by Chloe Lang
“Especially tonight. We need to win her, Jacob. I don’t want to lose her.”
“I don’t want that either. Still, I sense there’s more pain underneath her surface than she’s shared with us.”
“More than what she told us about Willie?”
“I think so. What it is, I’m not sure. It’s only a feeling I get. I could be wrong.”
“I’ve learned to trust your feelings,” Josh said. “We just need to wait until she’s ready to tell us everything.”
“I agree.” Jacob placed his hand on Josh’s shoulder. In his terrible childhood days, Josh had been one of the bright lights of hope. Same with Aunt Melissa and Uncle Hiro. Deep down he knew that Carrie still needed light to shine into her darkest places. He wanted to be that light for her, that hope, just like Josh had been for him. “We better head back to town to get ready for our date.”
* * * *
Carrie looked at her reflection in the mirror. The red dress fit her body perfectly. “What do you think of this one?”
Rylie, the sales associate, smiled. “You look stunning.”
Jena said, “That’s the one, Carrie.”
“What about accessories?” Rylie asked.
Jena had introduced her to Rylie Gold when they’d entered the store. She’d wondered about her having the same name as the store Sean had mentioned earlier, Rylie’s Body Decorations. It turned out her father owned the store and had named it after Rylie. Mr. Gold also owned Phase Four. Jena had informed her the place was a BDSM club. She knew about the lifestyle from her years on the run. Most major cities had one or two of that kind of club, but she’d been surprised to learn that Destiny had one. And even more so that Jena, Matt, and Sean were members.
“You’re my shopping expert, Rylie,” she said. “Lead the way.”
“What about these?” Jena handed her a gorgeous pair of silver earrings. “I think these would work great with the dress.”
She held them to her ears, glancing at another mirror. “I love them.”
“Now we need shoes and a purse.” Rylie walked over to a display and brought back a pair of silver stilettos and a matching clutch. “Do you like these, Carrie?”
“I do.”
“You said a seven, right?”
“I’m sure we have your size.” Rylie went into the boutique’s storeroom and came right back carrying a shoebox. “I was right. Here they are.”
Carrie tried on the silver shoes. “They fit perfectly. How do they look with the dress?”
“Let’s just say if I wasn’t married and I was a guy, I would think you were the most beautiful woman in the world,” Jena said.
“She’s right, Carrie,” Rylie said. “You look gorgeous.”
“That’s good enough for me. I’m ready to check out.”
“This is on me and my guys, Carrie,” Jena said, pulling out a credit card from her purse. “This is our way of saying welcome home.”
“Is this how Destonians treat newcomers?”
“Exactly,” Jena said. “And you’ll have your chance to pass it on.”
“I certainly hope so because you are spoiling me.”
Rylie placed all the items in a bag. “Have fun tonight with Josh and Jacob. They’re a couple of hunks.”
“I will.”
“Don’t forget to look for me during the first round of paintball, Jena,” the young woman said with a broad smile. “My helmet is bright pink. You can’t miss me.”
“You’re going to enter the game?” Jena asked. “When did you decide that?”
“When you took that call from Matt a few minutes ago. Rylie convinced me how much fun it would be. Besides, I plan on dethroning Ethel.”
“Good luck with that,” Jena said. “Bye, Rylie.”
On the way back to the car, they passed Rylie’s Body Decorations.
“What a strange store to name after your daughter,” she said to Jena.
“There’s a lot of strange things in Destiny, but we love one another.”
“I’m curious, Jena. Could we go inside and take a look around?”
“Sure. If you have time.”
“I do, my date isn’t until seven.”
They walked into Rylie’s.
The woman behind the counter welcomed them in the warm Destiny way.
A young man, who looked to be barely eighteen, was getting a tattoo on his shoulder. The artist was a man with beautiful tats down both his arms.
“This is her first time,” Jena told the woman. “I wanted to show her the club clothes.”
“Make yourself at home, girls. If you need anything, just let me know.”
