After spending most of the prior day in bed, they’d woken this morning to clear blue skies. Packing her computer back in its bag, Hope looked longingly out the living room windows. “I wish we didn’t have to leave. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just hide out here forever?”

Gage wrapped his strong arms around her, relishing the warmth of her body as he pulled her up against him. She smiled and closed her eyes, and he did the same, savoring these last moments at the house. His warm breath tickled her ear as he murmured against her hair, “Absolutely, but I have a feeling your father will send Walter if you stay here much longer.”

Spinning around, she wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up into the crinkled eyes she’d come to adore. “I know. But a girl can dream, right?”

Leaning down, he brushed a kiss across her lips and rested his forehead against hers. “We live a subway ride away from each other.”

Feigning shock, she opened her eyes wide. “The subway? That place is scary!”

Pulling back, he shook his head, a grin on his face. “Oh, my little princess… I’ll take the subway. You can have your driver bring you.” Looking at her, brows raised, he added, “That is, if you aren’t too afraid to slum it in The Village.”

Slapping him playfully on the arm, she giggled. “Hush, you big brute! I can handle The Village!”

“Yeah, yeah.” He threw a playful wink her way. “We’ll see about that.” He moved to take the computer bag from her and walked out to pack it in the Range Rover next to his already-stowed bags. Coming back into the house, he found her standing across the living room in front of one of the large windows. He watched silently as she lifted her hand and pressed it against the glass, holding it there for a moment.

When she finally dropped her hand, he moved closer and walked up behind her. “Are you ready?”

Twisting to face him, a small smile on her face, she nodded. “Yep. Time to go, I guess.”

“Okay. Everything’s packed up, so we’re good to go.” They both started toward the front entrance and looked back one last time before closing and locking the door behind them.

“You want to drive?” She held the keys out to him.

“Sure. You don’t want to?” He took the keys from her, following her to the passenger side and opening the door to help her in.

“I want to put all my info in your phone and vice versa.” She looked up at him and smiled shyly. “Gotta make sure I can find you back in the big city.”

Leaning in, he took her head gently in his larger ones and kissed her, his mouth claiming hers possessively. When he finally broke the kiss, he locked his eyes with hers. “I’m not losing you now that I found you. Don’t worry.”

Pulling the corner of her bottom lip into her mouth and chewing it, her eyes turned lusty as she tried to conceal her smile. “Okay.”

He angled his mouth toward her again, sucking her lip from her teeth and grazing his lips across hers a final time before stepping back from her with a low growl. “You know that drives me crazy.”

“Sorry.” She peeked up at him sheepishly from under her hooded gaze.

“Uh-huh…” A sexy smile graced his face as he shut her door and then made his way around to his side. After climbing in and fastening his seat belt, he started up the Range Rover. “Here we go.”

“Here we go…” Hope looked over at him, smiled, and reached her hand out. “Phone.”

“You sure are bossy.” He shook his head as he dug into his pocket. He pulled it out and placed it in her hand.

“You’re just figuring that out?” She took his phone and swiped on the screen, frowning when she realized the screen was locked. She reached out and bumped his arm gently with the phone, indicating he should take it back.

“You’re done?” He glanced over, brows furrowed.

“It’s locked. Can you put in your password?” Her hand was still outstretched to him.

“Oh, sure.” He nodded at her. “It’s zero-eight-zero-eight.”

She slowly pulled her outstretched hand back, her mouth falling slightly open. “Really?”

He looked over and then braked, moving to the side of the road to park when he saw her face. “What?”

“You’re going to give me your password? Just like that?” she asked in disbelief as she shook the phone at him.

He scoffed and chuckled. “Why not? I don’t have anything to hide. It’s just my phone.”

She looked down at her lap where the phone was now perched before looking up at him, her voice quiet. “Do you know that I was with my last boyfriend for over two years, and I never knew his code. Ever.” She frowned while rolling her eyes. “I guess that should have been a sign that he was a total asshat.”

