Nine
January Twenty-Eighth
Whitney
Whitney walked into the house, spotting Shianne and Emma in the kitchen. “Hey,”
she called in their direction.
“Haven’t seen you in a while,”
Shianne said, closing the fridge.
“Yeah, between work and Fade, I’ve been kind of busy.”
Emma wandered into the living room. “Are you guys getting serious? How long has it been?”
Whitney dropped onto the couch. “Only two months ‘official,’ and I don’t know how serious.”
She glanced at her phone. “He did say he loved me, though.”
Shianne’s eyes went wide as she joined them in the living room. “Really?”
She sounded more excited than Whitney did.
“Yeah. I haven’t said it back, though.”
“What? Why not? Are you going to?”
Shianne’s excitement faded into confusion.
“Not anytime soon,”
Whitney said, studying her nails.
“Do you… not love him?”
Emma asked carefully.
“Oh, I absolutely do.”
Whitney’s lips curled into a slow, mischievous smile. “But it’s starting to irritate him, and I know he’s thinking about me more and more because of it. I’ll say it soon, don’t worry.”
She glanced at Emma, whose expression was a mix of disbelief and disapproval. Emma would never dream of playing games like this with Thomas.
“Thomas and I said it on our third date,”
Emma said softly.
“Why am I not surprised?”
Whitney teased, her tone bordering on sarcastic. “You two are adorable.”
“I’m starting to think you and Fade aren’t exactly… a typical couple,”
Shianne said.
Whitney grinned, loving the secret she kept. “You’re right, we’re not. But there’s nothing typical about either of us. Or most of the people who get recruited, for that matter. Haven’t you noticed, Shianne?”
Shianne popped a slice of cucumber into her mouth. “Yeah, I have. That’s why I want things to work with Wolfgang. I don’t think I could handle being with someone with an outsider’s background. No offense.”
Whitney only smiled, brushing off the comment. “None taken.”
She stood and stretched. “I’m calling it a night, work tomorrow.”
As she headed to her room, she thought about Shianne’s words. She knew Shianne would be horrified by some of the things she and Fade had been through. Better for her to stay in her safe, island-bubble world.
February First
Whitney
“Are you spending the night?”
Fade’s fingers stroked through Whitney’s hair as they lay curled up on his bed, half-watching the TV.
“Sure.”
She rested against his chest, but one thought had been buzzing in her mind for days. “Fade?”
“Yeah?”
His voice softened, his hand stilling.
“I… want to tell you something.”
She felt his head tilt down toward her, his attention fully on her now.
“What is it?”
She took a breath, closing her eyes as she exhaled sharply. “I love you, too.”
For a second, there was nothing and then he was grinning, pulling her tighter against him. “Jesus, you had me worried,”
he said, brushing his lips against her hair. “That’s why I stopped saying it. Have you been teasing me? How long have you known?”
“Since you smiled at me on that plane and pretended you weren’t looking,”
she teased, looking up at him.
“I wasn’t pretending, I thought you were crazy.”
His eyes glinted with humor. “And I was partially right.”
She nudged him with her shoulder. “Rude.”
He laughed. “I also thought you were absolutely gorgeous.”
“Well, if that’s the case, why didn’t you take me up on my mile-high club offer?”
Her eyebrows arched.
Fade’s grin turned wicked. “Because there’s no way either of us would’ve stayed quiet. And I would’ve made sure everyone on that plane knew you were mine.”
“Yeah, you were so quick to claim me,”
she teased.
“I knew there was something about you,”
he said, his tone softening. “That first day in the solar panel field, you were hot, smart, and had that attitude.”
His fingers brushed along her cheek. “I made it my goal to make my face your personal throne.”
Whitney’s smile turned lazy. “Mission accomplished.”
“I know.”
His thumb grazed her lower lip. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
She shifted closer. “Still not done with me?”
“Hell no.”
He kissed her bare face, and Whitney pulled the blanket up to her ears, feeling safe and heard.