“The clothes are in the back, Carrie.” Jena led her through a doorway.
Her mouth popped open, seeing all the sexy outfits. “Jena, this skirt wouldn’t even cover your ass.”
“Actually, I have some smaller. And that is the idea.” Jena grabbed a leather crop from a shelf. “That, and other things.”
Looking around, Carrie felt excited. What would it be like to wear something from here in front of Josh and Jacob? Would it turn them on? Just thinking about it was certainly getting her charged up.
Jena smiled. “It looks like you might have more questions about BDSM now that I’ve brought you here.”
“I do. Would you mind answering my questions while I get ready for my date?”
“I would love to, Carrie. It’s a wonderful lifestyle for many people, though it’s not for everyone. You might want to know that Josh and Jacob are in the life.”
“I’m so glad you told me because that’s important to know before I go on the date with them.” She held up a leather halter to her chest, and felt her heart start to race. “Could I really wear this?”
“Yes, you could, and you would look great in it. You should buy it and this mini skirt. But I have no doubt that tonight will be vanilla all the way. You’re not in the lifestyle…yet.” Jena smiled.
“What do you mean by ‘vanilla?’”
“Not BDSM. Traditional. If you’re interested in learning more I have some books I can share with you. They explain the lifestyle quite well.”
“I guess I have some reading to do.” She grabbed the halter and miniskirt. “I’m going to get this outfit and try it on.”
Jena’s eyebrows rose. “For tonight?”
“Oh God, no.”
Chapter Fourteen
Josh walked to the front door with Jacob beside him. Like him, his cousin had put on a sports coat and slacks. Quite different from their typical daywear—boots, jeans, shirt, and cowboy hat—and even more different than their Dom gear, leather vests, pants, and boots.
“Do you think I look okay?” Jacob asked.
He grinned. “Other than that face of yours, you look great.”
Jacob laughed. “Hey, my mug is prettier than yours will ever be.”
“We’ll just let Carrie be the judge of that.” Both of them smiling, he rang the doorbell.
Matt opened the door. “What are you two grinning about?”
“We were just asking each other if we looked okay for Carrie.” He spread his arms wide, hoping to give Matt a better view. “What do you think?”
Jacob spun around. “Pretty snazzy, right?”
Matt shook his head. “You look like a couple of cowboys trying to play dress-up.”
Jena appeared next to Matt. “Wow, you two look fantastic. Carrie is going to be impressed.”
“That’s what we’re hoping for,” Jacob said.
“Thanks, honey, for spoiling my fun,” Matt said. “Actually, you both did clean up nice. But you better be on your best behavior with my sister, understand?”
He knew better than to get on Matt’s bad side. “We’ve got a fun night planned for her.”
“She told me about the steak dinner in New Mexico,” Jena said. “Sounds wonderful.”
“What?” Matt’s volume rose. “New Mexico?”
“Sweetheart, don’t be a wet blanket,” Jena scolded. “You kn
ow Josh is an excellent pilot.”
“Absolutely no drinking, Josh,” Matt said, still operating in overprotective-brother mode.
“Have I ever had a drink when I have flown you? You know me better than that.”
Matt grinned. “I know. I’m just giving you a hard time.”
“Yes, you are, you big lug,” Jena said. “And you also love having you little sister back so you can be the big brother you always wanted to be.”
“And you’re the one who found Carrie, baby. You’re the best wife in the world.” Matt kissed her. “Come on in, guys.”
“I’ll go get Carrie for you.” Jena rushed up the stairs.
Matt led him and Jacob to the living room.
Sean shook their hands. “Damn, guys. Looking good.”
Jena’s mom and Gary came into the room from the kitchen. Kimmie led the way, carrying her dog Happiness.
“You boys look really handsome tonight,” Janet said.
“Yeah,” Gary said, kissing her on the cheek. “Almost as good as me.”
“Here’s your date, guys.” Jena stood to the side and Carrie walked next to her.
