by Claire Adams
How dumb was I? Wanting to believe in true love. So pathetic.
I slid my thumb to the top of the screen and pressed delete. I didn't need him in my contacts anymore. Seeing him only caused me pain, and there was really nothing else to say between us. I wasn't promiscuous enough. Or adventurous enough. Or sexy enough. I wasn’t enough.
Funny how quickly I would have changed all of those things had he only said something, but he didn't say a damn word. He went out and slept with a handful of girls, trying to get the few things from them that he wasn't getting from me.
"Ten years," I mumbled and sat up as the tram stopped. There was no doubt that I would get over him, but it was going to take more than a month, or a slutty trip to Miami. I'd agreed to go for only a few reasons, namely to take care of Casey and catch up on some romance reading. Seemed that the best boyfriends would always be found in the center of my books, which was fine by me. I needed safe and comforting for a while. Living on the edge hadn't gotten me very far, but had I really even stepped off the porch with Jackson? Maybe that was the issue.
I grabbed my bag and glanced over at Casey, wishing like hell that I had a little bit of her rebellious spirit inside of me.
"Do you think I'm a risk taker?" I glanced to my left and smiled at one of the baggage guys as he nodded toward me.
"Not at all." She pulled her bags behind her and turned to me. "Do you think you are?"
"No. I guess not." I shrugged and looked around at the various people milling about. "How do you become a risk taker? I think that's one of the main reasons that Jackson slept around on me."
"He fucked around on you because he was an idiot, Viv. It has nothing to do with you, which we've been over a million times." She touched my cheek and forced me to focus on her. "Live this week with me as a free woman. Let's have fun, drink a little, flirt a lot, and take a few risks. You'll feel so much better after we get back."
I nodded, cupping my hand over hers. "Maybe you're right."
Glancing up, I let my eyes scan over the board with the flight times, noticing that our flight was scheduled to leave in forty minutes.
"Forty minutes?" I turned to Casey. "I thought you said the flight was at eleven."
"It is. I think. Something like that." She shrugged.
"It's at ten, Case. Shit. We're never going to make it." I tapped the shoulder of the older gentleman in front of me. "Is there any way we can move in front of you? Our flight leaves in thirty minutes."
"Sure. Why not?" He smiled and moved back, giving me room to tap a few more shoulders. It had to be the sweet smile on my face, or the dark circles under my eyes. Either way, we were moving up quickly, and within a few minutes, we were up to the counter next.
"We misread the flight time, so if you could help us move through this quickly, we'd really appreciate it." Casey barked at the middle-aged woman that glanced up from the other side of the counter.
"We'll try." She gave us a tight smile as I gave Casey a 'shut the hell up and let me deal with this' look.
"I love your earrings. My mother got me a pair just like them." I pressed my forearms to the desk and smiled at the woman as she glanced up wearily.
"My husband bought them for me. He's dead now." She glanced back down, closing up the conversation effectively if nothing else.
"Right. Sorry to hear that. We sure do appreciate your help." I moved back and pulled out my ID, praying silently that a sign would show up soon on whether or not I was supposed to be on the flight we would soon be racing toward.
"You're both being upgraded to our first class section, but the seats are not together." She glanced up, keeping her attention on me.
"That sounds great. Thanks so much." I bit my lip and glanced up at the clock. I hated to be late for anything. Whether I wanted to go on the trip or not was irrelevant. I was there, and having to run down the terminal sounded down right horrible.
"Of course. There is a special security section for Elite members. Just use that one since you're running a little late. Have fun." She handed us the tickets and smiled at me.
"We will." I grabbed them and Casey, and took off toward the security checkpoint. "Let's go. You know I hate to be late."
"I know. I'm sorry." Casey almost tripped as we passed a row of extension cords, but I reached back and helped her right herself.
Turning, I didn't realize that someone was in front of me.
