Losing Me, Finding You(87)

I wait in tense anticipation for him to respond to me, to say anything at all.

“Yeah,” he responds, voice a little rough around the edges, a little hoarse from not speaking for so long. A lot sexy.

“I think it's hot,” I whisper and Austin grins, meeting my eyes, searing me with heat, blinding me with feelings I haven't yet fully sorted out but that I intend to work on – even if it takes decades. I smile and he smiles back.

“Good, because, sugar, when I said you were mine, I meant it.”

“So did I.”

We grin at each other and then I watch with my pulse thumping like a wild thing while Austin climbs off the bike and tucks his helmet under his arm, turning to face the Triple M'ers who are waiting patiently to hear whatever it is he's going to say. I think somehow, someway, we all just sort of assumed Austin was the new president.

He doesn't argue the point.

“I'm sorry to say that Kent is no longer with Triple M.” Austin pauses and rubs at the stubble that's decorating his jaw. He doesn't say whether the man is dead or alive. I'm not sure if he even knows himself. I suppose I don't either. I shiver, but I don't think about it anymore than that. Whatever happened, happened. The universe is in control now, and I hate to say it, but the world minus one of those horrible men (especially Walker or Kent) might actually be a better place. “Shit went down and bad things happened.” He shrugs. “But we keep on keepin' on because that's what we do, that's what our group has always done. We've always been here to pull each other's fat out of the fire, and I intend to keep it that way.” He pauses just long enough for Beck to jump in with a wicked smile and a wink.

“So, Pres, where to?”

Austin thinks about that for a moment.

“Well, I figure it's been awhile since we hit the coast, and I think we could all use a vacation.” He watches my face for a moment and his smile turns into a grin. “But first we've gotta go pick up a friend of Amy's.”

“And then what?” Gaine asks quietly, and I swear the entire garage goes silent just to hear what Austin is going to say. He keeps his eyes on mine the whole time, locking me into him, turning my body molten, so that I feel like I'm melding with him, sinking into the leather of his jacket and finding his heart.

“Then,” he says. “We go wherever the wind takes us.”