Josh had never seen such a vision of beauty, and for the first time in his life he felt completely tongue-tied. Her long, dark locks fell to her shoulders and her hazel eyes sparkled.
“Aunt Carrie, you look like a princess.” Kimmie ran up to her.
Carrie swept the little girl into her arms. “There’s only one princess in this house, and that’s you, sweetie.”
Finding his voice, he said, “You look gorgeous, Carrie.”
Jacob nodded. “You can say that again. Absolutely stunning.”
Carrie grinned. “And you two look very handsome.”
He took her hand. “Shall we go?”
Janet held up her hand. “Wait. I’ll be right back.”
As she headed back to the kitchen, Gary said, “Don’t look at me. That woman has a mind of her own. I have no idea what she has in mind.”
Janet returned with a camera. “I could’ve taken pictures with my cell phone, but this baby takes the best photos.”
“But, Mom, we’re ready to go,” Carrie said, squeezing his hand and looking at Jacob.
“This will only take a second, and we want this for our memories. One day you’ll thank me. Now, you three stand together over there by the fireplace. That’s it.” Janet snapped a few pictures.
“Can I be in a picture, too, Grandma?” Kimmie asked. “Me and Happiness.”
“It’s up to Carrie and her dates.”
Josh smiled, “Carrie, you better get used to this. Families in Destiny are known for going a little overboard for this kind of thing.”
“What kind of thing is this?” Carrie giggled. “It kind of feels like I’m going off to high school prom.”
“Exactly,” Janet said. “You three are all dressed up for a wonderful evening.”
After a few shots with Kimmie and Happiness, followed by one that Gary took with the entire family, Carrie said with a smile, “That’s all the paparazzi time for now. We’ve kept Josh and Jacob waiting long enough.”
“Escape,” Matt said. “Go now.”
Sean put his arm around Janet. “If you don’t, this one is sure to keep snapping pictures.”
After a few more quick good-byes, he and Jacob walked Carrie out the door.
He grabbed her hand. “You really do look beautiful.”
Jacob took her other hand. “He’s not lying. Every woman in New Mexico is going to be green with envy when you show up.”
“Only because I will be on the arms of the two most handsome men when I arrive.”
* * * *
Jacob couldn’t keep his eyes off of Carrie in that red dress. When they got to the airport, he got out and held the door for her.
“I still can’t believe I’m going to fly tonight. Another first for me.” She turned to him and Josh. “Honestly, I’m more nervous than I thought I would be.”
He put his arm around her shoulder. “Trust me. Josh is one of the best pilots around. He’ll keep us all safe.”
They escorted her into the plane.
“Oh my God, this is so luxurious.” She ran her hand over the back of one of the leather seats. “This is like the ones you see in the movies.”
“Wait until you see the cockpit, sweetheart,” Josh said. “It’s quite impressive.”
“I can’t wait to tell Kimmie about this,” Carrie said, sitting down. “You’re making me feel like a princess.”
He loved how excited she was about everything. Despite having lived through the horror of losing her parents and being raised by a madman, Carrie filled every space she entered with light. Still, he sensed her struggle, something she kept hidden and locked away from everyone, a secret darkness. Tonight, I want her to just have fun and forget whatever troubles haunt her.
“These are for you, sweetheart.” He handed her the red roses.
“You two keep surprising me. Thank you.” She smelled the flowers.
Josh opened the champagne, filled two glasses, and handed them over. “While you two enjoy this Dom Pérignon, a gift from my employers, I’ll do the preflight since I can’t have any. But please save me some for when we get back home.”
“Before you go, let’s have a toast.” He filled one of the flutes with bottled water and handed it to Josh. “To you, Carrie, and to our date tonight.”
They clinked their glasses together and took a drink.
“Oh my God. This is incredible.”
Josh leaned down. “I must have a taste,” he said, and gave her a kiss. “Delicious. I won’t be long.”
After Josh left, he sat down in the seat next to hers. “I have my own champagne, but I think it would taste better from your lips.” He stole a kiss, enjoying the sweetness of her mouth.
