Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79800 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79800 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
I also know that I can’t expect him to return those feelings. I know he cares, and he’s such a nice guy, but my feelings for him are way past caring and friendship. He’s wormed his way inside my chest, inside my heart that I thought I had locked down. No, I know it was locked down. I guess it’s just that Foster Vaughn was the only one with the key.
Once everyone is seated, the flight attendant goes through safety procedures, and with each word she says, my heart thumps a little harder. Finally, she wishes us a safe flight, and the plane begins to move. My hands grip the armrests of the seat, and I close my eyes. Chatter is all around us, but I block it out and focus on breathing.
“Eden.” Foster’s low, deep timbre rumbles against my ear.
I shake my head because I don’t want to open my eyes. I want to forget that I’m about to be in the sky in this tin can.
“Baby,” he whispers, and damn him, but I have no choice but to open my eyes, because I need to see the reverence in his tone, which is displayed on his face, as well. “There she is.” He smiles softly. Reaching over, he cradles my cheek. “I’m right here,” he says, his voice so low, I almost miss it.
“Two hours,” I say, more as a reminder to myself. I can do this. It’s only two hours.
“What can I do?” he asks, his thumb sliding over my cheek. I don’t reply because I don’t think there is anything that can help me right now. However, when he leans over and presses his lips to mine, everything changes.
My mind shuts down.
It’s just the two of us, and I no longer care that I’m about to be flying through the air in a tin can at high rates of speed.
I’m consumed with him and his kiss. The way his tongue licks at my lips before sliding against my own. He groans into my mouth, and I want to bottle the sound. I lose all track of time; hell, I’m not even sure I know my own name if someone were to ask. All I know his him and how safe he makes me feel.
As he slows the kiss, I start to float back to reality. His forehead rests against mine, our breath mingling. “I’ve got you, Eden,” he rasps, and damn this man and the things he does to my heart.
He pulls away and settles back into his seat.
“Are we in the air?”
He winks. “We are.” Reaching under the seat, he pulls out his backpack and digs around inside, pulling out my new Kindle and handing it to me. “Get lost in a story. We’ll be there before you know it.” Grabbing his iPad, he pulls up Solitaire and begins playing.
Drawing in a deep breath, I open my Kindle, choose a book, I downloaded with my hotspot, and start to read. Thankfully, I’m able to get lost in the story. It helps that every so often, Foster reaches over and gives my thigh, my knee, or my arm a soft squeeze, just to let me know he’s there.
When the pilot announces that we’re landing, I tense up, but Foster notices, and he once again kisses me senseless, and I don’t even take notice of the landing. Once we’re off the plane and have obtained our rental car, we head to our hotel, which is literally on the beach. The warm Florida sun shines down on us, much different from the spring weather we’re used to in Tennessee.
“Thank you for helping me through that. Thank you for this trip. Thank you for being you, Foster Vaughn. You’ve changed my life in ways you’ll never know.”
“Aww, birthday girl, are you getting sentimental on me?” he teases.
“Must be the flying.” I chuckle.
Reaching over the console, he laces his fingers with mine. “I’m glad you’re here, Eden.”
“Me, too,” I agree, as I turn to look out the window, enjoying the view as we drive to Clearwater Beach.
“Wow, this is massive. We didn’t need a three-bedroom suite,” I tell Foster, as I take in our room on the top floor of the hotel.
“Well, this one was the only room left that faces the ocean, and I wanted you to have that experience.” He places his backpack on the kitchen table—yes, a kitchen table and a full kitchen in a hotel! “Come with me.” He holds out his hand, and I don’t hesitate to place mine in his as we tour the suite. “And this,” he says, “is the best part.” Letting go of my hand, he pulls open the living room curtains to reveal a patio door and a small patio.
“Wow. That’s…” My voice trails off as I step closer to the door, peering outside. “The water is so blue,” I breathe. “It goes on for miles. It’s better than I ever could have imagined that it would be.”