For years he wondered what would happen if she ever came back and now she was here . . . but her temporary status had hung over their heads the entire time. He wasn’t nearly finished with her. She’d have to come back at some point and each time he had to deal with her whether by phone or in person, he’d be reminding her exactly what she was missing.
Was that fair? Not at all, considering she’d worked damn hard to get that promotion. And if he thought she was stoked about starting, he’d leave her be. But his Livie was torn, she was confused, and he knew if she listened to her heart she’d have the right answer.
They flew in silence and Jax was perfectly fine with that. He wanted her to be thinking, and he needed to do some evaluating himself. Even though his heart was crushed, he had to remain strong because he would live. He’d go on and do what he loved, which was flying and raising Piper.
“Will you see Piper before you go?”
“I’m not leaving for two weeks.”
“Will you see her?” he repeated. “Because I don’t want you just disappearing. She’s grown pretty fond of you.”
Livie’s deep sigh resonated through the headphones and had his entire body tightening. No, he’d never have enough of Livie Daniels. Not if they lived for another hundred years. She was it for him and he hoped like hell she’d come to some quick conclusion.
Since when did he become so desperate? Since when did he let control of his emotions slip away?
The moment Livie stepped out of her little sports car and he put his greasy hands on her ass . . . pretty much since then. And then again when she obviously fell in love with Piper. There was no denying that Livie adored Piper and that was a huge part of why Jax wanted Livie in his life. He and Piper were a package deal and they were both head over heels for Livie.
“I wouldn’t just leave without talking to her,” Livie stated. She eased the plan a little more, circling back to the airport. “I hope she calls and texts me so I can stay up-to-date on her birthday parties, school work, her new friends. Though I’m not a fan of that one little girl, Megan, I think? She seemed too snotty for Piper so watch out for that one.”
Jax was not going to have this discussion. She was either going to be in their personal lives, or she wasn’t.
“I don’t want Piper becoming too attached,” he stated, as if it weren’t already too late. “I think if we just explain that you’re going back to your job and your life, then she’ll understand. She knew you were from Atlanta and were only here for the airport, but she’ll miss you regardless.”
“So you don’t want me to text or call?” Livie asked as they began their descent.
“It would be best if you didn’t.”
Livie let out a humorless laugh. “We’re not talking about Piper anymore, are we?”
“No.”
As much as the pain continued to slice deep, he knew if he wanted her to ache like he did, he was going to have to sever all ties. Well, except for the obvious with the airport. But, she wanted all business, so that’s what he planned on giving her.
“So cutting me out permanently, huh?”
Jax didn’t reply as Livie checked the gauges and lined up with the bright blue lights of the runway. The plane bounced a bit when they hit the pavement and any other time he’d call her on her rustiness, but that wasn’t the best idea right now.
“I’m not the one doing the cutting,” he told her as she slowed the plane. He should’ve kept that thought to himself, but the words had just slipped out.
“So we’re at the fighting stage?” She took the curve at the end of the runway and circled back toward the hangar, letting the engines cool before she came to a complete stop. “Because that’s not how I want to leave things.”
Jax jerked the buckle on his seat belt and snorted. “No, you just want to leave and pretend you never got involved with me.”
“That’s not true.”
“You’re a liar.”
The plane came to a stop and she twisted in her seat to stare at him. She yanked the headset off and clutched it in her lap.
“I don’t ever want to forget we got involved,” she claimed. “Is that honestly what you think of me? That I regret what we did?”
“I doubt you regret it, but you’re done and want to pretend like it didn’t affect your life when I can tell you”—he leaned forward and came within a breath of her—“it did.”
Her swift intake of breath had him cursing himself. He was teetering on a dangerous line, crossing back into the territory he’d told himself to steer clear of until he knew what the hell was going to happen between them.
The lights from the control panel lit up her face, making her vibrant eyes sparkle even more as she held his gaze. The floral lotion or perfume or whatever she used to drive him insane enveloped him. He wanted nothing more than to forget every single ounce of heartache and kiss the hell out of her until she came to her senses.
“Fine,” she muttered. “You win, Jax. Is that what you want to hear? You’re right. What we had is more than I’ve ever found with anyone.”
Had. Out of everything she’d just said, that one word completely summed up everything. She may have feelings for him, but she was already pushing everything into her past . . . because she didn’t want him in her future.
There was no use in continuing down this path because he was wasting his time and she . . . well, she was mentally already gone.
Jax shut the plane off and got out. The fresh air didn’t help, but he took a minute to just breathe. He needed to calm
