Whipped (Hitched, #2)

"We can accommodate a much larger group," Clint says as we enter the basket. "But Lachlan made it clear this needed to be a private party."

Once inside, I expect to feel a jolt, a sudden lurch from the earth as we became airborne. Instead, I'm caught up in a dreamlike flotation that lifts us from one plane of existence and into the heavens. I hold my breath and lean against the side to take in everything. The sun is starting to rise, filling the sky with the brightening hues of pinks, yellows, oranges and reds. Lachlan comes up behind me and embraces me, his arms reaching around to grip the edge of the basket on either side of me as we soar higher and higher over Nevada.

Clint leaves us to our own world, and it's easy to forget he's even there as we glide gently along, the humming of the fires giving us occasional lift. The movement through the sky is exhilarating, and my heart pings a new rhythm of happiness as I enjoy this moment with Lach's arms around me.

He leans in, his lips brushing my ear. "You're stunning when you smile," he says.

I turn in his arms, facing him instead of the vista before me. He's just about as breathtaking as the view. "You've outdone yourself. I fear you've set up our relationship to fail, though," I tease, my hands on his muscular chest.

"How so?" he furrows his brow in mock-worry.

"What could compete with this? You should have started small. Halfway decent pizza with some live music that didn't quite suck. Work your way up to the magical. But now, you've blown your wad on the best date ever. We have nowhere to go from here but down." I twist to look below us. "Literally."

He laughs. "Babe, if you think I've blown my wad…" he presses his hips into me, and I feel his hard cock throbbing beneath his jeans, "…then you don't know me very well."

"That's true," I admit. "I don't know you well. This is, after all, only our first date."

He grazes my cheek with his long fingers and smiles down at me. "The first of many."

We spend an hour in the sky, and before we get ready to descend, Lachlan pulls two flutes and a bottle of champagne from his bag. He pops the cork and pours our drinks. "To us," he says.

We clink glasses, and I sip the bubbly drink as the last of the darkness is pushed away by the sun.

***

I'm reluctant to leave the otherworldly magic of the balloon. Lachlan grins and reaches for my hand, leading me back to the car. I turn and wave at Clint. "Thank you," I say. "This was amazing."

He smiles back at us. "Glad to help! You should come see the horses some time."

I nudge Lachlan and grin. "Thank you too, for this most amazing date."

"You're very welcome. Thanks for trusting me." He stops and caresses my face. "I know it's not easy for you, and I appreciate it."

His words melt me and by the time we arrive home, I'm horny. I want him bad. But he tsks me. "You have work, and this is only our first date. We have two more before sex can happen, remember?"

I groan. "You were serious? You of the perpetual one night stand? Seriously?"

He kisses my forehead. "Babe, you're not one of my perpetual one night stands. That's the point."

"Fine," I say, pulling away with a grin. "But I get to plan the next date. And I know just the thing."

He raises an eyebrow. "Very well, mistress. I'm open to being wooed by my woman. When shall I be ready?"

"Tomorrow night," I say with a smirk. Because that third date needs to happen.

Fast.





CHAPTER 12





LACH


Paintball. That's Vi's idea for our next date. So I'm dressed in camouflage. Not sure if the designer was trying to create clothing or an oven, because I'm slick with sweat. My head's covered in a helmet that recreates the experience of being blind. It makes breathing hard. I feel like Darth Vader.

Vi's dressed the same, but the uniform hugs her curves in just the right way. I wish I could see her better. She shows me how to load my gun with paintballs. There's so many colors, I feel like I'm about to shoot people with skittles.

She escorts me out of the office building and into the arena. It's a giant pit of sand covered in sporadic blocks and hollow houses. The sun is bright. It burns my eyes and destroys the remaining bits of vision I have left. That's fine. I don't need to see, right? There are a few dozen people with us. No way I'm fucking counting them. The supervisor divides us into two teams. Reds and blues. Vi and I are red. The supervisor goes over the rules. All I remember is, if you're shot in the torso or head, you're out. Before the battle starts, we're allowed to take positions on opposite sides of the arena. Vi and I hide out in a one-story bunker.

"How do we win?" I ask.

Her voice is muffled. "We kill them all."

"Great. So, how do we do that?"

She points at a building near the center of the arena. "We advance to that bunker. From there, we shoot everyone."

"Sounds simple."

Vi scoots toward a window. "You go first. I'll cover you."

I'm reminded of a war movie. "I can't leave you behind."

"I'm the better shot. I'll be fine."

She's got a point. I have no idea how to shoot. "Fine. I'm going."