Free Falling for Flynn by Nicola Marsh Page A

It’s important we present a united front to Adam, as friends.”
    As much as she wanted to hear him correct her, to say he wanted her as part of their family along with Adam, he didn’t.
    And her heart broke all over again.
    Lori was a sucker for a fairy tale. Always had been since the age of five when she’d picked up her first picture book of Cinderella and fallen into the make-believe world that promised a happy ending every time. Sadly, she’d been a hopeless romantic ever since.
    So, despite her earlier conversation with Flynn in the foyer before the play, as soon as the curtains lifted and the actors began reciting their lines, the magic of theatre captured her in its spell. She laughed, she frowned, and shed a few tears as the story drew to a close, wishing she could stay in the darkened theatre holding Flynn’s hand forever.
    He’d surprised her by reaching out for her hand and intertwining his fingers with hers during the second act. Though his action probably had something to do with the sniffle she’d tried to hide as the heroine lost her heart to the hero rather than any romantic notion on his part.
    As the lights came on, he turned to her with a smile. “Enjoy that?”
    “Loved it,” she said, wondering if he remembered her passion for a good story, whether it be in written, screen or theatrical form.
    “Thought you might.”
    He reached out, wiped away the remnant of a tear that had seeped from the corner of her eye. “Still a fan of this stuff?”
    “That obvious, huh?”
    He glanced down at their clasped hands and she wondered if she imagined the wistful expression that flitted across his face and vanished just as quickly.
    “I remember the first movie we saw.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Don’t remind me. You didn’t stop teasing me about it for a month afterward.”
    “Hey, you weren’t to know they changed the program at the last minute. And I forgave you, remember?”
    She smiled at the memory of attending the promised romantic comedy, which had turned out to be a children’s animated feature complete with talking trees and caterpillars. Rather than walking out, Flynn had sat through it with her though she’d known he’d probably prefer to be anywhere else.
    “Do you remember the rest of it?”
    His eyes darkened as his gaze locked with hers. “Afterwards, you mean?”
    She nodded as the barely suppressed attraction between them flared to life with a mere glance. “I loved that old car of yours.”
    “When I think of our time together after that cartoon the car isn’t the first thing that springs to mind.”
    His grip on her hand tightened, his thumb brushing gently against the back of it.
    Dry-mouthed, she saw his gaze drop to her lips and she knew exactly what part of that evening during their last term at high school, he was thinking about. And four years later, the night before he left for the Middle East, when they’d returned for old time’s sake.
    “I haven’t been to the Lookout since then.”
    “Neither have I.”
    Right then, with the air fairly crackling with electricity between them, Lori knew they were delusional if they thought for one minute they could keep their relationship platonic.
    Friends didn’t stare at each other with desire in their eyes.
    Friends didn’t lean closer until their shoulders touched.
    And friends sure didn’t look at each other’s lips like they’d seen a prize morsel they wanted to nibble.
    “Time to go, folks.”
    An aging usher pointed toward the door and they leapt apart as if caught in the throes of passion rather than merely staring at each other.
    “You young folk,” the old man muttered, shaking his head and shuffling away.
    “I guess we better do as he says.” Flynn clasped her hand, all but dragging her toward the exit.
    “Hey, wait up. I know you’re in a hurry to drop me home but this is ridiculous.”
    She smiled at his determination, wondering if his mind had drifted along similar lines to her own. And if so,