Page 15 of Overdue

Okay. I get it. She’s trying to hold me at arm’s length. But all that mister and miss stuff just makes me want to say even worse things than I already have. Like how my red cheek will be nothing compared to how I redden her ass. Or, she’s going to beg for Mr. Campbell to go harder as I slam into her sweet pussy. Or… I shake my head.

“Thank you, Miss Caraway. I would very much appreciate it,” I say a little too loudly.

Austen walks back into her office. I watch that tight ass sway the entire way. I’m kind of impressed with myself. I kept my thoughts to myself that whole time. Of course, it helps that a group of middle school girls has taken the table near mine.

I look over at them with a smile. They responded by bursting into giggles. Has Austen ever giggled at me? No, she’s always been much too serious for that. I sigh and then return my focus back to my research. The next time I look up, Austen has just slammed a cloth book bag down on the table.

“The library is closed. I brought you this to help you carry your books out,” she snarls. Shit. Looking around, I find the library is empty. How did I miss the group of gigglers leaving? “You were so focused, I gave you a little extra time.”

“What time is it?” I jump up from my chair.

“It’s six thirty.”

“Shit, shit, shit.” I start throwing my books into the bag as quickly as possible. I should have been home an hour ago to start dinner. Jerking my laptop charger out of the wall, I stuff it in the bag as best as I can.

“Reed, calm down. Mom picked your gran up an hour ago to eat at our house. I called her when you looked so deep into whatever you're doing,” Austen says.

I slump back into my chair. God bless her. Of course she thought about Gran, Austen is everything kind in this world. I, however, am a crap grandson.

“Thank you.” She nods and starts for the front. Gathering the rest of my stuff, I quickly join her at the door. Austen waits to lock up behind us. “Hey, would you like to grab some dinner?”

“No thank you,” she answers, turning the key in the lock.

“Okay. Well, thanks again for thinking of Gran for me. I should have noticed the time.”

Austen turns to look at me. “She’s like our gran too, you know. Anything she needs, we are only too happy to help.” Okay, hostile much? She sweeps past me to her car.

“See you around, brat,” I say as she slides inside. Crap. I almost made it. She scowls at me through the windshield until I turn for my truck. I called her that so often in school, it just slips out naturally. I’ve always meant it affectionately, but I know she hates it.

Well, it doesn’t matter tonight. I’m still counting this as a win. She at least talked to me. Maybe tomorrow, she’ll reconsider dinner. I’ll just wear her down. She can’t ignore me forever. Either she talks to me, or she finally snaps and bludgeons me to death. I can do either. At least I’ll be put out of my misery.

* * *

AUSTEN

He’s called me brat since we met. I didn’t like it then, and I’m certainly not going to let him get away with it now. When I walked out of my office this afternoon, I did a double take at Reed hunched over one of the tables, deep in concentration.

It made me laugh when a group of girls that come in regularly took one look at him and chose the table closest. Whatever he was working on had him completely immune to the giggles aimed in his direction. Have I ever giggled at him like that? Have I ever giggled at any boy like that? I seriously doubt it.

I considered having Kim deliver his new book to him at the table, but I’m enough of a professional to separate my personal grudge from my professional duties. I’m going to address him in the most adult manner I can from now on. Maybe it will prevent him from blurting out something inappropriate in front of the middle school girls.

At first, it works. Up until his eyes turn stormy and my name rolls off his tongue like a caress. The rumble of his deep voice sends goose bumps racing across my skin. Nope, being incredibly sexy does not get him off the hook this time. I just have to remember I’m a professional.

And that worked until I almost cave the next time we speak. He asks me to dinner. Then he brushes by me, close enough for me to fill my senses full of him. Does he have a special cologne custom-made of pheromones to make women want to follow him right into his bed? I took a big ole sniff too.

I was so close to saying yes to dinner. But, of course, he ruins it by calling me that obnoxious nickname. I mean, he came up with it in middle school. Grow up. Pheromones or not, he’s still an ass.

I need to vent, and I know exactly who will listen. I send out a quick 9-1-1 text to Eliot. She’ll come. She never has plans.

I pull up in front of Sam’s Steakshack. Eliot’s car is already in the parking lot. As reliable as ever. My oldest sister became an accountant. It’s a job that suits her to a T. She has always been more straightlaced than a nun.

Parking my car, I hurry inside to the corner table Eliot has grabbed us.

“I’m so sorry I’m late. I had to kick Reed out of the library first.” I slide into the seat across from her.

“Reed was in the library?” Eliot acts surprised.

“Yeah, I was surprised too. He has something he’s working on.”

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