Out of Reach (Love Hurts 2)

Her eyes opened and narrowed in on mine. “Have you been watching me sleep again? Creepy, Seth.”

I laughed. If only she knew. Still dressed in yesterday’s clothes, I dug a fresh change out of my suitcase and walked toward the main bathroom, leaving the one in the bedroom for her to use.

“We’ll have to be gone in twenty minutes,” I called out. I took her muffled reply as an okay.

I turned the on the coffee pot on my way past, the aroma of fresh coffee beans soaking into the air. Grabbing a towel from the cupboard, I showered, dressed, and had the coffee ready all before Em had even appeared.

“Here,” I smirked, sliding a mug across the counter. “Y

ou look like you could use it.”

She grunted at me. “How are you so functional this early? There’s something wrong with you,” she added, her eyes twinkling at me.

“There’s plenty wrong with me, but enjoying mornings isn’t one of them,” I retorted. “Mornings make you feel alive.” Her face fell, and I felt bad. “Sorry,” I muttered, cursing myself. Mornings make you feel alive? Am I stupid?

“It’s fine,” she said, a small smile on her lips. “I manage to work every conversation, every word, back to Andy anyway.”

I sighed, the pain I felt for her rising inside me. “It will get easier, Em.”

Because I was such an expert on losing the people I loved.

***

Daylight hadn’t broken yet. I suppose if it had, it would’ve defeated the purpose of a sunrise balloon ride. Conveniently, the meeting point for the takeoff was only a couple of miles from the beach house.

Em shivered next to me as we walked across the sand and over to the grassy dune where the balloon was sitting. It was the first time I’d seen one of those things up close, and it was fucking huge.

“It’s, um, big.” Em swallowed, her eyes wide as she stared up at the silver and orange balloon. I chuckled and put my arm around her back. I was shocked when she’d managed the cliff jump with her fear of heights; this was going to be terrifying for her.

“You can wait here if you’re scared,” I teased. Her body stiffened as she glowered at me, her eyebrows rising. I laughed. She was so damn easy to wind up.

We approached the guy who appeared to be in charge—because anyone holding a clipboard had to have some sort of authority.

He smiled at us and extended his arm. “Seth and Emily?” he asked, shaking my hand.

I nodded. “That’s us. Thanks so much for squeezing us in.”

“Happy to have you here. We’ll be taking off in about five minutes. It’s a perfect day, so just enjoy it.” He winked at us and then walked over to one of the other couples, leaving us alone.

“Scared?” I asked Em, nudging her shoulder. “I mean, it doesn’t look all that secure, considering how far from the ground we’re gonna be.”

“Oh shut up,” she grumbled. “Are you purposely trying to scare me?”

I laughed. “I didn’t think it was possible to scare you.”

“Yeah,” she said, her tone falling serious. She glanced out over the water. “It used to be like that. Now, not so much.”

Stepping through the gate and into the balloon, I held Em’s hand. She was looking a little green, and we hadn’t even left the ground yet. I laughed and kissed her head. She was so cute when she was nervous, especially when she tried to hide it.

“Here,” I said, putting my arm around her shoulders as she nestled into me. Being so close to her felt so natural, even with her knowing how I felt about her . . . and wondering if she felt the same way.

We hadn’t really spoken about what was said that day since . . . well, since that day. It had kind of been swept under the rug with all that had happened with Andy dying.

She squealed into my chest, laughing as the balloon began to rise.

“You’re missing the best part,” I said, smiling into her hair as I held her. She clung to me for dear life as we rose higher and higher, refusing to turn around and see the amazing view.

“Come on. I refuse to let you miss this,” I said.