Page 82 of Sunrise Arrows

“I don’t know,” she concedes after a minute. “But I do know that man, and I’ve seen how he looks at you, Tins. You’re, like, his entire world. So if he’s not answering you, it’s with exceptional reason. Don’t doubt him.”

I close my eyes and rest my head on the window.

“You’re right.”

“I know I am; you’ll see.”

I must have fallen asleep because it feels like only seconds later that we’re pulling up at Heathrow’s private terminal and Briar’s waking me up.

“Mikey, aren’t you coming?” I ask when Briar, John, and I are all set to head in and he’s hanging back.

“I’m dropping you all off and then going to collect everyone’s luggage from the hotel, Miss Jacobs.”

“Oh, okay…” I respond.

His answer is odd. Normally when they get word of this happening, someone on their team has already secured everything so we can leave as the four person unit we always are. But I guess it must have happened with not enough time for the usual protocol to take place. Still, it seems… off. John and Mikey rarely, if ever, take both Briar and I out alone.

I glance at John for any sign that something’s up, but his face is as stoic as ever. Damn SEAL training.

As for Briar, she’s typing away on her phone, completely oblivious.

Again, I say, “Okay,” and take up my spot between her and John.

Once we’re through the check-in process, we head out to the plane. I’m halfway up the stairs when I stop and look back at the airport debating on whether or not I should try again.

Giving in to frustrating temptation, I take my phone out—sure that whenever Archer sees the explosion of calls and texts from me he’ll regret insisting I have it—and try calling one last time.

I don’t expect anything to change, but when the first ring comes through, I trip on the last stair of the plane. I’m clutching the phone to my ear like a lifeline, waiting and hoping. The second ring comes and with it, singing.

I can hear my voice unaccompanied by any music. I’m singing a song that hasn’t been released to the world. One Ty hasn’t even heard yet. The only person who has heard this song is…

“Archer?”

He’s here, on my plane, phone in hand smiling at me.

He swipes to accept the call and looking right at me, says, “Hey, Shortcake. Sorry I missed your calls. I had my phone turned off.”

Dropping mine, I run the few steps between us and jump in his arms, squealing his name.

We stumble back and fall into one of the club chairs and between peppering kisses all over his face, I demand, “What are you doing here? How did you get here? Why are you here?” I don’t let him answer though, instead crushing my lips to his, sucking the taste of whiskey from his tongue.

I moan into his mouth when his hands grasp my ass and adjust me in his lap so I’m sitting directly over the growing situation in his pants.

Dragging my lips off his and down to his throat, I groan, “I’ve missed you,” before sucking at his pulse.

“I’ve missed you too, baby. That’s why I’m here.”

My hands are already making their way under his t-shirt and he’s guiding my hips to rub over him when Briar interrupts.

“Hi, yeah, remember us? We’re still here.”

I go to slide off Archer’s lap but he keeps me on him, only allowing me to shift so my legs are across his lap.

“You knew!” I accuse.

“Of course we knew,” Mikey answers, climbing up to join us. “We know everything.” Looking at the bottle of whiskey on the cart, he lifts it up and shows it to Archer. “Shit, man, how much did you have to drink?”

“There was turbulence,” he explains, fingers caressing the exposed skin between the shirt of his I’m wearing and the waistband of my pants.

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