Mike swallowed nervously as he lowered the camera.
I reluctantly hiked my dress up as far as I could without being indecent and tried to swing my legs over without flashing anyone. But it was proving impossible. I could feel my cheeks burning as I realized this and lowered my leg.
“My.”
I looked up to find Baird standing beside me, his expression blank.
“Come down.” He gestured for me to come off the footholds.
I did it without thinking.
As soon as my feet hit the ground, I hurried to lower my dress back into place. Then Baird bent and lifted me into his arms like a groom with his bride. I let out a little squeak of surprise as he lifted me up and over into the basket. I grasped onto the sides for purchase as he released me.
He was mad at me, but he saw me struggling and did something to help.
Reeling, I hadn’t quite gotten my emotional footing when the basket jolted again as Baird bounded inside with an athletic ease as impressive as him lifting me into it. Nicholas steadied me, his hands on my waist, and warning flashed in Baird’s eyes. Nicholas released me like the propane burner wasn’t the only thing on fire.
It was louder than I expected inside the basket.
“Here’s the script!” The director, Bruno, suddenly appeared outside the basket, holding out a piece of paper to us. “Once you’re up there and you see the announcement, Mike will film this introduction piece.”
I was shaking so badly, the paper trembled.Baird gently took it from me, pressing his side into mine as we looked it over. It was a robotic script where we introduced ourselves, who we were, our ages, and what we did for a living.
Baird shoved it back at Bruno. “We can do it without a script.”
“You don’t need to because you have a script.”
“Let me rephrase—we’re not using your crappy script. We’re going to sound like ourselves up there or we get out of the basket.”
I gaped at Baird.
Lately, he was surprising me at every turn.
Who knew buried beneath his charm and easygoing nature was a stubborn mule with a spine of steel?
It was more than kind of hot.
And he hated me.
Bruno snatched the script back. “Just try not to veer too far away from it.”
At that, we stood back to let Mike climb aboard.
“Ready?” Nicholas asked.
After we’d all nodded our agreement, I latched onto a corner of the basket, my stomach flipping over as the grounds team untied the anchors and we floated steadily upward.
Despite the turmoil of emotions roiling inside me, I couldn’t help but delight in the sensation of watching the ground fall farther and farther away. It was a slow ascent entirely different from any other experience I’d had flying. The higher we climbed, the clearer the Edinburgh skyline became in the northerly distance.
I was aware of Nicholas talking, but I wasn’t processing anything. I was too busy enjoying the serene experience as the air gently blew through my hair.
A tap on my shoulder finally brought me out of my reverie.
Mike looked impatient. “Can you stand with your fiancé so I can film you two enjoying this experience … together?”
Oh crap.
I looked over at the other side of the balloon where Baird stood, arms crossed over his chest, stance wide, absolutely towering over everyone else in the balloon as he stared with uncharacteristic broodiness out at the world.
