Up in the Air

by Rebecca Sharp

  He did give me a strange look, but then it disappeared. “Sure.” As he picked up the glasses, his lips swooped in for a quick kiss. “For the road.”

  I watched him walk away, feeling Emmett’s black stare burrowing into my side. “Any chance you want to tell me what the fuck that was? Why does Olsen think Chance is competing? And why did you just tell him your brother was at your house last night?”

  I gulped and slowly turned to him; this was not the plan. This was not how I wanted them to find out. Shit, at this point, I never wanted them to find out because I was going to withdraw.

  “Lil.” His voice was so hard I was surprised it didn’t shatter the glass of the window next to us. “You have five seconds to tell me what the fuck is going on.” I didn’t need to ask, much less want to know what happened in five seconds.

  I stared at the empty glass on the table, spinning it in my fingers. “Wyatt thinks Chance is competing because I registered him.”

  His black eyes burned like coal. “Why would you do that? Not only is he not fucking coming back, he couldn’t fucking compete even if he wanted to. You know that.”

  I did. I nodded and continued so quietly I was surprised that he could hear me over the hum of the crowd. “He wasn’t going to be competing, Emmett. I was.”

  Silence.

  Awkward, frozen, debilitating… silence.

  And then, just when I found myself willing to say anything to make it stop, he… smiled?!

  Not a smirk this time. A smile that grew into a laugh. “Holy fucking shit.” He shook his head in amused disbelief. “You… you’re going to compete as Chance…”

  “Not anymore. I’m pulling him – myself – out.”

  “Why?” His eyes went wide as he put the rest of the pieces together. “Oh, that’s fucking rich, Lil. You signed up as your brother – and then you had the one person who could beat you, teach you how to win. That is so fucked up… hell, it sounds like something that I would come up with.” Proud amusement radiated from every syllable, every pore of him. “And then you went and fucked him. I’m assuming, since you’re giving up on the whole idea – it’s because you fucked him.”

  “Emmett…” I growled.

  “Holy fucking shit.” He ran his hand over his mouth while I sat on the edge of my seat, waiting for the other shoe to drop. I was withdrawing; what else could he want me do? What else could he do? Besides tell Wyatt. All amusement wiped from his face. “Why did you tell him Chance was at your house last night?”

  “Someone broke in.”

  “WHAT?” Protective rage flared, the volume of his voice drawing eyes from a few neighboring patrons.

  My hands gestured for him to keep it down. “Not broke in. Someone came in to Chance’s room through the back sliding door, but whoever it was didn’t break in – they had a key. And the only people I know with keys are you, Nick, Chance, and me. I don’t even think Ally has one.”

  “Did you ask Nick?”

  I shook my head in the negative again. “I didn’t have to. I know it was him; I know it was Chance.”

  “Jesus.” He stared into his empty glass as though he could will there to be more alcohol inside of it. “Why wouldn’t he tell us… What the fuck…” Exactly my thoughts. “Does Ally know?” Now, his eyes looked tortured and I quickly shook my head.

  I couldn’t even respond and not because I was just as confused as he was, but because I was reliving the same emotions I had last night – the ones that could easily break me.

  “Oh good, you’re back, Olsen,” the asshole mask was back in place and I froze, unsure what Emmett was planning with all of the incriminating information that I’d just dumped on him, “because I need another drink and to go introduce myself to that fine piece of ass standing over there.” He stood. “Lil.” He said my name, but what I heard was ‘we’ll talk later’ and then he was gone.

  “Can’t say I really get that guy,” Wyatt said, setting my drink in front of me. I managed a half-smile before reaching for the glass and taking two large sips of the liquid. “You ok?”

  I nodded rapidly. “Yeah! He’s just cranky about Ally. I-I don’t know why.”

  Wyatt laughed. “I do.” What? I stared at him. “He likes her Channing. You don’t see that?”

  Oh my God.

  So many things made sense now – the anger, the fights, the rudeness, the jealousy. How did I not see it all before?

