Sadness swells into a lump in my throat, pushing me to pull out my phone once more.
Put my fingers on the keys.
Try to type something –fuck, anything– to the guy who completely changed my life without even trying.
“They’re gonna tell you to turn that thing off,” an unexpected voice states from the seat beside me. “Might as well do it now.”
Disbelief immediately bobs my jaw.
No…
Seriously?!
He’s here?!
How?!
Why?!
How?!
“How…?” breathlessly escapes into the cabin. “How did you get a seat next to me?”
“Being a tech nerd has its perks.” The grin I don’t want to live without reaches his ears. “And so does being best friends with one of the richest men on the planet.” Giggles thoughtlessly flood the space prompting him to purr, “I always wanna hear that sound, Beloved.”
Melting over the nickname is attached to my hand landing on his forearm. “I’m sorry for ghosting you like I did.” Hope flickers through his hazel gaze in such a way I have to explain.Need to.“I should’ve called or texted or told you when I would call or text as soon as I could, but I guess…I don’t know dick about how to prioritize more than just work in my life. I’ve never had a reason to before you.”
“I’m told it’s a learning process,” he sheepishly murmurs. “And so is making time for those you wanna keep in your life.”
“Sounds hard,Imzadi.”
“Pretty sure karaoke was harder, Beloved.”
Warm snickers precede me proclaiming, “Well…I’m willing to give her all she’s got, Captain.” Our stares lovingly linger in one another’s. “If you wanna make this fake relationshiprealthat is.”
“Do you?”
Gentle strokes of my thumb are delivered to the skin underneath it. “Yeah.” More sweet caresses are executed. “That’s basically what I was going to text when I figured out how to say that…”
“And that’s basically what I was planning to say when I sat down. That and how I found a bit of Kirk in myself to do the weird, crazy, seemingly impossible but most improbable thing of boarding a crowded flight simply to tell you I’m falling for you.”
“I’m falling for you too.”
Unmatched happiness spans through his expression and voice. “I like that.”
“I like you.”
“I like you too.”
Excitement has me momentarily sinking my teeth into my bottom lip. “You know…I’ve never had a guy just drop everything and get on a plane for me.”
“And I’ve never had a woman worth dropping everything to get on a plane for.” He sweetly leans over to let his lips lightly knock against mine. “Until now.”
Epilogue
About Two Years Later…
J.T.
