Inspired

by Jessica Florence

  “I wish you were coming,” I admitted while grabbing one of the small sandwiches between my manicured fingers.

  “Your wish is my command. I happen to love Vegas.” He grinned.

  A bubble of giggles shot straight from my lips as I took in those pearly-white teeth covered in strawberry seeds.

  “Do I have something in my teeth?” He smiled wider and then leaned over to kiss me, strawberry mixing with cucumber on my lips.

  “Goof. Seriously though, you wanna go? You, like, just got back from Utah.”

  “Do you really think I wouldn’t go?” His right eyebrow rose suggestively, and I thought about it.

  Logan was the true go with the flow and always up for an adventure type of guy. No, he would go, and he would be smitten as a kitten to do it.

  “Okay, but you don’t need to go buy a ticket. You can ride with me.”

  I was feeling even better about this mini trip than I had before. Once everything was settled with the hotel, Logan and I would go out and make a splash in Sin City. Excitement blossomed in my chest, spreading throughout my body like joyous vines.

  “I like that smile on your face.” He was looking at the waves, eating more of the picnic, but I could feel the honest words deep inside me.

  “I like smiling. It’s a big difference than when we first met. Albeit I’m still finding myself, but I feel free. I know you’re getting paid for it, but what you do is nothing short of a miracle.” My hand snuck out to touch his, forcing every bit of gratitude I had into our connection.

  “The truth is, anyone can change if they want to. Everything I’ve said has been written for thousands of years. You can read about it, hear it all day, and even know how to set yourself free on your own. But it’s hard. Absolutely no part of looking inside yourself and accepting yourself and life as the way it is and choosing to live on regardless is easy. All I am is a glorified hand-holder and guidance counselor.”

  “Bull. You are so much more than that. You bring hope of change, and you help those who are in need with your very breath. While you might not be the glue that binds our broken pieces back together, you are the classroom where we learn to reassemble ourselves without judgment. The teacher who helps interpret the values that make us new again.”

  He was all that and more to me. He was what had brought the sun back into my life.

  “Thank you. Your words mean more than you know.” He looked at me with sincerity in those blue eyes and then returned his gaze to the waves.

  I wanted to tell him that he meant more than he knew to me, but I kept that in. We’d talk about it later, as he’d said. For now, it was just time to enjoy being here with him, eating brunch on the beach, before I had to get back to work.

  Thunder crashed in the not-so-distant sea, and my heart echoed the sound. Rain started to drizzle on the sand and umbrella above us. My nerves were starting to fire, fear beginning to settle in.

  “Do you want to go inside?” Logan asked.

  I knew he would. He wouldn’t force me to stay here in the rain with the thunder making me jump with every boom.

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I was safe and couldn’t let the fear control me forever.

  “No, let’s keep eating. I only have, like, twenty more minutes before a meeting I need to be at.”

  When I opened my eyes, I saw Logan was watching me with a brightness in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. He was proud of me for choosing to stay and overcoming my fear of storms in the current moment. I was proud of me, too.

  “It’s not like I’m gonna melt.” I stuck out my tongue at him, and we ate in silence for the rest of the time I had, listening to the thunder and the rain as it covered the sea before us.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Mia

  I knew he could feel my stare, that burning gaze of a thousand suns hitting his body. He’d gotten this look from many before me. He smiled, enjoying that stare of mine.

  “It’s really not that bad. I’ve done it with Tate and Callum a bunch of times,” he reassured me.

  I continued to glare at him, hoping he would falter under the pressure of my gaze.

  He did not. It only spurred him on more to inspire me.

  “You are going to love it, and it’s gonna set you free.” He tried to comfort me again.

  “Yeah, it’s gonna set the piss inside my bladder free.” My heart was beating so hard, and I was sweating like I was standing at the gates of hell. I didn’t even want to acknowledge the boob sweat or the slick palms I was sporting right now.

  “I’ll be doing it right after you. And Jay will be at the bottom when you’re done.”

  “I’ve changed my mind about you. You are the devil, not a miracle worker.” I gritted my teeth and looked to the sky for heavenly assistance.

  “Okay, miss, now, turn to the left. I’m going to tighten this harness, and then you’ll be good to go.”

  I did as the woman had instructed, holding on to the railing for dear life.

  When Logan had said we were going to have fun in Vegas, I’d thought we’d go see a show. Maybe hike or do yoga naked in Red Rock. Maybe even go down to the cheap area of town and live on edge. Never, ever, ever had I thought I’d be jumping off the Stratosphere with a bungee-harness thing attached to my body. A fucking tall building. Oh God, my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest and run away to Bora Bora. Safe from any tall skyscrapers to fall from.

  My legs were shaking, and I felt like I could barely breathe.

  “All right, miss, you are all set. Just turn around, and on the count of three, jump or hug yourself, and you’ll go.”

  Oh my God, no. I couldn’t do this. I was gonna faint and look like a floppy dead person the whole way down on display for everyone to see.

  “You can do this, Mia. Don’t let fear control you from living life to the fullest,” Logan encouraged.

