Disney World had been fantastic, don’t get me wrong. But there was something insulating about the five of us on board the plane together.
“I’m right here, Baby Girl. Sometimes the other guys just need you more. I’m good with us, don’t worry. If you need me or want more of me, you just say the word.” He flexed his arms around me, and I rubbed my cheek against his chest. “You and Bubba are going to nail this recording deal, and then you’re gonna be this big star and I’m going to be right there making sure no one bugs you.”
I laughed. “I don’t care about being a star. I want to be there when you and Archie invent the self-driving car that responds to voice commands or the fully automated house or…I don’t know, the robot Jeremy.”
His laughter rumbled in his chest. “Not sure what Jeremy would think if we replaced him with a robot.”
“Me neither,” I said, making a face. “But I want to support you in everything you do. I want to be right there to cheer you on. I mean, I went to some of your football games, you know.”
The shake of his laughter deepened, and then he rolled me over so we were side by side, our heads on the pillows so we could stare at each other. “You support me every day. Now, is this about how much I’ve been talking to my dad?”
“No,” I said slowly, frowning. “I’m glad you and your dad are talking again. I’m glad that you want to talk to him…even if some of those conversations haven’t been the best.”
They didn’t always end their calls on a particularly happy note. “Dad is stuck in his beliefs,” Jake said, with a shrug. “As open as he is about relationships, theirs and ours, he’s still convinced that I am doing myself and the country a disservice because I don’t want to enlist.”
I sighed. “I would miss you so damn much.”
He chuckled. “We’d manage, if it was what I wanted. See, I know you, Baby Girl.” With light fingers, he traced them over my cheek. “You would cut off an arm to help any of us do whatever we wanted. I don’t want to go into the military. I see the benefits and I see the drawbacks. But in the long run, that’s not where I see my life in five, ten, or fifteen years.”
Surprise flickered through me. “Where do you see your life?”
“Right here,” he murmured, trailing his hand lower until he rested it over my breast, just above my heart. “This is where I see my future. I’m just lucky that we have the family built for this. So no more worrying about me. If I need more, I’ll ask for more, and the same for you. Deal?”
The corners of his mouth curved, yet it was the warmth in his eyes holding me hostage.
“Deal,” I agreed. “But…” I pressed a finger to his lips. “We have one other serious discussion to have.” His eyebrows raised, and I grinned. “Someone wanted to get a tattoo this summer, and I’m not sure when you’re planning on getting it with all this crazy traveling.”
And had I mentioned how damn happy I was that we’d all gotten our passports done? Archie had one, but now all of us did. It made the seemingly spontaneous foreign travel arrangements easier.
Jake laughed and sat up, then stripped off his shirt before twisting to face me. Rolling on my back, I stared up at him. Rugged. Hot. Charming.
“So, I’m thinking dragons…” And a bit of a dork.
But he was my dork. And I loved every damn inch of him.
“Show me,” I said as he began tracing where he wanted the first dragon to go. It would wrap around him from his back to his chest, with the wings on his back. Holy shit, that would be hot.
Our flight arrived a little after ten at night, local time. Private customs greeted us and stamped our passports, admitting us to the country. Cars met us and took us and our luggage to the yacht. Seriously, I couldn’t wait to see it. I couldn’t figure out why I was yawning. I’d slept. I’d actually fallen asleep with Jake and woken to Coop tucked in with us about an hour before we landed.
One perk of flying that way, I was able to shower and change before we landed. Still, I wanted to look and see. We had a late supper on the deck of the yacht. The ocean scents teased at us, and there were lots of stars visible, even with the light source from the island itself. I wanted to go and explore, but we weren’t staying in Fiji proper, not this trip.
This trip.
I loved the sound of that. How many more trips would we take? I used to think I’d have to save up forever to travel. Yet now, I could literally travel whenever I wanted. Wherever I wanted. A part of me had always known Archie would take me if I asked, but there was a difference between having him take me and being able to go.
More, I liked going with them. In addition to our meal, there was wine, and I raised my brows. It was Jake who filled my glass and said, “Legal drinking age is eighteen here, so we’re fine.”
Laughter rippled around the table. Glasses raised, I said, “To you guys, thank you for this amazing vacation.”
“It’s not remotely close to done, Angel,” Ian pointed out.
“Nor have we even had half the time on it we wanted yet,” Coop agreed. “We are making up for last summer…”
“And beginning traditions. June is gonna be our month, all five of us,” Archie said firmly. “From now on, no matter what we’re doing or where we are with careers or school, June is the month we spend together, and if that means we spend it on tour with you and Bubba,
