Fly with Me: a novel by Andie Burke

chapter 40

Olive grinned at Stella and drew the comforter up over their heads to burrow them both in warmth. The bed was a disastrously crumpled mass of blankets. Stella must have been sex-addled as fuck because she hadn’t tried to make the bed any of the times they’d rolled out of it. A reasonable efficiency of effort, since they had been in bed for the better part of the two days since the magazine article came out. Stella had gone home several times to check in with her father and Olive had walked Gus, but otherwise they’d been happily cloistered in this room.

Olive woke in Stella’s arms. This was quickly becoming the only way Olive ever wanted to wake up.

Moonlight peeked through the curtains, the rustling shadows of trees the only movement in the room.

It was still dark outside, but Olive would have to get out of bed soon. She already dreaded leaving the warmth of Stella’s soft body. Stella wasn’t flying today, but she did have some lessons scheduled for later. Olive had to work. Womp womp.

With regret, Olive wriggled out of the covers, trying not to disturb Stella from sleep. Stella turned over with her eyes still closed and found Gus. She nuzzled her beautiful face into his fur.

Sleep cuddler, indeed.

After Olive was cleaned up for work, the smell of coffee hit her as she opened the bathroom door. The bed was neatly made and empty of either animal or human. Stella stood at the kitchen counter wearing an oversized sweatshirt and tiny, thin red shorts that barely covered her perfect ass. She spun around and held out Olive’s favorite mug.

“Morning.” She was wearing her glasses, dark brown hair twisted into a wild ponytail. Eyes still slightly hooded from sleep.

God, she was beautiful.

“Thank you,” Olive said, accepting the coffee and checking her watch. She was actually on time since Stella had volunteered to walk Gus this morning. Gus was smitten with Stella. And in a curious way, this made Olive think Jake would have adored Stella too.

Olive reached down to pet behind his floppy ears, and he licked her nose. “Hey, buddy.”

“My dad wanted to know if I could bring Gus over again today after my lessons.”

Stella had shocked Olive by letting Gus decorate the back of her car with dog fur. Olive had covered the seats in an old sheet, but they were still furry just from the one car ride yesterday. Stella didn’t seem to mind, but she did mention investing in a shop vac at one point.

“Always. You’re going to spoil him with all this attention during the day. He’s used to just having the dog walkers come.”

Stella kneeled beside the dog, who immediately rolled onto his back to demand tummy rubs. If her hand stopped moving, he nudged her with his nose. “How can I resist this sweet face?”

The look on Gus’s face was sloppy adoration.

“You still want to come over tonight?”

“Yep.” Stella nodded. “You get home by eight?”

Olive yawned. “Uh-huh.” She took a few more gulps of the coffee while locked in a stare with the beautiful woman in front of her.

“Shouldn’t you be…?”

“Yeah. Leaving. Right.”

“You okay?” Stella stroked a finger across Olive’s forehead, as if to ask about the thoughts swirling there.

“Just tired.”

“It’s amazing to me that you get up this early for work and you aren’t a morning person.”