Page 26

Chapter twenty-six

Parachute

Kylie

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”

I should have asked more questions when he told me to put myself in his hands. Like, what did he have in mind?

Because Chase’s idea of a good time was taking me skydiving. He thought it would calm me down after Luka Santos' sudden appearance. I didn’t see how jumping out of a moving airplane from a high altitude would cultivate serenity.

When I agreed to put myself into Chase’s hands, I thought I would experience my first foursome, not be headed to an airstrip where I’d willingly fling myself out of a moving plane while praying the parachute opened.

“Trust me. Skydiving will give you a whole new perspective on life,” Chase murmured with a wry grin from his spot in the front passenger seat.

“That’s if I don’t splat against the ground,” I snorted. Considering the way my luck veered, it wasn’t out of the realm of possibilities.

“Have a little faith, beautiful. You know I’d never do anything to jeopardize your life. I’ve jumped multiple times. I did it in the Marines all the time. Trust that I know what I’m doing and won’t fail you. Besides, we’re jumping together. You won’t have to do anything but hold on to me.”

My body relaxed slightly at the news. He wouldn’t leave me to conquer this feat alone. It made me like Chase even more. Especially after everything I had faced by myself. Chase’s unexpected presence didn’t remove my fear, but it lessened it.

“And what do you think about Chase’s idea, Axel?”

He glanced momentarily in the rearview mirror. “If you don’t want to jump, I’ll turn the car around and take you home right now. But Chase is the best at skydiving. And he knows if anything happens to you, then we’ll kill him.”

I laughed at his deadpan statement. He couldn’t be serious, right? “You wouldn’t really kill him, would you?”

When we stopped at a red light, Axel stared in the rearview mirror until our gazes locked. “I don’t think you realize how important you are.”

I sucked in a breath. His meaning was clear. I mattered to him. My heart melted into a gooey puddle. While Axel might be a total badass, he was a marshmallow with me. And when he said things like that, it made me want to cuddle him and keep him.

“What he said. I’ll protect you with my life,” Chase murmured as Axel pulled the armored SUV into a small, private airstrip.

Beset by nerves, I hid my shaking hands from the guys. They didn’t need to know that I was past anxious and heading toward hyperventilating.

But I wouldn’t back out. I needed to do this. Prove to myself and them I could take an enormous risk and win. My badly bruised confidence desperately needed to defeat this challenge.

Once Axel parked, Chase emerged first. With his swimmer’s build, he was sexy as hell with his aviators, black tee that hugged his ripcord muscles and jeans that cupped all his parts. He projected confident badassery as he surveyed the area and ensured they did not follow us. When he decided the coast was clear, he opened my door and held his hand out.

I took it without question. Deep down, I knew he’d protect me with his life. That they all would. And it was why I agreed to this baffling idea. Because I trusted them. Chase wrapped an arm around my waist, steering me toward the building.

I liked our interplay and the way he made me feel—like I could do anything. Even something as death defying as skydiving. And his belief in me mended some of my broken pieces.

“What about Axel?” He still sat behind the wheel with the engine running. I didn’t want to leave him behind. What if something happened to him? He was a big guy, but he wasn’t invincible.

“He’s staying with the vehicle. With Santos in the area, it’s too risky to leave it alone. It would be far too easy for his goons to plant a bomb or cut the brakes. This way, Axel will take them out before they ever have a chance.”

Threats of car bombs and vehicle tampering swam in my head. How was this my life? “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“No. It’s a great idea. For the next hour, you’re mine.” He squeezed me against his side.

How twisted was I? Lightning bolts of lust struck my body at his words. The energy cascaded through me, and my panties went damp. I wanted Chase. Ever since I’d received their permission to have sex with each of my bodyguards, my body had taken their approval to heart. Chase made me want to shove him into the nearest closet or storage area and climb him like a tree.

It didn’t matter that I’d experienced my first menage or that I’d screwed Gideon in the shower this morning. I had turned into a sex addict. And my bodyguards were my drug of choice. Because I wanted them all.

Inside, we checked in with Cali Flights and then Chase helped me gear up into the protective suit. After speaking with the instructor about his qualifications, that he wanted us to dive together, he inspected and repacked the parachute.

“Here, we need to have you put this harness on.” Chase turned with the tandem harness.

“And what will this do?” I asked as we fitted the harness around my upper thighs, hips and shoulders.

“This is a special harness designed to connect us together at four points. Two at the hips and two at the shoulders. Those four points will ensure the maximum safety and comfort of our jump. When it's connected, we’ll both be facing forward. And when I jump, you jump with me. We’re in this together.”

“So you’re really not going to leave me alone up there?” Relief coursed through me that he hadn’t changed his mind. I had been let down far too many times in my life. My husband would say he would do things with me only to back out at the last moment.

“Nope. Like I told you, I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

We sat through the skydiving instructor giving his safety spiel. Through it all, Chase never stopped touching me. We sat side by side and he just held my hand, like we were an actual couple. The simple declaration filled my heart with the quiet serenity I’d yearned to find. And I wanted to lean into him.

But the instructional portion of this experience was over far too quickly. Because then we were on the tarmac, heading toward the plane. My pulse spiked. I worried I would be sick.