"Oh, I'm so sorry." I reached up to press my hands against the man's chest who stumbled back from the force of me running into him. His papers fluttered from his hands and scattered all over the floor. Heat rose up my chest and coated my cheeks as I knelt down to help him start to gather up the papers. Not looking where I was going, I hit my head against his and fell back on my butt.
He let out a short laugh, stood and offered me a hand. "Wow. I've not had such a dramatic introduction to anyone since I was a boy playing king of the hill."
I took his hand and stood, trying hard not to notice just how insanely beautiful he was. His jet-black hair was cut close to his face, accenting his tanned skin, dark green eyes, and kissable lips. His smile was kind and almost sexy with the way his lip turned up just a little at the edge. If that wasn't more than enough, the subtle dimple in his left cheek caused my heart to flutter.
"I am so sorry." I pulled my hand from his when it was appropriate to do so. "Let me get your papers. Please."
"I'll get it." He held up his hand. "You stay up here. It's dangerous when you're around."
Casey laughed and snorted as she picked up a few pieces of the paper. I stood stone still, letting my eyes move along the broad muscles of his back as they pressed against his light blue button up shirt.
"Thanks for saving me. I guess I didn't see those cords." She glanced back as she appeared to be working to hold back another string of laughter.
"I guess not." I clenched my jaw, but relaxed as Handsome stood back up, his papers a mess and face a little flushed.
"Not every day you have a beautiful woman knock you off your feet and take center stage to the news." He winked and turned back around, moving up to tug his dress shoes off and lay his briefcase on the security scanner.
"I'm so sorry again," I whispered, not quite able to get enough air into my lungs to use my voice.
"It's no big deal at all. Honestly." He glanced back at me as he worked on getting his belt off.
My eyes moved down to watch him only for a moment. Having forgotten that it was highly inappropriate to stare at someone's crotch, I jerked my attention back to his face and found him smirking in a boyish way.
"Please tell me you're headed to China." I pulled off my tennis shoes and let out a short puff of air.
He laughed. "No, why – are you?"
"No, but I'm thinking it might be more safe if I did. I've embarrassed myself ten times already this morning." I moved back to let Casey put her stuff on the moving belt as she leaned around me.
"Her name is Vivian. It's nice to meet you. I'm Casey." My best friend extended her hand to the handsome businessman.
"I'm Easton. Nice to meet you both." His eyes remained on my face, but moved around as if he were searching for something.
"Hurry up, Sir,” the security lady barked toward us.
"Right. Well, have a safe flight. Nice to bump into you." He turned, moving through the scanners as I memorized the curve of his rear in his slacks.
Casey pressed her shoulder against mine and whispered, "Wow. He's fucking hot."
"Right? Too bad he's not going where we are." I moved into place to walk through the scanner as well, my thoughts moving through the embarrassment of the last five minutes. Why did I always end up the ass in most situations? If luck was a real thing, I seriously had no doubt that mine hated me completely.
"Alright. Let's go." Casey moved up beside me, hopping on one foot as she worked to get her shoe on the other one.
I glanced at the clock and let out an exasperated sigh as I grabbed my bag and lugged it back over my s
houlder. "Time to run. Just don't trip, and make sure I don't plow into any more models."
We started to jog toward the gate as Casey spoke through short pants. "You think he was a model? I'd say a young billionaire."
"Why a Richie Rich? Just one of your many fantasies?" I asked.
"He was wearing a Rolex, Viv. The boy had money, and lots of it." She nodded toward the gate. "Almost there. Home stretch."
We glanced up at the gate as we approached and realized that it wasn't the right one.
"You've got to be kidding me." I moved over to check the schedule on another TV monitor and growled. "It's six gates down to our left. Move it. Fast."
She turned and jetted toward the new gate as I followed on her heels, being careful not to accidentally clip her sandal and have her tripping yet again that day.
I stopped in front of our new gate as the flight attendant moved to shut the door, calling out louder than I thought. "Wait. Please. We're on this flight. Just running late."
