Page 135 of That First Flight

I swat his arm with a kitchen rag and my laughter matches his. “Yes, you ruined it. I was planning to make you breakfast in bed and now you’re out here all”—my hand gestures up and down his body—“naked and so much skin. Oh my god, so much skin.”

My core throbs again. He’s turning me on just by standing there.

“Would you like me to get dressed, Macey Bethany Evans?”

“Another wrong guess.” I laugh. “And please don’t. I’ve never cooked with a hot naked man in the kitchen before. Maybe it will be some of my best work.”

Oliver eyes the pan I’m holding. “Eggs?”

“Yup.”

“Are you going to make the eggs some of your best work?”

“You hush.” I curl over in laughter, more loudly and freely this time.

But I don’t hear him. I turn to face him and he’s most definitely not laughing with me. Something sobers him, but he still has a small smirk on his face.

“I love when you do that,” he says.

“Do what?”

“Smile. Laugh. Breathe. Everything. Just to name a few off the top of my head.”

“Oliver,” I whisper.

I should tell him. Just rip off the stupid Band-Aid and not worry about what his reaction would be to me telling him I’m completely head over heels for him. At least he will know and it will allow him to freely tell me when he’s ready.

Oliver doesn’t say anything back.

I clear my throat. “Let’s have breakfast.”

“You know… I can think of something better than eggs. And it might also be some of your best work.”

“Like what?”

He stalks over to me, crowding my space again. “You.”

This has to be the busiest lunch shift I’ve ever worked.

It doesn’t help that I’m downright exhausted and it’s only Tuesday.

We were supposed to leave Wilmington on Sunday night but our flight was majorly delayed. A nor’easter went up the coast and we were stuck there for hours until it passed.

I was so anxious about Mackenzie but Peyton assured me they were safe and fine. Apparently they are used to that sort of thing. The word nor’easter just scared the shit out of me, but Oliver told me that it’s essentially just heavy rain and wind.

Needless to say, we didn’t get in until yesterday morning. I was eager to pick up Mackenzie so Oliver drove us out to where Peyton lives just outside the city.Of coursewe got stuck in traffic because what else can go wrong.

When we finally made it back to the penthouse, Mackenzie talked our ears off for hours. I think she was just as excited for us to be home as we were.

It was my first time away from her so I can see why.

The three of us snuggled on the couch with the gloomy post storm weather and watched movies all day since Mackenzie had a random day off for teacher inservice. I even read some of the book Avery let me borrow for the trip that I didn’t get to finish.

It’s just so good and I couldn't put it down no matter how heavy my eyes were. Those damn cowboy romances have me in a chokehold, which leaves me here dead ass tired for this shift.

“Are you good?” Kevin asks.

I bite back a yawn. “Yeah, I’m just still so tired from the weekend.”

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