Page 120 of The Thorne at My Side
“This is the best first date ever,” Austin says as our plates are cleared and he reaches across the table for my hand. I give it to him and watch as he brushes his thumb gently across the tops of my fingers. My gaze travels up his arm, over his shoulder to his neck, and the 5 o’clock shadow covering his square jaw. His whiskey eyes burn into me and I feel like I can read his mind.
“So, what do we do now?” I ask playfully.
“I can think of a few ideas.” Austin says in a low voice.
“No, not that, are we…well…dating?”
“Yeah MC, we’re dating. But we won’t be for long.”
“What?” I cough out a laugh.
“I’m not going to be able to wait very long to make you mywife. I need you at my side.”
“Does this mean we’re a power couple?”
“There’s something powerful happening here, that’s for sure.” Austin says with a pump of his eyebrows.
“Ohmygod you’re insatiable,” I joke.
“Maggie, you have no idea. I am buzzing with desire to take you somewhere private and cash in on the benefits of being your boyfriend.”
“Are we tossing out the no sleepover rule?”
“Oh, we won’t be sleeping but you and I will start our morning together tomorrow. Greg has a bag for me in the trunk.”
“No he does not,” I laugh and Austin laughs too. He never disputes my statement, he simply stands, and pulls me up with him. He plants a kiss at my ear that sends shivers down my spine before guiding me ahead of him toward the door by the small of my back.
As he opens the door for me I pause next to him.
I look up at the man who has proven himself to be exactly what I need. "Can I catch a ride with you?"
"Always."
EPILOGUE
Mr. Maggie Collins
AUSTIN
“I’m nervous!” I say as I wipe my palms on my shorts. Maggie is stepping out of my shower and reaching for a towel. She wouldn’t let me shower with her this morning because we’re on a schedule. We tend to ignore the clock when we're in there together.
Try as I might, she just won’t accept the simple fact that I own my company and she owns hers. This makes us the bosses and we make the rules, or at least we can not punish ourselves for being late. But my Maggie likes to stick to her routine.
My Maggie.
I still smile a little every time I think it.
It’s been an adjustment to get used to waking up early when she leaves for a run. After our first date we went back to her place and in the morning I told her to pack a bag. I was tempted to whisk her across the globe to Japan but I settled for a night at The Ned.
Getting us together was a feat of patience and determination but as soon as we accepted our devotion to each other things have flowed.
Felix met her and instantly knew she was the one for me.They gang up against me whenever they can. Maggie because she naturally disagrees with me, Felix because he knows it irks me. We get together a lot more than we used to because Maggie and I just moved to a house that’s about five minutes from his in NoVa.
Elle was happy to take over my condo and even though Dad was upset I left Thorne to go into business with her, he honored her trust fund access agreement. Dad grumbled about it being a waste of our time but I’ve made a point to not agree with the man. Together we opened Girl Fox Publishing and will be putting our first book out in a few weeks
Maggie turned down the book deal and formed a consulting company where she works with female policy makers on their tone and wording. She’s been talking with Ben from President Quinn’s administration about contributing to the state of the union address next year.
“You don’t have to be nervous. My family is pretty chill,” she can barely say this with a straight face. “Maybe chill isn’t the right word but they’re normal enough.”
