Page 74 of The Ampersand Effect

It was indeed her turn. Tobin grinned, delighted at the prospect that one of her questions might be toying at the fringes of Grier’s mind during her limited free time.

She had a litany of questions she wanted to ask—some playful, some deeper. Going through the mental list she’d been checking off and adding to over the last several days, she found she wanted answers to some of the more serious questions. But was Grier ready for them? Or was she keeping things superficial on purpose—etching the glass without breaking through—saving the bigger, harder topics for in-person conversations?

She shrugged to herself and decided it was time to test the proverbial waters.

TOBIN—8:58 a.m.

Are you implying that your brain

requires me to insert myself into your

free-time ruminations—and that I’m not

the focal point of your runaway

imagination?

A little bold, a little inquisitive, and hella flirty. It wasn’t even nine o’clock in the morning, and she was already aware of her barely chastened libido. The end of her shift felt impossibly far away.

GRIER—9:01 a.m.

My imagination is alive and well, sweetheart.

However, voluntary inspiration is something

I never turn down.

Oh, if it’s inspiration she wants, it’s inspiration she’ll get.

Before she could think better of it, she typed one of the questions that had been at the top of her list.

TOBIN—9:03 a.m.

What’s your favorite part of the body?

Second-guessing herself, she added an addendum. She’d like the answer to both, but didn’t want to seem overly eager—or invasive—and hoped she’d eventually learn the answers to all her questions firsthand.

TOBIN—9:03 a.m.

Traditionally nonsexual in nature.

She felt more than saw Mike sit down at the table across from her. She was grateful for the distraction—because she was seriously interested in Grier’s answer and hoped, whatever it was, she’d be proud of what she had to offer. She already knew her own answer and realized that literally every part of Grier’s body was exciting— something she wanted to very carefully, verythoroughly explore. The memory of Grier’s warm skin under her fingers on Saturday was enough to make her shake with lust.

“You have the look of a love-drunk teenager, Cap,” Mike observed, without a trace of mockery. Tobin felt herself unsuccessfully try to bury the smile that seemed permanently on the periphery of any thought surrounding Grier lately. She watched Mike’s mouth twist into a heartwarming smile before he said, “It looks good on you. I’m really happy for you.”

She didn’t really know how to respond. Mike was new to the company after the accident and hadn’t known her pre-Talia. She wasn’t used to sharing this side of herself with anyone outside her inner circle—namely, Eddie, Harrow, and LoLo. But she truthfully could not contain her excitement. Once she finally conceded to her deepest desires—at least enough to allow herself to explore where things with Grier might lead—she’d been flooded with unabashed ardor to see exactly how compatible their flirtations translated into a real relationship. And that very much included the physical as much as the emotional.

“Thanks, Mike,” she offered. “I am happy.”

He nodded, clearly understanding that she did not want to extend the conversation. “So, I think Erik is about ready. I’m gonna go start my checklist.”

She clicked her phone screen on and off one more time, tucking it into her back pocket when the expected absence of Grier’s response left her screen image unblemished. “I’ll walk with you.”

She grabbed a container of her prepared casserole for lunch, which she intended to eat after they handed off the transport at the children’s hospital. On a whim, she grabbed an extra container of French toast bake.

It’s not a doughnut, but itisa home-baked good,she thought to herself. Maybe Grier would have time to have a quick lunch with her.

A light rain began shortly after their departure, with cloud formations in the distance hinting that more was on the way. All of Parrish Aerial crew and staff were religious about checking weather conditions when they flew, but the reality of their work was that sometimes they had to fly in less-than-ideal conditions. A non-critical transfer like this could be postponed until conditions improved, but current reports showed only light rain, minimal wind, and a low risk of lightning.