by J. H. Croix
I’d been feeling half sick and anxious to the point of being shaky ever since she had shown up at the bar to steal me away.
“Here.” She lifted her phone out of the cupholder where it was resting in the console. “There’s no password. Holly’s number is my last phone call. Why don’t you call her now?”
Holding the phone in my hand, I resisted the urge to toss it away as if it was on fire. I did want to call Holly, but I was afraid, afraid of so much.
“What are you afraid of?” Shay gave voice to my own internal question.
I set the phone down, leaning forward and dropping my face into my hands. Taking a deep breath, I let it out, feeling the air filter through my fingers. I finally lifted my head. “I don’t know. I haven’t even talked to Alex in a few weeks. I broke things off because I thought—” I stopped abruptly, shaking my head. “I don’t know what I thought.”
Shay kept her eyes ahead as she replied, “You know, Delilah, you’ve always been intensely independent. I used to envy that about you.”
“You did?” I was genuinely shocked because I found it hard to imagine there could be anything about myself to envy.
“I really did. You forget I had a shitty relationship before I got out of it. I used to think if I’d been like you, or maybe Jade—you two remind me of each other—that I never would’ve ended up there.”
Shay was referring to an abusive relationship she’d been in for a few years during and after college. We all knew about it because it was all over the news when her ex got arrested for assault, and then later for a DUI when two passengers were killed in the accident.
“You’re pretty strong, if you ask me. Stronger than me. You got through that and look how great things are now,” I said.
She cast me a quick look before bringing her eyes immediately back to the road ahead. “Things are good now, but it wasn’t easy to get there. Everyone’s life is different, the details especially. But I’ll say this, Alex seems like a great guy. People who I know and trust vouch for him. I saw you two together. It’s obvious you like him. There’s no reward without risk. I know that’s a cliché, but sometimes clichés become clichés because they’re true.”
I waited in the airport for my flight to be called. I couldn’t stop worrying about Alex and obsessively checking my phone. I didn’t even know if he’d gotten my text yet.
I laughed to myself. I’d told Shay that I didn’t know how I felt. In my panic, I texted him.
I miss you. I’m sorry I haven’t called you back.
I’m on my way to Alaska. I’ll be there soon.
You better be okay.
I pulled up my phone screen, staring hard at Holly’s phone number. Under the stern gaze of Shay, I’d entered it when she dropped me off at the airport, pointing out I would need Holly to tell me how to get to the hospital and probably pick me up.
Noting I still had fifteen minutes before boarding, I took a deep breath and tapped Holly’s number to call. It rang only once.
“Delilah! Please tell me you’re at the airport,” Holly demanded.
“I’m at the airport. Is Alex okay?”
“I told Shay to tell you he was fine. Okay, maybe he’s not one hundred percent, but he’s going to be fine. One of my best friends was his nurse all night and assured me his numbers were good.”
“What happened?”
“We’re not really sure. Alex was at the airport doing some maintenance on a plane. Another plane was coming in to land, and there was an explosion in one of the engines as the plane landed. Alex was pulling out the pilot, who probably got knocked out during the landing, when another explosion went off. They think it was the gas tank. We don’t know why it exploded yet. We won’t know until they do the official investigation and release the findings.”
“So what happened to Alex?”
“He saved Fred’s life. Fred’s a pilot, and he’s been around forever. Fred was already unconscious, and then Alex was knocked out with the second explosion. The passengers had gotten out and dragged him and Fred out of the way.”
“What are his injuries?” My stomach was churning and churning and churning.
“He had a mild concussion, and he’s got ringing intermittently in his ear. He’s all scraped up on his back from falling on the pavement. He’s going to be sore, but he’s going to be okay. They kept him overnight for observation because he was unconscious when he got there. He also was having trouble breathing at first. I think he had a mild case of blast lung.” She paused, and then, “Delilah? Are you still there?”
