Learning To Fly (Fated Love Book 1) (7 page)

Morgan chuckled. “That’s gonna happen a lot, darlin’. These boys are good guys.”
 

I kissed his cheek. “I don’t doubt that, babe.” We started to make our way toward the plane and scanned our tickets before making our way onto the plane. Lucas made sure he was at the front of the plane while Dano made himself hidden, which was amazing in itself, at the back of the plane. Morgan and I took our seats in the middle. Stealing the window seat, I made myself comfy. Once I had my belt on, I rested my head against Morgan’s shoulder and tried to hide a yawn.
 

“I heard that.”
 

I snorted. “You’re right next to me. There was no hiding that one.” I curled into him more. “Thank you, Morgan. For everything you have done.” I felt his lips against my temple again before he rested his head against mine.
 

“No need to thank me, Maddie. I wouldn’t have it any other way. You’ll always be safe as long as I am around.” I nodded and moved my hand to rest on his thigh.
 

“So forever, then?” I asked as he trailed his fingers softly along my arm. I could already feel myself beginning to drift off to sleep.
 

“Forever, Maddie, and then some. Sleep well, darlin'.”
 

I mumbled something incoherently to him as sleep pulled me under. He just chuckled and kept me close. God help me, I was addicted already. This fall was going to hurt like hell when it ended…

I slept the whole way to Melbourne. Morgan woke me up when we landed, and everyone had already gotten off the flight. We made our way to the hotel I had booked, and most of us crashed. Daniel had first watch so Lucas could get some sleep. I didn’t realise how tired I was, but I’d slept right through the night and didn't wake until my alarm went off the next morning. Reaching out, I looked for Morgan, who had been laying right behind me when I fell asleep. I sat up and ran my fingers through my hair. Pulling back the covers and getting out of bed, I quickly brushed my teeth and moved through the hotel room. Where was Morgan? Was I restless last night, and he decided to sleep in with the boys? I was about to move to the balcony to see if he was out there when the door to the suite opened and he walked into the room. Letting out a sigh of relief, I moved to him and wrapped my arms around him.
 

“You okay, darlin’?”
 

I nodded gently and closed my eyes, muttering softly under my breath. “I’m not a fan of waking up without you in my bed.” I didn’t realise until the words had left my mouth how scary that fact was. I had gone months without needing someone beside me at night. There were times in my relationship with Josh when I couldn’t sleep next to him, so I would stay at my house while he slept at his. Did a part of me know he wouldn’t be the one who would be sleeping next to me for the rest of my life? I pulled back and looked up at Morgan.
 

“Sorry, darlin’. Thought you could do with one of these.” It was then I saw he had coffee. Kissing him softly, I couldn’t help the grin.
 

“Hey! You remembered!”
 

“Of course I did, darlin’. I like my balls attached.” He chuckled and kissed me again softly after I took my coffee. I took a sip of my coffee and let out a soft moan. God, that was good. I felt my body relax completely as his hands slid down my side and moved to rest on my back and I leant into him again.
 

“How are the boys?”
 

“Givin’ each other hell which is normal for them. If they aren’t pissin’ each other off, then they’re sleeping.” I was glad I’d waited to take a drink from my coffee cup until he’d answered, or it would have been coming out of my nose when I laughed at that. I let out a squeal when he moved his hand to my ass and slapped it softly.
 

“Go get ready. We need to head off if we are making this flight.” I narrowed my eyes playfully at him, and he flashed me
that
smirk. Fuck. That was gonna floor me for a long time to come.
 

“Well, guess who's not joining me in the shower then?”
 

He groaned and pulled me close to him. “Keep that up, darlin’, and we will be missing our flight.”
 

I leaned in to kiss him but pulled away quickly and ran to the bedroom. I heard his groan as I shut the door and moved to my bag. Pulling out a clean pair of jeans and shirt, my body wash and loofah, I moved to the shower after downing the last of my coffee and tossing the takeaway cup in the trash. Turning on the shower and letting the steam build up as I got undressed, I stepped in and let out a soft groan when the hot water washed over me. After a good night's sleep, this was exactly what I needed. I let the water relax me for a few minutes before I started to wash up. Without thinking, I began to hum a song that had popped into my head. Turning off the hot water after I was clean, I grabbed the towel and dried off. Momentarily forgetting where I was, my humming had now turned to singing ‘Flashlight’ by Jessie J as I got dressed.
 

Pulling open the bedroom door and seeing Morgan, Daniel, and Lucas all sitting there staring at me, I frowned. “What is it?” They looked at each other, and I swear if this had been a cartoon, their jaws would be on the floor as they looked at me. Looking down at myself, I looked back up at them.
 

“Guys, you are freaking me out right now. What?”
 

“I think you are going to put Morgan out of a job!” I watched Morgan reach over and slap the back of Daniel’s head.
 

“We heard you singing, darlin’. What Daniel was saying was it was real good. You have some serious talent.” Daniel nodded, and I felt my cheeks go red.
 

“Yep, gonna be careful when doing that again. Are we ready?” I said. They all nodded. Lucas came to get my bag from me and handed me a phone.
 

“All your numbers and our numbers and stuff you'll need are on this. We got rid of your old phone. Just in case.”
 

I nodded and slid the phone into my back pocket as Morgan took my hand. Leaning into him, we made our way from the room and down the hall to the elevator. “We were serious before, darlin’.” I shivered as he whispered in my ear but relaxed when he let my hand go and wrapped his arm around me. Laying my head on the space between his chest and shoulder, I nodded.
 

“I will keep that in mind babe.”
 

