Finding Love's Wings Read Online Free PDF Page A

hall. We approach a room on the right with the door slightly ajar. I stop dead in my tracks and stare at the woman sitting at the table. Her black hair is up in a ponytail that trails down her back and over one shoulder. The other shoulder is exposed and shows off a tattoo of blue, purple, and silver tones. It looks like a puzzle made of hearts and stars. But what really catches my attention is sprouting from the center of her shoulder blades. Done in some of the brightest ink I've ever seen: black and purple wings – fairy wings to be exact – just visible above the line of the tank top she's wearing.
    "Tristan," Tyson whispers in my ear. Slowly I turn toward him, tearing my gaze away from the woman's back.  
    "Yeah?"  
    He extends his hand, gesturing for me to follow the lounge attendant.  
    I look back at the fairy woman one more time and then continue on down the hall.  
    For the next few minutes she is all I can think about, and a pretty big part of me is hoping against the odds that she's on my flight.

    *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

    As soon as I board the plane, I throw my knapsack in the overhead bin, sit down, and pop in my earbuds to shut out the world. I quickly become absorbed in a book I picked up in the first class lounge that had an eye-catching cover and sounded interesting, so the flight from L.A. to Honolulu passes quickly.  
    Once in Honolulu, I move quickly to the gate for my flight to Tahiti. I'm not just going to get away, I'm really getting away. About as far as I can without ending up in China. I'm silently hoping that I'll be far enough out there to be out of range of cell phones, emails, and hell even American news.  
    The flight from Honolulu to Tahiti is just as uneventful as the flight to Hawaii. I watch a couple of movies on my iPad, read some more of the book I started, and even manage to doze off. When I wake from a disturbing dream about the days that followed Bobbie's death, I push it aside and instead call to mind the image of Tristan Michaels. The day keeps dragging, but soon the time change gives me a second wind. Tahiti is far enough behind Phoenix time that it will still be early morning when I get there.  

    When I arrive in Tarah the next day, I learn that the occupant of the penthouse just checked in last night. I don't do a very good job of hiding my disappointment. "Will you keep me posted? Once it becomes vacant, I want to move to that suite."
    "Of course, ma'am, but there's a good chance it won't be empty for a while."
    I can feel myself scowling, though I know it's not her fault.
    "How long are you planning to stay?" she asks me.
    "Until the penthouse becomes available."
    She laughs, but watch me: I'll stick around until I have at least one day and one night in that suite.
    As I follow the concierge up to my room, we pass a tall, well-built man with dark blond hair who has an aura of security or protection about him. Not a cop, but he is definitely packing some heat, judging by the slight bow of his arms. Or if he's not packing right now, then he usually is.
    "Geez, you'd think the President of France was here," I joke.
    The concierge laughs. "No, ma'am, no president." His accent is thick and hard to understand. I wait for him to tell me who in the hotel needs that kind of security, but he doesn't say any more on the subject.
    My room is absolutely stunning. Set on the seventh floor, it has two bedrooms, along with a sitting and dining room. The master suite is equipped with the largest whirlpool I've ever seen in my life. The concierge informs me that the tub is small compared to the one in the penthouse. I'm in heaven, very ready to relax and enjoy my stay.  
    I ask the concierge, "Can you please have a bottle of Cristal 2002 sent up here along with some strawberries?"
    "Yes, ma'am. Will there be anything else this afternoon?" he replies politely.
    "No, I believe that will be all for now, thank you."
    He bows his head and leaves the suite, palming the twenty I gave