She turned and gave us a scathing look, but accepted our tickets and let us walk down the boarding terminal. For a trip I didn't want anything to do with, I was surely putting a lot of effort into it.
"Which seat do you have?" Casey leaned around me as we walked onto the plane. "I'm in 3B."
"I have 5A. It's a window, which is perfect. Nap time here I come." I moved down the plane and stopped at 3B. "Here you go. I'll see you when we get there."
"Alright." Casey gave me a look as I glanced over my shoulder. The old man who was sitting in 3A was already snoring and the flight hadn't even taken off yet.
I chuckled as I approached my seat, but my smile slid from my face as I realized who my seatmate was – the sexy guy from security.
"You have to be kidding me," I mumbled as I stopped at the seat and smiled down at him. "I'm in there by the window."
He laughed, the sound of it wrapping around me and infusing warmth deep inside of me. "Wow. It looks like it must be my lucky day."
"You could say that," I said and slid into the seat, trying hard not to notice just how incredible his cologne smelled.
Good thing it was his luck we were resting on.
Mine was a joke, obviously.
Chapter 4
Easton
I stood and moved into the aisle, honestly not sure what to think about the pretty redhead that had not only run me over at security, but now seemed to be rather put off by having to sit beside me for the flight to Miami.
She smelled like vanilla and flowers, and I couldn't help but breathe in softly as she moved past me and dropped down in the chair closest to the window. Her jeans were tight, her sweater pretty, and fitted as well. She could easily be on the cover of any glamour magazine in the grocery stores, but something told me that she wasn't at all aware of her looks.
She let out a heavy sigh and glanced over at me as I buckled my seatbelt. "I'm sorry again. I swear I should just be locked up. I haven't done anything right lately."
I gave her a smile and shrugged. "It's not every day a beautiful woman plows into me, Vivian. I'm not sorry at all. Now this... did you plan this?"
I chuckled at the look on her face. Her pretty, blue eyes went wide and her alabaster cheeks colored pink as if she was two steps beyond embarrassed.
"What? No, never. I'm as shocked as you are about ending up here together. What are the odds that you would be going to Miami too? You are going to Miami, right?" She crossed her shapely legs, and I had to try hard to keep my attention on her beautiful face.
"I'm teasing you, and yes, I'm going to Miami." I leaned back in my chair and forced the smile off my face. It felt silly and childish there. "Are you going for vacation?"
I shouldn't have kept the conversation alive, but I couldn't help but want to know a little more about this strange woman who had shown up twice in my life in a matter of minutes.
"Yeah. I wish I weren't, but my friend–”
I cut in. "Casey?"
"Yes, she's my best friend. Has been all my life." She picked at her sweater as her voice softened.
"This a special occasion for her?" I let my eyes move across the soft curve of her cheek to her button nose, realizing quickly that she was exquisite. I wanted to tell her, but it seemed trite and rather creepy. She had a femininity to her that called to me.
I pulled back a little and wrapped my arms around myself, not at all understanding the need to dig into her slight frown. I wanted to know what put it there and why she was on a vacation that she wanted nothing to do with.
Was she in college or had she graduated? Was she adventurous or safe? Demanding or giving?
She glanced at me, and I couldn't help but smile again.
"What?" I asked.
"You don't look like the type of guy who would want to have a conversation on a plane with some unknown woman." Her expression softened as she scooted back in her seat.
"I don't? What kind of guy do I look like?" I lifted an eyebrow at her.
"The kind that has a dog. A puppy maybe? Travels a lot and hasn't found the right woman just yet, but whose mother is adamant about you continuing to try?"
Her words left me speechless for a minute. "How did you know all that? Now you're creeping me out."
She laughed and reached toward me, pulling a piece of dog hair from the jacket laid across my lap. "I love dogs, and it was a stretch on the puppy, but your jacket is covered in hair."
I glanced down and started to brush it away. "Oh, man. I must have left it out on the couch this morning. Eli's just figured out how to get up on the furniture."
