Page 31 of Love at First Flight

Selah wiped her hands with a napkin, not appearing the least bit worried. “She can try, but the form we have everyone sign pre-flight is very extensive, especially in regards to these kinds of accidents.”

“Dropping things is on the form?”

“Seriously? You didn’t read it? Why doesn’t anyone read?” she asked.

“Why doesn’t anyone stay on the path?” he asked, equally exasperated.

She threw her used napkin at him. “I’ll have you know that I’m very good at staying on the path. That was an extenuating circumstance.”

“Oh, sure. It’s always extenuating circumstances for you, but not for little old ladies who drop their electronic photo album with the only known pictures of their grandson’s birth on it.”

Selah did a cute little snort laugh. “Stop. It’s not like I got away with it either. You were an asshole, and one step away from pulling out your ranger cuffs and throwing me in ranger jail.”

“I wasn’t being an asshole. I was in professional park ranger mode.” Although, imagining her in handcuffs in his bedroom was a new fantasy unlocked.

“You called mema’am! And you wereverystern.” She was obviously offended by the first part, but the second part intrigued him because her gaze flicked over him in a flirty manner. It was a look that made his blood heat.

“Se—”

“I should probably be getting home,” she said, interrupting him. “I’m feeling okay now. I hope I didn’t completely ruin your Friday night.”

Dex didn’t want her to leave, but he had no excuse to hold her. He was beginning to understand her, to unlock what made her tick, and, yet, he had many questions remaining. While he had no doubt that Selah did have a terrible day with a ridiculously difficult passenger, this didn’t feel like enough of an explanation for everything that had happened tonight. Something like that wouldn’t have caused such a big crack, to change her from a person who was unflappable to completely vulnerable. He wanted to know more, but was afraid to push.

“All right,” he said as she grabbed her bag from the floor. “Let me just walk you out.”

She didn’t fight him as they walked the short distance from his house to where her truck was parked. Even with her keys in hand, Selah didn’t make a move to get in once they arrived. “Thank you for, you know, everything.”

He took a chance, opening his arms, and she instantly fell into them. Maybe he was becoming a hugger, after all. He liked it, especially because hers were warm, fully invested hugs. She made him not want to half-ass it or pull away too quickly. They could sit with the hug, enjoy it. She released the longest, deepest sigh within this one, like she could live here, and this was now home. Or perhaps that was wishful thinking on his part.

When they did pull back, he noticed a light blue fuzz sticking to one of her curls, probably from the blanket thrown haphazardly on the back of his couch. Dex couldn’t resist pulling it out, her hair like silk between the pads of his fingers. “You going to be okay? You can always call me or text me later?”

“It’s getting late. I’m sure you don’t want me calling you in the middle of the night?”

Except... he did. “If you need to.” That beautiful gaze of hers rose to him. Though there was a clear height difference between them, tonight it felt less significant. His hand continued to lightly touch the ends of her hair. The air around them grew heavy, enveloping them in this bubble of tension.

A hazy memory reminded him that nothing was ever going to happen between them. In fact, she had once said it wasimpossible. Many of the reasons given then sounded silly now. These same reasons transformed into unwarranted excuses as her own eyes softened and drifted toward his mouth. His fingers secured themselves to the delicate skin of her jawline.

Impossible.

Except the word applied more to inaction rather than action. To keep doing nothing?Thatwas impossible. To not close this confounding distance between them and kiss the hell out of this woman? Yeah, that was impossible too. A need was building inside of him, his own breaths becoming shallower as he trailed his fingers from her jawline to the nape of her neck, those dark wavy strands brushing the back of his hand, setting his nerve endings on fire.

Something was going to snap this tension between them, and he was afraid it was going to be him. Dex worried he wouldn’t hold anything back and completely devour her in heat and fire, if given the opportunity.

Before he could do anything rash, Selah slid her hand up his shirt, grabbed the neckline, pulled him down as she lifted on her tiptoes, and planted a solid kiss on his lips. It took him by surprise. It didn’t last nearly enough time, especially not enough for him to react and kiss her properly in return. In a flash, she let go, got in her truck, and left. Dex remained there, dumbfounded and dazed.

She’d kissed him.Shehad kissedhim. His bewilderment was promptly replaced by a goofy grin as he made his way back to his home, hopeful at what else might be possible.

Chapter Thirteen

Selah drove theshort distance to her townhome with tiny bubbles in her chest. These bubbles must have traveled upward, like carbonation, because the corners of her mouth wouldn’t stop lifting of their own accord. She chewed on the edge of one of her nails to stop her lips from pulling into a smile, but it was of no use.

Oh, come on, she told herself.

She tried to make an argument that, by most people’s standards, the kiss wasn’t close to being the hottest one on record. There wasn’t any tongue involved or heavy petting. She did nothing more than grab and plant one on him.

Remembering his shocked expression, she smiled again. In her defense, if he was going to keep looking at her with that particular heat in his eyes, one which said he wanted to claim her right there beside her truck—Well, she couldn’t be responsible for the action she was forced to take to break the tension. Yes, true, there was no tongue, but she had felt that kiss everywhere. Everywhere. Her soul was so light, she might not need a balloon to get in the air anymore.

One moment, Selah was telling herself she had too much self-respect to be anyone’s rebound, even for a cute park ranger. In the next, she decided self-respect was an overrated quality. If she had any, she wouldn’t be sitting in her truck at this moment, chewing on her nails to keep from grinning like a loon.

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