Nonstop (Open Skies #3) - Becca Jameson Page 0,13

dressed was always a bit of a challenge.

Tonight, he’d told her to dress nice, so when she got home she took extra care to put on her favorite little black dress and curl her hair in long ringlets. As she applied her makeup, Shayla walked in and whistled. “Girl, you look amazing.”

Bex rolled her eyes and laughed. She had a running joke with her girlfriends that she was the boring one among them. They were each rather exotic. Libby was from Guatemala and had sexy Latin looks. Christa was a true blond with pale skin. Shayla’s mother was from Thailand, so she had gorgeous olive skin and perfect dark hair.

Bex considered herself generic, though they all groaned about it whenever she joked. Brown hair, green eyes, tanned skin. Generic American. It was all in good fun. After all, Bex was aware that her eyes were a lovely shade and her hair was thick with the perfect amount of body that meant she could wear it straight or curl it if she chose. In addition, she had a round face with a small button nose and full lips. Definitely generic, but nothing to complain about.

“Where’s he taking you this time?”

Bex giggled. “No idea. He likes surprises.”

“Apparently. How fun though. I like him. He’s obviously into you, so I like him more every time he picks you up.”

“Yeah. I kinda like him too.” Bex continued to apply her mascara.

“You’ve seen him nearly every day since last Saturday, and when you aren’t with him, he calls a lot. I’ve heard you in here quietly talking. Are you finally going to take a bag and stay over at his house tonight?” Shayla leaned in the doorway, twirling a lock of hair, a dreamy look on her face as if she were living vicariously through Bex. Funny, since she’d be sorely disappointed if she knew the truth. “The man always drives you back here at the end of the night.”

Bex shrugged. “I don’t know. That’s a huge step.” She really didn’t want to get into this with Shayla, or any of her other friends for that matter. She was kind of glad she hadn’t worked for three weeks because normally she worked the same shift as Christa, and she’d be getting the third-degree regularly if she were working the redeye every night.

“How is sleeping in the man’s bed a huge step?”

Bex sighed. “I don’t want to keep him up. I toss and turn a lot.”

Shayla frowned. “I’m sure he realizes you’re still recovering from a tremendous trauma. I doubt he’d mind. Surely, it would be preferable to putting all your clothes back on at the end of the night so he can drive you back across town.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

Bex swallowed as she bent down and opened a drawer on her vanity, pretending to look for the right shade of lipstick. She never discussed her sex life with the other women. She didn’t mind when they discussed theirs, but she kept her mouth shut, giving them the impression she was private about it.

“We’ll see,” she finally added, beyond relieved when the doorbell rang.

Shayla spun around. “I’ll let him in.”

Bex took one more look in the mirror. Shayla’s comment made her think. What if Bracken discussed his sex life with his friends? What if in so doing, they all knew that the two of them had not had sex and then they told their girlfriends who were Bex’s friends. Ugh.

On that note, she was nervous as she descended the stairs, biting on her bottom lip and ruining the lipstick she’d carefully applied.

When she spotted Bracken, she stopped walking halfway down the stairs. Damn, the man looked fine. She’d seen him in a suit before at Destiny’s wedding, but she hadn’t been interested in him yet at the time, so she hadn’t paid close attention. Tonight… Just damn… Black pants. White shirt starched from the dry cleaner. Black tie. Mouthwatering.

He shot her an amazing smile as she finally managed to continue her descent, and he held out the bouquet of flowers he was carrying when she reached him.

Her heart pattered as she took them and leaned over to smell their fragrance. A colorful assortment. “Thank you,” she murmured.

“I wasn’t sure what flowers you liked. We haven’t discussed that topic. But I also realized I’ve taken you out far too many times now to not have brought you flowers yet.”

Her face heated.

“Want me to put them in a vase for you?” Shayla asked.

Bex realized she was rooted