Breathe In (Just Breathe, #1)(159)

“I don’t think that’s a good idea . . .” I regretfully turn him down.

“Had to ask,” he tries to shrug off his disappointment.

“If the sleeping arrangements were a little different . . .” I begin to blurt.

His voices perks up on his next questions. “Were you thinking of me at any point?”

I deliberately bit my lip from blabbing that I was — but then thought that not saying anything might confirm that I was and I’m too embarrassed and caught off guard to be able to come up with a good comment. Shit!

I hear Joe laugh a little on the other end of the phone. “I’m flattered.”

“I didn’t say . . . .”

“You don’t have to,” he interjects before I can deny anything.

“I wasn’t,” I try to lie.

“Sure,” he contends.

“I’m serious.”

Joe just laughs. “I’ll let you go so you can finish . . . thinking of me . . . before you go to bed,” he offers with the sexy voice again.

The kitten inside me stirs. She wants to play.


“Goodnight, beautiful,” he bids.

“Goodnight, Joe.”

“I’ll be thinking of you too,” he shares before hanging up the phone.

I stare at the phone in absolute shock. Did he just admit that he’ll be thinking of me while he masturbates? He did. He totally did. The kitten inside paces with eager anticipation at the gate being unlocked. It’s a good thing that I brought some extra juice for B.O.B..

At four in the morning, there’s a knock on my cottage door. I’m up and already dressed for the surprise, so I’m not shocked or concerned with who it is. Sadie darts out the door before it’s open all the way, finding a place to pee since I just finished feeding her, Joe quickly closes the door behind him and presses me against the wall as he delivers a steaming hot kiss. Joe keeps our lips linked as he reaches back to open the door when Sadie whimpers to be let back in. He uses his foot to close the door as our mouths desperately explore each other’s. I moan with every breath as I try to control the kitten’s itch.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he purrs.

“Morning,” I return.

“How’s B.O.B.?” he explores.

“Let’s just say that he’s still sleeping . . .” I reveal.

“Nice,” he replies, taking my mouth with his again.

I reluctantly peel away. “We’ve got to make sure everyone is getting up.”

“Five more minutes?” he begs, pressing harder against me.

“One.” I peck him on the lips.

“Four.” He devours my mouth.

“Two,” I breathe in before seeking his mouth.

“Three.”

My agreement is confirmed by my lack of words and the continuation of my lips tasting his.

By four-twenty, Joe and I have our friends rounded up and inside the large van that was sent for us. Everyone remembered to dress warm and I hand out thermoses of coffee and tea to help wake them up.

“Why do we need to be up so early,” Jared whines, stretching his legs across mine.

“You’ll see,” Joe returns.

“You are too chipper in the morning,” Nathan retorts with grumpiness in his voice.

“He’s an early bird like Emma,” Jared groans, curling into Nathan who is sitting in the corner where the seat ends at the side of the van.

I laugh outwardly at my friends. Had they just been paying attention when they were getting into the vehicle, they would have seen where we were all going based on the company logo and description on the side of the van.

As we round the last turn of the driveway for our destination, I hear Maggie squeal with excitement while the rest of the men groan. Amy and Kim perk up as well when they realize what Maggie is shouting about in a voice probably two octaves higher than her usual vocal range.

“Ohhh my God, ohhh my God, ohhh my God,” she finally says more audibly. “I love you, Emma!” Maggie bounces up and down in her seat.

In the main building, my friends are greeted and debriefed by the staff of Red Rock Balloon Adventures. Joe and I give Maggie and Henry, Jimmy and Allen, Jared and Nathan, Kim and Peter and Amy and Eric each a picnic basket that has fresh fruit, croissants, wine and cheeses along with an additional thermos of either coffee or tea.

“You aren’t going?” Maggie asks.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“This is for couples and I’m not going up there by myself,” I explain.

“Joe can go with you,” she mentions, glancing at Joe.

“Joe and I aren’t a . . . .”

“I’m game if you are,” Joe interrupts.

I narrow my eyes at him as Maggie runs away shouting to one of the staff members to see if they can prep a balloon for us.

“Seriously?”

“It makes it easier to keep Lee and Richard away from you,” he declares, revealing his true intentions.

“So, you are jealous.”

“No,” he denies.

“Right . . .” I offer sarcastically.

“It’ll be fun,” he coaxes.

“I wouldn’t know,” I return as my eyes drift up the side of the massive balloon that is closest to us.