Page 6 of Stuck with my Brother's Firefighter Besties

I should have leaned back, created some space between us, reminded both of us that we were strangers on a plane and that this was ridiculous.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I shook my head, my heart pounding so loud I was sure he could hear it.

And then he kissed me.

It wasn’t rushed or demanding. It was soft at first, like he was giving me the chance to pull away if I wanted to.

But I didn’t.

My hands moved on their own, one gripping the armrest between us and the other curling into the fabric of his shirt.

He took that as encouragement, deepening the kiss, his lips pressing firmly against mine in a way that made my head spin.

I forgot where we were, forgot the turbulence of my life and the fact that this was a very bad idea.

The thing was, he was making me forget that I had been jilted and robbed, that I had given up everything at home in Medford and now would have to come back with my tail between my legs.

Sure, I wasn’t the kind of girl who hooked up with a guy on a plane, but I also wasn’t the kind of girl whose supposed boyfriend stole all her money and absconded with it.

If I had to choose which kind of girl I wanted to be, a girl who took a risk on a plane or a girl who was foolish enough to let a boyfriend steal from her and lie to her, I was going to select the former.

All I could think about was the way his mouth moved against mine, the way his hand cupped the side of my face like I was something precious.

Jaxon’s lips continued to move against mine with a hunger that stole every coherent thought from my mind.

One hand cupped the back of my neck, keeping me close, while the other hand rested lightly on my thigh—just enough pressure to send a thrill through me but not enough to satisfy the ache building in my core.

“You’re something else, Lila,” he murmured against my lips, his voice low and rough. “I can’t seem to get enough of you.”

The teasing edge in his tone made my heart race. His thumb brushed the sensitive skin just above my knee, and I felt like my body was one spark away from catching fire.

“You’re trouble, Jaxon,” I managed to breathe out, though my voice betrayed the fact that I didn’t really mean it.

“Maybe,” he said, his blue eyes glinting with mischief as he pulled back just enough to look at me, “but you don’t seem like you’re running away.”

I swallowed hard, the challenge in his gaze making it impossible to look away. He leaned in again, his lips grazing the corner of my mouth before trailing a line of soft kisses along my jaw, then down to the sensitive spot just below my ear.

A shiver ran through me, and I let out a small gasp that only seemed to spur him on.

“Come with me,” he whispered, his breath warm against my skin.

“Where?” My voice came out barely audible, though I already knew the answer.

His lips curved into a wicked smile against my neck. “Somewhere a little more… private.”

He pulled back just enough to meet my eyes, his hand sliding up to entwine his fingers with mine. His grip was firm but not forceful, giving me the choice.

My mind was screaming at me to stop.

This is crazy. You don’t even know him. You’re on a plane, for God’s sake.

But my heart—or maybe just the part of me that was tired of feeling like I was nothing—kept me from pulling away.

It had been so long since I’d felt wanted. Since someone had looked at me the way Jaxon was looking at me now, like I was the only person in the world. Not an afterthought. Not a mistake. Just… me.

I could blame it on a lot of things. The exhaustion. The sadness. The way life had gutted me and left me hollow, desperate for anything to fill the void. But deep down, I knew the truth.

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