"What's going on? I thought you already had permission. In fact, I watched you download the flight plan in the car computer on the way back from the marina."
Mike looked to Moose, who merely shrugged his shoulders. "It seems Jordan's father hasn't left. His chopper is still on the helipad."
His chopper?
Ahead of us on the runway, a gentleman wearing a fluorescent orange vest quickly approached the helicopter. "Now what?" growled Mike under his breath.
"Mr. Reynolds, we have about a thirty minute delay on take-off. The eagle is still on the nest and we haven't received a security clearance on air space. The tower will notify you when everything's clear."
Mike shut down the blades and I blew a loud sigh.
"Sooo…anyone care to explain 'the eagle' or 'the nest?'
Moose chuckled and Mike cleared his throat. "Jordan's dad's helicopter is 'The Eagle,' and 'the nest' would be the beach house. This chopper is 'Baby Bird.'"
My stomach floated. "Two helicopters," I muttered. "Great. Just great." I gathered Jordan's family had wealth, but private planes and multiple helicopters, not to mention a ship the size of a small house sent my head spinning. I'd never been around such opulence and the pressure to prove myself worthy hit ten-fold all over again. The mention of high security preventing us from even taking off triggered the same unanswered question.
"Who is Jordan's father?" I asked. "No one will tell me."
The cockpit became silent with the exception of the soft whirring sound of the blades overhead winding down. Mike turned his gaze out the window and I couldn't help notice his thumb flipping nervously against his thigh.
"Sorry, but that information is—"
"Let me guess. Confidential," I clipped. "You'd think with all the secrecy, Jordan was part of a royal family." Mike's eyes darted sideways to Moose.
A muffled buzzing sound stole Mike's attention and ended my inquisition. He pushed a button overhead, identifying the caller.
"Damn. It's Jordan."
"Is it on video feed?" I shrieked.
"No, just speaker, but be quiet, or he'll hear you in the background." He pressed the answer key. "What's up Mason-1? You headed out with Mason-2 yet?"
"We're in the pilots' lounge at O'Hare. Jesse's downing some major caffeine and getting an oxygen treatment. Between the concert last night and being stuck in a recording studio all day, he's beat."
"Precisely why all paperwork shows you the designated operator. Your itinerary is loaded in both the jet's and ship's computers, and the keys to your car are in your locker."
"Thanks Mom. Hey, have you heard anything from Marli? She called late last night and said she was staying the week, which worries me. Peterson's a snake. I only wish she knew the truth—"
"Uh-hum, Jordan," Mike blared over him. "Sorry, but it looks like I'm getting paged. I swear I haven't heard from her, but if I do, you'll be the first to know."
"I better be, or you'll pay."
"I believe it's you who's paying. Fifty bucks better be in my desk drawer."
"Fine. Can't believe I lost this one. Oh, I almost forgot. Has my dad left yet?"
I lifted my head watching Mike, whose gaze fixed on the instrument panel.
"Yep. Your mom should be in a good mood when you get home," he laughed along with Jordan. "Fly safe and don't forget to leave me a flight report this time."
Mike hung up and Moose playfully punched his shoulder.
I re-attached the harness and I took a quick inventory of my floating cushion and little green bag. Several men clad in glowing orange vests made another quick assessment of the helicopter before giving the "thumbs up." I grabbed the steel bar to the side of me and felt the ground fall away and my stomach swirl to my toes when the chopper turned heavenward.
We flew along the shoreline and below, police shuttles were in pursuit of a little black sports car.
"Hold on!" came Mike's abrupt warning in my ear as we launched upward and practically sideways before sharply dipping. "Sorry! The news chopper buzzed me and I had to clear air space." He reached back and gave my knee an apologetic squeeze. I'd made use of my little green bag.
We rounded a group of islands I recognized as the ones Jesse sailed to the day he taught me to snorkel. The rainbow reef under the surface of the crystal water looked even more spectacular from the air. We passed over a row of small cliffs encircling the bay and headed into open waters again, confusing me. I thought the beach surrounding the lagoon was part of the island the Masons owned. Apparently, I'd been duped...again.
