Page 24 of Flirt Away

“We’re both going to love it. I just know it.”

“You’ve never done this?”

He shook his head. “But I have gone skydiving, so if I can jump from a perfectly good airplane, I think I can handle this.”

“You’re not hiding a parachute or any other surprises anywhere, are you?”

“Nope.” He kissed her temple. “I’ve got you, babe.”

Two teenage boys raced by, shoving each other and laughing. They stopped near who Dixie assumed were their parents and stood in front of the steps to get into the big basket hanging by mere ropes and tied to fabric that could easily tear.

She blew out a puff of air. Thankfully, she hadn’t said that out loud. If she weren’t careful, her sarcasm would ruin the day, and that was the last thing she wanted. Zane had gone out of his way to do something special for her.

Jeff had never done that.

Not even her mother had taken the time to make Dixie feel as though her thoughts and feelings were the most important things. Not even on her birthday. Hell, she’d once video-called the day after Dixie’s birthday, arguing that she knew damn well what day her daughter had been born. Dixie had to pull out her driver’s license and prove to her mother she’d missed it by twenty-four hours.

Nothing about today was special.

Except for the fact that she’d be spending it in public with the man who’d managed to make her not think about how his waistline was smaller than hers.

The pilot—or the aeronaut, as he called himself—went over the safety measures and procedures for their flight.

Dixie hung on his every word, memorizing the details, while the two teenage boys seemed more interested in their social media accounts.

“Ready?” Zane asked.

“Born ready,” she said, taking his hand. She climbed into the basket and flung herself at Zane.

“Whoa.” He fell back against the side of what could only be described as a wicker laundry basket attached to a partially inflated oversized kids’ balloon.

The boys laughed.

“I think maybe I want to just stand in the middle,” she said, hugging Zane tightly.

“I suggest you hang on to the side. Standing in the center, you’ll get bounced around. Trust me,” the aeronaut said.

“Come on.” Zane helped her ease into one of the corners. “Grab hold of the side. I’ve got you. Promise.”

She nodded, ignoring the peanut gallery commenting on her fear while the boys’ parents quietly scolded them and then politely apologized. Instead, Dixie focused on the feel of Zane’s arms around her body, making her feel cared for and protected.

As the helium filled the fabric, the basket shook.

Zane kissed her temple. “I’ve got you, babe.”

“What are we, Sunny and Cher?”

“God, I love your humor.” He brushed her hair from her face and quickly tied it back in a low ponytail at the nape of her neck.

She sucked in a deep breath as the balloon slowly took flight. Her stomach floated to her throat, dropped back down, then rose again.

It did that about four or five times as they lifted higher and higher.

She dared to take a peek over the side and gasped. “It’s so beautiful up here,” she said quietly. The boats in the Sound became smaller. In the distance, she could see more of the islands and the ferries bringing both tourists and locals from one glorious stop to the next.

No view was like this one.

She turned and blinked out a tear. “Thank you.”

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