She grinned. “What an exciting date already. I can’t wait until we’re in the air.”
“Maybe next time I can fly us.”
“You are a pilot, too?” Her gorgeous eyes widened.
“I am, but I’m not certified for this fast of a plane. Josh has been helping me to complete my training. Now that I have such a beautiful passenger to please, I have all the motivation I need to finish.”
She grinned. “I don’t even know if I’ll like flying. I really do have the jitters.”
“Maybe a little more champagne will help with that.”
“Either way, it tastes so good I wouldn’t mind another glass.” She held out the flute and he filled it.
“We’re all set to take off,” Josh said, walking into the cabin. “Come here, pretty lady. You’re going to be my copilot.”
“You’ve got to be kidding. This is my first time on a plane.”
“Of course, I’m kidding. All you have to do is sit there, be beautiful and enjoy the flight.”
“Can you hold my hand?” She stood, moving to face his cousin.
Jacob laughed, and stepped next to her. “She’s nervous, Josh.”
“I can see that.” Josh smiled and pulled her in for a hug. “I’ll be a little busy, sweetheart, but I know how to keep your mind occupied and off of worry. You’re like anyone else, Carrie. The unknown is difficult, but once you get the feel of things you’ll do just great. Now, let me show you.” Josh led her into the cockpit.
Carrie’s eyes were wide. “This looks more like the controls for a spaceship than a plane.”
“State of the art,” Josh said, helping her get into the copilot’s seat and buckling her in.
“I’m going to be right behind you in the navigator’s seat. So if you need me, I’m right here,” he said, fastening his seat belt.
“That does make me feel better, Jacob. Thanks.”
He placed his hand on her shoulder. “Take deep breaths, nice and slow. That’s it. You’re going to love it I’m sure.”
Once they all had their headphones on, Josh turned to Carrie. “Now listen carefully, sweetheart. This is your job.”
“I have a jo
b?”
“I want you to keep your eyes on the outside.” Josh was clearly giving her a task to keep her mind busy and her worries at bay. Smart guy. “Tell me any landmarks you see. Lakes. Mountains. Roads. Got it?”
“I’ll try,” she said softly.
Josh grabbed her hand. “You’ll do just fine.”
When Josh revved the engines for takeoff, Jacob placed both his hands on Carrie’s shoulders. “How are you doing?”
“Pretty good.”
Josh got on the radio. “Walden-Jackson Ground, Learjet TBK73, at terminal ramp taxi for an IFR departure south to Red River, New Mexico, with information Delta.”
The tower gave the clearance for takeoff and Josh taxied to the runway.
He revved the engines, and Carrie gasped and held on tight to the armrest.
“Here we go, sweetheart,” Josh said. The jet shot down the runway and in no time at all was aloft.
“Wow.” Carrie turned around, smiling. “This is so much fun. I wasn’t scared at all.”
“Oh really?” Josh said and they both laughed.
Chapter Fifteen
“Copilot to pilot,” Carrie said with a grin, playing up the aviation talk.
Josh turned to her and smiled. “Go ahead, copilot.”
“There’s a large lake on our right up ahead, but so far no sign of the Loch Ness Monster.”
He and Jacob laughed. The entire flight had been so fun and they’d teased each other the whole time.
“Good job, Carrie. That’s Sanchez Reservoir.” Jacob was looking at an aviation map. “We’re about to cross into New Mexico. You’re really getting good at spotting things.”
“She sure is,” Josh said, making her feel so proud. “We’ll be landing in Red River in about twenty minutes.”
“I’m glad,” Jacob said from behind her. “I’m starving. Flying sure does build up a person’s appetite.”
“It must,” she said. “I’m hungry, too. But I wouldn’t mind flying all evening.”
Josh smiled. “So I’ll take that to mean you’re not afraid to fly any more, sweetheart. Am I right?”
“Yes, you are. I love it. Jacob mentioned that you’re helping him with his classes to get certified for this jet.”