Page 7 of Lust & Lollipops

“Great.” I squeezed my eyes shut.

“It’s time to unbuckle and stand up, Molly. We’re about to arrive.”

“Shouldn’t I stay buckled before the plane lands?” I asked.

“Not this time.” He unbuckled the belt, and I stood reluctantly. “Close your eyes and hold your arms out.”

I did as commanded.

A heavy bag was set on my shoulders, and I stumbled a little.

“Now, brace yourself,” he said.

My forehead creased with my frown, and my eyes opened.

Before I could ask why, he grabbed the back of the bag he’d buckled me into, opened the plane’s door, and tossed me through it.

two

MOLLY

I screamed until my throat was raw.

A parachute deployed itself after a few seconds of free-falling, but I couldn’t stop screaming.

Heights—I didn’t like heights.

Not even a little.

My third-story apartment had been too high for me. I left the curtains closed 99% of the time.

Skydiving?

And without warning?

It was hell.

When my feet finally hit the sand, my legs were so shaky that my knees buckled and I crashed to the ground. It was soft and white, but I didn’t notice the color or feel of it against my spread palms.

My chest was rising and falling too rapidly, my panic so thick I could smell and taste it.

I heard someone land beside me, but couldn’t look over.

“You’re fine, Molly,” Rhett said beside me.

I wanted to tell him to go to hell.

Or claw his eyes out with my fingernails.

But I couldn’t manage to get myself off the sand.

“The other men will be arriving soon. You’ll want to compose yourself. The cameras are rolling, and there’s only so much they can cut out in editing.”

“Shut. Up.” I barely managed to grit the words out.

He did as I commanded, though.

I gave myself three seconds to stay where I was before I finally let out a slow, long breath and lifted myself to my knees.

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