Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Which is ridiculous.
Henry’s company Adrenaline Junkie is the foremost extreme sports equipment company in the country, but that doesn’t mean we have to include it in our every move. I mean, sane people take yachts to expensive, exclusive island getaways—not some bullshit airdrop-express-backwoods plane delivery service. The plane doesn’t even land on a runway, mind you. We’re just supposed to jump out midair like we’re Amazon Prime packages being delivered by drone to a deserted island.
“Hey, Ave,” Henry greets as soon as I step inside the dark hangar. My eyes haven’t adjusted yet, so I can’t see him, but I’ve known him nearly all my life at this point, so the voice is a dead giveaway. He and my brother have been friends since grammar school and, for all intents and purposes, have continued to be stuck together like glue well into adulthood.
The two of us have a little history too, but that’s neither here nor there right now. I’ve kissed plenty of hot guys in my life—that doesn’t mean they don’t irritate me.
“Hi,” I say a little snottily, aggravated with this whole dog and pony show. I never liked the idea of spending my vacation time parachuting out of planes with people I barely tolerate anyway, but with June backing out because she’s preggo and Beau doing the same to “take care of her,” I’m questioning more and more by the minute why I didn’t do the same. My brother’s three ridiculous bros and me for three whole days? What the hell was I thinking?
“Where should I put my suitcase?”
“Suitcase?” Henry questions, his little laugh grating my nerves since it’s clearly aimed at me. “You can’t bring a suitcase. Just a small pack.”
I roll my eyes and state the obvious. “This is a small pack. I didn’t even bring my full skincare regimen. What the hell do you mean?”
“I mean,” he says slowly, his hard jaw and stupid plump lips flexing with tried patience. I hate that now that my eyes have adjusted, I’m able to see just how fine as hell he’s looking at the moment. “You can’t jump with that thing,” he blathers on. “You’ll fucking kill yourself. I have an extra waterproof waist pouch that fits below your buddy harness you can use. Whatever you can fit, you can take, but nothing more.”
He reaches over to the table behind him and hands me a small pouch with a high-tech-looking strap and buckle system. It’s no bigger than a Lululemon crossbody bag and in no way big enough for all the stuff I have in my suitcase. Not even close.
“You can’t be freaking serious.” I glare at him. “We’re staying for three days! How the hell am I supposed to fit what I need in a…a…a fanny pack!”
“What do you need other than a bathing suit and some deodorant?” he questions like a total idiot. “Everything else in the house is supposed to be pre-stocked, and we’re only going for a couple of days.”
“Listen, Henry, until you grow a vagina and have to deal with all the complexities that come with one, don’t ask me things like what could you possibly need, okay?”
Good-natured as usual, Henry smiles at my mocking of his voice rather than getting offended, and I flip him the bird as a rebuttal. I don’t need him being all sexy and cute and smoldery while I’m trying to have a tantrum.
Hand to my hip, I direct a raised eyebrow at him. “So, what am I supposed to do now?”
Henry shrugs. “Well, you could take the suitcase with you…”
“Yeah?” I ask, hopeful.
“But then we’d basically have to chuck it out of the plane ahead of us, and who knows where it’ll land or if it’ll be in one piece when and if we find it.”
I groan and stomp my foot. “You’re really fucking irritating me right now.”
“I know.” He nods. And smiles. The hot bastard. “But look at it this way…at least you’ll have three days of relaxation to get over your aversion to me.”
“Are you kidding?” I scoff. “Three days of you and two of the three stooges, and I’m going to be ready to jump out of a plane without a parachute.”
“The three stooges?”
“Beau, Mav, and Ronnie. Two out of three is still too many.”
Henry’s eyebrows draw together. “Ron and Mav aren’t coming either. They’re both uproariously hungover from last night’s New Year’s Eve bash at that new club Ransom and hugging the porcelain throne. It’s just you and me.”
“What?” I shriek. “Everyone backed out? Why the hell are we still going, then?”
Henry barely reacts. His obscenely attractive face remains infuriatingly calm, his ocean-blue eyes steady as he says, “We already paid for the house.” His tone is a little too condescending for my liking, even if his jawline is cut from stone. “Nonrefundable. Maybe you care fuck all about money, but I’d like to at least enjoy what I paid for.”