Ten minutes later, the chopper's speed decreased as we inched closer to a small tropical desert island. White sand edged all sides, almost glowing against the transparent deep blue-green waters. A bay shaped like a crescent moon appeared beyond a protective wall of rock topped with dense trees. Below, a dock stretched into the water with a few small personal watercraft moored against it. On the hill rising above the pristine beach, a gray clapboard two-story house blazed bright orange in the late afternoon sun.
The weather vane on the pitched roof shifted at our passing and the palm trees bowed at our arrival when the chopper lowered onto a concrete pad. The blades slowed, their shadowy movement giving the appearance of a strobe light against the white sand. Mike lifted me to the ground, keeping a wary eye on the bag clutched in my hand. I was mortified I'd puked, but he'd left me no choice.
He placed my bags at my feet. "It's all right, Marli. You're not the first person to barf on one of my flights. Just focus on Jordan. I wish I could be there to see his face when he finds those sexy little boxers on the seat of his car."
My body stiffened when I caught sight of two figures standing at the edge of the lawn, under the trees. Eva Mason stepped out of the shade and walked toward us with open arms.
"Mike! Marli! I see you made it in one piece." She gave me a formal hug and kiss, barely touching my cheek, and moved to Mike.
When planning my surprise with Mike, I discovered nothing went on in the Mason realm without Eva's approval. I gathered very few were allowed beyond the walls guarding the family's personal life. It was as if they all lived in some ultra-secret world and only a select few were privy to be included. I hadn't reached that point with any of the Masons. Not even Jordan.
Tonight, I'd stay alone with Eva Mason—a thought I'd pushed to far corners of my mind. The way her eyes swept over me in the mere seconds before her "air kiss" brought home the realization I still auditioned for her acceptance.
She gestured toward the house. "Mike, will you and Hank come in for a moment? Meg made fresh lemonade."
"Thanks for the offer, but we need to get the chopper back before Jordan and Jesse arrive. We don't want to risk spoiling the surprise after all this work." He gave her a polite hug and returned to the chopper. Mrs. Mason pulled me quickly toward the grassy area as the blades increased in speed, sending sand flying everywhere. Baby Bird swooped overhead and disappeared.
Eva Mason linked her arm through the petite woman standing next to her. "Marli, this is my best friend, Meg. She helped raise my children and has kept our household in line since before Jordan was born. She's a dear member of our family." She turned to Meg. "And this lovely young lady is Marli, the candidate selected for Jordan."
I bristled at the cold reminder of my status.
Meg gave me an impish smile, "Ah yes, Marli. You've reached celebrity status around our house. I hear your name mentioned more than anyone else's, and you're definitely the topic of most conversations." She air quoted "conversations" and both she and Mrs. Mason giggled at their inside joke. It would prove to be a long night.
Mrs. Mason hooked her other arm through mine and the three of us walked toward the house. "Well, I guess it's only us girls." She tugged me closer. "Marli dear, you still look a little green. You ne
ed something in your stomach. Meg made some delicious ginger cookies this morning."
I stopped inside the entry, dropping my bags onto a hardwood floor glistening against the sunlight pouring through double glass doors leading to the kitchen. This house was the complete opposite of the penthouse.
The room before me felt comfortable and inviting. A deeply tufted sofa, covered in bright floral fabric, edged the entry. On each side of a stone fireplace, two overstuffed chairs, large enough for two, beckoned you to sit. Bookcases filled board games, rare magazines, and actual books, lined the walls behind them.
I closed my eyes and took in the musty scent of the wood-paneled walls blending with the salty smell of the ocean. All the anxiety overwhelming me moments ago disappeared. My body relaxed in the serenity of the world I'd stepped into.
Eva placed a hand on my shoulder. "Marli, dear, there's a powder room around the corner if you'd like to freshen up."
My eyes followed hers to the bag still clutched in my hand. "Oh! I-yes. I'm so embarrassed."
Her smile put me at ease. "Don't be silly. I've ridden in that toy helicopter. The thing bounces around like it's on a giant spring. Trust me, you are not the only person whose stomach couldn't handle the horrid experience. Personally, I prefer the yacht."
She tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Do you think your queasiness will ease by dinner? Meg planned on grilling salmon, but I can have her prepare something more bland."
"I should be okay, and grilled salmon sounds great. Thank you."
After using the facilities and splashing some cool water on my face, I felt renewed. My cheeks actually looked pink again. I walked out to find Mrs. Mason perched nonchalantly on the arm of the sofa. She looked so different from the last time I saw her, all prim and proper for the interview. Here, she seemed casual and carefree dressed in white pants rolled half way up her leg, and a green floral halter tied in a knot behind her neck.
"Marli, your room is upstairs at the end of the hall. You have a perfect view of the lagoon from your window and the softest bed in the house." She pulled away the scarf wrapping her head and draped it over the back of the sofa. "Leave your bags here in the hall and come join us for some refreshments. Afterward, we'll help you get your things upstairs where you can rest before dinner."
"Mrs. Mason? Thanks again for letting me come."
"Eva, please. Mrs. Mason sounds far too formal. And thank you for including me in your surprise. I'm excited to see my son's reaction at finding you here. Your presence is already a breath of fresh air and I look forward to getting to know you better. The interview could hardly qualify as a proper introduction."
Her arm curved around my shoulder and she led me into the kitchen. A small round table covered with a lace cloth sat nestled in the cozy glassed nook. Bright blue plates and tall frosted glasses waited on each side of a tiered crystal dish. Ginger cookies artistically fanned around the bottom and fresh green grapes cascaded from the top. Meg nibbled on a cookie, her arm resting on the back of her chair as her daydreams carried her beyond the window panes.
I sat across from Jordan's mother and helped myself to a cookie while she poured me a glass of lemonade. She pinched a lemon wedge into her ice tea and raised a brow.
"Now Marli, let's talk about you and my boys."
25
TROPICAL BLISS
From my bedroom window, I marveled at the dreamy full moon hanging lazily on the horizon, its radiant reflection rippling on the water. Jordan would be in Miami now and have found my first clue. By the time that big moon disappeared with the brightness of the morning sun, Jordan would be here and I hoped, in my arms.
After indulging in a sumptuous bubble bath, I slipped between the silky sheets wondering if the buzz of excitement would ever settle. The scent of lavender lingered on my dewy skin—skin satiny smooth and ready for Jordan's touch. My racy thoughts battled the weariness caused from zipping through different time zones the last couple of days. A cool breeze whispered over my bare legs and tendrils of hair tickled my cheek as sleep finally won out.
…Jordan crawls onto my bed, his fingers lightly stroking my arms, his lips kissing a path from just below my ear, down my neck, and across my chest. Even in my slumber, I delight in the fullness of his lips resting against mine. I giggle when he kisses my toes, his touch tracing slowly up my legs. Fingers tease, counting my ribs under my shirt…
When I felt a purposeful touch in a place I wasn't imagining, I woke to find lips pressing my stomach and my hands braided into locks of hair, colored copper in the pink morning light.
"Jordan!" I yelped, only to have my startled cry squelched by the crush of his lips. He lowered me into the pillows and his body molded intimately to my every curve.
"You're here," I whispered only loud enough for his ears.
"I'm here and want to strangle you!" he hissed in my ear. "Knowing you'd already arrived made the trip the longest ever!"
Jordan slithered down my body, lifting my shirt and letting his tongue circle my navel. His hot breath on my stomach—ironically caused chills to scurry over me. I whimpered, halfway protesting when his lips nipped away fabric to reveal more skin to sample. He eased back over me and his mouth grazed my jaw line.
"Kiss me," I begged.
"Uh-uh. Not yet. I think you deserve some payback." He kissed my eyelids, the apples of my cheeks, moving to my chin after a gentle nip of my bottom lip, fueling my frustration.
My fingers outlined the defined muscles on his naked back, feeling the flesh pebble under my touch. I walked my fingers from his neck to the base of his spine, sliding my finger around the waistband of his boxers. He moaned softly in my ear, shifting his body.
