Page 96 of Fire

Blake chuckled, and she shot him a dirty look. How could he be so cheerful when it felt as if her world was coming to an end. Not for the first time, she regretted signing that damn contract.

They pulled into the airport parking lot, and Blake turned to look at her. “You sound so gloomy. You should be excited. You’re about to start an amazing adventure.”

She picked at the tissue, refusing to look at him. “I know.” But that didn’t come out any less somber.

The car stopped, and her head flew up. He’d pulled into a short-term parking spot. Panicked, she turned to him. “I don’t want to go.”

“Yes, you do,” he said matter-of-factly.

“No. I really don’t. You’re rich, you can get me out of my contract, right?”

He laughed out loud. If she weren’t so upset about leaving him for three weeks, she’d punch him in the nose.

Instead of answering, he reached into the backseat and grabbed an umbrella before popping the trunk.

Guess that was a no.

As he got out of the car and came around to her side, she started counting the seconds she had left with him—two hours until her flight—seven thousand two hundred. Not enough time. Not nearly enough.

He hadn’t bothered to open the umbrella until he opened her door and raindrops glistened like diamonds in his hair. She took a mental picture to keep with her for the next few weeks. She’d been doing a lot of that—snapping still frames of their moments together—and every one was tucked into a special place close to her heart.

He handed her the umbrella as he went to the trunk and grabbed her small suitcase and duffle. She’d packed light and for comfort, knowing they’d be traveling around to different cities, and she’d be responsible for her things.

The walk through the airport was over in a blink and too soon, they were at the security checkpoint.

She clutched at him, her arms hugging him so tightly it was a wonder he could breathe. Between the basketball-sized lump in her throat and her nose stuffy from crying, she knewshewas fighting for breath.

He held on to her just as tightly, with his face buried in the hair piled at the top of her head.

“I’m going to miss you.” Her words came out muffled, spoken into his chest.

“You’ll be too busy to miss me.”

Someone called her name and she looked over her shoulder to see Sam—she thought that was her name—one of the film crew, waving her over. It was getting late.

“I’ll call as soon as I land.”

His hands cupped her face. “I’ll be waiting.”

“Promise.” She wasn’t only talking about the phone call, and he knew it.

His head came down, stopping when his lips grazed hers. “I’ll wait for you forever.”

And then he was kissing her. It was a Blake kiss. Hard, forceful, and demanding but oh so sweet—just like him.

His fingers pressed into her scalp, tipping her head back to deepen the kiss. His tongue tangled with hers in a duel she never wanted to end, but it did. All too soon, he was pulling away, capturing her bottom lip as he went as if reluctant to let go.

Sam called her name again. This time she didn’t turn her head to look, not wanting to move her eyes from Blake.

“You better go.” He released her, stepping back, and it felt as though more than only a foot separated them.

It already felt like miles.

She reached down and grabbed the strap of her duffle, hiking it over her shoulder. “I’ll call when I land.” She knew she was repeating herself, but she feared if she said anything else, she wouldn’t get on the plane.

“I’ll be waiting.”

She sent up a small prayer that he would, then she turned her back on the man she loved and walked away.

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