Lisa

Maybe one day you'll be proud that I took a chance—hung everything out there on the line. But you'll probably only be more pissed that it wasn't your damned line.

Three fucking weeks, and I'd only seen the top of Jennie's head at the library. Whenever I was working there, she avoided me like the plague. The only way I'd known she'd even seen the back room were the organized supplies on the new shelves.

We were a day or two from finishing, and then I'd have no excuse to see her anymore.

"Hey, where are you? Because it's sure not here," Jackson asked.

I blinked twice and woke the fuck up. "I'm here." I tapped my pen on the desk, stretching my legs out in front of me, wondering how much of the lecture I'd missed.

Our instructor, Mr. Givens, looked at the clock, and I followed suit. Mondays always seemed the longest, but today was dragging ass.

"Who do you think it will be?" Jackson asked in a whisper.

Taehyung turned from his seat ahead of us and shot Jackson a glare, like he was the noise police. I shot it back, and it turned icy on his part. What the fuck did he have to be so angry about? He got to keep Jennie, while I lost my friend. I swiveled my finger in a circle, and he took the hint and turned around, but not before he shook his head. He disapproved of my choice of finger, apparently.

"It's close," Lee said.

"My money's on Lisa."

That earned Jackson a snort from Taehyung. He tapped his ring on the desk for good measure, like he needed to remind us that he'd graduated West Point.

"Good bet," Lee replied.

I ignored them both and concentrated on the PowerPoint ahead of us. Not that I didn't already know this shit. It had been committed to memory since I picked up a book on the principles of flight when I was thirteen. Regardless, I made sure to take a look at each slide as he presented them.

"I'm sure you're all wondering what's going to happen this afternoon for the flight schedule," Mr. Givens segued. My grip tightened on my pen so hard I was surprised it didn't break. First solo flight went to the highest on the OML, which was a pretty closely guarded secret. Not that we didn't all try to keep tabs on test scores to figure it out ourselves, but this would be the only real way to measure before the official list was posted at selection. "You solo flight when you're ready, not because it's your turn." He pinned the schedule to the board. "Those of you who are ready are listed on today's schedule, along with who your stick buddy will be for the remainder of primary." He smiled like he hadn't altered our entire lives, announcing that we'd also be assigned our pilot partners. "Enjoy your lunch. Meet here at thirteen hundred."

He walked out, and chairs screeched as the class rushed the board. I hung toward the back, flipping Jennie's nickel over in my fingers. I knew all about the nickel flight tradition and had given my IP a different one. The shiny coin in my hand was the first gift I'd been given in six years; I wasn't letting anyone have it.

Jackson came over grinning, clapping Lee on the shoulder.

"Well, did you make the varsity football team?" I asked.

"Hell, yes, and I scored Taeyong as my stick buddy. But you—"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Taehyung's exclamation cut Jackson off.

"What's wrong, West Point? Didn't make the cut?" I called out. Jackson elbowed me in the ribs, but that didn't stop the smirk of satisfaction crossing my face as Taehyung glared at me.

"Fuck you, Manoban. Looks like we'll be seeing enough of each other as it is. I'm going to grab lunch with Nini."

Hearing her name out of his mouth squeezed my chest like a vise. My fist clenched, and I couldn't manage to draw a full breath until he was out of my sight. "He's an asshole."

Jackson raised his eyebrows at me. "Good news or bad?"

"Both," I answered.

"Looks like you solo first."

My head snapped toward his, looking for any indication that he was messing with me. "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack." He smiled, mock-punching my shoulder. "Good job, man."

First. I was going to solo first. Top of the Order of Merit list. I had a shot at an Apache, and not fucking my friends over. "That's…" I couldn't find the words. "Where's the bad in that?"

Jackson laughed. "I'll meet you at the car."

Nearly everyone left, either ecstatic about soloing in the afternoon or utterly dejected. I didn't have a problem getting to the schedule or finding my name in the first slot. Hell, yes. This was everything I'd been— What the fuck?

"This should be interesting," Taeyong said, standing next to me.

I'd gotten Taehyung Carter as my damn stick buddy. Fuck my life.

--

I juggled our drinks—two beers and a sweet tea—like a professional frat boy and headed to our table. Lee accepted his tea with a nod, because speaking more than the required amount of words might kill the guy, and Jackson gave me a half smile. "Thanks, man."

We all relaxed and drank as our classmates ambled in, grabbing drinks at the bar and dragging chairs over to join us. Once over a dozen of us were there, some with girlfriends or the occasional wife, we had to combine tables. The bar filled quickly for a Friday night, with both flight school students and local girls. A couple of them were eye-fucking me from their bar stools.