He kissed my temple as we leaned back against the wall of the elevator, and I closed my eyes again. When we reached the bottom floor, Daniel stepped out while Lucas hung back and waited for us to pass. Daniel led the way with Morgan and me between them. We checked out of the room and moved to meet the car they had organised for us. We got to the airport and checked in. Once we got through security, the boys disappeared again, and Morgan and I went to get some breakfast before our flight. I was beginning to feel like I hadn’t eaten in so long. Then I tried to remember the last time I did eat, and it wasn’t good. I wasn’t about to let that secret out but I suspected Morgan already knew that.
 

Stopping at the café, I let go of Morgan’s hand and moved along the case to see what they had in the way of food. I looked over at Morgan and saw him watching me. I couldn’t help but grin when he winked at me before I went back to looking. I was standing toward the end of the case when I heard two girls behind the counter talking about the hot piece of ass waiting to order. I snorted and shook my head when they both said they were going to try to get his number. I was gonna have fun watching this.
 

Watching as the brunette-haired girl walked over to the counter and flipped her hair back, I waited to see what she would do. Morgan looked very bored as she giggled and tried to flirt with him. I watched her walk away and bit back a laugh. When Morgan turned and gave me a look, I laughed again. When bimbo number two came to the counter to try her luck, I shook my head and moved over to save him. Placing my hand on his back, I stepped in front of him and kissed him hard before turning to look at the bimbo. “We’ll take two of the focaccia’s as well, thanks.” I gave her a smirk as she huffed and stalked off. I turned to kiss him again.
 

“You are so evil.”
 

“I know, baby, but you’ll learn to love it.” I pulled back, and taking his hand, we moved to sit down at a table. Looking down at our hands, I absentmindedly rubbed my thumb along his hand.
 

“Maddie?”
 

“Hmm?” I looked up at him.

“Not to ruin the moment, but why Tasmania?”
 

I shrugged my shoulder. “There are a lot of things about my past Josh doesn’t know. I guess a large part of me never trusted him. The place where we are going to stay belongs to my uncle. I can hide out there. That should buy me some time to put something else in place.” We sat back as the waiter put our food and coffee down. Taking some sugar from the holder, I put two in my coffee and stirred it. “Even if Josh does know where I end up, he will never know where to start looking. Once Daniel and Lucas get word, we will be gone before he gets there.” Picking up a knife, I cut my focaccia in half and picked up one half. Taking a bite, I watched Morgan for a few minutes. He seemed to be thinking.
 

“Morgan? What’s on your mind?”
 

He sighed and looked out the window at all the people who were passing by the café. “I’m sorry I made such a mess of this. If I had just left you alone, then he wouldn’t be after you. You might have been left alone.”
 

Wiping my hands on a napkin, I took his hand. “I’m not sorry. I’m glad you came up to me, and I’m glad I went back with you that night. I wouldn’t do anything over again with the exception of leaving you, but that gave Jasmine a chance to get away so I can’t even regret that. I have no idea where this is gonna go Morgan, but I am so glad you came into my life that night. So suck it up, and let’s just enjoy this, okay?” After a few minutes, Morgan nodded, and I took a sip of my coffee.
 

I wasn’t going to say this out loud but would Josh have really left me alone if I had never met Morgan? I knew I wasn’t going back to the home, so it was only a matter of time until he did come and find me and try and take me back to the shadows I had been living in. I never went out any more and my friends had been reduced to a single handful of people who had stuck by me. Leaving that town behind me was the best thing that had ever happened. If nothing else, I was taking a big step toward doing what I really wanted to do by going to America and making some connections. All thanks to Morgan.
 

After finishing off our breakfast, we ordered the boys a coffee as well as another one for us, and we went to wait at the gate. As we passed Daniel, we handed him his coffee and just kept walking. We found Lucas and gave him his before we moved to take a seat. It wasn’t long now until boarding, so my ass wasn’t going to go dead between now and then.
 

“Maddie?”
 

“Morgan.”
 

“You said this place was your uncle’s, right?” I nodded and took a sip of my coffee. I knew where this was going, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to make him squirm a little before I told him my uncle was overseas and wouldn’t be back until Morgan was back in the States. “Does this mean I am meeting family?” I shrugged my shoulders and looked away from him.
 

Watching the people around us for a few minutes, I turned back to Morgan, who was still waiting on a real answer. “No, he is at his place in Greece until late next week. He won’t be back until you are back home.”
 

Standing up when they announced it was time to start boarding, I took hold of Morgan’s hand, and we headed to the doors. After scanning my ticket and moving down the ramp onto the plane, I took my seat by the window again and got comfortable. I couldn’t wait until we were there. I needed air and not to feel as though the walls were closing in on me. Uncle Michael had sent me photos of his place, and I couldn’t wait to get there. We could have stayed at either place, but I had chosen Sea Side. Waking up to the sunshine over the water. Drinking coffee on the front veranda. The thoughts alone made me smile. It would be the perfect place to hide out while Morgan and I spent as much time as we could together before he had to leave me. I still didn’t want to think about that just yet. Not until I absolutely had to.
 

When we landed at the airport, Uncle Michael had a car waiting for us. Once we arrived at the property, I got the keys from the groundskeeper and showed the boys around. Morgan and I left Daniel and Lucas to get to work while we went to enjoy some afternoon sun on the veranda and started to relax. I quickly called Jasmine and told her I was safe and sound, but I didn’t tell her where. We agreed the less she knew the better. After hanging up, I sat with my back resting against Morgan’s side, and my legs were lying out in front of me while my head rested on his shoulder.
 

“So I have told you all this stuff about me and my family. Let’s hear about yours, darlin’.” He said and I turned a little to look at him.
 

“No, you have told me all about Lucas and Josh’s family, not yours. But I will tell you about mine if you tell me about yours.”