This was dumb. Seriously, the stupidest idea ever. Who was silly enough to jump out of a moving plane?

I was overreacting because Luka Santos gave me a scare today. Any other time, I would have told Chase no way in hell.

With Chase’s firm hand on my back, I boarded the plane. Inside, we took our seats and got our headgear on. My breath shuddered out of my lungs as the plane taxied down the runway. As the plane left the ground, rising into the air, climbing toward ten thousand feet for our jump, panic induced flutters rippled through my body.

Chase’s firm presence grounded me. He held my hand, letting me absorb some of his confidence. I focused on everything but what we were about to do. Otherwise, I risked hyperventilating.

“Easy. Take some deep breaths for me,” Chase murmured.

Shifting, I turned my attention his way. The moment our eyes met, the connection zapped through me. And as the plane continued its ascent, I focused on his handsome face, sucking air into my lungs, while attempting to ignore that in minutes we would fall through the air.

“It’s okay if you decide you don’t want to do this. No one will think less of you.”

“I will.” I admitted. After years of being mistreated, I needed a win.

A slow grin spread, transforming his face into an achingly handsome one. The man was so gorgeous he took my breath away. Those firm lips left me hungry and needy to feel them. I wanted his mouth on mine in the worst way. And because I was worried we might die, I grasped his face in my hands and kissed him—much to Chase’s surprise.

He growled and hauled me against him. I shivered at his ripcord body pressed against mine. I wished we were somewhere private and could surrender to the scorching chemistry. Because I was seconds from climbing onto his lap.

But the instructor announced we had reached the proper altitude and to prepare for our jump.

Chase ended the kiss, sucking on my bottom lip as he slowly released my mouth with a light nip. Pulse pounding lust illuminated his eyes. “Fuck, beautiful, I want to eat you up. And I will, the moment we reach the ground.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” The promise of pleasure in his arms had me shooting to my feet. It was enough to see me through the terrifying reality of jumping out of the plane with only a parachute to keep us alive.

Chase chuckled darkly as he rose beside me. The next ten minutes we spent attaching my harness to Chase’s, then double and triple checking the harness’s connection at my urging. We made sure our helmets and goggles were secure. Then the jump instructor went through the safety instructions one last time.

“Don’t worry, beautiful, I’ve got you.”

Then they opened the door. Wind blasted inside the plane. Tremors assailed me. My breaths heaved in and out of my lungs. We marched toward the door. I tried focusing on breathing and not the open doorway. But once we stood there with the wind whipping around us with nothing between us and the ground, I shook against Chase.

“Deep breaths for me. We’ll jump on a countdown from ten. Okay?”

I gulped. “Okay.”

“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two.”

And then Chase launched us out of the plane, cutting the countdown short. Suddenly airborne, I screamed bloody murder. My stomach went haywire, dipping and somersaulting like mad. For about the first twenty seconds I swore this was it, that my number was up, and we were going to die.

“Open your eyes, beautiful,” Chase shouted above the rushing wind.

With a small prayer, I lifted my lids and stared.

Oh my god! We dove through the air at hyper speed. But it was the stunning landscape view that struck my heart. Awe suffused every pore.

This was incredible, the most gorgeous experience of my life. Up here, all my problems seemed insignificant.

Chase’s solid presence, his body surrounding mine, made me feel like there was nothing I couldn’t do. It was a total head trip. Joy burst within my chest. I felt freer than I had in a long time. Up here, there was nothing that could harm me. And I knew with Chase at my back, he would protect me at all costs.

When Chase deployed the parachute, I watched it unfurl and spread. Our free fall jolted to a halt. And then we were floating.

“What do you think?”

“It’s amazing,” I shouted.

“I knew you’d like it.”

“I do. Thank you for bringing me.” Because I had not expected the surfeit of emotions. Nor the pulse pounding need that would besiege me. Who knew skydiving would be an aphrodisiac?

Although, anything and everything aroused me lately. It was a good thing that I wasn’t facing him. Because I would give in to the need riding my system. And then we really would go splat.

“It’s my pleasure, beautiful.”

The descent took us a while. But I loved floating through the air with Chase. He navigated the parachute, turning us with the wind so that we floated toward the vast field. We were a hundred feet up. Then fifty. Then ten.

Our feet touched down. As Chase instructed, we hit the ground running. The impact jolted through my body. And then I giggled. I laughed so hard my stomach got a cramp. But I couldn’t stop the joy bubbling up.

“You’ve got quite an adrenaline rush riding you. Take a few deep breaths and your body systems should calm down a bit.” He unhooked my harness.

The moment I was free, I swiveled on my heels and launched myself at him. I hopped up. Wrapped my legs around his waist and slammed my mouth over his. His hands gripped my ass, and he emitted a wild groan.

I kissed him like there was no tomorrow. Like I’d die if I didn’t kiss him. Need hounded my movements, fueled by the adrenaline spiking through my system.

I wanted Chase with every fiber of my being. I had to have him. Needed to feel his hot length pounding inside me until we were both sated.

But Chase halted my assault. “Fuck, beautiful, as much as I want you. The guys would have my head if I fucked you out in the open like this.”

“Then we need to get to the car. Because I’m about two seconds from reaching into your flight suit and sucking your cock.”