Page 42 of The Flight Risk

“Betrayal. Both of you.”

“What?” Brooke seizes the note and reads it. Her hand goes over her heart and she makes puppy eyes. She turns the note toward Lottie and Lottie gives a similar reaction. “It’s for a really good cause. You gotta admit that this was sweet of him.”

She hands the note back to me and I tuck it safely into my purse. Ugh, too sweet. This is not helping with the whole falling-in-love with him thing.

I’m in so much trouble.

25

After finishing the bottle of wine and ensuring Brooke is safely in an uber and on her way home, Lottie and I hop in our own uber back to the house. In the front hallway, Lottie gives me a hug goodnight. “Happy Birthday, Aunt Tess. I hope you got everything you wanted.”

“Thank you, Lottie. I did.” Well, not everything. But I got most things I wanted.

Lottie heads straight to her room. She has an early morning with band practice and I know she has to perform during the halftime show at the homecoming game tomorrow night.

I kick off my heels and unzip my little black dress that leaves very little to the imagination, hanging it on the closet door. I have a tradition of staying up until the clock strikes midnight so I can fully enjoy my entire birthday. I change into my favorite black silk camisole and short set, head downstairs, eat another one of Brooke’s cupcakes and put on a comfort show.

Right before the clock strikes midnight, the door unlocks. The first thing I see is a giant bouquet of sunflowers and then Oakley slowly walks in. When he sees me, his face lights up. “Oh good, you’re up.”

How the hell did he make it back before midnight? I guess the game was scheduled a little earlier than normal, but he had to have pulled some massive strings to get back home so fast.

“Oakley.” I turn my show to mute. “What are you doing home? I thought you wouldn’t be back until tomorrow.”

“I made it clear that I needed to get home. It was an emergency.” His voice is soft but intense all at once. Tingles tickle every inch of my body and I’m hyper aware of the high Brooke was talking about earlier. Seeing the man you are feral for after an extended period of time apart. I’m practically breathless.

“And what was the emergency?” I cock an eyebrow, steadying my voice as best I can, surprised that Adam Oakley is capable of fibbing.

He places his keys meticulously in the bowl on the entryway table, along with his wallet. “I needed to tell you something in person.” He takes a couple of large strides, well I guess regular strides for him, and hands me the bouquet of sunflowers. My favorite flowers. “Happy Birthday, Tess.”

My hand brushes against his and his touch prickles on my skin as I take the flowers from him. “Thank you. They are beautiful. And thank you for the bottle of wine at the restaurant. And for Lottie’s Shirley Temple. You didn’t have to do all that.” I sink back into the couch and play with the bright yellow petals, trying to keep my breathing steady as he closes the gap between us. His wavy hair is sticking out of his backwards hat and his shirt is clinging to his body like it’s painted on. Adonis has nothing on Adam Oakley.

“I know I didn’t have to. I wanted to. I already felt bad enough I was missing your birthday. Word on the street is that it should be considered a national holiday.” His dimples appear in full force and my stomach is swirling with excitement that he cares this much about me. So much so that he would use sarcasm to light up my damn world. Who knew something as simple as making me laugh would be the biggest turn-on?

I smile back. “Is that sarcasm, Mr. Oakley? I’d never thought I’d live to see the day. Now that’s the best birthday gift I have received today. And you heard right, it should be a national holiday.” The way his eyes are scanning mine, like he’s trying to decode how I am feeling. Like my body is on fire and tingly all over because you are staring at me like no other man has ever stared at me before?

He positions himself behind the couch. I pull the blanket over my legs and rest my temple on my knuckles, elbow resting mere inches from him. I can feel the heat emitting off his torso. I clear my throat. “Good game. Well, I guess I should say games. Aren’t you exhausted? How are you even walking right now? That save was intense. You practically did the splits.”

He leans over the back of the couch, coming insanely close to me, his elbow now touching mine. “So you were watching?” His voice is deep and inquisitive and downright seductive.

I bat my eyelashes, beset with lust. I tell a half-truth. “Lottie really wanted to tune in.”

“Sure.” His deep, scratchy voice vibrates and goosebumps cover my body. “I am sure it was all Lottie.” He’s calling me out on my shit and I don’t hate it.

“She really is a fan now. She said you were actually pretty good. I told her I was surprised as well.” I can’t help but poke fun at him. He knows how good he is. It’s that quiet confidence that I find so goddamn attractive.

His eyebrows shoot up. “Really?”

“Yup. At least you know one person who can sing your praises any time you ask her to.”

“And who might that be?” His expression shifts slightly, but his eyes are transfixed on me.

I press my lips together, then answer, “That red-headed reporter. The one who looks like fricken Ariel from The Little Mermaid? She was practically falling head-over-heels for you on national television.” I place the bouquet on the coffee table, unable to look at him. I showed all my cards and now he is going to be so repulsed by me for being jealous.

“Are you talking about Jessica Warner?” I nod. Then he runs his thumb along my jawline and stops at my chin, a move that is so intimate, it fuels the fire developing in me. He exhales a laugh. “I didn’t even realize she was flirting with me at first and once I caught on, I shut it down. She flirts with everyone.”

I feel like an idiot. Lottie and Brooke were both right about the situation.

Oakley doesn’t give me time to sit in that negative space in my head. He tilts my head up and brushes his thumb against my bottom lip, a move that melts me. “There is only one woman who has been on my mind, and the universe worked its magic when her apartment flooded a few weeks ago and she came to live with me.”