"What's with you?" Jackson asked. "I get to be pissy. It's been two weeks since I've seen my girlfriend, but what's your excuse?"

I shook my head and wiped the condensation off my glass. Beverages, people…everything sweats down here. "Nothing, man." I spun the nickel on the table.

"Bullshit." He scoffed.

"Let it go."

"I've known you for three damn years, Lisa. All you ever talk about is hockey and helicopters, so you're going to have to explain why you're not jumping through your ass in joy right now. You soloed first, man, first! I get the little chastity vow you've self-imposed, but you've got two hot girls over there dying to make your lap their seat, and you look like your dog just died."

"I don't have a dog." I couldn't explain what I didn't understand myself.

"You know what I mean. I know it blows that you've got Taehyung as your stick buddy, but at least you guys will push each other."

Push each other right off a damn cliff.

He leaned forward and dropped his voice, "You know you can talk to me."

"He said to let it go," Lee answered quietly. "Sometimes voicing something gives it power over you. She's got to acknowledge her own shit storm before she lets someone else witness it."

I raised my beer in salute and drained half the glass.

"Dude, you speak?" one of our classmates asked Lee, looking dumbstruck.

Lee glared in response.

"Lee no speak. Only grunt," replied Montgomery. The street-to-seat nineteen-year-old kid had the nerve to make monkey motions at Lee. Why the hell did they let babies into flight school?

"How was that solo-cycle ride, Montgomery?" I countered.

"Fuck you, Manoban." The kid turned bright red. He'd ranked last on the OML, soloed last, therefore had to pedal the infamous solo cycle down the airfield.

Persley cleared his throat. "Right. Anyway"—he raised his voice and his glass—"here's to us, for all completing solo flights without burning one in!"

A cheer resounded, drowning out the music. "And here's to Manoban for soloing first!" Jackson slapped my back and lifted his glass to another cheer.

"To Manoban." Taehyung's mocking voice grated as he took the empty seat directly across from me. I spun the nickel and kept my eyes focused on it.

"Congratulations, Lisa."

I stopped the nickel midspin, seeing Jennie standing behind him. She'd come. She never came to these things. She wore a fitted top the same green as her eyes, and it might not have shown off that amazing rack she had, but it was sexier than anything the spandex sisters at the bar were wearing. She smiled, and my fucking heart stopped beating momentarily, then hammered.

Get a grip.

I clenched the nickel in my fist and answered her smile with my own. "Thanks, Jennie. Want me to grab you a chair?" I threw out the olive branch.

"She doesn't need a chair." Taehyung wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. "Do you, Jendeuki?"

I arched an eyebrow at the nickname. It sounded ridiculous, like a five-year-old child instead of the beautiful woman in front of me.

"I'm fine," she said softly, as if she was answering my thoughts and not his question. She blushed and tucked that soft brunette hair behind her ears, then wound her arm around his shoulders like she was happy to be there. Of course she's happy to be there. He's her damn boyfriend.

Dropkick Murphys came on the jukebox. Jennie smiled as "Rose Tattoo," her favorite song, started to play. She arched an eyebrow at me, and I gave her a small nod. Yes, it's for you.

Taehyung locked eyes with me, turned her head, and kissed her, never wavering in his gaze. "Yep, she seems pretty fine to me."

"Well, I'm glad one of us is," I responded without thinking. Shit. My mouth was going to get me into trouble. That familiar pressure rose in my chest, and I knew this was not going to end well. Too bad I didn't give a shit enough to stop it from happening.

"What does that mean?" Jennie shot at me, her eyes narrowing.

I gave her my best mocking smile. "Well, Taehyung has a pretty girl in his lap. I'm feeling like I might need the same kind of treatment." I winked at the prettier of the girls at the bar, the one with her tits hanging out, and she giggled. That was more like it. I turned to Jennie. "That a problem for you?"

Her jaw flexed twice. "Nope. Why would it be?"

"Oh, this is priceless," Lee muttered under his breath and finished his drink. "Another?"

"That'd be great."

He stood as the busty little brunette swayed over to us, her hips arriving before the rest of her. "Hi there," she said with a breathless southern accent and a slow, sultry smile.

"Hi there yourself," I answered with the grin I knew could drop her panties before we hit the parking lot.

"Mind if I take a seat? I was gettin' all sorts of lonely over there." She batted her eyelashes, and Jennie made a sound that was half snort, half growl.

"Not at all. I'm Lisa, and you're…?"

She smiled, her makeup cracking at the corners of her mouth. "I'm Miyeon." She moved to take Lee's seat.

