Clocking out, her colleague tidied up their desk and turned to Joy with an invitation, "Let''s hit the road?"


    Joy put on an act, "Oh shoot, just remembered I need to tweak something in my project. I''ll head out after, you go on ahead." "Since when did you be such a go-getter?" her colleague asked, skepticism written all over their face before departing.


    Joy pondered over thatment; indeed, her pattern of arrivingte and leaving early had drastically reduced. Where she once would skip work at any chance, now she found herself more eager to start the day than Mia.


    In the past, whenever Austin passed by her desk, she''d think: Bad vibes!


    Now, catching a fleeting nce from Austin, she''d muse: Look at him, throwing me those flirtatious looks again.


    Could this all be Austin''s cunning n?


    Why else would he suddenly start flirting with her out of the blue?


    Austin stayed backte at work. By the time he finished up, most of the office had already left. He shut down hisputer, grabbed his jacket, then thought better of it and hung it back up.


    Joy, slouched in her chair, was contemting whether she''d unwittingly fallen for the capitalist trap of a handsome man, when a message popped up on her phone.


    Austin texted, "Come in."


    With a stern look, she stood up and walked towards Austin''s office, pushing the door open with a cool demeanor, "You wanted to see me, boss?"


    Austin, seated behind his desk, looked up at her, "Kiss?"


    So straightforward?


    Joy thought, "Why not?"


    Whether it was a plot, a scheme, or outright seduction, she''d figure it out after the kiss.


    Approaching Austin, she attempted to bend down towards him, finding the posture awkward. The thought of sitting in hisp crossed her mind but she immediately dismissed it, wary of a potential harassment im.


    As she was trying to find the right position, Austin stood up, effortlessly lifted her by the waist, and ced her on the desk.


    Joy wasn''t overweight by any means, quite fit actually, and on a good day, you could even spot the hint of abs.


    But she didn''t partake in five meals a


    day for nothing. Compared to Leanne, who seemed forever stuck at 90 pounds, Joy had always considered herself strong and capable.


    Austin''s casual embrace made her feel as light as a feather.


    The office was empty, the silence of the night enveloping them. As Austin hesitated, Joy wondered if she should just kiss him first.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Austin''s gaze lingered on her for a moment before he spoke, "Has anyone ever told you, you''re actually quite beautiful?"


    Her personality was far from the


    traditional demure beauty - outspoken, capable of lifting heavy loads, more tomboyish than most men around. It was easy for people to overlook that she was, in fact, a woman. And a beautiful one at that.


    Joy scoffed, "Tell me something! don''t know. I''ve been a knockout since childhood. You''ve met my best friend, right? If Stonebridge had a beauty ranking, she''d be first, and I''d be a close second."


    Austin chuckled.


    Being with Joy made it easy tough; she had an infectious energy about her.


    "That ranking system of yours, you made it up, didn''t you?"


    "So what if I did?" Joy retorted, "What position do you think I should be in then?"


    Austin pondered for a moment before mimicking her response, "Your best friend first, you second?"


    Although Leanne''s beauty was objectively recognized, and Joy herself was content with second ce, his agreement seemed off.


    "You''re supposed to say I''m first. Do you even know how to flirt?"


    Austin smiled, gently cradling her face, and captured her indignant lips with his.


    Any qualms Joy had dissolved with their kiss.


    If their first kiss, unexpected and shocking in the car, was a surprise, this time Joy was fully willing and had been eagerly anticipating it.