Page 17 of Hush Darling

“What a wildling you are!” He looked satirically scandalized.

Her eyes narrowed. “Well, then perhaps you should show me where the rest of the wildlings are so I can be corrupted properly.”

A wicked grin curled his lips. “That’s all you needed to say.”

Chapter 3

Happy Thoughts

“Why are you scowling?”

Wendy turned her attention from the private jet to where Peter stood on the tarmac. “This isn’t exactly what I had in mind.” She’d hardly had a chance to grab her slippers when Peter rushed her out of the house.

“Adventure’s all about spontaneity. Stop sulking.” Peter loped up the stairs to the jet, leaving her standing in nothing more than a nightgown and robe.

She could not believe she was boarding a plane this way. He was not her favorite person at the moment.

Already aboard the jet, Peter popped his head out the door and shouted, “You coming, or are you already chickening out?”

“Says the fully dressed man…” she grumbled, hiking up her robe to climb the steps to the jet.

Wendy had never been much for air travel, and once she was seated, her true fears emerged in the form of cold sweat and fidgety hands. She checked again to make sure the buckle was fastened tightly.

“Nervous?”

Why was it so difficult to admit her insecurities to him? “I, um, get a little motion sick when I fly.”

He eyed her dewy skin and smirked. “That’s bullshit. If you’re afraid, just say you’re afraid.”

“I’m uncomfortable.”

“If uncomfortable means afraid.”

She growled and snapped, “Well, it’s not an illogical fear. We’re essentially hurtling through the sky at thirty-five thousand feet in a tin can.”

He dramatically clutched his chest. “I’ll have you know I spent thirty million dollars on this tin can. That’s roughly a thousand dollars of security for every foot you’ll be away from the ground.”

She supposed that counted for something. She tugged the seat belt strap as tight as it could fit and glanced out the window. Unfortunately, her tension remained.

The jet’s engine rattled to life, vibrating the floor. When Peter touched her thigh, she flinched.

“Relax. Stop focusing on all the things that could go wrong and think happy thoughts.”

Forcing her shoulders back, she stared forward. She needed to overcome these silly fears, or they would hold her back in life. She had big plans for adventure, and that meant getting a grip. But, honestly, maybe she was more of a sea traveling adventurer.

“Do you want something to help you relax?”

She scowled at him. “Of course not. I’m not that afraid.”

He shrugged, indifferent to whether she accepted his offer or not. Maybe he took something, which was how he was so calm and careless about everything.

She gasped when the jet taxied into position for takeoff. There would be no going back once they were in the air.

But she didn’t want to go back. She wanted to escape her boring life and do something daring. She could not let the fear of the unknown cripple her.

The engine got louder. “Oh, God…”

As they picked up speed, the force of their acceleration pressed through her chest and her body anchored into the chair.