"I'm sorry, Miyeon, but that's Lee's seat. Seems to be a full house tonight." Jennie's sweet drawl had a distinct, intriguing bite. How far could I push her before she reacted?

"Oh, Jennie Kim. I didn't barely see you there all snuggled up on…Taehyung Carter, is that you?" Miyeon's smile didn't reach her eyes, which matched Jennie's.

Taehyung lifted his beer in greeting. "Miyeon."

I scooted my chair back as Lee handed me a fresh beer. "Small towns are fascinating."

Miyeon took the opening and sat in my lap, her skirt riding over her thighs to where my jeans were the only barrier between us. "You don't mind, do you? Those chairs are a little cold." She threw puppy-dog eyes at me.

"I wouldn't get too comfortable. Lisa's sworn off women," Jennie drawled.

Miyeon sent me a sly smile. "Lisa doesn't seem to mind me. Do you, darlin'?"

"Not in the least." Not if it forced Jennie into some sort of dialogue. Anything was better than radio silence.

"Maybe she's just sworn off the pale, boring ones. How is life in that little…library of yours, anyway?"

Jennie's smile could have sweetened Taeyong's tea. "Still full of books. We've got some you might like, pictures and all."

Jackson whistled, and I took a deep drink of my beer, my eyes boring into Jennie. "I think that's southern for 'the claws just came out,'" Jackson whispered.

I turned my cap backward. "I'd have to agree."

Taehyung leaned away from Jennie. "Play nice, Nini."

Fucking Taehyung.

"So you're a flygirl?" Miyeon asked, turning to look at me.

"I'm in flight school," I answered, tipping my glass toward Taehyung. "I'm actually Taehyung's stick buddy."

Taehyung blanched, and Jennie whipped her head, whispering something I couldn't make out. From the look on Taehyung's face, it wasn't pleasant. "I was going to tell you," he answered.

"Taehyung Carter, a pilot! All those times we snuck out to…watch those helicopters take off at night, and now you're flying one. Imagine that!" Miyeon's voice dripped sugar. "And of course you're first in your class, right?" She turned to me. "He always was."

I leaned my head to the side and arched my eyebrow at Taehyung, whose glare could have sunk the Titanic. "There's one prick in my way," he answered, and then grunted in pain. Jennie's elbow reappeared on the table.

Miyeon giggled, a high-pitched sound that more resembled a helium-sucking donkey. "Where on earth did you lose your accent to, Taehyung Carter?"

Jennie bit back a smile, catching her lower lip in her teeth. Damn, I wanted to suck it free. My hand clenched, catching Miyeon's thigh in the process. "Oh, you can do that again." Miyeon smiled over her shoulder and rotated her hips across my groin. Jennie's smile vanished.

"I spent a few years in New York. I think I left the accent there," V answered.

"Maybe you should fetch it," Jennie muttered.

Miyeon picked up my beer and drank the last quarter of it. I was too busy watching the changes on Jennie's face to give a shit. "Imagine. You two together!" She sighed. "Isn't that just perfect? Who would have ever thought?" Jennie's eyes narrowed. "I mean, sure, we all knew V would end up with a Kim girl, all right…" Jennie sucked in her breath. "Just had him pegged for the pretty one. Shame about your sister, God rest her soul."

Jennie motioned to stand, but Taehyung locked his arm around her waist, keeping her firmly in his lap. "Relax, Jendeuki."

"Well, I'm empty," I said, standing quickly. Miyeon slid off my lap, barely catching herself on the edge of the table. "Jennie, can I get you a drink?"

"She doesn't drink," V answered.

"But she does talk," I snapped.

Jennie swallowed, her eyes still zeroed on Miyeon. "I'd love a lemon water, Lisa. Thank you."

"Of course, Jendeuki Kim can't be caught drinking," Miyeon teased. "Whatever would her daddy say? Now her mama—"

"Miyeon Cho!" Ho-Jung's singsong voice was more than welcome in my ear as she came around the table, putting her purse in front of Jennie. "My goodness. Did you forget the other half of that skirt at home? I mean, I know Auburn invited you not to return, but that's no reason to think fall didn't actually come. That skirt looks a smidge cold for November, and a smidge trashy with that freshman twenty. Not that we don't completely support your stress eating, bless your little heart."

Miyeon huffed. "Ho-Jung, fancy seeing you here, tagging after Nini and V. Guess nothing changes there."

"Ho-Jung—" Taehyung failed to keep the peace. Personally, I was ready to find the popcorn until I saw Jennie's face. She had her swimming face on, the one that said she'd rather be doing anything else, but she'd tough it out.

