Jane's Austen: The Boy Next Door (hot erotica) by Melody Banks Page B

means well, but this just reinforces the fact that there are sixteen years between us – that I’m the mother of his high school best friend and that I am, technically, old enough to be his mother, too. I also note that he’s started calling me Ms. Selby again.
    “So I’ ll see you on Thursday then,” Austin says. “Six o’clock?”
    “Sounds great,” I tell him.
    “I’m looking forward to it.” He waves as I walk out the door. “Bye, Jane.”
    I wave back. “Goodb ye.”
     
    # # #
     
     
    “I believe the official term is cougar,” my friend Lisa says. It’s later that evening and we’re knocking back Coors Lights at Raylan’s, a cute little bar located a few blocks away from my house.
    I’ve just finished telling her about my run-in with Austin that afternoon, and Lisa, per usual, is giving me her no hold’s barred opinion. It’s what I love best about her.
    “ Forget cougar,” I say, groaning inwardly. “I believe the official word is jailbait. The poor boy’s not even twenty-one yet! I could get arrested.”
    “Nothing illegal about a twenty year old. Just so long as you don’t bring him here and order him liquor,” Lisa says. “And, besides, he’ll be twenty-one in three weeks. That’s not very long. You could definitely date him.”
    “Who said anything about dating!” I exclaim. “I bumped into him at the coffee shop, we had a little friendly exchange and agreed to meet up to exercise. That’s all.”
    “That sounds like a date to me.”
    “He said he was kidding about the drink part.”
    Lisa takes a few sips of her Coors Light. “But he wasn’t kidding about working out with you Thursday, was he?”
    “No. We’re meeting at six.”
    “Listen, guys don’t go ou t of their way to do things with women they aren’t interested in. That’s just a basic fact. If he wants to hang out with you – and made a firm date – that definitely means something.”
    “Maybe it just means he feels sorry for my fat ass?” I laugh. “He did catch me pigging out after hitting the gym.”
    Lisa rolls her eyes. “Come on, will you quit it with that already? You have a fantastic body, Jane. Don’t sell yourself short. I’d kill to look like you do.”
    I know she’s being nice, but I can’t help but break down the compliment in my mind. Despite what she says, I know what she really means is, I’d kill to look like you do, considering we’re almost forty years old . I don’t have the body of a nineteen year old girl – not even close. And despite spending countless hours in the gym, I’ve yet to attain anything even resembling flat abs. I know my body is good-to-decent, but we’re grading on a curve here: compared to girls half my age – the kind of girls Austin would date – I don’t stand a chance.
    And why am I thinking about this anyway? It’s not like I’m going to go after Austin.
    I take another swig of my beer, and try not to think about the guy who’s not even old enough to order one.
     
     
    # # #
     
    God, I wish I could kiss him.
    I’m afraid I just might do it, to tell you the truth. Afraid I’ll snap, have one of those impulse control breaks and grab him, right then and there.
    It’s Thursday evening, and, just like we planned, Austin and I have met up for our exercise ‘date.’ I don’t normally dress up to hit the gym, but today I’ve taken care to do my makeup and hair, and to put on my best exercise clothes – a tight, sexy shirt red shirt with form-fitting black pants.
    But the jokes’ on me.
    Within five minutes of starting our workout, I’m a sweaty horrible mess. Austin’s really putting me through my paces. I can see how he got his incredible body – but this workout is insane! I like to think of myself as being in good shape, but I’m on the verge of passing out!
    Thank God our workout is almost over. I don’t know if I can handle much more of this!
    And not just because of the routine. Being this close to Austin is driving me equally