The Endgame Is You (Rixon Raiders #4) - L A Cotton Page 0,15

the tropical al fresco style bar. This morning we’d enjoyed a champagne breakfast and then gone our separate ways. Mya and I had flown back to Philadelphia together.

“Oh my god,” she murmured as we came through arrivals to find Asher holding a huge 'welcome home' sign. “He did not.”

“Oh, he did.” Laughter spilled from my lips. I scanned the arrival lounge for Jason, my heart sinking when I didn’t spot him.

“My two favorites.” Asher approached us.

Mya grabbed his face and squished her nose against his. “It’s a good thing I love you.”

“What, you didn’t like my sign? It took all morning to paint.”

“You have completely lost your mind.”

“Fee, baby,” he kissed Mya before stepping around her, “get over here.”

“Hey, Ash.” I gave him a hug. “Have you seen Jason?”

“Actually, he asked me if I minded giving you a ride.”

“He did?”

I dug out my cell phone checking my messages again.

Nothing.

“He got caught up and didn’t want to keep you waiting. Come on, the Jeep is out front.” He grabbed Mya’s overnight bag and started toward the door. But I hesitated.

“Hey,” Mya said. “I’m sure he wanted to be here.”

“Yeah.”

I’d confided a little to Mya and Hailee about how strained things had become between Jason and I lately, but I hadn’t wanted to put a dampener on our time together. Besides, they had both found their feet at college. Hailee and Cameron had a group of friends they regularly hung out with, and Mya was friends with a ton of her fellow social work classmates. It seemed like it was only me who, a year later, still hadn’t slotted into college life.

We piled into Asher’s Jeep and I sat quietly in the back while Mya caught him up on our time at the spa. My cell burned a hole in my pocket. I wanted to text Jason and ask why he hadn’t been able to pick me up, but I didn’t. Because I was pretty sure I already knew the answer.

It was only a fifteen-minute ride to Powelton Village. Asher rolled to a stop outside my building and twisted around to face me.

“Thanks,” I said.

“Anytime. Don’t be too hard on him, yeah?”

My brows pinched. Wasn’t he supposed to side with me? After all, Jason had abandoned me at the airport in favor of hanging out with the team.

“I’ll see you both soon.”

“Don’t be a stranger,” Mya said around a warm smile.

I climbed out, dragging my small suitcase behind me. Usually, I’d be excited to see Jason after time apart, but the permanent knot in my stomach only twisted tighter.

Asher honked his horn and I waved, watching as the Jeep disappeared into the steady stream of traffic. There was no sign of Jason’s Dodge Charger in the parking lot, and my heart sank a little more.

I rode the elevator up to the top floor, silently planning a hot bath and comfort food. But when I stepped inside the apartment, the gnawing pit in my stomach was replaced with butterflies. A vase of red roses greeted me, a card propped up against the glass. I plucked it up and opened it.

Felicity,

Be ready by 7.

Wear something sexy.

J

I couldn’t have fought the smile pulling at my lips if I'd tried. It didn’t fix everything, and I knew we still needed to talk, but it was exactly the sign I needed.

Ninety minutes later, the knock at the door made my heart flutter in my chest. I opened it gently, hardly able to believe my eyes. Jason looked devastating. The slim-fit dark jeans hugged his muscular thighs, and the black dress shirt molded to his broad shoulders and thick arms. He’d left the collar open and rolled the sleeves to his elbows. His hair hung over his eyes a little, in the way I loved so much.

Sweet baby Jesus, he stole my breath.

“Hey.” A faint smirk played on his lips as he let his eyes glide slowly down my body and back up again. I’d opted to wear a tight sweater dress that finished just below my knee. It skimmed my curves and scooped low on my chest. Demure yet sexy. Although from the heat in Jason’s gaze, I felt stripped naked.

“Fuck,” he breathed, leaning in to brush his lips over my cheek. “You look stunning.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t at the airport. I wanted to surprise you and I knew Asher could give you a ride home.”

Home.

I loved hearing him refer to our apartment as home. It was so intimate, so permanent. It