Ho-Jung's smile was bright…and frightening. "And imagine finding you in Oscar's, trying to pick up flyboys to haul your ass out of Enterprise. Guess we're both creatures of habit."

"This shit is better than Jerry Springer," Jackson muttered, joining me at the bar.

I ordered our drinks and leaned against the counter. "She's upsetting Jennie."

"I thought that was your goal."

"Pissing her off and hurting her are two different things." And Taehyung wasn't doing a damn thing to stop it.

"You are walking a fine line, Lisa." Jackson thanked the bartender for his beer and took a drink.

"It's what I do best."

Ho-Jung must have finished off Miyeon, because she huffed and swayed her hips in my direction.

"I think I'm going to head home." She batted her eyes at me and trailed her fingers down my chest. Nothing stirred below. "Maybe you'd carry me?"

"Carry?" Jackson about spit out his beer.

"Southern for 'take,'" I explained, and held up my beer. "Sorry, Miyeon, but I've had a few too many of these to get behind the wheel. I can call you a cab, though."

She pouted. "Well, if I can't convince you tonight…" She reached behind me and pulled my cell phone out of my pocket. A few clicks and her number was stored. "Give me a call sometime. I'm a lot more fun than any of the girls"—she threw a pointed glance back at our table—"you'll find round these parts."

On her tiptoes, she brushed her lips across my cheek. It was almost worth it to see Jennie turn a mottled shade of red. God, she was cute when she was pissed. "Good night, Lisa."

"Night, Miyeon."

She swayed out of the bar, and I carried our drinks to the table, sliding Jennie's water toward her. "Lemon water, as ordered."

"Maybe you should keep it," she drawled. "Seems you could use a cooldown. Or were you planning on using that number she gave you?"

"Nini," V snapped.

At least she paid attention. "I'm not the one perched in my boyfriend's lap," I countered. "So, if I want to call a lovely young southern lady, I think that's my prerogative, right?"

"Damn straight!" Montgomery answered, reminding us that we weren't as alone at the table as we felt.

"Poking the bear, Lisa," Taeyong said under his breath.

"'Lady' is the last term I'd ever use in conjunction with Miyeon Cho," Jennie said, "and that's being kind."

"Nini, bad-mouthing people doesn't suit you," Taehyung added.

"Don't defend that piece of trash just because you belonged to the Miyeon-got-me-off club in high school, V," Ho-Jung interjected, pulling a chair over to sit next to Jennie. "It wasn't very selective."

"Really, Ho-Jung?" Taehyung flushed.

Ho-Jung raised her eyebrows. "Don't act all surprised. I don't mind calling out truths, and I'm happy to ruffle your feathers."

Taehyung fidgeted. Holy shit. She did ruffle him. Not in the pissed-off sense I usually saw, but in a more unsettled kind of way.

"Can we please stop discussing Miyeon Cho?" Jennie asked.

"Sure, as soon as you tell me why you had to drag her through the dirt," Taehyung answered. "You're better than that, Nini."

My breath hissed out through my teeth.

"You know what?" She turned in his lap. "If you'll kindly excuse me, I need some air." She stood, taking her purse from the table.

"Nini—" Taehyung stood.

"Don't you dare, Taehyung Carter." She pointed her finger at him and marched out of the bar, the picture of gorgeous indignation.

"You dated her sister first?" Jackson asked, his eyebrows arched.

Taehyung shook his head, and Ho-Jung answered for him. "They never dated, but they were best friends. He and Nini got together last year after Irene died."

Her sister's best friend. Pieces started clicking together in my head, and it wasn't a pretty picture.

"Could you maybe not give out details on my relationship?" Taehyung barked.

"Could you maybe not treat her like she's five? By grace, twenty minutes with you and I need a drink." Ho-Jung's chair squeaked as she pushed away from the table and headed to the bar.

I took another sip of my beer for fortitude and looked at Taehyung as I stood. "You're an idiot."

His glare went arctic. "Go ahead, chase after her. It won't end well. She needs space because she doesn't like confrontation. How do I know? Because, unlike you, I've been in her life more than five damn minutes."

"You really think it took me five minutes to understand Jennie? It took me less time to save her life. I knew what kind of woman she was the moment her eyes opened. She's a fighter." I leaned over the table toward him. "And funny, that first breath she released? It was mine." I didn't waste another second, just weeded my way through the crowd until I got outside.

