Episode 15: “I wanted to experience a million more of those kinds of accidents.”
I’d woken up early that morning. At five a.m., to be exact.
But my normal aversion to before-sunrise wake-up calls was far overshadowed by the excitement I’d felt.
The Silver Surfer Pro was the next stop on my itinerary, and I was excited about it for three different reasons.
One: With a location inside the United States for a change, I would be able to stop home in New York for a few weeks and see my family, rub Allie’s ever-growing pregnant belly, and sleep in my own bed.
Two: This event was combined with the women’s event. And I was pumped to see what the girls of the surfing world could do.
And three: I didn’t really want to admit it to myself then, but the fact remained, the third and most important reason had everything to do with Ollie. He would be there.
[sighs]
It was crazy.
How he’d gotten under my skin in such a short amount of time.
How the one man I’d told myself I wouldn’t fall for, was the main reason I’d been giddy and bouncing around my hotel room as I packed up my suitcase in preparation for my flight to Huntington Beach, California.
Just bonkers.
But he was in my head and in my heart, and I couldn’t stop thinking about our kiss the night before.
Or our date.
Or all of the intense ways he made me feel.
Yeah, I was caught—hook, line, and sinker.
[pauses]
So, the morning had gone smoothly, and I’d somehow managed to repack all three of my suitcases without having to sit on them to stuff everything in.
I know you guys are aware of this, but it needs to be reiterated, I am the world’s worst packer.
“Bare necessities” isn’t in my vocabulary.
Hell, I used to watch YouTube videos where girls filmed themselves packing for long trips, showing you their tricks and how they managed to travel on seven-day vacations to Paris with a carry-on, and not once did I ever gain knowledge that I used.
And seriously, those girls are crazy. I admire them, but they’re nuts.
I would feel like I was in one of those dreams where you’re walking around naked and can’t understand why everyone is staring at you if I left the house with just a carry-on and my purse.
[takes audible sip of coffee]
Anyway, by the time Ollie and I made our way to the airport, through security, and boarded our plane that morning, I could feel myself gravitating toward him.
My eyes always seemed to meet his.
Any conversation I had was directed toward him.
And my thoughts, well, he played a starring role.
He helped me with my carry-on, shoving it into one of the overhead bins above my seat in 3A, and once my seatmate, a fortysomething woman with a power suit and a laptop, moved to sit down beside me, he somehow convinced her that his window seat in 5F had a far better view than hers.
A few minutes later, he was beside me.
Me in 3A and him in 3B and my heart trying to escape my body and make its own seat between us.
God, there was just something about him.
The easy, confident manner in which he carried himself.
The way his brown eyes always had a hint of playfulness, even when he was telling me about an investors’ meeting he’d had in Tahiti that revolved around a new, cutting-edge surfboard line his company would be launching early next year.
The way I sat mesmerized at the way his full lips moved with each of his words.
[deep sigh]
Looking back, I think I was doomed from the start when it came to Oliver Arsen.
And still, to this day, I wonder if I ever really stood a chance to resist him.
I guess I’ll let you all be the judge of that, though…
[quiet pause]
Anyway, the flight started off like any other flight.
The captain greeted us over the intercom.
The flight attendants performed their safety spiel and prepared us for takeoff.
And I tried to focus my energy on the edits Vanessa had sent back for my next three articles—two Dear Ex-Boyfriend letters and the second article for the surfing series. Which, mind you, was one hundred percent about Ollie and how he taught me how to swim.
Though, my tablet bored me.
The articles bored me.
But the man sitting beside me? He might as well have been the most interesting thing I’d ever seen.
Obviously, I was hopeless.
“You’re excited, aren’t you?” he asked knowingly, and I looked up from my tablet to meet his eyes.
“What makes you say that?”
“Because you’ve been all but jumping out of your seat since we boarded this flight. If your knees bounce any harder, I fear you might rocket yourself out of the plane.”
I laughed at that and put my tablet away as I did.
Apparently, not even work could distract me from him.
Not even an article about him could distract me from him.
I shrugged. “Okay, fine. I guess I’m a little excited.”
Ollie’s lips hooked up into a smile, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how good they’d felt last night when he’d accidentally kissed me.
Which hadn’t been an accident.
It’d been one hundred percent intentional.
But no matter the reason, it’d made my head spin and my damn toes curl and my body crave more than just his kiss.
“And what has you so excited?” he asked, and I nearly blurted out you, but thankfully, I swallowed that word down before it could escape my mouth.
“Being in California means I’m only a few short weeks away from making a pit stop in New York and seeing my family. Also, I’ll get to rub Allie’s little preggo belly.”
He winked and patted my thigh with his big hand. “All good things.”
“Most certainly.”
Ollie was turning out to be quite the good thing.
Once our plane had reached cruising altitude, the seat belt light dinged off and the flight attendants started to make their way down the aisles, offering passengers snacks and beverages.
The early morning had caught up with me by then, and after three successive yawns left my mouth, I felt my eyelids start to droop.
“Tired?” Ollie asked and I nodded.
“Five a.m. is a little too early for my blood.”
He grinned. “Need a pillow?”
I quirked a brow. “A pillow?”
“Yeah,” he said and wrapped a strong arm around my back. “I’ll be more than happy to oblige.” He nodded toward his shoulder that was closest to me. “Pretty sure this came in handy the last time we flew together.”
I rolled my eyes. “That was an accident.”
“Well, we both know accidents happen sometimes,” he said with a secret little smile. “And sometimes, they even happen twice.”
I blushed at his insinuation and silently hoped I’d experience a million more of those kinds of accidents.
But I also gave in, resting my head on his shoulder and cuddling my body in closer to his.
He was warm and strong, and I simply felt safe within the cocoon he’d provided.
It didn’t take long for my eyes to fall closed and my breaths to turn soft and the sweet sensation of sleep to overcome me.
I had no idea how long I stayed like that, sleeping on Ollie’s shoulder, but when I woke up, I was still there, nestled perfectly against him.
I glanced up to find his head rested against his seat and his eyes closed shut.
And when I looked down, I saw our hands together, fingers intertwined and resting comfortably on the top of his thigh.
I didn’t pull away, and I didn’t budge an inch.
I couldn’t.
My body outright refused to break the quiet moment.
We’d kissed twice, yet still, this form of touching felt more intimate than those two combined.
I felt oddly safe beside him, enveloped within his strength.
I probably should’ve realized I was only getting more and more attached to him.
My heart was getting more attached to him.
But I just stayed there, cuddled against him and holding his hand.
[quiet pause]
Well, guys, I’d like to tell you it gets easier from here, but it doesn’t.
It only gets more complicated.