“Yes.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, scrunching her face in that sexy-cute way he loved.
He nodded.
“Why?” she asked with genuine disbelief.
Austin never played games. If he wanted something, he worked until he got it. But this situation was so different than any he’d ever found himself in. He knew he wanted Sara. He wanted to spend time with her. Get to know her, Trevor, and Charlotte better. But he wasn’t sure if that was what she wanted.
One way to find out. If this didn’t have a shot of going anywhere, it would be better to know now.
“I missed you today.”
“You did?” Her eyebrows rose.
“I did.” His smile grew wider at her shock. “The truth is I can’t stop thinking about you. I know we don’t know each other, and that you’re only here for a week. But I’d like to get to know you better. Spend time with you, and Trevor and Charlotte.”
“You do?”
This time, he laughed as he said, “I do.”
“But you’re…” She waved her hand toward him. “You. Why would you want to spend time with a mom and her kids?”
“I don’t want to spend time with a mom and her kids. I want to spend time with you, Trevor, and Charlotte.” Austin hated that she didn’t see what he did when she looked in the mirror. “Sara, not only are you smart, funny, beautiful, and fucking adorable, you’re also a great mom. And Trevor and Charlotte are great kids. Any man would be lucky to spend time with you and your kids. But if you don’t think this is a good idea, just say the word.”
Austin knew he could persuade Sara if he wanted to, they had crazy chemistry he was sure was not one-sided. It would be easy to use it to his advantage. But he didn’t want to do that. This had to be something she was ready for, and only she could answer that.
“What exactly is this?” she asked cautiously.
“I’d like to get to know you better and I thought you might want that too—”
“I do,” she blurted out.
“Okay.” His heart, and other parts of his body, swelled at her enthusiasm. “So tomorrow, we’ll go to the festival, and then head out to the tracks. I’ll drive.” The first time he’d said that phrase at the rental shop, he’d seen her visceral reaction. Her pupils dilated and the pulse on her throat quickened. He wasn’t sure why she’d responded that way, but any time he got the chance he repeated it again, loving her reaction.
“Okay,” she agreed.
Deciding to quit while he was ahead, he stood and grabbed his things. “I’ll let you work, then. Oh and I made these earlier, if you want some.”
When Axel had been measuring the cabinets Austin had run across his grandma’s recipe book. Seeing it made him miss her even more, so he figured he’d make one of the recipes, hoping to feel closer to her. It worked. As he baked, he could hear her telling him not to be stingy with the butter, and that using an electric mixer was for sissies.
“They’re my Grandma Alma’s blue ribbon brownies. She won five state fairs back to back with this recipe. They’re not as good as if she’d made them, but they’re not bad.”
“Brownies,” Sara whispered in awe as if he was handing her the Hope Diamond.
“Yep.” He set the plate down and told himself to get the hell out before she ate one, because he had a feeling she was going to moan when she did, and he wasn’t sure he could control himself if he heard one more moan. “Goodnight, Sara.”
“Goodnight, Austin.”
He saw the disappointment that flashed in her eyes as he headed out of the kitchen, leaving her alone. Normally, disappointing someone didn’t make him feel like he’d just won the lottery. But in this case, it did. Like he’d won the Mega Millions.