Finally, Alabama had reached a moderate temperature. I pushed up the rolled sleeves of my blue button-down. It didn't take long to find her, leaning on V's truck, only one empty space away from where I'd left Lucy. Her hair hung in soft waves past her shoulders, the gold catching the light from the street lamp. Leave it to Jennie to make a parking lot off Rucker Boulevard beautiful.

"Don't ask me if I'm okay."

I leaned against the cool metal frame next to her, tucking my hands in my pockets, mostly to keep them from touching her. "Okay."

Her head swiveled my direction. It didn't matter how many times I'd looked into her eyes; I was lost, spun out of control. "You're really not going to ask?"

I pressed my lips together to keep from smiling. "You're kind of fun when you're pissy."

"I am most certainly not…that."

"You can say it, you know."

She crossed her arms in front of her. "I'm more than aware of what I can do. It's not about the ability."

"What's it about?"

"Restraint, and knowing when to use it."

"Restraint has never been my strong suit." My gaze flickered to her lips, pale but shiny from her gloss. Stop. Friends, only friends. Shit, I even sounded weak in my head.

"Yeah, I could tell that with Miyeon perched on your lap like a baby bird waiting to be fed." Her chin came up, and damn if that wasn't sexy.

"You're my only Little Bird," I promised her.

"Why do you call me that?" she bit out through clenched teeth.

"Well, you did kind of fly at our first encounter. Why don't you tell him that you hate when he calls you Nini?"

She squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed her temples. "I don't hate it."

"Yes, you do. I just can't figure out why you don't tell him. He's an ass if he hasn't figured it out by now. Hell, he's an ass, period." Shit. I hadn't meant to blurt it out.

"You don't know the first thing about him." She pushed off the car, and I quickly took hold of her wrist.

"Don't go." Shit, was that desperation leaking into my voice? "I've missed you."

She shook me off. "I can't be here with you. I can't do this." She gestured between us, like there was an invisible string tying us together. "Whatever this is."

"You can't have a friendship outside your relationship? It's that weak? Worth turning away a friend? You act like I don't know him, but I'm with him every day! He's completely wrong for you."

Because I was right for her. I wanted her—wanted to be with her. Admitting that was as thrilling as it was terrifying, and I had no idea what to do with it. But I sure as hell wasn't going to let her think Taehyung was her only option.

She took another step back. "V knows me in ways you don't—you can't. He knows every scary, damaged part of me, and he still loves me. That's the kind of man he is."

"Damn it, Jennie, listen to yourself. You act like you're some charity case! You think I can't handle those pieces of you?" I moved forward to close the distance between us, and her eyes widened, like she'd felt the shift in our relationship that I had. "I know you from your soul to your skin. Just being friends with you…" I flicked the stud in my tongue across my teeth, trying to find the right words. "I've never been more intimate with a woman, and that includes every girl I've ever had sex with."

She retreated until she bumped into Lucy. "This conversation is over."

I didn't stop until my toes met hers, my chest nearly brushing the rise of her breasts. "Why, because it suddenly doesn't fit in your neat and tidy friendship box?"

"We are friends, and you don't get to make judgments on my relationship." Her head bumped the glass of the window as she craned her neck to look at me.

I braced, then tested my theory. "He treats you like a little sister."

"You hush." She squeezed her eyes shut. Damn. I'd been right.

I lifted her chin, but she still wouldn't open her eyes. "He sure as hell didn't stand up for you against Miyeon."

She swallowed but didn't speak.

The need to reach her clawed through me, to make her see what I did—that she was worth so much more than anything Taehyung or even I could offer her. I dragged my eyes away from the delicate arch of her lips. Rather than backing off, I caged her in, leaning my forearms on the glass on either side of her perfect face.

"Tell me, when he touches you, kisses you, does your skin sing for him?" I could barely choke the words out. Just thinking about Taehyung holding her, touching her, made my stomach churn. "Does your blood rush, your lips part just thinking about his kiss? Does your body vibrate when he's close, remembering every orgasm he can wring from you?" I crossed the friendship line, sliding my fingers along her collarbone to rest inside her shirt, above her galloping heart. Her eyes flew open, and her lips parted. I wasn't near her breasts, but I was still too close. "Your heart doesn't pound like this for him, does it?"

"That…that is none of your business." We were so close her breath hit my lips in little bursts.

"Does he treat you like a little sister in bed, too? Is that really what you want? A platonic sex life with a guy who uses you as a replacement for your older sister?"

She sucked in her breath and jerked away from me, escaping my arms. Her eyes narrowed. "Go to hell, Lisa." She walked off, leaving the parking lot silent but for the cars going by.

I hit my head lightly into Lucy's window. "I'm already there, Jennie."