Why is she staring at me like that? Honestly, I’ve never understood why she can’t just say what’s on her mind, like ever.
Auger felt his chest tightening and continued looking around the room to conceal his jangling nerves. Winsor’s gaze swept back and forth across Callie’s face and figure like a searchlight. She pretended not to notice, staring deeply into the coffeecup she held between trembling fingertips.
“So, Odin…” Winsor started.
“That’s not my name.”
“What— It’s not?” Winsor chuckled. He squinted at Auger’s wide stance and slightly extended arms. “Well that’s too bad. It really suits you.”
Auger accepted the coffee with both hands and backed up against a pillar to drink it. Winsor smiled proudly, as though Auger was a trophy buck he had just shot.
“So what is it then?”
“What is what?” Auger growled.
“Your name?”
He swallowed. “Auger.”
Winsor paused with his eyebrows raised. “Seriously?”
Auger nodded. He looked at Callie, who shrugged and nodded too.
“As in… the tool? An auger is a tool… Right?”
Callie laughed, a low, playful bark that made Auger’s skin tighten. “Yes. The tool… the screw…. the drill… He’s heard it all.”
Winsor shook his head and walked to the leather sofa, settling carefully and crossing his ankle over his knee. He smoothed his velvety trousers over his calf and then patted the seat next to him, staring at Callie. She threw a glance over her shoulder before cautiously joining Winsor on the sofa.
Just breathe, Auger cautioned himself as his core twitched and trembled. He could easily imagine lunging across the room, snatching Callie back and rushing them both out of there. Eye on the prize. He’s trying to mess with you.
Eye on the prize.
Twenty thousand dollars.
Does she have to sit so fucking close to him??
“That is a very interesting name,” Winsor said slowly to Callie as she settled in. “I don’t think I have ever heard it before.”
“Me either,” Auger piped up. “My father is… was a craftsman. He always preferred hand tools and said he thought ‘Auger’ had a strong sound to it.”
Winsor nodded, then shifted his gaze to Auger, watching him stand in the middle of the room awkwardly. “I’d have to agree. It does have a strong sound to it.”
Winsor nodded and stared Auger down calmly. Auger shifted his weight to his other hip and cleared his throat.
“So—”
“So!” Winsor interrupted, ignoring what he wanted to say and turning fully toward Callie again. She looked around, avoiding his gaze, then her eyelids fluttered up and she looked at him directly. Auger saw her tongue, shiny and pink, slip from her mouth and drag her lower lip back between her teeth. He was sure Winsor saw it too.
Oh shit.
“Where does your name come from? Callendra?”
Oh no, Auger thought. I’ve seen that look before. We have to go.
Callie shot him another glance, a half desperate I-told-you-so. He wracked his brain, trying to figure out what she was trying to say.
“You know what,” Auger interrupted loudly, “we actually have to get a few things done today, so if we could just—”
Just get her out of here. This was a terrible idea. I’ll figure something else out.
“Callie?” Winsor asked again, ignoring the fighter completely.
She gave him her fake-church smile and paused like she was thinking. “It’s, uh… A family name? I don’t kn-know?” she stammered, the flush setting her cheeks all fiery.
As she spoke, his hand reached out and hovered for a moment over the crook of her knee. Auger watched her knuckles go white around her coffee mug.
I have got to get her out of here, now!
“Yeah, we’re all about the family traditions out west!” Auger shouted into the empty air.
Suddenly she was on her feet and lunging across the room. Auger didn’t know if he was supposed to catch her or duck as she came toward him. His arms went out automatically, ready for anything.
Then her hands were behind his neck, clawing desperately, dragging him down. The last thing he heard was her voice, hoarse and desperate: “Just kiss me!” before he was kissing her, biting and sucking at her soft, pink lips. Instantly hard and hungry.
And it was so easy, like he had never stopped.
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