2 | Arden
Jason's fingers brush against my thigh for what feels like the hundredth time, and I grit my teeth, doing my best to ignore the way my body reacts to even the slightest touch. The plane hums steadily around us, the soft chatter of other passengers and the faint drone of the engines creating a background noise that would normally lull me into a calm state.
But nothing about this situation is calm.
I keep my gaze locked out the window, trying to lose myself in the vast expanse of sky, but it's impossible to escape the fact that Jason is right there, his presence impossible to ignore. Every time he shifts in his seat, I'm acutely aware of his proximity, of the heat radiating from his body, of the way his arm brushes against mine whenever he shifts.
I scowl harder at the window. Keeping my arms crossed in front of me. The bump of his knee against mine has my head whipping to stare at him, and, of course, he's looking at me, that damn smirk playing on his lips.
"Are you enjoying this?" I snap, my voice a harsh whisper, not wanting to draw the attention of the stranger seated on the other side of him.
"Immensely," Jason replies without missing a beat. "I didn't think you'd actually show up, to be honest." He tilts his head, "you seem to always be busy whenever Matt organizes something."
"I am a nurse." I mutter. But it's true, I always found a way out of attending every event my brother organized. I swear I wasn't a bad sister; I just didn't want to have this exact conversation. Call me a coward, but it's true. "Looking for me, were you? I didn't realize little me had such an impact on you." I murmur.
"You know exactly what effect you have on me, Arden." Jason says, his eyes steady on mine. "Are we ever going to talk about that night?"
"No." I mutter, "It was a mistake and we won't be repeating it. You're Matt's best friend and it shouldn't have happened." I say quietly but quickly. "Just forget about it."
He doesn't reply right away, just looks at me with those deep green eyes that always seem to see more than I'm willing to show. I hate how he does that, how he can just look at me and know. It makes me feel exposed, vulnerable, and I don't like it one bit.
"You know," he starts, his voice low and thoughtful, "you can keep pretending, but we both know it's not going to work."
My jaw tightens. "If you keep bringing it up, it won't."
He huffs a laugh, a hint of amusement creeping back into his eyes. He reaches for his headphones and slips them on while I stare out the window, content to ignore everything for the rest of the flight.
I close my eyes, willing myself to relax, to ignore the man beside me.
Getting involved with him was a mistake, something I'd known from the start but had chosen to ignore in the heat of the moment.
It was supposed to be just one night. One more night. One night to scratch an itch, to get him out of my system so I could finally move on. But instead, it had only made things more complicated. Because no matter how hard I tried to convince myself that it didn't mean anything, my stupid heart couldn't get the memo.
I open my eyes and turn to look at him, finding that he's staring straight ahead, his expression unreadable. There's a tension in his jaw, a tightness in his shoulders, and I wonder if he's remembering that night too. If he's as haunted by it as I am.
By the time we land, I'm a bundle of nerves, and I practically leap out of my seat the moment the seatbelt sign turns off. Jason just watches me with that same inscrutable expression, and I can't tell if he's amused or frustrated or something else entirely.
We disembark the plane together, falling into step as we make our way through the airport to baggage claim. Our friends are waiting for us, and Rose immediately flings her arms around me, chattering excitedly about the resort and all the things we're going to do.
But all I can think about is the fact that this holiday, which was supposed to be a break from reality, has turned into a week-long nightmare of forced proximity with the one man I've been trying to forget.
And judging by the way Jason keeps looking at me, I have a feeling he's not planning on letting me forget anytime soon.
No, that would be too easy and Jason Wilde loves a challenge.
• • •
The resort is exactly what you'd expect for a tropical getaway: pristine beaches, palm trees swaying in the breeze, and the gentle sound of waves crashing against the shore. It's the kind of place that should make me feel relaxed, at ease, but instead, I feel like I'm walking on a tightrope, one wrong step away from falling.
Rose and Tobias are already checking us in, and I linger by the entrance, trying to calm the storm brewing inside me. I take a deep breath, inhaling the salty ocean air, and tell myself that I can handle this. It's just one week. One week, and then I can go back to my life, my rules, and my peace of mind.
The resort is gorgeous, all white walls and open spaces with large windows that let in the light and offer a stunning view of the ocean. I set my suitcase down in the foyer and glance around, waiting for the concierge to be done handing off keys to Rose and Tobias.
Aster is already in full holiday mode, stripping down to her bikini the moment we arrive at our villa and dragging Matt out to the beach with her. I stand behind, trying to ignore the fact that Jason is standing just a few steps behind me. Tobias and Rose venture off to their room, Rose claiming exhaustion from the flight but the way Tobias looks at her and the way Rose grins back says differently.
Jason steps up with me when I move forward, and I ignore his presence just like I have been from the moment we got off the plane.
The concierge already has our keys ready, sliding the keycards over to us with a smile. "Enjoy your stay." He says more but I don't hear any of it as I look at the number written on both cards.
Seven-one-three and seven-one-four.
"Perfect," Jason says, as if reading my thoughts. "I'll be right there if you need anything."
"Trust me, I won't," I reply, snatching my key. I give a smile to the man, too tired to put up another fight and drag my suitcase towards the elevator, Jason following after a brief thanks.
"Looks like we're stuck together, huh?" he says, his tone light, but there's a challenge in his eyes.
I grit my teeth. "Don't get any ideas, Wilde. I'm here to have fun with Rose and Aster, not to relive past mistakes."
"Who said anything about mistakes?" he asks, his voice low and teasing. "I seem to remember that night being pretty damn perfect."
"Yeah, well, memories can be deceiving," I'm surprised my finger hasn't fallen off with how hard I jab the 'up' button, desperate for the elevator to arrive so I can escape.
The elevator dings and I look over my shoulder at Jason as the doors slide open and with a kick of my foot, send his suitcase rolling away.
His eyes flash up to mine, amusement clouding his face as he moves towards the rollaway bag.
I enter and press the button for level seven and then constantly stabbing the 'doors close' button before Jason can join me. He only grins at me from the other side as the doors slide shut, letting me have this small win.
I hate him for it.
When I reach level seven, I practically run to my room as I hear the second elevator ding, signaling someone is getting off - knowing its Jason.
I push the door open, stepping inside to find a cozy space with a large bed, a dresser, and a window that overlooks the garden. It's beautiful, and under any other circumstances, I'd be thrilled to have a room like this. But knowing that Jason is just on the other side of my wall makes it hard to appreciate.
But at least it's a different room and not the same one.
I set my suitcase down by the bed and start unpacking, trying to focus on the task at hand. But my mind keeps drifting back to the flight, to the way Jason's touch lingered on my skin, to the way he looked at me like he was trying to figure me out.
I shake my head, trying to dispel the thoughts. I'm not here to think about Jason.
Or the fact that he re-opened something inside me that I've been trying to weld shut for over seven-hundred-and-thirty days.
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