Page 39 of Jetmir

“Helping out just for today,” he answered vaguely. Before I could question him further, he added, “Was skydiving your birthday wish? Is that why you did it?”

I chuckled. “Heck no. It was a… scene recreation.”

He shot me a puzzled look. “Scene recreation?”

I waved my hand. “From a book I read.”

“Hmmm.” He scratched his chin pensively. “And what kind of book was that?”

My cheeks heated. “A romance book.”

“Do you recreate all the scenes from those romance books?” he asked, his voice turning husky.

I swallowed, suddenly feeling very hot while images of the more explicit scenes flashed through my mind, making the man sitting across from me the main star. Jesus, I bet sex with him would be out of this world.

“No, not all.” I cleared my voice while resisting the urge to fan myself because suddenly, it felt like a hundred degrees in here. “Just some. And certainly those scenes wouldn’t be part of any birthday wish list.”

“No?”

“No.” I shook my head, tracing the rim of my glass with my fingertip. I had never been so glad to successfully pivot a conversation.

“So what’s on the list?” he asked, leaning in like he wanted to hear every word. Spoken and unspoken.

“A Frenchie.”

His expression darkened. “You want a Frenchman?”

I laughed softly and shook my head. “No, I want a French bulldog.” The tension in his shoulders eased and he flashed me a charming smile.

“Well, that’s doable. So you’re a dog lover?”

“Yeah. I love all dogs, but I just want a Frenchie.” I let out a wistful sigh, remembering the amazing dog that’d once been part of our family. “I had one growing up. His name was Bruno. He used to follow me everywhere.”

For a moment, the restaurant and my handsome date faded away. I could smell fresh-cut grass from our old backyard instead of rosemary and garlic. I remembered throwing a worn tennis ball that he never actually brought back, choosing instead to flop onto the lawn with it proudly between his paws. I remembered burying my face against the soft wrinkles on his neck and breathing in that familiar, comforting dog smell that somehow always meant home.

“After he passed away, I cried for months,” I admitted shyly. “But two years later when I asked for another one, my parents said no. They didn’t want me to go through that pain again, but I really miss having one.”

Thorne listened without interrupting, his expression attentive.

After everything I’d experienced that day—jumping out of a plane, trusting the sky and this man to catch me—it felt strangely grounding to share this dinner and my thoughts with him.

I woke to the sound of the Atlantic rolling against the shore below the cliffs. My dreams faded, but that memory remained.

I glanced down to my sleeping Frenchie at the foot on my bed and shook my head. Nobody could know that Jetmir sent the puppy. My papa would have turned him away.

It wasn’t the poor dog’s fault that my ex had the best gift ideas. And best kisses. And best hugs… Damn it, I didn’t want to think about him.

My hand came to my chest and I tapped on it, hoping this anguish, pain, and hopeless love for my ex-husband would just vanish. After last night’s brief encounter with him, I felt even more restlessness building underneath my skin.

It was almost like a warning that something was coming. Or maybe it was a result of Jetmir’s words… After all, he didn’t sound like a man who was saying goodbye.

Shoving the paranoia away and burying all my feelings into a deep dark corner, I focused on the silence that enveloped the estate. Shortly, my parents’ estate would come alive with staff opening shutters, gardeners tending the grounds, boats humming across the bay.

I rolled to my side, taking in the breathtaking view from my bedroom window. I slid out of the bed and my bare feet hit the floor. Golden light spilled across the floor, warming the white oak as I crossed to the balcony.

The humidity wrapped around me, carrying saltwater, jasmine from where it climbed the stone walls, and dewy grass from the lawns below. Palm trees swayed lazily and the infinity pool mirrored the pale sky so perfectly it seemed to dissolve into the ocean beyond.

Home.