Me: I wish I’d stayed home with you.
Delete.
Me: I wish you were here with me.
Delete.
Me: Thank you.
Send.
Big Guy: *sends photo of empty first-class seat*
Big Guy: I’m already annoyed at whoever is going to make me get up so they can sit here because I know it won’t be you.
I shield my eyes from the sun and smile at the phone.
Me: Just remember, The Fugitive is off-limits.
Send.
Big Guy: Obviously. That’s our movie.
“You smiling over your mystery man?” Aspen says, surprising me.
I tip my head to the side, laid back in my lounge chair, to look at her.
She’s in the same position as me, a few feet away, our faces shaded by the big umbrella.
“Yes,” I admit.
Aspen purses her lips. “The longer you try to keep his identity a secret, the more curious everyone is gonna get. And a curious King can be an extremely obnoxious thing.”
She’s speaking the truth.
“I just want to meet him in person one more time.” Everyone knows that we met in the airport and had a flight together. And everyone speculates about why I was late to get my luggage. “If we still hit it off after that, then I’ll take a photo of his driver’s license and give it to King.”
I don’t even bother complaining about Bo tattling on me.
Aspen leans her head back, closing her eyes. “I still say you should let King run the guy now. Can never be too careful.”
I make a humming sound, understanding her point but having nothing to add.
Unlike Aspen and King, I’m not wealthy. I’m not powerful. I’m just a normal no one.
So there’s no one out there targeting me for some sort of marriage of benefit. If a man marries me, he inherits an Ikea living room set, an expensive blender I’ve used twice, and a savings account that could buy a decent used car, but not a luxury one.
My lids slide closed.
Dom’s not after me for my money or anything else. And when I get home tomorrow, I’m going to make seeing him in person a priority.
Me: *sends photo of my feet between two other sets of feet on the plane*
Me: Guess who forgot to make her seat selection and ended up sitting bitch in row twenty-seven?
Send.
Big Guy: My poor Valentine.
Big Guy: Happy Halloween, Shorty. Tell me, are you dressing up as an angel?
Me: Well, it’s 8 p.m. and I’ve already got my costume on.
Send.
Me: *sends photo of myself on the couch in a hoodie with a headband holding my hair away from the green clay mask on my face*
Big Guy: Terrifying.
Me: It’s keeping all the kids away. Guess I’ll just eat this bowl of candy myself.
Me: I’m having a sad day.
Delete.
Me: Hope your flight to Arizona was good.
Send.
Big Guy: Some asshole bumped into me in the airport and didn’t even buy me a cookie.
Big Guy: It’s been a week, Angel. Tell me something good.
Me: Jury’s still out if this is good or not, but I’m about to board a plane.
Send.
Big Guy: That vacation a couple weeks ago already wearing off?
Me: Ha! I wish I was going back to Hawaii.
Send.
Big Guy: Where are you going?
Me: Vegas. I got invited to a last-minute bachelorette party by one of my coworkers. We’re getting there tonight, staying two nights, and then coming back Sunday.
Send.
Me: Make my weekend better and tell me you happen to be in Vegas right now.
Send.
Big Guy: I’m in Vegas right now.
CHAPTER 7
Dom
My chest expands as I stand from my couch.
“Call Vance,” I call out to Rob, my second in command, who’s sitting at the kitchen island. “Tell him to get to the airfield. I want wheels up in thirty.”
I stride toward the stairs on the other side of my penthouse. I need to pack a bag.
“City for the flight plan?” Rob asks my retreating form.
“Vegas.”
CHAPTER 8
Val
My mouth drops open.
I blink at the phone screen.
Did he… Is Dominic really in Vegas right now?
My heart starts to beat faster.
Dom is in Vegas.
Holy crap. Dom is in Vegas.
My palms start to sweat.
I’m going to see Dominic again. Tonight.
I take an Uber to the resort we’re all staying at and hurry through check-in so I can freshen up in my room.
I wasn’t packing for a weekend with Dom. I was packing for a weekend with some of the women I work with. So I’m forced to pick the sexier of the two outfits I brought and hope it’s good enough for whatever we end up doing.