Page 7 of Boarding Pass (Hearts Without Borders #1)

Chapter seven

What happens now?

The room is quiet, except for the faint hum of the city beyond the window and the soft, steady sound of Sophie breathing beside me. She’s still asleep, her body curled into mine, hand resting lightly on my chest. After the best sex of my life, I should feel content. Maybe even elated.

Instead, there’s a knot tightening in my stomach. A small voice in my head whispering my biggest fear.

What if this meant more to me than it did to her?

Staring at the ceiling, I realize the early morning light now spills across the room in pale streaks. I can’t stop replaying everything in my head. Meeting Sophie. Drinking wine. Our walk along the Seine. Discovering we were staying at the same hotel. The nightcap. Making love into the wee hours.

Last night was—hands down—the best time of my life. Unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Every word, every touch, every look, every kiss felt like it unraveled something inside me I didn’t even realize was tangled.

And yet, here I am, lying in the aftermath, feeling an old, familiar weight pressing down on me.

Though I try to hide it, I’ve always been good at second-guessing myself.

Comes with the territory of being the gangly, nerdy kid growing up in my twin sister Shay’s shadow.

Shay was everything I wasn’t—bright, popular, fearless.

People gravitated toward her. She owned every room she walked into, while I was the one lurking in the corner.

Playing computer games with my best friend. Hoping no one noticed me.

Even now, after building Hungry Llama, selling it for an absurd amount of money, and being able do whatever I want, there’s still a part of me that feels like I don’t belong.

Lying here next to Sophie—this breathtaking, sophisticated, worldly woman—my old insecurities threaten to bubble to the surface all over again.

The truth is, I don’t want to be just a moment for her. A charming distraction. Some guy she’ll remember fondly someday, but not the one who fits into her real life.

Glancing at her, I watch the soft rise and fall of her shoulders. The way her thick, brown hair spills across the pillow. The peacefulness in her expression wasn’t there when I met her. Could it be because of me?

God, I want to spend extra time with her. See where this could go. But I also don’t want to overstay my welcome.

As if she knows I’m watching her, Sophie stirs and her eyelids flutter. I tense without meaning to. She shifts slightly, her gaze meeting mine. For a second, the warmth from the previous night flickers between us.

“Morning,” she murmurs, husky with sleep .

“Morning,” I reply, but the word comes too enthusiastic.

Awkward.

Sophie smiles but pulls back slightly, her hand slipping from my chest as she sits up, the covers pooling around her.

A dusky pink nipple escapes and there’s a beat of silence, like neither of us knows what to say.

Yesterday morning she and I didn’t know each other existed.

Today, we’ve confided in each other some of our deepest secrets and I’ve been inside her body multiple times.

Yet, somehow the easiness we had seems distant now. Replaced by something fragile, uncertain.

I clear my throat, sitting up too, trying to fill the space. “I, uh… I hope I didn’t snore.”

“No.” Sophie’s smile remains pasted on her face, but I can’t help but notice it doesn’t quite extend to her eyes. She feels as unsure as I do. “After the dirty talk, you were quiet as a mouse.”

Jeez .

Memories of all the filthy things I said to her when we were fucking flood my brain. I’m sure my face is as red as a beet. Sophie unleashed something in me and I became the man I always knew lived deep inside me. Doesn’t mean I’m not feeling weird about it now .

Obviously . She and I are having the world’s most uncomfortable morning-after dialogue.

Sophie settles back against the pillows and manages to cover her breast with the sheet. “Last night was…”

“Transcendent,” I finish, and immediately second-guess my choice of words. I’m such a word nerd.

Her lips curve slightly into the genuine grin I’m falling for. “Yeah. I couldn’t have put it better myself.”

Relief washes over me, but it doesn’t erase the questions swirling in my mind. Before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “Do you believe in fate?”

“Fate?” Sophie blinks, as though she’s caught off guard.

“Yeah.” I nervously run a hand through my hair, which must look like I’ve electrocuted myself. “You know, like…things happen for a reason. Sometimes you meet the perfect person at the right time. Woo-woo kind of stuff.”

She leans back against the headboard, her expression thoughtful. “I used to think I didn’t,” she admits. “But, after meeting you…I don’t know. Yesterday wasn’t just chance. Fate is the word I thought about as I fell asleep.”

Her words hit me deeper than I expect. I feel a flicker of hope this might continue today.

“What about you?” She tilts her head slightly.

I hesitate, then shrug. “I’ve never thought about it much. But meeting you is the kind of thing I can’t chalk up to coincidence.”

With our admissions, the tension in the room lifts.

“So,” she says after a moment, pulling her knees up to her chest. “What happens next? For you, I mean. What’s your plan?”

I let out a small laugh. “The million-dollar question. Or I guess, technically, the billion-dollar question.”

She raises an eyebrow, amused.

“I don’t have a plan.” I shrug then lean back next to her. “I bought a one-way ticket to Europe, figured I’d wander for a while. See what happens.”

“Wander where?” She rests her head on my shoulder.

“Honestly? No idea,” I say. “I was kinda hoping Paris would point me in the right direction.”

There’s a glint of something playful in her eyes. “Well, you’re in luck. Paris is very proficient at pointing people in the right direction.”

“And you?” I ask her the million-dollar question. “What’s next for you?”

Her smile falters slightly, and she glances down at her hands. “I’m heading to Bordeaux tomorrow. ”

“Sounds fun.” I can hear the hesitation in my voice. “How long will you stay?”

“Oh, my plan was for a few weeks,” she says quickly. “I was… It’s complicated. My parents are wonderful and I haven’t seen them in awhile. I know they worry about me more than they let on.”

I nod, understanding completely. I have my own set of helicopter parents. Part of me wonders if she regrets having set plans. Does she want to spend time with me to see if what we have is real? On the other hand, I don’t want to come across too aggressively.

“What if we spent today together?” I suggest before I can second-guess it.

She looks at me, surprised. “Really?”

“Yeah.” I kiss her temple. “This is your city. Show me your favorite places. All the little spots tourists don’t know about. You said Paris is good at pointing people in the right direction? Maybe it can do the same for both of us. Together.”

Her eyes search mine, and for a moment, I wonder if I’ve pushed too far. But then she smiles and it feels like the sun is breaking through the clouds. “Yeah. Okay.”

With our plan in place, all remnants of awkwardness melt away, replaced by the easy rhythm we found the previous night .

“Before we get up, though…” I nibble on her ear. “There’s unlimited things to explore here in your bedroom.”

Sophie giggles and turns my face toward hers. “Yeah, I think we may need at least another round.”

Maybe it’s not about having all the answers.

Maybe it’s about letting things unfold, one moment at a time.