I had a feeling I’d end up liking thosetwo.
“Bradley worries but doesn’t like to admithe’s worried.” Austin waved a hand like it was perfectly reasonable. “AndWade…”
He paused, a sad smile eating away at thegrin. “He was married for years and had the best relationship, so that’s whathe wants for us. He loves that I have fun and lives a bit vicariously throughme as well, but sometimes he feels I jump in headfirst a bit too often. Hewants me to think about what I need. He’s hoping we all find our own Matthew,so he sees dating differently.”
Interesting.
“What would Wade say about me?” The othersseemed like they would be easier to predict. Tanner was on the fence, but hisresponse would be based on Shane. The rest would either see me as dangerous funor too much danger, depending on how safe they played things. But Wade…
Austin took another bite and seemed to berolling the question around in his mind. When he finally set the fork down, hisexpression was thoughtful. “I think he’s going to like you. You’re not what heprobably pictured I should be looking for, but I’ve always liked coloringoutside the lines.”
I was so far outside the lines he probablycouldn’t see the picture any longer.
But there was nothing wrong with takingyour artistic passion in a different direction.
Chapter 5
Austin
God help the next person to find a manbecause I was going to make their life hell.
Thankfully, Silas had headed for thebathroom, so I had a chance to text them all one singlewhat the fuck leaveme alonebefore turning off the phone. By the time he came back, I’dplotted their murders, and that helped me relax enough I didn’t feel insane.
They were such worrywarts.
Don’t go too fast.
Don’t let him get away.
Don’t fuck up the business.
Are you sure you shouldn’t go get themilk now?
Whoeverhad calledMarta was a dead man. There was no need to worry her. That was fighting dirty.I didn’t need anyone to save me from myself or to save me from Silas. He wasfunny and sexy and unfortunately going to take things slow.
Fuckers.
If they chased him off, they were all dead.
As Silas came back to the table, our waiterbrought the check. I didn’t even think as I reached for it, but Silas clearedhis throat. Looking up, I saw he was frowning at me. “No.”
What?
“No what?”
“I asked you out.” He plucked the bill frommy fingers and quickly handed the waiter his card.
“It’s not a big deal.” With the guys, mostof us took turns paying so it wouldn’t be obvious we were paying for Jonah, andwith dates, well, those guys had a tendency to just assume, so I’d gotten intothe habit.
“When we sit down and go over limits, wecan discuss some other solution for paying on dates if that’s a hard limit foryou, but for now, you’re my date so I’m going to pay.” Silas looked at me likehe was expecting a fight.
But all I heard was I washis.
Sure, he’d said I was his date, but thepossession in his voice was impossible to miss. It was everything I’d everwanted. He wasn’t a careful alpha who would apologize for a remark like that.He just said it like it was. I was his date.
His.
“Austin?” One eyebrow went up.
