Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Theo
Theo grabbed his backpack from the closet and pulled out his laptop. He might as well check on return flights while he waited for Livie. At least he’d taken the edge off in the shower. I wouldn’t usually rub one out in a family bathroom, but it was almost do or die time. He figured it would make controlling the situation in his jeans easier.
Except his relief only lasted until he walked into the bedroom and saw her sitting on the bed in her nightshirt. He wasn’t sure if it was the shirt or her long hair, loose and falling over her shoulders. Either way, it didn’t matter his semi wouldn’t take long to escalate. He couldn’t remember ever reacting to a woman as he did to Livie. She did it for him in a big way.
Chuckling at his joke, he pulled up the airline schedule for his return flight. He needed to ask her for her flight info so he could try to arrange the same. Originally, he’d planned to return on Monday, but he remembered her saying she was going home on Sunday. Not that he blamed her. Four days with these people would be enough for anyone. Especially if her brother and sister were half as bad as her parents.
The little he’d seen of Ellijay as he drove through downtown looked cute. He’d love to show him around, but he didn’t know if there were any required events.
Livie returned a few moments later, surrounded by a cloud of jasmine that had Theo adjusting himself in his jeans. This was getting out of hand. He was going to have the worst set of blue balls ever soon.
“Everything okay? You have a weird look on your face,” Livie asked as she sat at her vanity to do her makeup.
It seemed so intimate to watch her. She didn’t wear much, mostly on her eyes. Theo swallowed past the lump in his throat and smiled. “Yup, everything is fine. I was wondering if you’ll have time to show me around while we’re here.”
“Definitely. We’ll be stuck with the family today. Tomorrow is the tree lighting downtown, and we do that as a family, too. It’s usually the highlight of the weekend for me. I think you’ll enjoy it. Hopefully, it won’t be too cold. Other than those two things, we can do what we want.”
“Perfect. I was looking online, and I found a few things that might be fun. One of them was the tree lighting. Do you remember what time you’re flying back on Sunday?”
“Hmm. Let me check. I have the itinerary on my phone.”
As Livie scrolled through her phone, he felt safe watching her. Her forehead wrinkled a bit between her eyes as she concentrated. Her hair was still down, and it curtained one side of her face as she read the screen. It took way too much willpower to stay where he was and not touch her.
“Okay, here it is. It’s Delta Flight 2984 and departs at eight-twenty on Sunday evening. I want to say it was the only one available when I booked. I’m not sure you’d be able to get a seat.”
“I don’t want you flying back alone, especially without your meds. Maybe we’ll get lucky again and I can get on the flight. I probably have a better chance since it’s later in the day.”
“Oh crap. I totally forgot you’d have to change your flights. When were you going home?”
“On Monday. It’s no big deal. I can always chill at home on Monday. Are we feeling lucky about this? Will lightning strike twice on the same trip?”
Livie smiled at him in the mirror as she put on mascara. “I guess we’ll find out.” Then in a new anchor voice, “Will their luck hold, or will they fly separately? News at eleven.”
Theo chuckled and ran his hand through his hair as he waited for the website to load. He not only wanted their luck to hold, but he also needed it to. There was no way he’d let her fly back without him to help with her panic attacks. If he had to, he’d change her flight to one they could take together.
The website took forever to open, but when he put in his information, the flight changes he wanted went through. “Well, I guess karma is on our side. I got on the same flight. What seat are you in?”
“Seriously? No way. On the busiest travel weekend of the year? Holy shit balls.”
“Right? Seat number?”
“Oh right, sorry. I’m just shocked you got on the same flight. Sitting together is too big of an ask for sure. Um, it’s Seat 18D.”
Theo checked the available seats, and he couldn’t believe their luck. It must be some kind of holiday magic. He clicked to reserve the seat next to her—18E—and confirmed his changes.
“You won’t believe this, but the seat next to you was open. Maybe we need to buy a lottery ticket.”
Livie turned around and met his gaze. “You’re not kidding?”
“Nope.” Theo carried the laptop over and showed her the confirmation.
“Karma,” she exclaimed. Then she jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face down for a kiss, almost knocking the computer out of his hand.
As soon as her lips touched his, their kiss caught fire. He needed Livie like he needed his next breath.
He tossed the laptop onto the bed and pulled her close, nipping her bottom lip until she parted for him. She melted into him, and his hands slid into her hair and grasped the back of her head to hold her in place. Lost in each other, they never heard the bedroom door open.
“Okay, enough of that. It’s time for breakfast.”
At the sound of her mother’s voice, Livie pulled out of his embrace so fast that she tripped on the vanity chair. Theo caught her before she fell and made sure she was steady before meeting Helen’s gaze.
“Knocking is always polite,” Theo said, as he quirked an eyebrow at her unwanted intrusion.
Helen’s expression told him she wasn’t used to being spoken to like that, and a sense of satisfaction hummed in his chest.
“My daughter has never had a man in her room. I didn’t think I’d be interrupting anything. We’re serving breakfast now. Don’t keep everyone else waiting.”
“We’ll be right there, Mom. If you don’t want to wait, start without us.”
“We’ll do no such thing. You know the rules. Everyone must be at the table before we eat. Have you forgotten since you were home last?”
Theo held back his growl—barely. The woman was already on his last nerve, after about one point five minutes. He didn’t know how Livie put up with it.
“We’ll be right down, Mrs. Anderson,” Theo responded.
Livie gazed at him through the mirror, as she finished her makeup and mouthed, “thank you.”
He waited until he heard Helen’s footsteps fade. “I’ve gotta say, I thought you might have exaggerated a bit about your parents. Are you sure you didn’t want to become a doctor so you could learn how poisoning her without being caught?”
Livie laughed so hard she bent almost in half and clutched her stomach. It took a few moments before she regained control. Tears ran down her cheeks, smearing the mascara she’d just applied. “Oh my god, Theo. Best. Plan. Ever. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“I’m glad you thought it was funny, but I was serious.” Theo handed her a tissue.
“That’s why it’s so funny, you sexy beast. Because you meant it. Your alpha protective instincts can’t help but take over, can they?”
“Hey, if you think that’s bad, you should be thankful I’m not a SEAL. After last night, she’d already have disappeared.” He grinned, thinking about the ways his friends would have reacted to the rude woman.
Livie moaned when she saw her face in the mirror. As she wiped the trail of mascara from her face, she snickered. “If we don’t hurry, she’ll send dad up here. Trust me. We don’t want that. I’ll redo my makeup before dinner.”
“I’m ready when you are.” Theo shut down his laptop and shoved it into his backpack.
“All right. Let’s go.” Livie pulled her hair into her usual ponytail and nodded at him.
He wanted to tell her to leave it down, but it was probably better up if she was going to help with dinner. Theo took her hand and laced their fingers together and kissed her forehead. “You’re not entering the lion’s den alone. I’m with you, baby. You’ve got this.”
“I’m not sure I’ve said it yet, but thank you, Theo. You’ve already made this so much better.” Livie went up on her toes and kissed him. “C’mon. If you can ignore the company, the food will be excellent.”
Theo smiled. Livie was everything sweet and sassy, and hopefully soon all his.