Page 70 of The Flight Risk

That theory is squashed when his lips crush against mine and it’s the most electric kiss we’ve ever shared. It fills every piece of my once-shattered soul. His fingers run through my hair and hold my head against his so there’s no chance of me running away from this–not that I would ever want to. His tongue brushes against mine, igniting a fire inside me. I run my hands up along his torso, over his athletic tech shirt which is now glued to his body, and reach his now drenched hair. I grasp hard and he moans deliciously and the vibrations travel through my body. I step as close to him as I can until our bodies are basically one. His hard body feels amazing against mine and though we haven’t been apart for very long, I missed it so much. My life is not the same without Adam Oakley in it.

I break away from the kiss. “Can I come home now?”

Oakley kisses my forehead and sweeps me up into his arms with ease. I know I’m never going to tire from him being able to do this on a whim. We look like a newly married couple about to cross the threshold of our new lives together. Some wet tendrils cover his forehead and almost obscure his verdant-hued eyes. “Welcome back home, honey.”

And for once in my life, I’m not afraid to cross that threshold from fling to forever. I push the hair aside and kiss him softly. This kiss feels different than any other kiss we’ve shared. It’s full of promise–something I’ve never had in my life.

Right when we step through the door, I remember what he said earlier. I break our kiss and say, “What about your training?”

He shrugs and smirks. “I’ll tell them I’m coming down with something.”

My jaw drops and I press my hand to my chest out of shock. “I never thought I’d see the day that boy scout Adam Oakley would tell a lie to get out of practice. Won’t you get fined for that?”

The rain continues to fall as he kicks the door shut behind him. “But I’m not lying. I’ll be in bed all day.”

I cock an eyebrow. He tightens his grip around my thighs and with what seems like no effort, ascends the staircase toward his room.

My heart leaps out of my chest because I know that we’re crossing into the unknown. But it’s different this time–I’m actually excited to explore where the unknown is going to take me because I know that Adam Oakley will always be there to ground me in love.

39

7 Months Later

“You all really did not have to drive me to the airport. I could have ubered.” Lottie approaches the kiosk to get her boarding tickets. She starts punching in her confirmation number and with each press of the button on the screen, my chest tightens little by little.

Everything about my life changed when Lottie and Tess moved in with me. I was the guy who liked having his house to himself. I didn’t know when I would ever let anyone into my inner circle. But Lottie was different. We just clicked from the moment Tess brought her into my life. It’s a type of kinship I didn’t know I needed. I’m going to miss coming home to a house of two strong, independent women. At least Tess agreed to move in with me. That softens the blow of Lottie leaving and not living with us anymore.

“Are you kidding me? We would not let our Lottie go into a car with a stranger.” Tess hugs Lottie from behind and doesn’t ease up. I can see another tear stream down her cheek. A half gallon of Blue Bell ice cream is in order tonight.

Tess hasn’t stopped tearing up since Lottie got the call from Tara a couple weeks ago. Tara’s new boyfriend, Hunter, paid for Lottie to come to Paris for the summer before they all head back home to Dallas come fall. This whole arrangement is by no means permanent, but it doesn’t make this hurt any less.

“Ow, Aunt Tess, I can’t breathe.” Lottie sticks out her tongue and pretends to gasp for air. If she wasn’t like Tess before, she definitely is now.

“Don’t be so dramatic.” Tess rolls her tear-laced eyes and tightens her squeeze around Lottie.

“I wonder where she learned that from.” I cross my arms and wait for my feisty girlfriend to whip her head around and look at me with those fierce, beautiful eyes of hers. Before she can come over and completely obliterate me with her mere presence, I say, “I agree with Tess. I would never let you get into a car with a stranger if the other option is for us to get you here safely.”

“You know that once I get to Paris, my mom, or rather Hunter, is probably going to send a car for me, right? So either way, I’m getting in the car with a stranger in the near future.”

Tess finally loosens her hug and Lottie turns around. “Let me go check in my bags. I’ll be right back.” I roll the bags toward her and she heads to the counter.

I wrap my arm around Tess’ shoulders and kiss the top of her head as we walk toward the entrance to the security checkpoint. “She’s going to be okay.”

She envelops my torso with her arms and she can barely clasp her fingers together on the opposite side. She leans into my side. “I know. She’ll be in the most romantic city in the world while I’m stuck here in Dallas. Ugh.”

I chuckle. “You honestly say the sweetest, most romantic things to me, Tess Lewis.”

She lets out a light laugh and that eases the tightness in my chest from earlier. “I just mean that I wish I could go with her.”

“Why don’t you?” Selfishly, I want Tess around 24/7 and had this idea we would be inseparable and maybe go on a beach vacation after the playoffs are over. But I know she’s always wanted to go to Paris. I would go with her, but with the foundation getting its legs, the lakehouse getting a few minor renovations, and preseason starting shortly after that, I don’t have the time to be overseas right now. Who am I to stop the woman of my dreams from fulfilling her dreams?

She stops in her tracks and pulls on my white t-shirt. “I’m not going to Paris without you. Plus, I want to spend every ounce of free time I have in the summer with you… preferably in bed.” She loops her fingers inside the elastic band of my basketball shorts and pulls slightly. Her eyes turn dark and she smirks while biting her bottom lip. My fucking weakness. And she knows that all too well.

“Tess. We are in public and I don’t think it would be appropriate to do to you what I want to do to you in an airport.” I pull on the ends of her hair and her chin raises. I lean down and whisper, “Just wait until we get home.”

“Are you guys being disgusting again? Ew. We’re in front of other people. Please don’t give anyone the ick.” Lottie sneaks up on us. Only this time, instead of jumping apart like we used to do, Tess leans into my side, presses her hand on my torso, and lays her head on my chest–a position I’m never going to get sick of.

“We do it just to bother you,” Tess says emphatically.