She couldn’t focus either. And suddenly, Sloane was giving into whatever this was. She turned her head, just enough to meet his heated lips with hers in a long, luscious kiss.
Mmm… It’d been way too long since she’d been kissed, and Sloane was determined to take her time and enjoy—
Wait, what was that sound? A high-pitched series of beeps pierced her ears.
An alarm clock—that is what it was. Which meant this was…
Oh, no. It was a dream. Don’t be a dream. Do not wake up, Sloane.
But it was already too late. She blindly reached for her phone and thumped the screen until the alarm stopped. Great, she was actually dreaming about Emmitt. This was bad.
Sloane spent the next hour berating herself as she got ready for the day. To make up for the kissing dream, she planned to hit the case hard. Stay laser focused. And make discoveries worthy of sending to that sacred server where they might just impress Wren Brandler himself.
With that, Sloane’s flashbacks—a select few from her childhood—started to surface. Sloane trying to follow her brother’s footsteps, all to get the kind of praise and attention Gabe got. How much longer would she try to impress him? Dad died four years ago, and she wasstilltrying. It was the very reason she had turned down the position shereallywanted—a job in desktop investigations. It sounded boring when compared to being out on the field, but it’s what Sloane enjoyed most—the research side of things.
A number of crucial cases—big enough to impress even her father—were cracked by those venturing no further than their own, private laptops. Digging deep into one lead or another. Endless data—right at their fingertips. So why did Sloane insist on field investigations? Flying from one place to another, charming intel from men with her appearance and flirtatious words. Sure, she did her own side work while on the field, but it wasn’t the same.
The conversation she’d had with Gabe the other night might answer that question better than anything else. It was the same reason she wasn’t dying to hurry home for the holidays. She had nowhere to land.
Sure, Mom held onto the house, but nobody lived there. The old saying about the family making a house a home—it was true. Because as big and beautiful as the house was, filled with furniture, photos, and memories too, the place was empty. It did not feel like a warm place to dwell without anyone there to dwell with.
Sloane was in limbo. Feeling aimless. And longing to settle into a life of comfort and companionship. Two things she’d found quite easily during her time with Emmitt. What a strange surprise that was. Sloane was aware of the misconception about women turning thirty—that internal clock ticking louder as the year approached. But perhaps there was truth behind it. Maybe that’s what caused the deep yearning within her to settle down and have a place she could call home.
A small laugh got caught in her throat as a recollection came to mind. Emmitt and his three steps to marriage idea. The memory alone made Sloane feel light and hopeful. Hopeful about something outside of work.
That was the struggle though, wasn’t it? Because her job was the reason she had come to The Homestead in the first place. But the truth was, Sloane couldn’t help but think she and Emmitt were meant to meet the way they had.
Perhaps this job would be different from the others. Perhaps it would somehow lead her to the life she hoped to live. A life she only dared dream about.
A wave of warm peace settled over her skin. Grandma used to say it meant something—it was an indication that she was at the right place in the right time.
Sloane pulled in a deep breath, focusing on the pleasant sensation. In and out, the energy sinking deeper, and deeper still. Assuring her that it was okay for her to feel what she was feeling for Emmitt. That didn’t mean it would lead anyplace, but if she closed off the possibility, there was no way that it could.
It had been years since Sloane had crushed on anyone outside of a movie or TV screen. If nothing else, this new awakening could set her on the path to pursuing the life she really wanted. It had to start somewhere.
Besides, if Gabe could mix business with pleasure, why couldn’t she?
In a few short hours, she and Emmitt would meet at his place this time and watch the second video before taking to the sky once more. Already, she was looking forward to it.
* * *
Sloane could not get the grin off her face as the chopper approached the waiting helicopter pad. It may have only been the second time she’d flown with him, but she was certain that it would never get old.
“I am really enjoying these tours,” Sloane said. “What asplendid view. You were onto something with this.”
She glanced over to see that Emmitt was stuck in concentration mode, his handsome brow furrowing as he managed a smooth, rather seamless landing.
“Ah,” he said, visibly pleased with himself. He turned to face Sloane, setting those arresting brown eyes on her.
“Bravo,” she said. “Magnifique, I mean…for an amateur.”
Emmitt shook his head. “Admit it—I’m better than the others you’ve flown with.”
She could give him that much, considering therewereno others. A grin pulled at the corner of her lips, and she couldn’t help but give into it as she replied. “You, Emmitt Duran, are a pilot of the first order, which is to say, top pilot.”
A triumphant smile spread over his face. “Iknewit.”
She was relieved to find that the chemistry they’d discovered between them the night prior was still burning strong. Especially since she’d given herself permission to explore it.
