Wild Card

by Elsie Silver

Truth be told, I’ve always been a straitlaced kind of guy, and I’m out of my element. Still, I watched the other two enough to mimic their motions. I lift the joint and take a deep inhale. Seconds later, I’m coughing, and they’re laughing. And not long after that, I’m laughing too.

“I lashed out, and you didn’t deserve it. So I’m sorry. If you want to be Gwen Dawson, mother of raccoons, then I won’t stand in your way. I support you in that venture. You can be seen and heard in my house. And you are welcome to befriend overgrown rodents who may or may not carry diseases. I won’t judge you.” I tilt my head to show that I don’t quite believe him. With a heavy sigh, he shakes his head, holding a hand up in defeat. “Much.” I smile broadly. “Yeah, that’s more believable.”

“Coming right up. What my girl wants, she gets.”

I’m standing there making “googly eyes” at her, as Clyde had called it, when he appears in the doorway. He takes one look at the food laid out and then pulls up a seat beside Gwen. “I wish Bash were in love with me. Then maybe he’d make me nice breakfasts too.” I spray my mouthful of coffee into my hand right as Gwen barks out a shocked laugh and thumps a flattened palm on her chest.

Then I come face-to-face with Tripp. He’s dressed to the nines, hair neatly gelled. In one hand, he’s carrying a massive bouquet of red roses and, in the other, a small gift.

Ugh GTFO dude

“You know what?” I cut him off. “That’s enough. Tripp, take a walk. Cool off. Go put your feet in the sand or something. We have somewhere to be, and the clock is ticking.” “We?” he asks incredulously. I hold my shoulders tight, not backing down, not letting him make this awkward. Because I’m too pissed off to pat his back right now.

Thats right!

I’ve never known a man with a heart so big. And I think that’s the thing I love about him the most. Love.

“Head out of the gutter, Dawson. I’m telling you some of the emergency protocols.” My stomach flips. He scolds me with such endearment. I haven’t caught a single word of his spiel. “Sorry, concentrating is hard right now. Have you heard of competence porn? It’s kind of my thing. And you, Bash, are extremely competent.” He shakes his head, amusement curving his lips as his hands work to restrain me securely. “Just trying to keep you safe.” “You will,” I say simply. There isn’t a single doubt in my mind that Sebastian Rousseau would do anything to keep me safe.

My quarter zip sweater is fully unzipped, showing a peek of cleavage. His eyes pause there for a moment, heat flaring in his dark irises. “Head out of the gutter, Rousseau. I’m trying to be strapped in safely here.” I get an eye roll as he settles in front of me and lifts an oversize headset over my head. His gaze locks on mine as he grumbles, “My head’s been in the gutter since the first time I laid eyes on you.”

“I haven’t asked you if you’ve done this before,” Bash says through the headset as the plane rolls along. I can hear him clearly over the loud engines. “No, Bash. You’re my first, so be gentle with me,” I reply with a smile. A smile that only grows bigger when I hear him grumble “For fuck’s sake” in my ears.

“This is the best birthday gift anyone has ever given me.” His lips roll together, like he’s covering an overly pleased expression. Then he presses a button, the headsets crackling to life before he speaks. “If anyone is on this channel, can you wish Gwen a happy birthday?” He sneaks a mischievous look at me before adding, “It’s her first time.” I throw my head back and laugh, just as multiple birthday wishes come through the headset. It’s ridiculous, it’s fun, and it’s a gift I will never forget for as long as I live.

“Wow,” I sigh. Because no other word seems to do this view justice. “This is beautiful.” “Yeah. It is,” Bash agrees. But when I turn back to face him, he’s not looking out the window. He’s looking at me.

“What are you doing?” she says in a low voice, the soft, minty puff of every word brushing against my cheek. I turn my face up to hers while my heart clashes against the cage of my ribs. I drink her in. Pert lips. Wide eyes. Full cheeks. Fucking perfect from head to toe. “What I should have done months ago” is all I say. Then I grip the back of her neck, drag her mouth to mine, and kiss her.

“I love you like this.” “Like what?” she murmurs, entranced. “All mine.” Our eyes meet in the dim cockpit. “I am.” And fuck, it’s music to my ears. “Mine,” I repeat, increasing the speed of my shallow thrusts. “All yours,” she whispers, pulling me in for another kiss,

“Atta girl,” I whisper

Welp

His head tilts, then he trails a finger from his torso up to his face. “Gwen, my eyes are up here.”

And with that, she takes a handful of cat food from the bowl and tosses it across the lawn. I try to stifle my groan. “What?” she says, sliding her gaze to me with mock offense. “You’re the one who set this up. Now you’re gonna make that little bitchy grumble about it?” “I’m not being bitchy,” I reply. “I just… Do you know how meticulously I tend to this grass? The raccoons are going to come around and they’ll dig, and they’re going to—you know what? Never mind. It doesn’t matter. If my lawn is fucked up but you’re happy, then it was worth it.”

shoes. He’s finally let himself admit he wants this, in his own way, of course. But giving in to temptation—for

left.” “Check on me or parade around in that

gift.” “Fuck,” he groans. “This is not helping me