Playing Dirty(64)

The airport was a madhouse. People rushed from door to door, crying and sobbing and running with their arms flung out in front of them. I could tell everyone was tremendously upset, and I could only hear snatches of conversation like, “very few survivors” or “I heard none, did someone actually live?”

The small flame of hope that had lit in my chest during my car ride began to die. As my eyes clouded over with tears, my throat clenched up and I tightened my hand around the ring box in my pocket. Maybe I could give it to Lizzy, and she could give it to their parents. Maybe they would have wanted to know their daughter had found love.

“Jay?” A familiar and tearful voice called out my name.

My heart leapt. No. It couldn’t be. I whirled around before I could let myself think any more horrible thoughts.

Kate was standing there, clutching her suitcase.





Chapter Twenty-Two

Kate



Jay was staring at me like he’d seen a ghost.

“Jesus….Kate!”

He was at my side before I could even exhale, his strong arms wrapping around me and pulling me close. I let out a deep breath—the breath it felt like I’d been holding since Jay had left—and snuggled close against his muscular torso. When I was with Jay, everything else faded away. The screaming and the shouts in the airport seemed to vanish, and I was able to feel strong, safe, and loved.

“I didn’t get on the plane,” I said softly. Jay held me at arm’s length and looked me over, his blue eyes penetrating every open pore, every surface of my skin.

“I can see that,” he said. “Christ, you have no idea how glad that makes me, Kate.”

“I couldn’t. I had to tell you something.” Suddenly, I was nervous again. It didn’t seem fair, that I’d gotten to escape death and get a second chance at life, and now I was nervous about telling Jay that I’d fallen in love with him.

Jay shifted his weight from foot to foot and grabbed me close to him, crushing me against his chest. “You can tell me from here,” he mumbled into my hair. “I’m not letting you get away for a bleeding second.”

I grinned into his chest as his hands stroked over my hair. “I love you,” I said softly. Then, louder: “I’ve fallen in love with you, Jay. Head over heels.”

He stepped back and looked into my eyes. A lick of desire shot through me and I shivered. I knew it wasn’t right or appropriate to be feeling that way, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted him—it was probably at least partially a reaction to all of the stress that I’d gone through since Jay had left this morning—but I wanted him now, more than ever.

“I love you, too,” he said. “I love you, Kate.”

We hugged again. It felt closer, more intimate this time, like we were really reacquainting ourselves with each other’s bodies. Jay smelled like soap and aftershave, and I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, enjoying the masculine scent as it washed over me.

“I couldn’t get on the plane without telling you that,” I said softly. “I had to let you know. And I had to tell you in person, I didn’t want to FaceTime or tell you over the phone. It had to…it had to come right from me, does that make sense?”

He leaned back and nodded. “I am so bloody glad you felt that way,” he said, rubbing his close-cropped hair. “I had no idea what I was going to do if I lost you. I was on the phone with my mate, Connor, and he told me to turn on the TV. I half expected to see you, but when I saw the plane…” He choked on his words and covered his eyes behind his hands. “I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you, Kate. I couldn’t stand that at all.”

“I wish I had called you to tell you I was okay,” I said. “My phone died, I was playing with it too much before security. And then the payphones were mobbed—I think everyone had the same idea as me.”

“A call would have been nice,” he said. “But I understand. I’m glad I’m here, and I’m glad you are too.”

We stood facing each other in silence for a moment. Something had changed between us; it felt more serious, less capricious, and I knew in my gut that Jay was the man I’d be spending the rest of my life with. It was crazy…we hadn’t even known each other for a full month.

But I knew.

“I’ve never been this happy in my life,” Jay said, as if confirming everything I’d just thought to myself. “This is it for me, Kate. I can’t even tell you how scared I was at the thought of losing you,” he added, choking up slightly.

I took his hand and led him to a nearby bench where he sat with a grateful sigh. “I thought I was going to lose you forever,” he repeated. “I couldn’t go through that, not again…” Jay’s voice trailed off. “I couldn’t lose you, but especially because I hadn’t yet gotten the chance to tell you how much I love you.”