He leaned over and swiped a kiss across her lips, staying close for just a moment as he responded. “His loss is definitely my gain.”

“And it’s stuff like this that makes me fall just a little more for you.” Pink flushed across her cheeks at her admission.

His face lit up as a smile broke across his face, and he turned back to the road and took off driving again.

“So, zero-eight-zero-eight? Any significance?” she asked as she typed in the passcode.

“Birthday.”

“Yours?” She looked over to get his response.

“Yep.”

“You’re a Leo.” She realized then that she liked thinking of him as a powerful lion. The sign suited him. "I guess we should at least know each other’s birthdays by now.”

“When’s yours?” he asked.

“April fourth. I’m an Aires.”

“You’re my half.” He grinned at her widely.

“What?” Her head tilted and eyes crinkled as she looked back at him.

“I’m zero-eight-zero-eight. You’re zero-four-zero-four.” His grin grew larger. “My half.”

Her eyes locked with his sparkling ones and lit up in return. “Your half.”

He broke their connection by turning his attention back to the road, his smile planted firmly. She finally programmed her name, number, and address into his phone and saved it. When it was done, she pulled her phone out of her purse and called herself from his phone. When his number popped up, she cancelled the call.

“Here you go.” She extended his back to him, and he took it from her, his eyes never leaving the road.

“Thanks, Angel.”

Her heart skipped a beat at his endearment, and she began to add his contact information to her phone but paused. “Gage Flynn, birthday August Eighth. Address?”

“Two-eight-eight Waverly Place, apartment C.” He looked over at her and waggled his brows. “There’s a Starbucks on the corner if you ever want to stop by for coffee.”

“Good to know.” She laughed as she entered the information. “There! It’s official. We’re phone friends now.”

“Excellent. I expect very naughty texts at least once a day.” He gave her a wicked grin followed by another wink.

“Gage!” she exclaimed in mock surprise. “I am so not that kind of girl.”

“Oh, I just bet you are.” His wicked grin was still in place.

“What am I going to do with you?” She laughed lightly.

“I can text some ideas later.”

The rest of the ride was filled with light chatter and music on the radio. As they entered the airport, Hope directed him to the private hanger where the plane was located. She instructed him to park the truck outside the entrance, indicating someone would arrive later to retrieve and store the vehicle for her until the next time she visited.

“This is pretty surreal.” He scratched at his stubble as he looked out at the hanger. “I can’t say I’ve ever flown on a private jet before.”

“Please, don’t feel weird.” She reached over and took the hand scratching at his face, grasping it in hers. “It’s the company plane. I’m just lucky enough to be able to use it from time to time.”

“Still weird.” he grumbled back.

She squeezed his hand lightly before letting go. “Come on. Let’s get our stuff and board so we can head home.”

“Leave the keys?” he asked.

“Yep.” She reached for her purse, and they both moved to open their doors. When they met around the back of the truck, he opened the hatch and grabbed their bags then followed her inside the hanger.

As they approached, Glenn strode over, a wide smile on his face, and greeted them. “Hope! You look wonderful!” His eyes darted briefly to Gage and then back to her. “I take it the weekend treated you well?”

She felt her cheeks heat as realization sunk in at how the situation might appear to someone else. “Hi, Glenn. Yes, the weekend was just perfect.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” He stretched his hand out to Gage. “Glenn Masters. I’m the captain and will be flying you home this morning.”

Gage grasped Glenn’s hand, giving it a firm shake. “Gage Flynn. Appreciate the ride.”

“My pleasure.” Glenn reached for the bags Gage was carrying. “Can I take those for you?”

“Uh, sure.” He shrugged the bags off his shoulder and handed them over. “Thanks.”

“You two are welcome to board. We can take off as soon as you’re settled. All pre-flight checks are complete.”

“Thanks, Glenn.” Hope reached her hand out and slid it into Gage’s, twining her fingers through his as she turned and led them to the plane.

He leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek, a low chuckle escaping as he murmured, “Fucking surreal.”

They climbed the stairs and boarded the jet. She led him through the entry into the main cabin, where he stopped short, jerking her hand as he did. “Whoa.”

She turned and, seeing the awe on his face, stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him. “Too bad the flight is only an hour and a half. I could have introduced you to the mile-high club otherwise.”

His gaze snapped down to hers, the lushness of the cabin forgotten, a wicked grin appearing. “Oh, I think that’s more than enough time to make that happen.” He captured her lips in a searing kiss, his large hands cupping her face to his.

“Oh!” A startled voice came from behind them. “Excuse me, Miss Yorke! I had no idea you’d boarded. I’ll come back in just a moment.”

Two things happened simultaneously, both unexpected. Gage’s entire body stiffened in her arms as he pulled back harshly and held her at arm’s length, a horrified look on his face. “What did she call you?”

She wasn’t sure who to address first, Sylvia or Gage, but he solved that problem when he shook her lightly, demanding a reply through gritted teeth. “Answer me, Hope.”

Confusion swirled in her mind. Why was he so upset? And had she not told him her full name throughout the entirety of the weekend? She couldn’t recall. And why would it even matter? She stammered out a bewildered reply. “She called me Miss Yorke. Hope Yorke; that’s my name.”

She watched as he staggered back a step, his face paling as he inhaled a sharp breath and then, under his breath, uttered, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

She countered and stepped toward him, reaching out as she did, baffled by his reaction. “Gage, what’s wrong?”

Both of his arms flew out in front of him, hands up flat. “Stop, Hope. Just stay there for a minute.”

She paused mid-stride and froze in place, a look of shock and hurt appearing on her face as she demanded an answer. “What is it? Tell me!”

He shook his head in disbelief, staring up at the ceiling as he raked his fingers through his hair. “Yorke Publishing. That’s where you work? Robert Yorke is your father?” He brought dark eyes down to meet hers. “How did I not put the pieces together? You did say you worked for one of the largest publication houses in the city.”

“I don’t understand.” She tried to take a step closer, but he shook his head no. “What difference does this make? How do you know my father?”

“I don’t.” He wiped a hand down his face in frustration. “Only by association.”

“Gage, you’re not making any sense.” Her voice was beginning to shake with anxiety.

A look of utter sadness swept down his face and filled his eyes as he looked at her. “I’m so sorry, Hope. I can’t do this.” Then he turned and walked to the exit of the plane.

“What?” Hope’s heart literally stopped in her chest, and a cold wave flushed down her entire body before realization smacked her in the face and had her running after him. He was already at the bottom of the steps and asking Glenn for his bags by the time she was at the exit door.

“Gage!” She called to him and started down the stairs after him. He looked up at her, a grimace on his face, as he motioned for Glenn to go get his bags. She was shaking when she reached him and grabbed onto his hand, her voice pleading as she spoke. “Please, tell me what’s happening. I don’t understand how my father has anything to do with us. Why are you leaving?”

His grip tightened around her small fingers as he pulled her into an embrace. His shoulders drew up, and his chest expanded as he took a deep breath against her hair and exhaled heavily. His hands moved up to the side of her face, which he held gently as he pulled back from her. His brow was furrowed, his eyes crinkled in pain, as he rested his forehead against hers. “Please, Hope, know this isn’t your fault. I’m so sorry.” He brushed a kiss against her lips as he released his hold on her and then turned abruptly, grabbing his bags from Glenn as he strode toward the hanger’s exit.

Hope stood transfixed, her fingertips resting where his lips had just been, tears rolling down her face. She gasped when he stopped suddenly and spun back toward her.

His hand raked through his hair, and he shook his head as if he was having an internal argument, before he finally looked at her. “Ask your father what really happened to your mother.” Then he turned and stomped out of the terminal.