I didn’t realize a tear was rolling down my cheek until it hit the corner of my mouth. I swiped it away, sniffling as I replied, “Yeah, I’m here.”
“I’m glad you’re at the airport. I tried to get you a better flight schedule, but there weren’t many options on such short notice. You won’t get here until tomorrow evening because of the layovers in Houston and then Seattle tomorrow. I made sure you have a hotel voucher in Houston if you need it tonight. I figured you might want it with a seven-hour layover. There’s a hotel right by the airport.”
“It’s fine. Actually, it’s amazing. You didn’t have to do this,” I said quickly. “It doesn’t seem like there are many direct options from here to Alaska.”
“I’d say not, and it’s faster to fly to Europe from the East Coast than to Alaska,” Holly said wryly.
“I know. I’m just glad I’ll be there soon.”
“Maybe I overstepped, but I—”
I cut in. “You didn’t. I want to see him. I’m just not so sure he’ll want to see me.”
“Oh, he will,” Holly said firmly. “I know you broke up with him.”
I was glad Holly couldn’t see my face because I was so embarrassed. “Holly—” I began
It was her turn to interrupt. “I get it. It’s just I can tell you mean a lot to him, so I decided to make fate intervene.”
“Are you fate?” I asked between sniffles.
Holly laughed. “Maybe, maybe not. I thought I would nudge things along. The rest is up to you and Alex.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Alex
The next day - Alaska
“Holly,” I practically growled, not even bothering to keep the irritation out of my voice.
“What?” Her voice was all innocence and sweetness. I wasn’t fooled. My twin sister was anything but innocent and sweet. She was up to something, but hell if I knew what. I was too tired to figure it out.
“I’m home, and I would like some privacy. Please.”
“Just let me stop by and check on you,” she insisted.
I heard Nate say something in the background. I could’ve sworn he said, “Why don’t you tell him?”
“What the hell is Nate talking about?”
Holly hung up on me.
“What the hell?” I muttered entirely to myself.
They’d let me escape the hospital late yesterday afternoon. After they ran a battery of tests, I was cleared to go home. I was expected to have some shortness of breath for a few days, but Charlie told me I was good to go. I was supposed to go see her in her office at the end of this week. Between my mother fussing over me since yesterday, in addition to Holly, I was ready to scream. I just wanted to relax, which wasn’t easy. My back was sore from the scraping from the asphalt.
I tossed my phone on the coffee table and reached for the remote. After a few minutes, I settled on the background noise of the news because I couldn’t find a show I wanted to watch. I looked at my phone again, opening the text from Delilah. I had already sent her a return text when I got my phone back, but that wasn’t until today. I’d left it at the airport, and no one knew where the hell it was. Nate had driven me out there, and I’d found it in my bag of tools where I’d tucked it when I started working.
So far, nothing but silence from Delilah in response to my text. I didn’t know what she meant about coming to Alaska. I figured that meant she was planning a trip and would let me know when.
> Standing, I made my way into the kitchen, ignoring the pain in my back. I opened my refrigerator, only to be reminded I hadn’t done any grocery shopping yet this week. I pulled out a bottle of beer and the last two pieces of leftover pizza I’d gotten three days ago.
I was sitting on the couch finishing a slice of pizza when there was a knock on the door. “Come in!” I called, figuring it was Holly and maybe Nate.
The door opened slowly, almost hesitantly, which was my first clue it wasn’t Holly. She was more likely to come in with a flourish.
“Alex?”
I stood quickly, and my breath hissed through my teeth when the skin on my back pulled tight.
“Delilah?”
I was crossing the room just as she peered around the door. My heart kicked up a racket in my chest, and my breath seized in my lungs for a moment.
She stepped in and closed the door behind her. “Holly’s not coming over, but she dropped me off.” Delilah’s eyes searched my face.
I closed the distance between us in a few strides and pulled her almost roughly into my arms. Delilah didn’t hesitate, stepping close and wrapping her arms carefully around my waist as she tucked her head into the crook of my neck.
