Page 25 of Awakening
“He wants to meet you.”
She didn’t say anything for a moment. I could hear her breathing shift, as if she were sitting up straighter, trying to decide if she was dreaming.
“Wait, wait, wait, you told your ex, who you still hook up with when he’s in town, about me? And he invited you to Greece?”
“Invited us.”
“What?!”
I grinned, heart thudding now. “He was cool about it. Shocked, but cool. He’s not trying to stir up anything messy; he just wants to see where things stand. Said if thisis real, and I think it is, you should come with me.”
“Maverick…”
“I know it’s a lot. I know it’s fast, but I don’t want to compartmentalize my life anymore. I want you to know the people who’ve mattered to me, and I want them to know you.”
She was quiet again.
Then, soft as a breeze, “You really want me there?”
“I don’t want to go without you.”
I heard her exhale slowly and deeply, like she was letting something go.
“Five days?” she said, her voice lighter.
“Five days, ocean views, rooftop dinners. You, me, him talking, connecting, being, no pressure.”
She laughed low, warm, “You’re serious.”
“Dead-ass.”
Another pause.
“Let’s do it.”
I sat up straighter. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she said, and I could hear her smile again, “I’ve never been to Greece. In all my years in the Air Force and working with the airline, it was one of the few places my wings never took me, but something tells me it’s about to get interesting.”
“Oh, it will, but in the best way possible,” I assured her.
She laughed again, “I’ll start packing, and you better not let me find out you snore on flights.”
“No promises,” I rebutted before making fake snoring sounds, causing laughter to spill from her lips, bringing a smile to my face. “And don’t bother bringing a ton of clothes. I want you nude as much as possible.”
Her breathing changed. I knew the pattern like I knewmy own: arousal, desire.
“Y—Yes, sir.”
“Good Girl.”
As we continued to chat about our pending trip together, my line beeped, and my little brother’s name flashed across the screen. I reluctantly ended my call with Ajaih as I answered.
Already bracing myself, ”Jay, it’s late. You good?"
There was a pause on the other end. Heavy, like he was weighing his words.
"Yeah, well, not really," his voice came through, softer than usual. My little brother always had a way of sounding older than he was, as if life had made him grow up faster than he should have. Probably because of him. Because of them.