"What kind of dog do you have?" She cupped her hands in her lap and watched me in a way that left my heart picking up speed.
I'd not wanted to ask a woman out for a while, but she was already pushing me toward wanting to spend at least an hour or so getting to know her better. Too bad I didn't have time, nor would it be appropriate.
"He's a Maltese. My mother breeds them, so I took the runt of the litter. He's a great pup." I picked up my phone to see text message after text message from my mother. "Let's see...no ring means I'm not married, or so you assumed, right?"
"Correct, and your mom's texted ten times." She nodded toward the phone smiling. "My mom's been far too busy lately to call like she used to. She's in a bit of a funk." She shrugged in a noncommittal way.
Funny how people often opened a subject that they really have no desire to dig into in the company of a stranger.
"I'm sorry to hear that. I could have my mom berate you. I'm the oldest, and my two younger brothers are completely shielded by me." I stopped myself from reaching out to touch her hand. She was perceptive and beautiful.
Score a few more points for her.
"It's alright. The air will clear soon, I guess." She turned to look out the window as the plane pulled back. The flight attendants were already seated, but the cute blonde with Vivian poked her head up above the seats and called out, catching my attention.
"Viv, you need gum. Catch." She threw it just before glancing over at me. "No freaking way."
I reached up and caught it as Viv moved to do the same. My elbow smacked into her shoulder and she let out a yelp.
"Oh, shit. I'm so sorry." I turned and pressed my hand to her shoulder, rubbing softly as concern filled me. "You okay? I just didn't want the gum to hit you, and damn if I didn't do it instead."
"It's okay." She carefully moved my hand off of her and rubbed it as she nodded to the gum. "Unwrap it for me?"
"Of course. I'm so sorry." I worked on the gum as she barked at Casey to sit down before they got thrown off the plane. A smile tugged at my lips as I pulled out a stick of gum and handed it to her. "Your ears pop too?"
"Like crazy." She rubbed her shoulder once more before taking the gum and giving me a weak smile. "Feel free to have a piece if you want."
"Thanks." I took a piece and shifted a little, wanting to study her. "Alright, so you got a few things about me from just looking at me. It's my turn now."
She chuckled. "Why did I just fill with dread?"
"No clue, but there is no reason for it." I pressed my fingers to my lips and watched her watch me. There was something almost too comfortable sitting between us as we sat in silence together. The plane lifted and she flinched and gripped her armrest, her little knuckles turning white.
"Don't say I'm scared of planes and my ears pop, either." She gave me a look, and I laughed abruptly, loving her sharp sense of humor.
"You're an art major. In your junior year of college, and you model on the side for money. You're the oldest of two or three kids and your favorite thing to do is sky dive. A total risk taker." I lifted my shoulders, half expecting her to laugh at me. Instead, tears brimmed her beautiful blue eyes. "Oh shit. What did I say?"
She lifted her sweater and pressed it to her eyes, sniffling a little.
I didn't know her well enough to reach out and touch her, pull her into a hug, or really offer any type of consolation, so I just sat in an awkward position waiting for her to tell me what I'd done wrong.
"Nothing," she whispered and pulled her sweater back down. She had to have been the cutest woman I'd ever seen in my life when she cried. Her thick bottom lip poked out as another stream of tears rolled down her flawless skin.
I reached out and brushed away the tears on her cheek closest to me, using the back of my fingers. "I'm sorry I upset you. We can just read magazines and ignore each other if you want."
She laughed through her tears. "It was really sweet."
"Oh." I relaxed and let out a tight breath. "I thought I'd hurt your feelings or offended you. You women are difficult, to say the least."
She laughed again. "Yeah, and I'm one of the worst, I'm sure. I was just thinking earlier that I wished I were a risk taker. I want to live again, to find myself again...to be beautiful."
Her rawness in front of me was a little overwhelming, and left not only my heart swelling, but also my body hardening rapidly. She was beautiful, and the fact that she wanted to be the woman I'd described was a little exhilarating.