Make Me Crazy

“You’ve been stranded before?”

“Not like this, but there’s always something. My boss is what you’d call demanding, so a lot of times when I try to make it home for things, I end up missing important family stuff.”

“Must be one hell of a great job if you’re willing to miss out on your life for it.”

“Not really. I’m a real estate assistant, but I work in Manhattan, so eventually, it’ll pay off.”

“How eventually?”

“I have a ten-year plan. Should have me in the millionaire’s club by the time I’m thirty-four.”

“A ten-year plan…well, there you go.”

Paige narrows her eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. It’s smart to have a plan, it’s just that a lot of people let their lives pass by while they’re so busy working on their ten-year plans.”

“I take it you’re a go-with-the-flow kind of guy.”

“Yup. I go where the wind takes me.”

“Like today?”

I chuckle. “Today’s an exception.”

By the time we’re done eating, the sky is pitch black with only the bright moon and the flickering light of the fire to see by. Paige stares up at the sky for a long time. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many stars before.”

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?”

“Makes me feel small.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Yes.”

“When I look up at the stars, it reminds me that my problems are small.”

“Even tonight, when your helicopter is dead and you’re stuck out here with me?”

“There are worse people I could be stuck with.”

“Like who?”

“Your boss sounds like an asshole, so I doubt I’d last too long with him…”

Paige laughs, a big belly laugh, the sweet sound filling the air.

We sit and talk for a long time until the fire goes out. The breeze picks up and I can smell that it’s bringing more rain. Standing up, I hold my hand out to her. “Time for bed.”

Her mouth drops open. “What?”

“Not like that. It’s going to rain again. We should get inside.”

She takes my hand and I help her up, trying like hell not to notice the current running through me from her touch. Her palm is so soft against mine that it makes me want to touch the rest of her, just so I can see what she feels like. I stare down at her in the inky moonlight and feel a surge of desire. I want to kiss her like I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone before. I want to kiss every inch of her, all night long until the sun comes back up.

I shake my head and turn toward the helicopter. It takes a second to realize she’s trying to lift the hem of that huge dress with one hand.

“Need some help?”