Free When We Kiss by Darcy Burke

frame back into his squeaky desk chair and turned it away from the desk to face the couch.
    Liam dropped onto the couch and leaned back, stretching out his legs and crossing them at the ankles. “You know me.”
    â€œWhy do you think I said to be careful?” Rylan asked wryly. “And keep in better touch. You suck at that. We used to hang when you were in town, at least a handful of times a year. Or have you been staying away?” He didn’t say since Alex died , but the unspoken implication hung between them, as Rylan knew all about their extreme-sports situation.
    Liam shrugged. Though Rylan was maybe his closest friend, there was still a wall Liam preferred to keep erected between himself and pretty much everyone else. “Somewhat. I’ve been here a bit, just busy.”
    He thought back to his visits over the past year—Derek’s wedding, his annual trip at the end of summer to run Hood to Coast with the Archer team and to see the Dave Matthews Band, Thanksgiving, the holidays, and a quick weekend visit in February after the heli-skiing accident. Hooking up with Aubrey had been the highlight of each trip until New Year’s, when she’d told him she didn’t want to see him anymore. If she’d been any other woman, he would’ve moved on, but seeing her at Evan’s wedding had reminded him that she wasn’t like any other woman. And he wasn’t sure why.
    Maybe because she hadn’t asked him to make a commitment, which is what practically every other woman had done. Instead, she’d been the one to drop him.
    â€œStill hanging with Whitney Parker? She just finished a flying lesson with Dirk.” Dirk was another of Rylan’s instructors. Liam thought he had six or seven guys—both flight and skydiving instructors—working for him now.
    Instinctively, Liam sat up and prepared to flee, in case she was stalking him. “God no. Too clingy.” And now a bona fide enemy of the family. “In fact, I should probably get out of here before she finds me. Real quick, you still BASE jumping?”
    Rylan nodded slowly. “Why, you finally ready to give it a go?”
    â€œDefinitely. I have enough experience.”
    â€œMore than,” Rylan agreed. “As it happens, I’m taking some guys to an FJC in Idaho in May. You want in?”
    First jump course, or FJC, was BASE jump training. Liam had looked into several FJCs, including the one at Perrine Bridge in Idaho. “I do.” The spike of adrenaline Liam had missed following his jump jolted through him. “E-mail me the details.”
    â€œYou got it.” Rylan leaned forward and clapped him on the knee. “Now we have a party!” His smile faded into a grimace as his gaze trailed to his office door. “You’re screwed. Parker’s coming this way. Sorry, dude.”
    Bracing himself, Liam stood and left the office. He had to pass her to get to his bike. Maybe he could just wave in passing. Who was he kidding? She was barreling toward him like he was bait on a hook.
    â€œLiam!” she called. “How fun to see you here. Jumping today?”
    â€œEarlier, yeah. Rylan says you’re taking flying lessons.” He inwardly winced. In trying to be pleasant, he’d inadvertently invited conversation. Sometimes the lasting effect of his mother’s lessons on how to be polite and gentlemanly was a pain in the ass.
    She smiled warmly and moved closer. “I am. I thought you’d find that impressive. I was always disappointed that you never took me flying.” She didn’t visibly pout, but he heard it in her voice.
    Was she doing this to try to woo him back? “Please tell me you aren’t learning to fly planes to impress me, because that would be stupid, Whitney.”
    She laughed that high-pitched giggle that had maybe once been cute but now grated his nerves. “Of course not, silly. I’m a thrill seeker, you know