Page 44 of Sparrow

I went through the motions of preparing a plate for myself and beginning to eat, but I was preoccupied with Owen sitting next to me. I didn't look at him at all, but I was hyper aware of his presence—his leg touching mine. The air between us was hot and thick with tension. We had stopped holding each other's hand so that we could make plates, but he was sprawled out next to me in such a way that his leg stayed in constant contact with mine.

When I looked at him, I didn't just see a movie star. I saw the man who had come to my rescue. I saw someone who accepted me for who I was, drama, broken glass, and all. He gave me a sly grin and licked his lips as he tilted his chin at me, asking me to come closer.

I stretched that way, and he leaned over to speak near my ear. "I might have to fight Zack Horner for you," he said, teasing me about the job offer. I couldn't believe this perfect man would bother himself to talk about fighting for me.

"You're making me blush," I said, flirting with him. I made eye contact with him for a brief second before leaning in to speak again. "And you don't have to fight anyone. It's just a job."

***

About half of us went over to Ryan and Bailey's after we ate. They lived on the top floor of the same building as the theater. It was a beautiful rooftop in downtown Memphis, and I had never seen anything like it. Even after coming downtown last week and seeing the theater itself, this rooftop was a new experience for me.

I had been in Memphis for a while, but I relied on rides or Uber, so I mostly just went back and forth from work to home. Seeing the heart of the city and going upstairs onto the rooftop of one of the most gorgeous buildings in Memphis was such a cool experience.

The roof was beautifully set up with flowers and plants and lights everywhere. I felt like I was somewhere exotic. I was brimming with excitement. I had the boot off of my foot, it was a gorgeous, cool evening, and Owen was here with me.

He was across the way. I had gone to use the restroom, and then I stopped to have a conversation with Sasha and Warren. I could see Owen sitting in the corner of a couch. He was in a seating area with his sister and Zack, along with Ryan and Bailey. I could see that there was a little room next to him, so I went that way, planning to sit beside him.

Owen crooked his finger at me as I went over, and I nodded at him, letting him know I was planning on sitting there. Everyone was talking as I crossed to him. They were all engrossed in the conversation. Chatter and laughter happened all around me, but I didn't pay attention to it because my eyes were locked with Owen's. I smiled and he grinned back at me. I didn't know what he was saying with that irresistible grin, but the answer was 'yes'. I bit my lip out of pure excitement, and he shook his head at me for doing that. We engaged in a heated stare. It made me feel like we were in love.

I turned around to sit down next to him, and when I did, I felt his hand come around my wrist. I was already in the process of letting myself fall onto the couch when Owen tugged gently on me. I realized what he was doing, and I easily fell onto his lap.

He held onto me by my waist and I may as well have been in paradise. I was swept away.Whose life was this, anyway?I went from feeling trapped and hopeless to being on top of the world. I was literally on top of the world, being on the roof of this building. I was soaring, towering, and Owen had his big, warm, muscular arms wrapped securely around me.

Chapter 17

Owen Atkinson

The following evening

His trip was almost over, and Owen was having a hard time with the idea of leaving. The time with Corey had passed too quickly. He was devastated. Corey Jones wasn't like other women, and he had a gut-wrenching distaste for leaving her, ever again.

He had spent every waking moment with her since dinner last night, and he was going to hate getting on the plane in the morning. He was still driven with his career and focused on the movie. He had been able to afford a few days off to come here and not be distracted. But maybe he was distracted. At this very moment, he was distracted.

He could see her standing across the room at this very moment, and he wanted her so badly. He wanted to hold her and be next to her. She was talking to his mother. They had been with his family all afternoon. They had eaten dinner with his aunt and uncle and some of his extended family. He had been reserved with physical contact. He had his hand on her leg at the dinner table, but that was it. It wasn't enough. He wanted to have his arms securely around Corey and for them to stay that way for anextended period of time. Corey and his mom had gotten close. He could tell they really liked each other, and it made him feel even more protective and possessive.

Zack was a cool guy, but he was so impressed with Corey that it annoyed Owen. He had never had those jealous types of feelings with any of his previous girlfriends. Corey was different in every way—she was so different than other women. She could do anything. Her mom had gotten her into jewelry and she was great at that and made beautiful work. Zack wanted her to run the front of house at his restaurant, and Owen's parents would swear that she was born to manage a physical therapy clinic. She adapted to any situation. She was positive and resilient. She was level-headed, intelligent, and a lover of God in spite of the people who had misrepresented Him. He felt like Corey could handle anything life threw at her, and that was such an important quality.

Plus, he couldn't stop staring at her. Her hair, her lips, her skin… she was gorgeous, and he absolutely ached to touch her. He wouldn't let himself think of the pain he would feel when it came time to leave her in the morning.

It was eight o'clock in the evening, and he had hardly been alone with her all day. Sasha and Warren were in town, and they wanted to hang out again today. There were ten or twelve people in and out at Owen's parents' house all day. Caroline even had a friend over. Owen's time alone with Corey had been far too brief and he was ready to sit down with her.

His mother had been talking to her for twenty minutes now. Corey had been in their home for the last six weeks, and Owen wondered what they could possibly have to talk about for so long tonight. He had been watching a baseball game on TV with his dad, but he couldn't take it anymore.

"I’m going upstairs," he announced. He got up and walked over to the place where his mom and Corey were standing. "Ineed to pack a few things." He looked directly at Corey. "I'll be upstairs when you're done talking to Mom, if you want to come up and watch a movie."

"Sure," Corey said. "How long do you need to get packed?"

"One minute. Less than that. You can come up with me now, if you want to help me."

They stared at each other.

"Yeah, I'm, I'll come now and help you."

"Thanks." He grabbed her hand and started to lead her toward the staircase, which was nearby. "We'll be up and down for a while," Owen said to his mom. "I'll come back down and say goodnight."

"What time do you want a ride in the morning?" she asked.

"I have to be at the airport by eight, so I guess seven-fifteen."

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