Part 30 (1/2)

”Yes, I've been calling his phone nonstop. It's just going to voice mail.”

It's a stupid question. Of course, she's tried calling him. I try again anyway, but his phone goes directly to voice mail.

I try to rea.s.sure her, but I know it's pointless. Until we hear his voice, rea.s.surance won't help. ”I'll call the airline,” I tell her. ”I'll call you back if I hear anything.”

She doesn't even say good-bye.

I use the home phone to call the airline and my cell phone to call Miles. It's the first time I've ever dialed his number.

I pray that he answers, because as much as I'm scared to death for Corbin, it's also running through my head that Miles works for the same airline.

My stomach is sick.

”h.e.l.lo?” Miles says on the second ring. His voice sounds hesitant, like he's unsure why I'm calling.

”Miles!” I say, both frantic and relieved. ”Is he okay? Is Corbin okay?”

There's a pause.

Why is there a pause?

”What do you mean?”

”A plane,” I say immediately. ”My mom called. There was a plane crash. He's not answering his phone.”

”Where are you?” he says quickly.

”The apartment.”

”Let me in.”

I walk to the door and unlock it. He pushes the door open and still has the phone to his ear. When he sees me, he pulls the phone away, immediately rushes to the couch, grabs the remote, and turns on the television.

He flips through the channels until he finds the TV news report. He dials numbers on his cell phone, then turns and rushes toward me. He takes my hand in his. ”Come here,” he says, pulling me to him. ”I'm sure he's fine.”

I nod against his chest, but his rea.s.surance is pointless.

”Gary?” he says when someone answers on the other end. ”It's Miles. Yeah. Yeah, I heard,” he says. ”Who was the crew?”

There's a long pause. I'm terrified to look at him. Terrified.

”Thank you.” He hangs up the phone. ”He's okay, Tate,” he says immediately. ”Corbin's fine. Ian, too.”

I break down into tears of relief.

Miles walks me to the couch and sits down, then pulls me to him. He takes my cell phone out of my hands and presses several b.u.t.tons before putting the phone to his ear.

”Hey, it's Miles. Corbin is fine.” He pauses for a few seconds. ”Yeah, she's fine. I'll tell her to call you in the morning.” A few more seconds pa.s.s, and he says good-bye. He sets the phone on the couch beside him. ”Your mom.”

I nod. I already knew.

And that simple gesture, him calling my mother, just made me fall for him even harder.

Now he's kissing the top of my head, rubbing his hand up and down my arm rea.s.suringly.

”Thank you, Miles,” I tell him.

He doesn't say you're welcome, because he doesn't think he did anything that deserves thanking.

”Did you know them?” I ask. ”The crew on board?”

”No. They were out of a different hub. The names didn't sound familiar.”

My phone vibrates, so Miles hands it back to me. I look at it, and it's a text from Corbin.

Corbin: In case you've heard about the plane, just want you to know I'm fine. I called headquarters, and Miles is, too. Please let Mom know if she hears about it. Love you.

Receiving his text fills me with even more relief, now that I know with one hundred percent certainty that he's okay.

”It's a text from Corbin,” I tell Miles. ”He says you're okay. In case you were worried.”

Miles laughs. ”So he checked up on me?” he says with a grin. ”I knew he couldn't hate me forever.”

I smile. I love that Corbin wanted me to know that Miles was okay.

Miles continues to hold me, and I savor every second of it.

”When is he scheduled to come home?”

”Not for two more days,” I say. ”How long have you been home?”

”About two minutes,” he says. ”I had just plugged my phone in to charge when you called.”

”I'm glad you're back.”

He doesn't respond. He doesn't tell me he's glad to be back. Instead of saying something that might give me false hope, he just kisses me.

”You know,” he says, pulling me onto his lap, ”I hate the circ.u.mstances surrounding the reason you probably didn't have time to put on pants, but I love that you don't have on pants.” His hands slide up my thighs, and he pulls me closer until we're flush together. He kisses the tip of my nose, then kisses my chin.

”Miles?” I run my hands through his hair and down his neck, then pause with them on his shoulders. ”I was also scared it could have been you,” I whisper. ”That's why I'm glad you're back.”

His eyes grow soft, and the worry lines between them disappear. I may not know anything about his past or his life, but I definitely notice that he hasn't called anyone to let them know he's okay. That makes me sad for him.

His eyes fall away from mine and land on my chest. He fingers the bottom edges of my s.h.i.+rt, then slowly pulls it over my head. I have nothing but a pair of panties on now.

He leans forward, wraps his arms around my back, and pulls me against his mouth. His lips close softly over my nipple, and my eyes shut involuntarily. Chills erupt over my skin as his hands begin to explore every bare part of my back and my thighs. His mouth works its way to my other breast, just as his hands slip inside my panties at my hips.