I'd missed the way Jordan's body felt against mine; the soft hair on his legs tickling when our legs slid side-by-side; the weight of his torso pressed to my stomach; his chest brushing mine with his deep breaths, making my breasts tingle and sending a wave of heat to seat between my thighs.
Folding my legs over his hips, I held him tight to me—the fervor building with each hot, moist kiss to my neck, my jaw; his lips pecking the edges of mine without landing on my mouth in a sensuous tease, all while slowly rocking his pelvis against mine in the familiar rhythm my body had craved for weeks. No other boy fit so perfectly to my body. Only Jordan. It was as if our bodies came off the same assembly line and then split apart.
I slid my legs slowly down his, my heels digging into his calves as my body arched to meet his. Something felt different…a need for more; my body urging his to comply—his obeying the command. Maybe it was being away from him, the fear I'd never hold him in my arms again, or the comfort of knowing he wanted me in his life as much as I did him that made the moment so intense, but I definitely had never reached this pinnacle before.
Jordan lifted slightly, studying me with eyes darkened to eclipsed moons. "Look at me, babe." His body stilled, but mine couldn't. He pressed a light kiss to my mouth, parted and gasping. When his mouth moved to the sensitive spot below my ear, his stubble chafing the skin where my nerves splayed open, and thumbs lightly rubbing over the knit fabric covering my breasts, I lost it. It.
Literal waves of sensations I'd never experienced rolled through me, ripping me apart. My toes curled, my legs trembled, and the blood in my veins sang with the molten heat flooding my senses and rippling under my skin.
Jordan's mouth crashed against mine, his tongue plunging deep with each mew straining from the back of my throat. My fingers clenched his hard as he held my hands pressed to the mattress at the side of my head. I gasped with each agonizing, delightful, wave of raw passion, barely getting air between our lips; tasting, biting, and searching.
My reckless breaths mixed with his, suddenly fast and equally urgent. I stroked my tongue slowly across the top of his mouth, encouraging his deep moans to rumble against my chest. He released my hands, leaving a wet trail down my arms as he wrapped his arms beneath me, clamping my body to his. He fell limp, his head heavy to the side of mine.
I tangled my fingers in his silken curls feeling the dampness at the roots.
We lay silent, no longer moving and the only sound in the room being our laden breaths slowing. I closed my eyes, squeezing lingering tears I was totally unaware had dampened my cheeks. I burrowed my nose into Jordan's hair, inhaling the musky scent mixed with the coconut essence of his shampoo.
I was mortally embarrassed. He couldn't know I'd totally lost control. I wished he'd roll off me so I could close my legs and hide any evidence, not to mention every time he moved, another tiny bubble of ecstasy slithered up my spine.
Jordan's head eased onto my chest, nestling under my chin. I traced the planes of his face, stroking the long lashes brushing his cheeks. He took my hand and kissed my palm, pecking his mouth to the inside of my wrist and slowly working the length of my arm. Every nerve ending in my body was frayed so when his mouth kissed the inside of my elbow, a shiver washed over my skin.
"You should leave," I whispered.
"I can't," he replied, never raising his head and still pinned against me. "I need a sec."
When he finally rolled, he pulled me on top of him. My hair brushed his bare chest, which rose and fell as fast as my own. I laid my head there, unable make eye contact, relishing the delightful caresses on my back under my top.
"Babe, you okay?"
"I'm fine." More than fine.
A few long silent minutes passed
"Do you still want me to go?"
I circled his body with my arms and hugged him. "No. Never."
He hugged me back. "Good because you feel perfect on me." I didn't say anything for fear he'd stop playing with my hair and rubbing my back, which felt amazing now that my sensory overload had fizzled. "Marli, I've been so lost without you. I'm sorry I hurt you."
I pillowed my chin on my arm, daring to face him again. "I was so afraid I'd destroyed us. I shouldn't have overreacted."
He brushed the hair away from my face and held it. Could he tell? My cheeks burned with the humiliating notion and his dreamy eyes sweeping my face didn't help. A wide grin spread over lips still wet and swollen.
Designer Genes - The Boyfriend Cut Page 28