Page 77 of Forever Home

There’s something sweet in the way that his words flow from him. The thought that he can’t stand to be away from me even when he has to make me wonder if for the past week, I misread his distance. I mean, he does have a life here. I can’t hold it against him for having to work.

I don’t know how long it takes us before we pass a sign that says Westchester. My brows knitting together as soon as we pull up to a massive U-shaped building with bright white letters on it that reads ‘Indoor Skydiving’. It’s the last place I expected to go with Jaxson, but considering the things he likes to do, I don’t know why I am surprised.

“What do you think?” He finally says the moment we step out of the car. “Think you’re up for a challenge?”

Challenge? Skydiving…?

Shrugging my shoulders slightly, I nod, turning to him with wide eyes. “I guess we will find out. This is definitely something I’ve never done before… and if I die… I’m fucking haunting you for the rest of your life.”

“I thought so,” he replies.

Taking my hand within his as he ushers me towards the front doors of the building. The moment we step inside, my mind is blown by how incredibly big everything is. The Ceiling is so high that it seems to go on forever. Tall clear cylinders with people in blue and black suits floating around. It wasn’t super busy right now, probably because it’s in the middle of the day—but it was something.

“Jaxson!” A man calls from across the entrance. His skin-tight blue suit matches the radiant blue of his eyes as he stares at Jaxson. Clasping his hand in greeting as the two exchange a few words and their eyes finally fall to me.

“Patrick, this is Madison. She’s going to be joining me today.”

The man’s smile widens as he glances over me before offering me his hand to shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you," he says, his accent thick as the Australian influence flows off his tongue. “Jaxson didn’t tell me he had a girlfriend.”

“Something like that,” Jaxson chuckles, catching me off guard. He didn’t deny or confirm if we were together, but simply that our situation issomething like that. And something about it hits a part of me the wrong way. Would it be so hard to simply say I am his girlfriend… or that I’m not?

Pushing past my emotions, I clear my throat and smile at Patrick. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m one of his childhoodfriendsvisiting.”

I make sure to emphasize the word friend as I shake the man’s hand. Not missing the flicker of emotion on Jaxson’s face from the corner of my eye. I mean he didn’t confirm or deny that we are together and in fact, he hasn’t told anyone we met since we started seeing each other. “Shall we get going?”

Patrick and I glance at Jaxson who tilts his neck from side to side before pushing a smile on his face. The eagerness in his eyes to move fromwhere we are standing is clear, especially when he starts walking towards the large black desk on the far left wall of the building. Patrick hot on his heels leaving me standing in the foyer by myself.

A soft chuckle escapes me as I shake my head and follow after them.

If Jaxson doesn’t like those comments thrown around, he probably shouldn’t start throwing them around first. Though after the way I’ve felt over the past week, messing with him does seem more interesting than skydiving.

By the time I’m finally dressed in my blue and black suit, I step out to find Jaxson holding two blue helmets adorned in a red suit. His back to me at first, slowly shifts as he glances over his shoulder to finally see me approaching. “You ready, cupcake?”

“Yep!” I exclaim, the adrenaline rushing through me at the idea of trying this out. I’ve seen it on commercials before and on social media where people have posted how they have done it. But I’ve never had the chance to try it out.

It isn’t until he hands me a helmet that I get a proper view of him, and my mouth waters. You can literally see every inch of his perfectly sculpted body through the suit. Down to the large bulging area between his legs that seems to be covered by an internal padding to ensure it isn’t inappropriate.

He seems to notice me noticing him because when I finally glance up at his face, he’s smiling. “See something you like?”

Smartass.

“Nothing I haven’t already had,” I reply sarcastically as I give him a wink and brush past him to where Patrick is waving for us to follow.

“Is that how you want to play things?” He teases the moment he catches up to me. “Because I can play like that.”

When we step into the large white room where we will be skydiving, I stop. My body turns to face him as I tilt my head at his comment. I’ve known Jaxson for a long time, and one thing I do know about him is that if he’s bothered by something, he will make it known. And every part of me wants clarification on what we are.

Guess we’ll find out.

“You go first… show me what tricks you have up your sleeve.”

It’s clear by how his eyes widen that my response wasn’t what he was expecting. His lips parting for a second before closing shut as his hands fiddle with pulling on his helmet. “Okay…. But I promise, it’s not as hard asotherthings you’re used to.”

I bet it isn’t.

The machine starts, and Jaxson slowly steps out. His arms out and in one swift motion, the wind takes him away. Soaring high into the tube as he spins around, then darts back down just like the birds I’ve seen flying outside the bakery back home. My mind is in complete awe over how amazing it all looks.

He gestures with his hand for me to follow, and my nerves kick in. Slowly pulling on the helmet, I try to regain my composure as I step up to the doorway.

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