Chapter 40

Brinley quickly pushed against Austin's knees, trying to stand, but in her haste, her elbow ended up poking him in the stomach.

"Sorry," she muttered, withdrawing her clumsy movements. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and sat back down, attempting to mask her awkwardness as she reached forher phone.

But when the screen lit up, the photo she had secretly taken earlier was clearly displayed.

Her mind went blank. She hurriedly brushed her fingertip across the power button, shutting the screen off. Still, when she lifted her eyes, she found Austin watching her with a faint, knowing smile.

Brinley was completely lost for words. The embarrassment was unbearable. At the front, the driver, pale with fright, stole a glance in the rearview mirror and stammered, "Mr. Moore,I'm so sorry... A cat suddenly ran into the road..."

Usually, if something had jolted Austin's ride like this,the driver would have been dismissed on the spot.

Yet today, Austin only responded calmly, "I see."Then he fell silent.

An uneasy silence filled the car.

Brinley leaned against the window, straining her ears to catch any sound from Austin.

From the corner of her eye, she saw him resting with his head tilted back, eyes closed, and his sharp face softened. There was no trace of irritation on his face.That was the strangest part.

This man usually lost his temper over coffee served a degree too hot or too cold, but today, after she had knocked into him, he hadn't shown the slightest anger.

Was he plotting something bigger? Before she could make sense of it, Austin spoke up."Pull over up ahead."

The driver obeyed immediately, stopping in front of a dessert shop.

"You stay here. I'll buy something," Austin said as he pushed open the car door.

"T'll come too," Brinley replied at once, quickly following him.

The last thing she wanted was to give him time to think about how to punish her.

The moment they stepped inside the dessert shop,the sweet scent of cream and chocolate hit them.

Austin went straight to the counter and recited an order; every dessert he named happened to be among Brinley's favorites.

Turning toward her, he asked, "Anything else you'd like?"

"No, that's enough," Brinley replied, shaking her head, only becoming more puzzled. Was he being thoughtful on purpose? But why?

After leaving with the desserts, Austin directed the driver to a nearby fruit shop with glowing reviews.

"Your staff will probably enjoy these," he explained as he carefully picked out fresh fruits.

Brinley's guard began to drop as she watched him pick the fruits.

Whatever game he was playing, the mood between them wasn't so tense anymore.

Once they were back in the car, the atmosphere felt noticeably lighter.

Brinley picked up a strawberry and bit into it. The sweet juice burst across her tongue, instantly lifting her spirits.

"Taste good?" Austin asked, his eyes on her, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Mm, very sweet," she replied. Almost without thinking, she picked up another strawberry and held it near his mouth. "Want one?"

Austin seemed momentarily surprised, but then leaned forward and took a bite.

His lips brushed lightly against her fingertips,whether deliberately or not.

Brinley's fingers twitched, but her face remained calm. She drew her hand back casually and went on eating strawberries as if nothing had happened.

Chewing slowly, Austin stared at her profile, the smile in his eyes growing deeper.

Soon, the car pulled up outside the office complex in which Brinley's was located.

Just as the driver was about to turn into their reserved parking spot, a bright red Ferrari shot out from the side.

Its engine roared loudly as it swerved and forcefully claimed the space. "What in the world?" Brinley exclaimed, scowling.

That spot was part of the company's lease, and there was a guard station at the entrance; random cars were not allowed to park there.

Austin's face darkened instantly, but before he could act,Brinley touched his arm. "Let me handle this."

She stepped out of the car, already running through her options.

Austin didn't stop her. He only leaned back,observing the flashy Ferrari.

"Sir, this parking space is reserved for our company.Would you mind moving?" Brinley spoke calmly,standing beside the sports car with a polite smile.

The Ferrari's window slid down slowly, revealing a young man with grey-streaked hair. He gave her a sweeping glance and answered with a mocking grin,"With a pretty lady asking, I'd like to say yes. But moving this beast is such a hassle. How about you grab coffee with me, and I'll think about it?" Brinley's smile vanished, but she replied calmly,"Please mind your manners.Security will be here any minute. If they get involved, it'll only end awkwardly for you."

The man blinked, clearly not expecting firmness from someone with such a gentle face. He huffed and said stubbornly, "I'm not moving. What can you do about it?"

Pulling out her phone, Brinley answered lightly, "l've heard they're cracking down on illegal parking lately,especially in reserved corporate spaces. At best,your car gets towed. At worst... it could stay on your driving record."

Her words hit home.

The man's face tightened, and after muttering a curse, he started the engine and sped away.

Brinley watched the sports car vanish into traffic,then returned to the car carrying the bags of fruit and desserts for her employees.