Page 61 of Wasted Lust

“Next time,” he says, leaning down to kiss me as he ties his tie, “I’ll make you breakfast. I promise.” Another kiss, this time with a little tongue, and then he’s gone. Dashing down the hallway. A few seconds later the front door opens and closes.

And I’m alone.

I’m used to being alone. But now that I’ve had a taste of Jax, I don’t like it.

I weigh my options. I could stay here. But I’m not sure I can stand looking at all those pictures of Nick all day. And what if Jax can’t come back at all? What if his job just swoops him off to DC or something?

I could go home. But what’s at home for me? An empty house? A non-existent career in academia?

Or… I could go to my real home. My mom and dad are gone. I know that. But Five said today is Sparrow’s birthday and she was having a party. How hard could it be to find the party?

I don’t want to be alone anymore.

I get up and go searching for my coat. My phone is in there. I have a moment of panic that I left it in whatever vehicle brought us here, but when I open the coat closet, there it is. My phone is even in the pocket, right where I left it.

Can Jax be any more perfect? It’s like he thinks of everything. He’s the guy who just takes care of shit. Like, I bet if he came into my house and saw the leaky faucet in the first-floor bathroom, he’d just fix it. Or if the car needed an oil change, he’d take it to get it done on his lunch break.

Jax is reliable.

I like reliable.

Plus he’s hot.

I like hot too.

But right now I need to be grounded. I need to go home. So I search my contacts and find Harrison’s name. I’ve called him dozens of times for the favor I’m going to ask for. But not since the abduction. I haven’t gone anywhere since the abduction.

I press send and it rings. Just twice.

“Yeah,” Harrison says, clearly asleep.

“I need a ride.”

“Sasha,” he growls at me. “It’s three-thirty in the morning.”

I say nothing. I know what time it is. And he’s on Mountain time, so it’s an hour earlier than here.

“Is it an emergency?” he asks.

“No. But I need to go home. Sparrow’s having a birthday and I need to be there.”

“She’s not having a party at three-thirty.”

“I know, but you hate last-minute trips. So I’m calling ahead.”

He laughs. “Your idea of calling ahead kills me, kid.”

“You love me though.”

“I do. But not enough to come get you now. I’ll be in Lawrence at—”

“No, I’m not in Lawrence. I’m in… hold on. Let me find my map app.” I page through my phone until I get to the maps, and then open it up and zoom in. “I’m in a place called Falls City, Nebraska. And there’s an airfield there. You know it?”

“I know it. Be there at noon your time, and not a minute earlier.”

“I love you, Harrison.”

“I know, kid.”