocked the words from leaving her mouth.Just do it!“I wanted to apologize for what happened the other day.”
His eyes widened again. “Apologize? Why? I’m the one who should be apologizing.”
He is right! But I have to appear as the martyr in this case.“Because of the way I acted.”
He took both of her hands in his. “Brittany, you were frightened of me, I could tell. I should have tried harder to set your mind at ease. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m not that kind of man.” He chuckled. “Ask anyone. I could never harm a woman.”
Brittany’s mind stalled. Why had he said that? Did he know she was really here to ask about Hillary’s murder? What man goes around saying they don’t hurt women?
She tried to smile. “I’m relieved to know that, but…” She took a deep breath. “I’m rather new at this, and well…I was being awkward for a reason.”
He arched an eyebrow, but then his gaze narrowed on her. “You are new at what, exactly?”
Silently, she groaned. He was really going to make her spell it out? How humiliating! “You know…it.”
His expression changed to one of confusion. “It?” He shook his head. “Do you mean dating?”
She desperately wanted to roll her eyes and make some kind of sarcastic remark, but she refrained, but it was hard. So apparently, they call it dating now. “Well, I guess it’s called dating.”
“Brittany, I’m not sure what you’re saying.” He took a drink of his brandy.
She glanced down at her glass. Too bad she wasn’t a drinker, because now would be the perfect time to start. She expelled a frustrated breath. “You know, paying me for myservices.”
He choked and spit some of the liquor out of his mouth. Quickly, he snatched a napkin and dabbed the table where the liquid had landed before bringing the napkin to his face and wiping. Shaking his head, he cleared his throat. “You wanted me to pay you for that?”
Okay, so now she was confused. If he didn’t think she was a call girl, then why did he say the things he did? “Well…isn’t that what you’d said to me? Something aboutearning my pay?”
He groaned and closed his eyes as he rubbed his forehead. She didn’t dare say anything more, not until he explained himself first. Wasn’t it bad enough she was in this predicament?
Sighing, he looked at her as a frown claimed his face. “Brittany, I’m very sorry for…everything. I can’t believe you actually thought that I wanted to pay you for your services.”
“Then why did you say it?” she asked.
“Because I thought my friend Derek was up to his old tricks again, and teasing me with one of his friends. I said that as a joke—meaning that Derek was paying you to play this prank on me for my birthday.”
“It was your birthday?” Surprise washed through her.
“Yes, but I was too exhausted to celebrate, and Derek knew it. That’s why I thought he’d sent you.”
Mortification ran amuck through her, and she wanted to dig a big hole and stick her head into it. She hadn’t heard Kurt in her ear, so obviously, he’d really shut down. Perhaps that was a good thing, especially now. “Oh, wow. Now I’m the one who is embarrassed.”