  “I-I thought he was just being protective,” I mumbled. Clearly my people perceptivion skills were abysmal.

  “Maybe.” He shrugged. “Maybe I’m wrong. I don’t know him as well as you do.” I took another sip.

  “Olsen!” Nick exclaimed, coming around the table with a group of his friends. “I want to introduce you to some of my friends.”

  And just like that, our conversation was rapidly diverted from any potentially dangerous subject as Nick drew us into conversation with Matt, Sean, Laura… and two other girls whose names I didn’t catch.

  I rarely drank, so by the time I’d drained my second glass, I was feeling really good. My dazed attention drifted between the conversation and the way Wyatt’s body moved closer to mine. At some point, I took off my jacket, relishing how Wyatt moved his arm possessively around my shoulders, his fingers tracing down my arm.

  “We’re going to have to go soon,” he bent down and murmured in my ear.

  “Why? I’m having so much fun!”

  “Because I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to keep my hands off of you.”

  My eyes widened. While certain sensations had dulled, the feel of my nipples puckering against the fabric of my dress was exquisitely excruciating. I shifted in my seat, the netting of my tights teasing over my sex. Yeah, we might have to go soon.

  “Ready when you are.” I licked my lips that had gone dry.

  He pulled me up so fast that I lost my balance, tipping forward into his side.

  “You need me to carry you?” His tone was teasing but his eyes were completely serious. He reached behind me for my jacket that I’d draped on the chair, holding it while I stuck my arms into the sleeves.

  “Need or want?” I murmured. Before he could take me up on the thought, I stepped in front of him, to walk towards Nick.

  “You guys leaving already?” I ignored his face that said he knew why.

  “Yeah. I didn’t get out on the mountain today, so I want to make sure I’m at least able to get some time in tomorrow morning.” He nodded, completely understanding.

  “Yeah, looks like some night riding to me.” He smirked. “Enjoy.”

  I wasn’t sure that I should talk to Emmett again tonight and when I saw him in the corner with the brunette he’d mentioned, his tongue about five-feet-deep into her throat, I decided against it.

  Next, I looked for Ally. Wow, there were a lot of people here. Finally, I picked her out, but only because I found Zack who was half-a-head taller than most of the crowd. He was talking and laughing with another couple and for the first time, Ally wasn’t looking at him enthralled or amused. In fact, she appeared completely detached from the conversation, her eyes burning a path straight through the room to where I’d just been looking – at Emmett and the girl. The look in her eyes broke my heart.

  “Ally.” Her head jerked to me; she hadn’t even noticed our approach. “We’re going to get going.”

  Her distress immediately vanished, replaced by the bubbly smile that fell easily onto her face. “Ok! Is Wyatt taking you home or…” Her brow furrowed.

  “She’s going to stay at my place,” his deep voice rumbled from behind me. A pleasurable shiver ran down my spine.

  “Oh, ok!” Her smile grew. “Zack can take me home.” She glanced over at Zack but he was still in deep conversation with some other guy about what sounded like fantasy football.

  “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” I leaned in and hugged her, giving her an extra squeeze knowing that behind her smile, she was suffering.

  “Ok! Love you.”


  “Love you.” We didn’t even bother to interrupt Zack. I would have, but Wyatt’s warm hand on my back, underneath my jacket, was a steady force driving me towards the door.

  I clutched my arms as soon as we got outside – it was frigid. And it probably would have felt much worse without the two drinks that I’d had.

  “Keys, gorgeous.” I blinked in confusion, then realizing that he meant to drive. Good thinking. I was not in a place to be doing that. I dug into Ally’s small purse, fishing and finding the fob. My arm shaking, I handed it to him.

  I heard the beep of the unlock as we approached the passenger side of the car. The next thing I knew, my back was against the cold metal of the door and my lips were against the hot drug of his mouth, his tongue lighting a fire inside of mine.

  Good Lord, he tasted so effin’ good.

  I moaned into him and then his warmth was gone. “Just needed to hold me over,” he rasped, reaching to open the door for me, helping my shaking body inside.

