Page 15 of Spreading Her Wings

“Help with what?” I imagined some of our trouble-starting customers. Had one made their way in? I hoped it wasn’t the guy who always snuck in his pet ferret.

“Simone has convinced Jackson we have to ride those death traps on top of the Strat.” She had been talking about the rides for weeks, sure she would convince us to go no matter how many times Logan put his foot down and got me to agree. “Now Ash is saying he could be down!”

“What kind of rides?” Katie looked between us like she was nervous.

“There are these thrill rides on top of one of the hotels. One of the rollercoasters dangles you off the side of the building. There’s one that spins over the edge, and one that shoots you up a tall tower and drops you.” I wrapped my arm tighter aroundher, as if she were in danger. “Don’t worry, you can help us convince her not to ride them. She might actually listen to you.”

She stepped back with a gasp. “Notto ride them? Sorry fellas, I’m on Team Simone with this one. That soundsawesome!” With a pat on my shoulder, she slithered from my grasp and bolted for the door.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding.” Logan groaned, and I laughed.

I stood up and grabbed the glasses from my desk, joining him in the doorway. “Looks like we’re riding the death traps, man. God help us.”

Logan grumbled a chain of four-letter words and tossed his head back in defeat. “This is unreal. If we die, it’s your fault.”

“My fault? Your girlfriend is the one who suggested it.”

“Yours didn’t turn it down,” he grumbled, clearly disappointed Katie wasn’t as scared of rollercoasters as he was, and I laughed as I closed the door behind me.

Auston was quiet while he drove, and I hummed in the front seat under a light fog of tequila and soda. The taste of lime sat on my lips, and I ran my tongue along them, drawing a side glance from the driver’s seat.

“You’re quiet,” I said, turning halfway in my seat to face him.

He chuckled, placing his hand casually on my thigh as if it was the most comfortable movement for him. I stiffened for a second, but with a flutter in my stomach, I relaxed when he spoke. “Are you really going to drag us onto those rides in Vegas?”

Behind the tough exterior of tattoos and a glare I was certain could be lethal, was there a man who was scared of a rollercoaster? “You don’t like them?”

“I hate anything that involves heights or blindly trusting an amusement park’s college-aged maintenance team and their understanding of the laws of physics. But I especially hate rollercoasters,” he said with an obvious shiver.

I covered his hand on my thigh and slid my fingers between his. “Don’t worry,” I said before dropping my voice to a whisper and leaning in. “I’ll protect you.”

A grumble slipped from his lips, and I could have sworn he relaxed against the back of the driver’s seat. “If we die…”

“Oh mygod,Auston. We’re not going to die.”

“I’m just saying, if we do…” He interrupted his own sentence with a laugh, as if he struggled to take himself seriously, and my stomach somersaulted.

I turned abruptly, causing the seatbelt to lock behind me. I grunted, and he laughed. I released the belt, glaring as he drove. “Hey, do you trust me?”

“Yes, kitten,” he said, squeezing my thigh.

I brushed my fingers from his hand up his arm and then pulled myself to him. “Then don’t be a wimp because we’re going on that rollercoaster,” I said quietly.

He glared and his shoulders sagged. “Remind me why I invited you to go to Vegas with us?” The laughter he tried to hold back echoed in the car.

Settling back in the seat, I crossed my arms. “You didn’t. Simone did.”

I winked, and we pulled into my driveway, coming to a halt. “Are you going to push my buttons like this the entire time we’re there?”

“You betcha. It’s part of my charm.” When I licked my lips, he grumbled, tightening his hold on my thigh and causing my breath to catch in my throat.

He turned the key, bringing the hum of the engine to a stop. “You’re a pain in the ass.”

When I laughed, he smiled and ran his hand through his hair. I opened the door, sliding my legs along the leather and climbing down. “That’s part of my charm too.” I shrugged one shoulder, tilting my head, and closed the door.

He followed me up the stairs to my porch. My keys jingled between my fingers as I tried to unlock my door with shaking hands. I didn’t open it, though. I waited with my hand on theknob, inhaling the musky scent of amber and sage that floated off him.

“Are you going to kiss me?” My voice was nearly a whisper. I wanted him to say no, to stop whatever this back and forth was before we messed up and took it too far.He’s my best friend’s brother.

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