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His reply came seconds later:
Does that mean you’re sitting there, wearing nothing but my shirt and a smile right now?
I shook my head and laughed softly to myself. He was getting to know me all too well.
There’s a very good chance that’s true. Although, I think it’s officially my shirt now.
Is that so?
You want it, you’re gonna have to come and take it from me.
My heart fluttered and a heat stirred in my stomach at my words. I was craving his touch more than anything I’d ever wanted before. After everything we both had gone through in the last few days, we both deserved at least another two weeks of nothing but sun, sand, and sex.
Careful what you wish for there, girl. You think you can kick Player out of the house in the next few hours? As much as I love him, I can wait a day or two to see him again.
I laughed and shook my head, grinning down at the phone.
I’ll let you give him the boot. I’m not sure how good of a house guest I’d be if I asked my host to leave his own house…
Oh, don’t you worry. I’ll kick him out. The refuel is almost done, so I’m gonna have to cut this short. But I’ll be there soon.
Can’t wait.
It was impossible to keep myself together, knowing Jack was back in the United States and that he’d be in California soon. When Aaron and Rachel woke up, I let them know what Jack had said—including his wishes to kick Aaron out, to which Aaron just laughed—and we all did the best we could to pass the time. Rachel and I took the dogs down to the beach for a long walk, and although we didn’t talk much, mostly just burnt off our energy as well as the dogs and ended up stopping at Carly’s for brunch.
“Good morning, you beautiful ladies!” Carly called, turning slightly to look over her shoulder as she worked at the espresso machine. The cafe was buzzing with activity—as it always was in the late morning—and there was a line of customers ahead of us.
“Morning, Carly!” I replied, and we each waved. I marveled at how she remembered us even though we’d only been in town for a short term vacation and then had gone nearly two months without stopping in.
When we got up to the front, we gave her our order and she sprang into action. “You two look to be in an especially good mood this morning!”
I smiled and nodded. “Jack’s on his way home.”
“Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome?”
“Yeah,” I replied, laughing. “That’s the one.”
“Get it girl!” Carly winked.
When we had our meals and cups of coffee, we went out to the patio and found a recently vacated table to settle around. Halfway through the meal, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. My heart jolted as I reached for it, silently praying it would be Jack on the other line.
I smiled even wider as I saw the same number he’d used earlier in the day.
“Hey there, sailor,” I answered.
“Hey, gorgeous,” he said, his voice sending shivers over my skin. “Whatcha doing?”
“Stuffing my face at Carly’s.”
He laughed and I lavished in the easy vibrations. It filled me with pleasure to be able to make him laugh, a gift made even sweeter after everything he’d endured. “Well, you better wrap it up.”
My heart leaped even higher. “Is that so?”
“Uh-huh. Well, either that or set another plate at the table.”
“Where are you?”
“Look up.”
I jerked my chin up and scanned the sky. I spotted a small plane coming from the north. I clapped a hand over my mouth. Rachel followed my eyes and mouthed, “Is that him?”
I nodded as tears sprang to my eyes. “Jack…”
“I’ll be landing in five, so get that sweet ass of yours back to Player’s.”
“Yes, sir!”
“That’s my girl.”
38
Holly
The plane was just landing when Rachel and I finally got to the hangar. I trembled as I watched it taxi down the runway and then glide near the open hangar where Aaron, Rachel, and I were all standing. For a panicked moment, I thought I was about to faint, but I took deep breaths and kept myself from going to pieces.
My eyes were glued to the door of the small plane, desperate for it to pop open. As soon as it did, I kicked out of my sandals and tore off across the hangar and out onto the runway. I launched myself into Jack’s waiting arms and he grabbed me so tight that it crushed out any last remaining puff of breath in my lungs.
“God, Holly, I missed you so much.” He set my feet back on the ground but didn’t release me, keeping me clutched to his chest.
I sucked in a breath and nodded against him. “I thought I lost you, Jack.”
