Read Online The Girl With Diamonds (Midtown Brotherhood Book 2) by Savannah Blevins - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Savannah Blevins
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her feet.
Magnolia’s heart started to sputter, and she ignored the pat on the shoulder from Cressida. “You think he’d tell Austin?”
Leila’s smile was soft and warm. “Those two tell each other everything.”
“Oh. Hell.” Cressida shook her shoulder harder now, until finally Magnolia turned around.
“What is it?”
Cressida placed one hand over her heart like she might faint and started slapping Magnolia on the head with the other. “This got interesting real fast.”
The bell above the door chimed. Magnolia swatted Cressida’s hands away and turned toward it. Five very large figures, resembling a string of crime fighting heroes, stood at the desk. In the middle, like the Norse God of them all, was Austin. A black on black combination of shirt and jacket only complimented the holey jeans and reckless glint in his eyes.
It was the wine. Only the wine that caused her blood to run warm and her thoughts to fuzz into a haze. Magnolia purposely turned around in her seat. Austin said for himself that The Whisperer was dangerous. He would never risk being seen with her after Ferocia posted that—
Damn it, they walked toward her.
Henrik approached first. He threw his arms around his wife, taking her seat before delicately placing her in his lap. “Good afternoon, ladies. Funny meeting you here.”
Leila kissed his cheek. “I told them about the text.”
It didn’t deter his grin. Henrik simply cleared his throat and tried again. “Good afternoon, ladies. Thanks for inviting us.”
Then came the rest of them, a parade of dirty fantasies. First Callen Copley with his lip ring and I-don’t-care attitude. He winked as he trotted by. “Georgia.”
Then Samuel O’Dell. He gave her a simple, but perfectly sweet smile. “Georgia.”
Last was Drew Rylander, or at least, Magnolia assumed it was Henrik’s younger brother. He couldn’t deny the matching blond hair. He gave her a chin-up acknowledgement. “S’up, Georgia.”
She held her breath. She knew what waited for her next.
“Magnolia.”
She took her time turning around. Slow and steady. She made sure not to look him directly in the eye. Like the sun, she feared Austin might blind her. Or worse, cause her to lose the grip she had on her stool and topple over with lust.
Austin Blakely would break her. She knew that now. It was only a matter of time. She couldn’t let that happen.
Cressida took a step backward, already moving in the direction of the other guys like a magnet drawn to its opposite. “This must be what heaven looks like,” she said, giving Magnolia a pat on the head. “I’ll catch up with you in a minute.”
Magnolia tried to grab her hand, to pull her back to sanity, but it was no use. She was on her own. Austin motioned toward the empty seat beside her. “Do you mind?”
She smiled through her clenched teeth. Cressida was totally getting bailed on next time. “It’s apparently empty.”
Austin took off his jacket and sat down, examining the paints and easel in front of him as if he showed up to actually participate instead of torture her. He ran his fingers down the canvas, and across the brushes. She sat there and watched. Mesmerized. His hand was so steady. It wasn’t fair that he showed no sign of unease when her heart threatened to beat out of her chest. She took a slow breath and cleared her throat to test her voice. “So…you paint?”
She still sounded nervous, but Austin didn’t seem to notice. He casually accepted a glass of wine from the waitress who passed by, and tasted it. “No, but I do drink. I figure if I drink enough, I’ll at least think I can paint.”
Magnolia scowled at him.
He set another glass of wine down on the table at her easel. The one in her hand was empty. She must have downed it without thinking.
“I’m not here to ruin your night, Magnolia.”
“I’m not here for your entertainment, Austin.” She didn’t take her eyes off him. She had to make him understand. He
Magnolia’s heart started to sputter, and she ignored the pat on the shoulder from Cressida. “You think he’d tell Austin?”
Leila’s smile was soft and warm. “Those two tell each other everything.”
“Oh. Hell.” Cressida shook her shoulder harder now, until finally Magnolia turned around.
“What is it?”
Cressida placed one hand over her heart like she might faint and started slapping Magnolia on the head with the other. “This got interesting real fast.”
The bell above the door chimed. Magnolia swatted Cressida’s hands away and turned toward it. Five very large figures, resembling a string of crime fighting heroes, stood at the desk. In the middle, like the Norse God of them all, was Austin. A black on black combination of shirt and jacket only complimented the holey jeans and reckless glint in his eyes.
It was the wine. Only the wine that caused her blood to run warm and her thoughts to fuzz into a haze. Magnolia purposely turned around in her seat. Austin said for himself that The Whisperer was dangerous. He would never risk being seen with her after Ferocia posted that—
Damn it, they walked toward her.
Henrik approached first. He threw his arms around his wife, taking her seat before delicately placing her in his lap. “Good afternoon, ladies. Funny meeting you here.”
Leila kissed his cheek. “I told them about the text.”
It didn’t deter his grin. Henrik simply cleared his throat and tried again. “Good afternoon, ladies. Thanks for inviting us.”
Then came the rest of them, a parade of dirty fantasies. First Callen Copley with his lip ring and I-don’t-care attitude. He winked as he trotted by. “Georgia.”
Then Samuel O’Dell. He gave her a simple, but perfectly sweet smile. “Georgia.”
Last was Drew Rylander, or at least, Magnolia assumed it was Henrik’s younger brother. He couldn’t deny the matching blond hair. He gave her a chin-up acknowledgement. “S’up, Georgia.”
She held her breath. She knew what waited for her next.
“Magnolia.”
She took her time turning around. Slow and steady. She made sure not to look him directly in the eye. Like the sun, she feared Austin might blind her. Or worse, cause her to lose the grip she had on her stool and topple over with lust.
Austin Blakely would break her. She knew that now. It was only a matter of time. She couldn’t let that happen.
Cressida took a step backward, already moving in the direction of the other guys like a magnet drawn to its opposite. “This must be what heaven looks like,” she said, giving Magnolia a pat on the head. “I’ll catch up with you in a minute.”
Magnolia tried to grab her hand, to pull her back to sanity, but it was no use. She was on her own. Austin motioned toward the empty seat beside her. “Do you mind?”
She smiled through her clenched teeth. Cressida was totally getting bailed on next time. “It’s apparently empty.”
Austin took off his jacket and sat down, examining the paints and easel in front of him as if he showed up to actually participate instead of torture her. He ran his fingers down the canvas, and across the brushes. She sat there and watched. Mesmerized. His hand was so steady. It wasn’t fair that he showed no sign of unease when her heart threatened to beat out of her chest. She took a slow breath and cleared her throat to test her voice. “So…you paint?”
She still sounded nervous, but Austin didn’t seem to notice. He casually accepted a glass of wine from the waitress who passed by, and tasted it. “No, but I do drink. I figure if I drink enough, I’ll at least think I can paint.”
Magnolia scowled at him.
He set another glass of wine down on the table at her easel. The one in her hand was empty. She must have downed it without thinking.
“I’m not here to ruin your night, Magnolia.”
“I’m not here for your entertainment, Austin.” She didn’t take her eyes off him. She had to make him understand. He
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