Page 67 of At First Flight
And it’s not just the women confiding to various sources that they had snagged me, or my cheating ex, claimed we’re stilltogether.Yeah, right. It’s the fact that people are starting to dig into my past. And if they go deep enough, the news about my real father and what really happened with the death of my sister will break.
I can’t have either of those things come to light.
By the time I pull into the tree-lined driveway, the town is already starting to feel more confined—in a good way. More like a tight embrace that makes you feel like you’re home.
I spot Lila’s SUV in the garage bay, and I release a heavy breath as I pull my own vehicle inside.
The side door opens just as I step out of my car, and Lila emerges from the shadows of the mudroom. She’s there in denim shorts and a soft green T-shirt, hair pulled back from her face, elongating her neck, and she’s looking at me like she’s been holding her breath since the moment I left. Like maybe she can finally exhale.
I don’t say anything as I approach. No need to. My eyes say it all as I take her in from the tips of her pink-painted toenails to the wispy hairs on the top of her head.
Lila steps forward, down one stair, then the other, until we meet halfway.
“You’re here early.”
“I am.”
“Did you leave in the middle of the night?” she asks, her voice low but steady.
“Something like that.”
She smiles, that half smile she graces me with when she thinks I’m not looking. Without thinking, I reach for her hand, desperately needing some physical connection to her. Christ, herskin is soft and warm, so smooth against my callused palms. Years of doing anything I can to get my hands dirty and out of an office will do that.
I’m ready to loosen my grip on the off chance that she pulls away. But she doesn’t. She glances down and then intertwines our fingers like they belong there. I take a small step forward until our feet are almost touching. Lila smells like clean linen and citrus—sunshine and science.
Neither of us pulls away, and my chest tightens with anticipation as her pink tongue reaches out to touch her lips.
“How is everyone? The baby is adorable.”
“They’re good. Happy. Shit, it’s the most I’ve seen Talon smile since their wedding. And Rory? She was made to be a mom. I’ve never seen her look so…at peace.”
“That’s good to hear. The kids missed you.”
“I missed them. And you. I kept thinking about you.”
Lila’s expression shifts, softening. “I thought about you, too.”
Her words were quiet but no less impactful.
I want to kiss her. Pull her into my arms and destroy whatever barriers she’s erected.
But I don’t.
Not yet.
“About the party… there is a present in the back of the SUV, and both kids are excited for cupcakes.”
“Thanks for getting that together. I’m not sure what to expect.”
Her giggles reach my ears like a private symphony. “You and a crowd of sugar-rushed preschoolers. I kind of wish I was going now.”
I kind of wish she was going, too. While I’m good with my niece and nephew, other kids can be a bit daunting.
“Plans?” I ask now that she has the rest of the day off.
“I’m meeting with Ashvi, but I’m not sure what we’re doing tonight. Gossiping, I hope. I may stay at her place if that’s okay?”
I quickly imagine her wearing those cutoff denim shorts and a cropped shirt exposing her abdomen and shoulder. Cowboy boots on her feet. I’d rather see them wrapped around my neck.