“I’m so glad you’re okay.” Her voice was muffled against my shirt.
I had one arm wrapped around her back and the other cupping the back of her head. I tried to catch my breath, but it wasn’t working very well.
Delilah stepped back. “Are you okay?” She peered up at me, her eyes watery with tears. “Holly said you might have trouble with your breathing for a few days.”
With my heart racing, I closed my eyes, forcing myself to take a slow, steadying breath.
Delilah placed her hand on my chest over my heart, circling it lightly. When I opened my eyes again, her concerned gaze was trained on my face. “You need to sit down.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but then I decided I didn’t mind Delilah fussing over me. Not even a little. The relief of having her here was so enormous I couldn’t put words to it. My entire body felt full of feeling.
Her hands fluttered over me as she pushed me toward the couch. “How’s your back? Do you need a pillow? I don’t know how to prop you up without it hurting your back.” She looked down at me, her brow furrowed.
“It’s fine,” I assured her. “It’s sore, but it’s nothing more than bad scrapes.”
She insisted on propping pillows all around me, and then looked at the coffee table where my half empty bottle of beer sat with the pizza box and some napkins thrown in it. “Should I clean up?”
She didn’t even give me a chance to reply, whisking away the pizza box and asking if I needed another beer. When I chuckled and pointed out I still had half of the one there, she pursed her lips. “Wait a sec. Are you even supposed to have beer?”
My girl was nervous, her fingers twitching along her elbows as she wrapped her arms around her waist. I held my hand out, beckoning her. After a moment, she stepped closer. Her palm was clammy in mine, further giving away just how nervous she was. “Come here.”
With a little tug from me, Delilah acquiesced, sitting carefully and smoothing her free hand over her thigh. “I’m sorry,” she blurted out. “I panicked. I love you.”
Oh, well then, I guess we were just going to dive right into the deep end of this. Joy exploded in my chest.
“Thank God,” I said as I looked into her tearful eyes. “Because I love you too. We’re gonna figure this out. Geography is irrelevant.”
Delilah bit her lip, her worried eyes scanning my face. “You didn’t have to say that just because I did,” she finally said.
“I didn’t say it just because you did. I said it because I meant it.”
I brushed her hair away from her face, letting my thumb trail down to cup her cheek with my palm. I gave a subtle tug on her hand, trying to pull her across my lap.
Delilah narrowed her eyes. “You’re injured.”
“Not that bad,” I murmured as I succeeded in pulling her onto my lap.
She landed sideways with her breath coming out in a startled gasp. “Alex!”
“Right here, sweetheart.” I cupped her nape and pulled her closer.
She relaxed against me as I teased my lips over hers. She murmured something, the words lost in our kiss. I teased my tongue against hers briefly before leaning back.
“What did you say?”
“You’re injured,” she repeated.
“Not that bad. They wouldn’t have discharged me from the hospital if I wasn’t okay. Holly would’ve personally killed someone there if they had,” I said with a chuckle.
Delilah’s gaze softened, her lips curling in a slow smile. “I’m sure she would have.”
As we stared at each other, it felt as if the air around us began to vibrate, humming with that subtle electricity that was ever present when I was near Delilah. My cock swelled, and Delilah’s eyes widened.
“I don’t really want to talk right now.” My words came out husky.
Delilah opened her mouth, most likely to protest, but I didn’t give her a chance. I tugged her closer again and devoured her mouth with a kiss.
None of my body’s assorted aches and pains mattered. Although she tried to stop me once or twice, she gave in when I told her I just needed her.
I didn’t remember how we got our clothes off. I did remember Delilah straddling me on the couch, sinking down slowly as she sheathed me in her slick, clenching channel. I felt her ripple around me, her entire body shuddering slightly just before she cried out my name when she came all over my cock.
