Page 99 of Austin

He lets out a hard laugh, and I can’t hide the smile plastering itself on my face as I open the Jeep’s door.

“Buckle up, sweetheart,” Austin says as he reaches for his own seat belt.

I crank the engine and put it in gear, gliding out of the parking spot with ease. We pull up to exit the hospital parking lot, getting ready to drive onto the busy San Francisco street.

I glance in his direction, and he’s sitting back, giving a nonchalant whistle, making it hard for me not to laugh.

An opening in traffic comes, and I press the gas, taking my chance, only to squeal the tires, sliding the Jeep from side to side before it grips and propels forward.

A yelp escapes my lips as I grip the steering wheel harder, taking a deep breath in once I have control of the car and am able to drive down the street with ease.

Narrowing my eyes, I chance a look at Austin, who’s grinning from ear to ear.

Leaning over, he kisses me on the cheek, and with a devilish grin, he declares, “I win.”

Epilogue

JALYNN

“Miss Smith, your presence is requested on the roof in twenty minutes,” Austin says after I answer the office line. He’s been dying to get me up there for some outdoor fun ever since he came back to work a week ago. I keep telling him no, but he hasn’t stopped trying.

“I’m busy, Austin. You know, with your brother, the workaholic…”

“Don’t lie. I know he already left for the day. He just called me, saying so.”

I let out a hard laugh. “That doesn’t mean my work has stopped. I still have his long list of things to complete and I’d like to leave here while it’s still light out.”

“Give me fifteen minutes, and I’ll have Stefanie help you.”

“You know you won’t be finished in fifteen minutes.”

Now, it’s his turn to laugh. “So, you’re saying there’s a chance?” he sings into the line. “You’re definitely meeting me now. I’ll make a scene in the office again.”

I drop my head to my chest, knowing he means it. He had ten dozen roses delivered to my desk my first day back after his accident. On his first day back, he hired a barbershop quartet to serenade me merely for the joy of watching me squirm with embarrassment. Any person who had questioned our relationship didn’t after that day.

“Fine. Fifteen minutes.” I hang up and push my chair away from my desk.

When I turn the corner leading to the stairwell, I see Austin standing against the door with a shit-eating grin on his face. No matter how many times I’ve seen him, my heart still thumps like this is my first. I wonder if he’ll ever stop affecting me this way.

Just as I reach him, a little boy with curly red hair and a Superman t-shirt runs by us. I’ve never seen a child at Sexton Media so I turn to Austin to question, “Do we know who he’s with?”

Austin shrugs, like it’s not a big deal that a five-year-old boy is running through the halls of a media conglomerate. “I think I heard that Rosie’s son was getting dropped off. Her office is right over there. Come on. I only have fourteen minutes left.”

He leans in, kissing my neck, sending shivers down my spine, before pulling my hand through the doorway and up the stairs.

After we climb the ladder, Austin leaves the roof latch propped open, and we head toward the lounge area.

I barely make it halfway there when his arms wrap around me, pulling my back to his front, before he spins me around and places his lips to mine. My head leans back as his hands press the small of my back forward.

Placing my fingers on his chest, I push him away. “I told you, not here.” I laugh and turn toward the sofas, only to see a table dressed in white silk set with dinner for two. There are battery operated candles scattered about and an electric candelabra sitting in the middle of the table alongside a floral centerpiece and a bottle of wine. I cover my mouth in surprise as I glance back at him.

“How about dinner instead?” he asks, stepping up so that his body is covering mine.

“How in the world did you get all of this up here?”

“Didn’t we already have this conversation?” He questions. “I’m a Sexton, remember?”

I shake my head. “I can’t. Bryce asked me to—”