Wildcard: Volume One

“You idiot,” she giggles. “Of course I want to meet you!” She shakes her head again, as if she is struggling to comprehend everything. “Saturday?” she squeals, reading one of the tickets. “We don’t even have passports.”

“You’re booked in for an appointment tomorrow at two p.m.”

She laughs and runs a hand through her hair. She blinks, her green eyes sparkling through her thick eyelashes. “I don’t know how to thank you,” she whispers.

“Then don’t. Just say you’ll do come.”

“Okay. Okay we’ll do it.”

Chapter Eleven

God, I’m so nervous. Why the fuck am I so damn nervous?

But I knew the answer to that. I hadn’t felt this way about someone in a very long time. And I haven’t even met this girl yet. For all I knew, she could possess every single trait I hate in a woman.

I laugh and pace the length of the arrivals lounge. That was unlikely. We’d been talking for weeks—every single day. She’d had me do things that I’d never normally do. She made me feel shit. I laugh again, because I find the idea of me having feelings completely absurd.

My hands are shoved deep in my pockets—my way of hiding just how badly I’m shaking.

And then I see them.

Her hand rests on Jake’s back. I force myself to focus on him first, because I know once I look at her, everything else in the room will be irrelevant.

He’s smiling at me. For a sick kid, he looks pretty healthy. He is small for a seven-year-old, and his jeans and jacket hang off his body. His bright green eyes light up as they near me. I can’t help but smile back as he runs over and throws his arms around me.

“Jake, don’t run.”

The sound of her voice sends shivers shooting down my spine. I can’t believe she’s here. In person. She is standing less than two feet away from me and I have to fight the urge to crush my mouth against hers.

“Hey, Jake. I can finally thank you for that letter,” I smirk as he blushes.

“Sorry about that. I was having a bad day. I don’t really think you’re a butthead.”

I laugh. “Well, I guess I sometimes act like a butthead. Besides, we’re all allowed to have bad days, right?”

Jake nods. “So you’re not angry with me?”

“Nope. Not at all.”

He sighs, clearly relieved, and I laugh. He’s a good kid.

I turn my attention back to Scarlett, and this time I don’t look away. I can’t look away.

“Hey,” she says, her lips curving into a grin.

“Hey.” I raise my eyebrows at her as she blushes.

“This feels really awkward,” she laughs. I know what she means, but at the same time, I feel more alive than I ever have. I can’t tear my gaze away from her. She is every bit as beautiful in person.

Her long, dark hair flows halfway down her back, and those dreamy eyes are even more compelling in the flesh. She is wearing a short-sleeved fitted shirt and a pair of tight jeans that highlight her curves. I step forward and kiss her on the cheek because it feels like the right thing to do…even though what I really want to do would be inappropriate in a public place—and even more so in front of her kid.

“How was your flight?” I ask. I reach forward and take the bigger of the two suitcases she is carrying. “My car is out here,” I add, leading them to the exit.

“Good. Long, wasn’t it buddy?” she ruffles Jake’s hair affectionately, laughing as he ducks out of her way. “I still can’t believe I’m letting you do this,” she murmurs as I load the suitcases into the boot of my car. “I can’t thank you enough.”

“You know me. This was just my selfish way of seeing you,” I smirk.

She narrows her eyes at me and then laughs, because she knows there is at least some truth in that. “Regardless of your reasons, this means so much to the both of us,” she replies.