  I blinked – he was starting the car. I blinked again – the snow-covered sign of ‘Aspen Grove’ flew by us. I blinked a third time and he opened the door into his condo.

  “Oh, wow,” I gasped, walking into the space. Dark hardwood, white and gray walls, cabin-chic furniture. I was barely able to take it in before I was hauled back against the hard wall of Wyatt and his mouth took mine again.

  Not that we’d ever been restrained, but the alcohol flowing smoothly through our systems made everything hotter, heavier, and headier.

  We were upstairs, my jacket lost somewhere along the way. The door to what I had to assume was Wyatt’s room shut behind me, my back pressed against it as his mouth trailed down my neck. His hand found the zipper of my dress; I felt the cool metal sliding down along my spine.

  “Wait,” I whispered breathlessly, my hand on his chest. His breathing was labored, but he pulled back.

  Finally able, I looked beyond him, taking in the room behind us. It was facing the mountain with windows that completely covered the far wall. On the right was a low dresser that had two columns of three drawers and a mirror on the wall above it. On the left was his bed, a plain dark gray comforter on top. The room didn’t have any personal effects in it – which made sense since he didn’t live here. But I wasn’t going to think about that now.

  “What’s wrong?” His fingers rubbed impatiently on the skin of my back.

  “Nothing.” I smiled brilliantly at him, the alcohol giving me a seductive confidence that I normally didn’t possess. “Go sit on the bed.”

  “Channing…” He growled.

  “Trust me.” I pushed a little harder against his chest before he gave way; he didn’t go without me though. His hand wrapped around my wrist, pulling me along behind him.

  “Now what?” He bit out as he sat down on the edge of the mattress.

  Freeing my wrist from his grasp, I bit my lip. “Now, you watch.”

  His eyebrows raised as I stepped back from him, the moonlight reflecting off the snow outside, illuminating me and the room with an ethereal bluish-white glow. Holding my dress to my chest, I bent and, as quickly as I could, undid the buckles of my shoes, kicking them off to the side. I stood, his gaze locked on me even while his feet slipped out of his loafers.

  My arms reached behind my back to finish the task he’d begun, finding the zipper and tugging it all the way to the bottom.

  His hands were gripped into the covers and he was bent forward as though he were about to spring off the bed and ravish me at any second.

  “I swear, gorgeous,” his hoarse voice floated over the silence, “if you are wearing another pair of matching underwear, I’m going to not only rip them off of you, but take them downstairs and burn them when I’m through with you.”

  I threw my head back and laughed. His eyes were on my throat, his lip twitching with the need to kiss it.

  “No,” I answered throatily. “They aren’t matching.” I grabbed the sleeves of the dress, lighting tugging them off of my shoulders and letting them fall. I didn’t need to look down to know that the fabric of the dress had dropped just enough so that my hard, pink nipples peaked out from on top of it. The heat from his gaze was melting my body like snow. He looked ravenous – like a wolf that had finally found his prey, his body poised to strike.

  My thumbs hooked underneath the edge of the dress. I bent over and tugged the fabric all the way down, careful to leave the tights in place. Rising slowly – provocatively – I gave him the sight that I’d planned. I stood before him with nothing but the fishnets, pulled high up onto my waist, my breasts exposed and my sex barely obscured by the tights. “Just missing,” I finally whispered.

  And his reaction was more than I’d imagined.

  He swore and stood from the bed, ripping his jacket and whipping it off to the side of the room. Then his shirt – his poor shirt – was torn down the middle, buttons sprinkling onto the area rug on the floor. He didn’t touch his pants, although the hard outline of his cock suggested that it might split them on its own.

  He closed the distance between us, one hand cupping behind my head, tilting it up for his mouth to ravage mine. His other hand moving right between my thighs, his fingers threading right through the netting and into my core.

  My body went crazy at his touch. Mouth. Hands. Hot. Tongue. Fingers. Wet. My mind a pool of desire unable to focus on anything but the pleasure that rolled through me.

