Page 61 of One Hot Chase

Sabrina

I wake up to an empty bed, the sheets cool beside me. Confusion clouds my mind as I blink away the remnants of sleep. Where's Declan? Stretching, I sit up and scan the room. His clothes are gone, his bags no longer sit by the door. A knot forms in my stomach as realization dawns. He's left me.

Then my gaze lands on a folded piece of paper on the nightstand. Why are my hands trembling? Sheesh. It's not like I'm in love with Declan. Am I? Of course not. The paper crinkles when I reach for it, thanks to my unsteady fingers, as I unfold the note to reveal Declan's elegant scrawl.

It's your turn to chase me, darling.

Conflicting emotions cascade over me---frustration, confusion, and a spark of excitement I can't quite squelch. That sneaky snake. I can almost hear his deep, accented voice speaking those words and see the mischievous glint in his blue eyes.

I flop back onto the bed, groaning into the pillow. Naturally, he'd pull a stunt like this. Just when I thought I had him figured out, he goes and throws me another curveball. Classic Declan. But I've got a few tricks of my own that he's never seen. So, I sit up and lift my chin. If he thinks I'll run after him, he's mistaken.

"Okay, Your Knightliness," I declare, swinging my legs off the bed. "You want a chase? I'll give you a damn chase."

But I am not doing this to get him back. No way. It's not like I...care about him. Only Declan would do an obnoxious thing like this.

I grab my phone, firing off a quick text to my sister. Sorry, Tabby. Slight change of plans. Might be a teensy bit late to the opening festivities, but I won't miss your wedding. Cross my heart.

As I toss my phone onto the bed and dash to the bathroom, my mind is already plotting my next move. While brushing my teeth, I glimpse my reflection in the mirror---hair a mess, eyes faintly red, dark circles under them too. Despite my appearance, I grin around my toothbrush which makes foam dribble down my chin. This is insane. I'm about to embark on a wild goose chase across who-knows-where, all because of a man I've known for less than a week. A man who drives me batty. A Brit who makes my heart race and my knees go weak, but still.

I splash water on my face and start throwing clothes into my suitcase while I mutter to myself. "Focus, Bree. Where would he go first?"

No frigging idea.

Within an hour, I'm walking out of the suite. The desk clerk flags me down to tell me that Declan had paid the whole bill for our steamy night in Marrakesh. He also asked the clerk to give me a note. As I'm rushing to hail a taxi, I read his words.

Come fly with me, Sabrina.

Huh? I don't get it. Is he saying I should fly somewhere and chase him to...wherever? Or does he mean that he will join me on Diana's get? The whole point of the cat and mouse game has been to conclude each search with us being together in a beautiful city somewhere in the world.

Come fly with me, he said.

Okay, I'm rushing straight to the airport.

I can't find a car quickly enough, so I dash through Marrakesh's bustling streets as I weave through the crowd. My heart races, not just from the exertion but from the thrill of the chase. Declan's words echo in my mind once again, and I experience a sense of exhilaration like none I've felt before in my entire life. I'm flying high without an airplane, that's how excited I am to find him and kiss him and tell him...I don't know what.

Finally, I flag down a taxi. Breathing hard, I leap into the car and ask to go to the airport. Luckily, the driver speaks English.

Once I reach the airport, I scan the departure boards. My eyes flick from one destination to another. Where might Declan go? I close my eyes, trying to channel his thoughts, letting all the chatter of the terminal fade away. What would an adventure-seeking, thrill-loving Brit do next?

Like a flash, it hits me. Fly, he'd said twice. I'd assumed he meant that as a metaphor, but I wonder...Could he have meant it literally? Worth a shot. So, I sprint to the nearest information desk.

"Excuse me," I pant, "do you have any flight schools nearby? Or, I don't know, places where you can book scenic flights? Anything like that?"

The woman behind the desk gives me a bemused look. A name tag identifies her as Lajin. "There's a small airfield about thirty minutes from here. They offer scenic flights over the Atlas Mountains."

"No, I think I'd better stay here until I find my...um, boyfriend." Wow did that sound weird when I said it. "I doubt he'd leave the area without me."

Lajin puckers her lips, seeming to consider my problem. "We do have a private flight that's scheduled to take off soon. Perhaps they would take you on as a passenger."

"Perfect!" I exclaim, already turning away. "Thank you!"

I'm halfway to the exit when I realize I have no idea how to get to wherever I'm going. Spinning on my heels, I rush back to the desk. "Sorry to bother you again, Lajin. How exactly do I get to that airplane?"

She waves toward an attractive man. "Abad! Come here, we have a passenger in need."

The man obeys, jogging over to us. "How may I assist you, Lajin?"

His tone of voice suggests he's got the hots for her. She seems a touch flustered by him but remains professional. "Abad, could you please escort this lovely woman to the tarmac? She needs to board a jet. I believe you know the one. It will be taking off soon, and I'm certain the pilot won't mind taking on a passenger."

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