Page 39 of When Glitter Meets Gold

“Indeed, I did,” Marco begins. “Picture Tom Cruise inTop Gun, but mysterious, and with wrestler qualities.” He makes a winky face.

“Thanks,” I utter as I brush off how oddly specific his comparison is.

Then I make the connection.Top Gun, aviators—it couldn’t be the Mountain Rescue guy from the tower where I last saw Jack?

“Wait, was he wearing a white shirt with an olive vest?” I ask.

“Mm-hmm.” Marco makes a noise like he’s tucking into his favorite desert.

“Um, I’d love to get out of here without bringing this up, but I happened to cause a little damage to a rental car, which I am so, so sorry about?—”

“I know all about the car,” he replies flatly. “It’s been taken care of.”

“Oh.” I blink a few times, like it was the response I’d expected. Then I’m leaning forward as curiosity gets the better of me. “How exactly?”

Marco shrugs, bored that I’m still loitering at the desk without producing so much as a tip or money for the missing room key. “The same man who dropped off your things paid forallof the damages.”

“The aviator guy paid for the damages?” My posture becomes intrusive, and Marco eyes me with distaste, sliding a stack of leaflets between us to force me to move back.

“No. He charged it to a company card.”

I shake my head. “That still doesn’t make sense. Are we talking about the same guy who brought me here in the chopper? Why would Mountain Rescue take care of my bill?”

Marco tosses his head back, his laugh drenched in pity. “We’re talking about the same guy, but neither he nor the chopper have anything to do with Mountain Rescue, honey. How hard did you hit your head in that crash?”

16

JACK ‘J’

Jonly lasted another forty-eight hours in the wilderness before reality came knocking. Burke, J’s assistant and all-round confidant, had radioed him to let him know he was needed back in the city. Urgent business, as was always the case.

The chopper was prepped, the same one that had whisked Sara away. He’d pictured her in it as they parted ways at the watch tower, pictured how relieved she must have been leaving the wilderness far behind.

He grips his bottle of ice water a little tighter because the way they parted ways has left an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach. The way he said goodbye felt weak, incomplete somehow.

J readjusts in his seat at the thought of Sara lying on top of him in the storm. He can’t deny how in that moment, the dynamics changed between them. She’d been terrified, but something about the way she’d held onto him so tightly stuck out. She’d looked at him like she could count on him, like he was her safety, and in that moment that’s all he wanted to be. Her protection.

He remembers the way her entire body shook and trembled against him until he’d told her it was okay. Until he’d reassured her. He liked being that person. He liked watching her relax when they got back in the tent. Liked knowing that he’d calmed her, had taken care of her when she needed it.

It’s no doubt the reason she felt comfortable enough to seek out his help again. He’d held her hand so she could fall asleep, the contact made not only his heart race, but also made below his waist twitch. Holding hands wasn’t what he’d imagined doing with this girl, the gesture more intimate than anything he’d shared with anyone in a long time. He’d remained focused regardless, focused on keeping her trust and making her feel safe with him in the storm.

Until she wouldn’t stop jamming her peachy ass into his damn crotch. Every time he moved away, she’d move closer still, pressing into him and moaning in relief. How was his dick supposed to remain limp when a girl as hot as her was grazing her ass against his groin and moaning like she was about to climax? At one point she even pulled his arm over her, digging her nails into his skin and whining when he tried to move away.

He was torn between keeping her warm, and not looking like a predator when she woke up and inevitably discovered him too close to her. It was a battle that lasted long into the night. He’d move her back to her side, she’d wriggle back, seeking out his touch. He even put his back to her, but she’d shuffled over, wrapped her leg around his hip and pushed her tits into his back. He didn’t think it was possible to come in his pants without having his cock stroked, but that night he’d been close. It was both the worst and best night’s sleep he’d ever had.

Eventually, exhaustion had taken over and he finally passed out. Only to wake with the hardest boner he’s had inall his life, pulsing into her back. If he could have thrown himself into the rapids, he would have. Thank God she didn’t make a big deal out of it.

He had no choice but to leap from the tent, walk a hundred yards where he could be completely alone so he could take care of himself. Yeah, he felt guilty, but it was either that, or suffer a sustained boner for the rest of the day.

Now here he is, wondering why he was so quick to leave her at the tower without a proper goodbye or at least accompanying her to the chopper.

Probably because he was aware that their time together was limited, which meant things would eventually bleed into irrelevance anyway.

But if that was the case, then why can’t he get this girl out his head? He recalls how she viewed the tent with utter confoundment, inspecting every inch for bugs and making ridiculous faces when chewing on the dried fruit like it was laced with flesh eating bacteria. Her squeals and screams when presented with a new obstacle had certainly kept him on his toes. Yet, she’d become determined along the way too. Insisting she spend the night in the tent, accepting the lack of resources and unfamiliar surroundings because she didn’t want to unnecessarily summon a rescue team in the storm. She cared.

“You ready?” Burke’s voice breaks J from his daydream, and when he looks to his left, he realizes they’ve landed.

Shoulders hunched, heads low, they emerge from the chopper and make their way across the long stretch of landing where a private aircraft waits to transport him back to the city he now calls home.

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