  His mouth bit and kissed along my jawline, the hand on my head tipping it to the side to give him better access. “Very clever, gorgeous,” his hoarse whisper soaked through me. I moaned and my hands groped for his belt. His hips pulled back. “Not yet,” he said painfully. “This will end far too quickly that way and I want to take full advantage of your little tease.”

  I sucked in a breath as I felt three fingers push inside of me. His smile spread against my cheek. “All’s fair…”

  And then he spun me to face the dresser and mirror – my face flushed, my lips swollen and red, parted as I tried to breathe through the suffocating pleasure, and Wyatt standing behind me looking like he’d been given the world on a golden platter.

  His hands came around to cup my breasts, completely covering the small mounds. I watched as his mouth returned close to my ear, sucking on my earlobe as he kneaded my flesh, pleasure undulating through me in waves. “I love how sensitive your nipples are.” I moaned as he pinched them both, my sex clenching, begging for release. “I wonder…” he rolled the tender peaks between his fingers, the sensation setting me on fire, “…if I can make you come just. Like. This.”

  I gasped. I had no doubt that he could. No. Freaking. Doubt. I arched into his hands. The delicious pressure twisted inside of me until I shattered. I shuddered against him, briefly registering his groan of pleasure before one hand was between my thighs, cupping my sex, allowing me to grind against his palm.

  “Fuck, I can’t wait.” He released me and I tipped forward, my hands catching me on the edge of the dresser. Through heavy lids, I saw him unfastening his belt, anticipation searing through me. The orgasm had been good – but nothing like when he was inside of me, losing his mind just like I was. And that was the one I wanted.

  Jeans half-hanging off his hips, his hand reached around onto my stomach. “Not here,” he rasped, turning me to the bed. “I want to be in you in my bed.” I moaned, letting his steps behind me guide me over to the mattress. I didn’t wait for instruction, I climbed onto the cloud-like structure. With his pants still half on, he reached for the waist of my fishnets. I lifted my legs, easing their removal.

  Finally, his pants were gone. My sex clenched as he climbed onto the mattress, his head detouring onto my sex. My ankles hooked around his head as his mouth drew my body up to that peak again. I whimpered, another climax about to wreck me, and then his mouth was gone, his body coming up to cover mine.

  “All I thought about tonight, gorgeous – how effin’ good you taste.”

  “That’s all?” I gasped, feelin
g the head of his erection tease my entrance.

  “This too.” And then he slammed inside of me.

  I was deranged, left hanging on the precipice of pleasure and then filled entirely with Wyatt – not just my body, but my heart and soul, too.

  Our bodies flew against each other, lacking all control.

  I screamed as I came again, rocketing him over the edge with me. I felt him pulsing deep inside of me, marking that part of me that would only ever be his, and I lost it.

  There are times on the mountain when you’re practicing a trick that you know you aren’t going to land. You realize when you are up in the middle of the air that sticking the landing isn’t going to happen – that the fall is inevitable. Time slows in that moment, allowing you to enjoy the feeling of flying before you come crashing back down to Earth. That’s how I felt right now: weightless, free-falling.

  The difference? All my life, I'd been afraid of the fall; falling meant failure – until this moment. Like so many other words, Wyatt had flipped this word's meaning on its head. Tonight, falling didn't mean weakness; falling didn't mean losing.

  Falling meant Wyatt; falling meant in love.

  Chapter 26

  Wyatt

  I woke up with the warm softness of my girl pressed against me: one arm underneath her neck, the other over her waist, my hand cupping her breast, the light of the dawn streaming through the window in front of us.

  This was how I needed to wake up every morning.

  I didn’t care what happened with my plans; I didn’t care whether or not the venture capital donors I’d spoken to in Canada agreed to help fund the school that I was going to open – a school that didn’t just give talented kids time to spend on the mountain on their own, but a school that taught them both on the mountain and off – a school inspired by the woman in my arms.

  This morning I woke up with a clarity – a purpose – for the rest of my life. A purpose that wasn’t a job or activity or thing – a purpose that was a person.