  I wanted to grab him by his collar and toss him over the side. This was utterly terrifying. Of course fear was taking the wheel on this.

  “Oh God, oh God, oh God,” I prayed.

  The woman began counting, “One … two—”

  “Wait. Oh, I need another few seconds. I don’t think I can do this!” Panic was setting in hard as I stared down at the buildings and the long way down from where I stood.

  “The longer you wait, the worse you’ll feel. You just need to do it,” Logan said, and the instructor person agreed.

  “Okay, let’s just get this over with.”

  Deep breaths were coming in and out of me like a steam train. Maybe I would be lucky and pass out. Then, I wouldn’t remember any of it.

  “One. Two. Three. Jump!”

  I wrapped my hands around my chest, gripping the harness with every bit of strength I possessed, and fell.

  You’d think, by how loud I screamed, that windows would be shattering as I descended, but none did. The wind was pushing so hard against my face and my wind-suit-clad body, giving me as close to the sensation I’d think flying would be like.

  “Ahh!” It was exhilarating and beautiful and scary.

  Soon, my screams turned to laughs as I neared the ground. The fall must have made me go crazy.

  “Okay, bend your knees!” the person waiting for me on the ground called out.

  I did so, not wanting to break anything as I landed.

  When my feet touched the ground, I felt my body shiver and shake from the adrenaline rush that was like a tsunami inside my veins.

  “You did it, boss!” Jay yelled with the camera facing me.

  No doubt this video was going to be shown to everyone at work.

  My legs wobbled with every step, but I managed to step out of the landing zone, so Logan could fall.

  “How do you feel?” Jay came up to me, his face completely lit up from excitement for me and from watching me do something so wild.

  “I feel alive.”

  There were no truer words that I could think of to describe this moment. I’d leaped off
a building, conquered a fear, and come out the other side. This was living. To know that you were afraid and choosing to do it anyway.

  I felt on top of the world, a shaky world where I could fall over at any time or vomit everywhere world. But still, I’d fucking jumped off a tall building.

  I had flown.

  My eyes looked up, not toward the sky for heavenly assistance, but toward Logan as he excitedly screamed on his descent.

  He’d shown me what it meant to live without letting fear control me. I didn’t need help finding my path in life anymore. I understood who I was and who I wanted to be from this moment on. And I’d found my new inspiration—him.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Logan

  Mia was above cloud nine when we walked away from the Stratosphere jump. She leaped into my arms as soon as I was free to catch her tiny body and kissed me.

  The moment felt passionate, her eyes beaming happiness at me. I felt strong.

  Jay said he was going out to meet up with a friend, and we were going to have the night to ourselves. I liked the guy. He took care of Mia like no one else. But I wanted all her attention right now. I’d had ideas for what to do on this trip, the jump being one of them, but there was one more thing I wanted to do. My gift to her for doing so well and becoming this beautiful woman before me, who was living life the way she wanted to. Not what others or society thought she should do. She was making her own decisions without being held back by her own mind.

  “This way.” I set her down and laced our fingers together to walk hand in hand down the strip.

  She was bouncing with every step, excitement and even a bit of adrenaline flowing strong within her.

  I’d been to this place a few times, the atmosphere still the same in Rock De Rollers as we entered. Mia looked around at all the lights and photographs of famous people who’d come here to have fun or sing.

  There was a woman playing a guitar and singing on the stage at the back of the large room of the bar. The house band played the song behind the woman, making her look like a superstar already.

  This bar had become a hit with agents who loved to sit back in the VIP booths and scout new talent of the singers who gave it their all to the bar listeners. People danced, swayed, and drank with the music.

  “I draw the line at singing.” Mia laughed and shook her head back and forth.

  “You’ll jump off the hotel but won’t sing in front of a crowd?” I teased.

  This experience wasn’t for her to sing but for me to sing to her.

  “Nope. I’ll burst eardrums, or people will call the cops because something sounds like wild animals are dying. But I will have a drink.” She pointed to an open seat at the bar.

  She must have forgotten about our hobbies talk where I said I liked to sing. Better to keep it a surprise for now.

  “You get us some drinks, and I’m gonna use the restroom,” I whispered against her ear and kissed her cheek with a mischievous smile I knew she couldn’t see.

  I really enjoyed surprising her, being the one to make those beautiful eyes widen and mouth slack open before that jaw-dropping smile of hers lit up her face. Making her shine like the northern star.

  She nodded and headed straight for the seat. I pitied anyone who tried to take it before she got there.

  I walked toward the direction of the stage and asked the guy when the next open slot was.

  “There’s one right after her, but that’s it for the night. You want it, kid?” The older man patiently looked at me.

  I nodded. “Yes, sir.” Then, I asked if the house band could play the song I had in my mind.

  He shook his head like I was a crazy son of a bitch, but I didn’t care. People’s perception about me was something that didn’t keep me up at night. I’d make a fool out of myself all day if it brought a smile to someone’s face, and tonight that someone was Mia. My Mia.

  I stayed next to my dear old friend Bo, as it stated on his name tag, until the lovely singer was done doing her bit. Bo told the band the song choice, and the drummer high-fived the bass player. We were about to rock this joint.

