My mind raced a million miles an hour, but it slowed the minute Paxton put his hands on my shoulders and demanded my attention. “If you do this, I’ll take you to Mykonos. I will personally make sure that this is the trip of your life. But you have to accept the agreement. The tutoring, the suite, the cameras, all of it.”
“And if I don’t?”
His tongue swiped across his lower lip and, as sexy as it was, it seemed more like a nervous, subconscious motion. “Then I’ll fly you home, first class, on me. You can think of this as that one day you almost did something insanely stupid.”
“And what happens to you? Nothing, right? You pull the next name out of the tutor hat?”
He shook his head. “Every other tutor is assigned. And besides, you were hand-picked for me for your academic strengths. If I lose you, I probably fail. All these people”—he gestured to the crew around us and leaned in to whisper—“they all lose their jobs.”
A heavy weight settled on my shoulders, and I wondered in that instant if that was what he’d been thinking of back on the ship, if that was what made him so pensive. “How long does it take?”
“Five seconds, max.”
My heart started to pound, as if it already knew the decision I was coming to.
If I kept my eyes closed, it would be over before I knew it, right?
He gently tucked my hair behind my ears, clearing it of the helmet’s ear straps. How could I tell him what he was putting me through without laying everything bare and looking like an idiot? Without going into that night…and the following morning? Without seeing the cocky way he looked at me change to the inevitable looks of pity and morbid curiosity?
How could I ever get past it if I didn’t get on that damn ship? Was it better to stay safe, locked away in myself? Yes.
But the crew around us? The ones who would lose their jobs?
I looked up into Paxton’s eyes, and we lingered there, wordlessly exchanging something I hadn’t had in years: trust. He would keep me safe. I somehow knew it with every bone in my pieced-together body.
“What do you say, Leah? Are you ready for an adventure?” He questioned me softly this time, as if he had somehow realized what he was asking me to risk.
I gave the one word that I knew would change…everything.
“Yes.”
…
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Acknowledgments
Trying something new is always a little risky…and usually a lot of fun. My first foray into writing New Adult took some coaxing, but I fell in love with Luke and Charlotte. For that, I need to thank my awesome editor, Heather Howland, and a number of readers who wanted to hear Luke’s story after reading Defying Gravity. Thanks for the push, guys—I’m so glad we went for it!
To the Entangled staff, thanks for all your help bringing this book into the world!
Thanks also to Trent Carlock for his information about snowboarding…and how easy it is to get a concussion doing it.
Finally, thanks to my family. Ryan, Tanner, and Alex—I love you, and appreciate all the support you give me each and every day.
About the Author
Kendra C. Highley lives in north Texas with her husband and two children. She also serves as staff to four self-important and high-powered cats. This, according to the cats, is her most critical job. She believes in everyday magic, extraordinary love stories, and the restorative powers of dark chocolate.
Also by Kendra C. Highley…
Finding Perfect
Defying Gravity
The Bad Boy Bargain
Swinging at Love
The Perfectly Imperfect Match
Sidelined
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