Page 69 of Reckless Hearts

“Your parents sound amazing,” I tell him, taking his chin between my fingers. I kiss him. His smile spreads, infectious and sweet, and I can’t help but smile back, our lips pressed together in a simple kiss, but it feels like forever.

“I want you to meet my parents,” he now says, and I’m taken aback. It’s not that I don’t want to meet his parents, it’s just that it’s not something I would ever say.

I wouldn’t care if my mom ever met Flynn. She’s not a part of my life, and if anything, he knows everyone who is important to me. Nate, and the girls, Tanner and Kai, and Miles, and Owen, they are my family.

“I’d love to,” I tell him, his hand wrapping around the back of my neck. He pulls me closer, our lips brushing softly.

“And I want to be there when you win your first world championship, too,” Flynn says, and my heart skips a beat.

There’s nothing I want more than to have him by my side.

I kiss him again, these thoughts lingering in my head. The idea of falling in love with him is burrowed so deeply into my heart that it feels like nothing can go wrong.

“We need to get back,” I tell him, hating to ruin this quiet moment between us. Being out here on the Luna Mae in the middle of the ocean, with the world feeling miles away, has been just what we both needed.

“We do. You have the signing and I have…” He doesn’t have to say it. Even though he shouldn’t have to deal with Jade, he does.

“Yeah, I know. It’s okay though. I get it. She’s kinda like having a kid. A kid you didn’t want, but still a kid,” I say, laughing.

“Totally,” Flynn quips as he pulls his phone from the backpack, turning the sound back on.

Big mistake, because it’s going off like it’s been forgotten about for too long.

“Fuck’s sake,” he mutters, dragging a hand over his face. He holds his phone out for me to see it, and not only does he have a bunch of missed calls from Jade, but he also has several text messages too.

And the first one has an attached picture.

Jade: I got a dog today!!!!

The message is followed by at least ten smiling face emojis along with a bunch of dog ones.

Flynn clicks the picture, showing it to me, and as ridiculous as the situation is, and how even more ridiculous it is that she bought a dog, the dog is adorable.

It’s this fluffy little thing, all a ball of fur and dark eyes. She adds in that his name is Mochi, and I kind of want to squeal out loud at how cute he is. But the look on Flynn’s face tells me to keep my thoughts to myself.

“We gotta head back. You gotta go walk Mochi,” I joke, but Flynn doesn’t laugh, just letting out a grumble of annoyance.

“She can’t even take that fucking dog back with her. I have no idea what the hell she’s thinking,” he hisses, again dragging a hand down his face.

Maybe I should tell him I love him. He looks like he needs some good news right about now.

But I don’t. It’s too early.

And with that, we head back.

“So do me a favor?”I start, my eyes on Jade, even though I’m taking to Nate.

“Yeah, what’s up?” he asks.

I turn to face him, making sure Jade stays in my peripheral vision because I need to make sure she behaves herself and also doesn’t hear what I am about to say to Nate. “Don’t let Jade know where I’m staying,” I say, tipping my head toward the back of the shop.

“She doesn’t know?” he asks, a confused expression on his face.

“No,” I reply, shaking my head. “I came out here early for a break, and her showing up early has kinda fucked with that, so I’m doing what I can to protect what’s left of my holiday.”

Nate chuckles, slapping a hand on my shoulder. “Yeah, I get that. I’ll let Sage and that know too.”

“Thanks, man,” I say, blowing out a breath. “And I’m gonna apologize in advance for any...well, you know, just in case.”

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