Page 182 of Cross the Line

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Sleep?

JJ

Yeah, lucky, better rest up. Get plenty

Night, baby

Sweet dreams, angel

Fin

3 daaaaaaaaaaays…

JJ

2

Fin

You’re in the future.

Still 3 forme

Goodnight, boys…

Fin…

Fin

Eli…

JJ

Love you

I love you

Jayden and I wait a few seconds to make sure no other messages come through, but instead, our wrists vibrate again and again, on repeat. While he scrolls back through the photos she sent earlier, I finish my water and put my noise-reduction earbuds in before reclining my seat a tad.

Oliver and one of the other married guys sit in the row behind. They’re both under six foot, meaning it doesn’t bother them when Jayden reclines his seat, too, so we’re on the same level as he pulls his travel blanket over me when I lean into him.

With my head on his shoulder, I listen to him and Rio go back to playing Fortnite across the aisle from each other. Even with the plugs, I can hear Matheo’s distinct curses in his Brazilian twang, followed by a shove to Jayden’s arm.

“Seriously, quit it,” JJ warns Rio when he gives his shoulder another sharp punch.

I haven’t told him about the headache, but he can sense I’m not right, and that’s got him in protective mode.

A smile curls my lips at that.

“You were meant to cover me, asshole,” Rio grumbles with another shove.

“Dude, I saidquit it,” Jayden whisper-yells back before turning his face into my hair with a featherlight kiss. “Sorry, Babe.”

“You’re fine,” I reply, giving his thigh a tender squeeze beneath the fleece blanket.

They keep playing until the mission is done. When his Legion is tucked away, JJ pulls his sleep mask on for the last three hours of our flight.

I don’t fall asleep until all the lights go off and I feel him relax next to me, his hand holding mine, and his sleepy breaths breezing into my hair.

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