Page 13 of Afterburn

I sit there for a moment, staring at the stack of paperwork that suddenly seems impossible to focus on. Then I reach for my phone, unlock it, and open my messages.

Me: Nesta.

I type, my fingers flying across the keyboard.

Me: We need to talk.

She responds almost immediately.

Nesta: What did he do now?

I groan, leaning back in my chair. Nesta knows all about the rookie pilot with the cocky grin and dimples who’s been driving me to distraction.

Me: He walked into my office. Freshly showered. Spun my chair around like he owned the place. Got so close I thought he was gonna kiss me…

I pause, staring at the words before adding:

Me: And then he whispered in my ear about how much he enjoyed flying with me today.

Her reply comes in seconds.

Nesta: Holy shit, are you blushing right now?

I roll my eyes.

Me: No.

Nesta: Liar.

Me: What do I do?

A typing bubble pops up, then disappears, then pops up again. Finally, her response comes through.

Nesta: Option 1: Set some firm boundaries before you do something you can’t take back. Option 2: Ride that flyboy like a stolen jet.

I let out a laugh, despite myself, and shake my head.

Me: Nesta!

Nesta: What? I’m just saying, Phoenix, the man’s clearly got it bad for you, and I know you’re not exactly immune to him either.

I bite my lip, hating how well she knows me. I can still feel the ghost of his breath against my ear, the way my skin lit up at his words.

Me: He’s my rookie, Nesta. It’s against every rule in the book.

Nesta: And yet, here you are, texting me about him instead of working on that stack of paperwork you’re probably ignoring.

I sigh, dropping my phone onto the desk and burying my face in my hands. Nesta isn’t wrong. Ash Carr is trouble, and I am treading a dangerous line.

My phone buzzes again.

Nesta: So? Which option is it gonna be?

I stare at the screen for a long moment before typing back.

Me: I’ll let you know.

But even as I try to refocus on the paperwork, I can’t help but replay every detail of the encounter in my head, wondering what the hell I’ve just gotten myself into.