My release hit me with a sharp, sizzling burst of pleasure. Delilah fell against me, tucking her head into my shoulder. I held her because that was all I wanted. Delilah in my arms. Exactly where she was supposed to be.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Delilah
“How are you?” Janet asked. She had one hand on her hip with a coffee pot held in the other hand.
Alex winced slightly as he leaned back in his chair. My heart winced in response. I’d seen the scrapes in question on his back last night and again this morning. Sure, they were technically scrapes, but they were awful. Holly told me his shirt had torn, likely from the blast when he was thrown back onto the pavement. A cotton T-shirt isn’t all that much protection.
Alex smirked. “I’m fine. How are you?”
Janet rolled her eyes and looked at me. “Is he really fine?”
Looking from Janet to Alex and back again, I let out a sigh. “I think it depends on your definition of fine.”
Alex grinned again. “I am fine,” he protested. “What I need is one of your omelets to make my day start just right.”
Janet smiled, dropping her hand from her hip to reach over and squeeze him gently on the shoulder. “Coming right up. What kind?”
“Whatever you want to make me. Just make sure it has bacon.”
“Absolutely. Thank you for getting Fred out of that plane. You know how fond I am of him. All of us are fond of him.”
Alex gave an easy shrug, nonchalant and all. “I just did what he would’ve done for me, and I’m glad he’s all right. We’re going to go up and check on him at the hospital after breakfast.”
“Holly told me it looks like he’s lost his hearing in one ear. How about you?” Janet asked.
“I think my hearing’s going to be fine. The ringing is almost gone this morning. The hearing specialist told me it might be a few days, but that everything was still in working order.”
“And your lungs?” Janet prompted.
“I’m breathing.”
Janet rolled her eyes just as someone called her name from the counter. She glanced at me. “Anything for breakfast for you?”
“I’ll take a bagel with your smoked salmon cream cheese.”
“Both of your orders will be out shortly.” Janet hurried off.
Looking across the table at Alex, I said, “Promise me you’ll be honest about how your breathing fee
ls.”
Alex narrowed his eyes. “I promise. How long will you be here?” he asked, quickly changing the subject.
“Holly got me an open-ended round-trip ticket, which was really nice of her. I promised her I’d pay her back. I get to pick my return date. Fortunately, I remembered to pack my laptop, so I can do classes while I’m here. I need to call work to figure out how long they can make do without me. I’d like to stay for at least two weeks.”
Alex’s chocolate eyes searched mine. “You can stay as long as you’d like. I know you’ll need to go home, but maybe at some point while you’re here, we could talk about possibilities.”
“I’d love that,” I said. I still felt a little anxious, not quite sure how to embrace this positive possibility in my world. Against all odds, I had faith Alex and I would figure it out.
Surprisingly, I truly did have faith. Although I had to remind myself of that often, I stayed the two weeks and loved every minute of it. I even went with Alex to his second follow-up appointment with Charlie a few days before I was scheduled to return to Stolen Hearts Valley.
Looking around the small office, I sat on a chair beside him. It was like most doctors’ offices, painted in neutral colors with soothing watercolors hanging on the walls, in the midst of plenty of health informational posters.
“I think you’ll like Charlie,” Alex commented from my side.
“All I want to know is if your lungs are back to one hundred percent.”
“My hearing has to be.” Alex smirked. “I definitely heard you this morning.”
My cheeks got hot. I might have been a little loud this morning. “It’s all your fault,” I muttered, nudging him with my elbow. “Also, behave. We’re at the doctor’s office.”
Alex gave me an incredulous look before shaking his head. “We’re in this room alone. Charlie’s not even here yet.”
“Yeah, but she—” I began, just as the door opened, and a woman stepped in.
Charlie was beautiful. She had dark hair pulled back in a ponytail with streaks of pink and purple visible. She was dressed in the typical doctor’s uniform with a white coat over her slacks. Her warm gray gaze looked from Alex to me as a smile teased at the corners of her mouth. “Hi there,” she said with a brisk nod.