  “Thank you, Tammy Lynn! Those are some nice cords you got there.” Bo stood at the mic.

  Butterflies starting flapping away in my stomach. Being onstage wasn’t where I lived to be, but I could vacation every once in a while up there. Still made me nervous sometimes. That feeling never went away despite the enjoyment I got from it.

  “Up next, we have Logan!” He looked to me, giving me the cue to head on up the stage and take my place.

  The crowd was clapping and hooting, but it was Mia’s eyes I was searching for.

  The laughter that erupted from my chest couldn’t be contained as I found her, shocked expression and all. A straw halfway to her open mouth, like she’d been about to take a sip but halted, hearing my name.

  I adjusted the mic that was shorter from Tammy Lynn sitting on the stool, singing her heart out before me.

  “There we go.” I took in the crowd, feeling the buzz of the room flowing through me, electricity humming against my skin. “This song goes out to a special lady who wanted to hear me sing. This one’s for Mia.”

  The crowd always loved when the singer dedicated their song to a special person. Waiting to see what epic tale I would sing to declare my love for her. That wasn’t exactly happening, but it was still going to be amazing.

  I closed my eyes and waited for the band to start playing “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith.

  The whole room quieted as the notes began, and my voice came through the speakers.

  My eyes opened, finding Mia automatically. Her face was pink, and she was shaking her head with the biggest smile I’d ever seen on her.

  Of course, when I belted out the chorus, everyone in the room, including my lady, joined in. It was impossible not to sing this song whenever it was in hearing range.

  And, though this was for fun and laughs, I sang the words and meant every single one of them. I didn’t want to be away from her. None of the sweetest dreams I’d ever had were better than her. I didn’t want to miss any kiss or smile from her. I wanted her.

  I wasn’t serenading her of being completely in love yet, because I was only falling.

  I was falling for Mia. I wanted to be with her. The six weeks were never gonna be enough. I’d known that from the beginning, as soon as I saw her, but I had been ignoring all those little inner voices telling me I would want her for much longer.

  So, I let it all out in the song. I looked her in the eyes and sang my heart out to the girl I was falling over my ass for. Despite my thinking that love was complicated, it didn’t feel that way with her.

  It could be simple, I thought, loving Mia.

  She sang with me, like we were both feeling this powerful moment together.

  When the song was over, everyone was cheering, taking my attention away from my girl. In the few seconds I looked away, she was gone when my gaze returned. Something hit my body, taking me down to the stage, and began raining kisses all over my face.

  Mia’s smile broke into my vision, and my arms wrapped around hers, deepening her rainfall of love on me.

  The crowd cheered for me to sing again, but I’d had enough for tonight. It was time to take Mia somewhere for a private encore.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Mia

  Vegas had been a complete eye-opener for me. Not only was the new casino expansion on my hotel going to make profits soar, but I’d also had fun with Logan. I felt like a new woman when we flew back to Tampa.

  I didn’t know where the future was going for me, but I felt beyond hopeful and even excited for the present.

  Work kept me busy during the days, and Logan kept me busy in all the little breaks I could make for us.

  Including this past weekend where I’d stayed at his house and gotten to participate in one of his favorite activities—walking around naked all the time. At first, it was weird, and I felt uncomfortable, just being naked w
hile not having sex. But, after a while, I let those anxieties fade away and let my tits hang out.

  We watched a movie and then made out like teenagers. Then, we ate some food and played chess before he got frustrated at how badly I was beating him, knocking the pieces away. Then, he gently laid me over the board.

  “King takes the queen,” he’d purred before bringing his tongue to my core.

  I couldn’t wait for more weekends like that even though they weren’t filled with expensive trips or jumping off the sides of hotels. It was the quality time that meant the most to me. Logan listened when I talked, and he genuinely seemed to enjoy being with me.

  We hadn’t talked of feelings or that I was still hopelessly falling for him.

  Well, that I’d fallen for him.

  I was in love with Logan Woodland, the selfless dreamer who wanted everyone to be happy and was actively trying to help people.

  Like he’d helped me.

  Our time together in Inspired had ended last week, and it seemed like the girl who had woken up every morning, looking at the life around her with disinterest, lived years ago instead of only seven weeks ago. That Mia had been held back by fear, loss, and control. The new Mia had taken control of her ship that had been drifting around for too long and was heading toward the brighter future, wherever it led.

  Was I perfect? No. Not in the slightest. I still had my bad days, and I let them be what they were. I made sure to take care of myself and remember that sometimes you just needed to unplug and then plug yourself back in and kick ass the next day.

  Logan still paid attention to me even though he was no longer my life coach, and we had gone out on official dates where paparazzi caught us dancing at a club. The word was out that I had a hot date. Logan didn’t seem to mind, although I was nervous that seeing what fake trash they said about him would scare him away, but it didn’t. He didn’t care what people said behind his back. Logan knew the truth. I knew the truth, and to us, that mattered.

  Tonight, he was meeting me at Tink’s after meeting a new Inspired client.