Chapter 585
Chapter 585:
Yet, here he was—frowning, arms crossed, as though he’d been waiting for ages.
The way Yelena called him “Mr. Barton” kind of annoyed him.
“I like to think we’re friends p>
The way he said it made Yelena pause. Whenever someone started a conversation like that, it usually meant they wanted something. Maybe he was about to ask for a favor?
She nodded cautiously. “Uh, yes p>
She waited, anticipating a polite request. But instead, Austin sighed and pressed on.
“I’ve mentioned this before. You don’t have to call me ‘Mr. Barton’ all the time. It makes it feel like we’re strangers p>
Yelena blinked in surprise. So that was what he wanted to talk about?
She’d always thought of her interactions with him as polite but distant. They weren’t exactly on a first-name basis, were they?
Still, she kept this to herself. Instead, she flashed a polite smile. “Oh, so you want me to call you p>
“How about Aus?” he answered, matter-of-factly.
The word rang in her ears. Addressing him that way felt oddly… intimate, like she was stepping across a boundary she hadn’t even realized existed.
“How about just Austin?” she asked, testing a middle ground.
He paused, a slight frown wrinkling his brow. “Fine,” he said, though his tone suggested otherwise.
Right. Yelena resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
He wasn’t really expecting her to call him that intimately, was he?
Still, she chose not to confront him for now.
𝙑𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 ⳓ𝙘𝙤𝙢
“Are you heading home?” Austin asked suddenly. “I can drop you off p>
Yelena checked her watch. It would be a long drive, and by the time she got home, it would be late—too late, really. Everyone at home would already be in bed. Better to wait until the next day.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll just head back tomorrow,” she said gently.
Austin handed over the key card with measured calm. “Thought so. I’ve had Domenic arrange a room for you,” he said. “Here’s the key p>
Yelena didn’t reach out immediately. Instead, she stood there, scrutinizing him as if trying to decide if she’d just made a terrible mistake. Austin recognized the tension in her eyes and offered a small, reassuring nod.
“Don’t worry. I won’t bother you,” he added.
A rush of warmth flooded Yelena’s cheeks, and her posture turned rigid. Before Austin could say another word, she snatched the key card from his hand. Their fingertips brushed in the process, and the brief contact sent a spark through both of them, like a stray jolt of static crackling from wrist to heart.
Startled by the intensity of that tiny touch, Yelena mumbled a quick “Thanks” and sped off. Austin watched her practically sprint away and gave a soft chuckle.
Was he really that intimidating?
Once inside her hotel room, Yelena shut the door, leaning against the cool surface to steady her racing heartbeat.
“Why am I acting this way?” she murmured, though she had no immediate answers.
Meanwhile, Austin made his way back to his own suite. He was just about to settle in when a knock jarred the silence. A quick flash of anticipation jumped through his chest. But when he opened the door, he found John—definitely not who he’d secretly hoped for.
Austin couldn’t mask his brief flicker of disappointment. John noted it immediately and grinned, tapping a finger to his nose.
“Hey, don’t look so let down. You were expecting Yelena, right p>
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Austin muttered, turning away. “Sure p>