Page 54 of The Female Warrior & The Charming Gentleman

“Oliver’s in prison and half a dozen minions have been proficiently un-alived by my friend Autumn,” Paul said. He was studying her, wondering if she forgave him. She wasn’t mad at him anymore, but she was a mess and not sure how to deal with anything right now.

“For sure.” She smiled. “Ready to go?”

Paul and Jarom both raised their eyebrows.

She hurried up the plane steps and they followed. Paul went up front and Jarom stowed her suitcase and then returned to her side, waiting for her to sit.

She plunked down in a recliner. Two and a half hours to Aspen, if she remembered right. How could she savor each moment with Jarom, not let her guard down, make any promises she couldn’t keep, or kiss the flight away? Actually, the latter sounded pretty great. If only she was still into non-committed relationships. Jarom had ruined her for that.

Jarom sat next to her and reached for her hand. She stupidly let him. Had he not realized how wrong she was for him yet?

“Are we going to talk about it?” he asked, studying her with those brilliantly blue eyes.

Her pulse sped up. “What is there to talk about?” she asked, hating herself. She’d let her iron melt and now she was a mess and they weren’t even apart yet. Any distance she could achieve now would be helpful in the long run.

Silence fell for a few beats as she felt Jarom stiffen next to her. He didn’t release her hand. The plane taxied out of the hangar and within moments they were on the runway and then soaring into the air.

“You have …” Jarom swallowed. “No feelings for me?”

“Oh, Jarom.” The words rushed out as she turned to look into his blue gaze. She’d hurt him. She was about to hurt himmore. “My feelings for you are off the charts, something I’ve never experienced.”

His eyes softened but still looked concerned. “And yet …”

“Jarom, I prayed because of you. I let you melt the iron around my heart. You mean everything to me.” She was probably making this worse. “But I’m never going to be able to settle down, date you, maybe marry you. That isn’t my life or my future. If we try to stretch this out, it’ll only hurt worse in the long run.”

“It’s hurting something horrible already,” he admitted.

She nodded, pressing her free hand to her heart. “I know.”

“You’d never consider a long-term relationship?” he asked.

“Never. I’m a warrior. You saw that tonight.” She forced herself to hold his gaze. No matter how painful it was, her career was her life. She wasn’t going to get into the fact that she was not the right fit for him and would only hurt him in the long run. Wasn’t he going to reject her like Charles had for being a cold-blooded killer?

Jarom’s jaw worked, but he didn’t fight with her. She shouldn’t be surprised. He was such a gentleman; of course he wouldn’t push her to love him. She did love him, but she couldn’t reveal it.

He released her hand, and her heart thumped more painfully. Then, wrapping his hands around her waist, he easily plucked her off the seat and onto his lap.

“Jarom,” she gasped out in surprise.

“Can I at least hold you during the flight?”

She could only nod. Leaning her head into the crook of his neck, she melted against him. He wrapped her up tight and held her. She was safe,protected, home.

The minutes sped by far too quickly. They didn’t talk, simply held onto each other.

When they had to buckle up for landing, the fear and depression of being without Jarom set in.

Paul taxied the airplane to a temporary spot, and they loaded up in a waiting taxi service. The ride to Jarom’s house was quiet. She was getting tired of the quiet. She wanted to tell him so many things, but it would only make it harder on both of them. He’d realize soon enough she wasn’t right for him and look at their time together as the fling he’d initially proposed. He’d be relieved not to be with someone violent like her.

They cleared his security gate, his guard welcoming him home, and pulled up to his driveway. There was plastic sheeting over one side of the house. She’d almost forgotten about their first meeting and the explosion in the wake of everything else that had happened.

“It was great to see you, Jarom,” Paul said. “I’ll just wait here.”

“Thank you.” Jarom nodded to Paul and the driver, climbed out, and came around to get her door. It would’ve been so much easier not to say goodbye, but she couldn’t deny him or herself.

He took her hand, and they walked up to his porch.

“Autumn …” He shook his head and simply studied her face.

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