by A. D. Ellis
I smiled sleepily and inserted the bud in my ear. Switching the songs to soft water sounds, Adam adjusted the volume and we settled in.
Luckily, Adam had thought to set an alarm on his phone. I was more tired than I thought, and may have slept for another hour or so, but Adam jostled me awake two hours later.
“Who would have thought I could sleep so well on an airport floor?” I mused.
“I’d like to think it had to do with your sleeping partner.” Adam winked as he helped me gather up our belongings.
As I stretched and moaned, trying to release a kink from my neck from sleeping on the floor, Adam moved behind me, placing his warm hands on my neck and massaging the soreness out of my muscles. His strength and gentleness played along my back, taking turns kneading the knots from my neck and shoulders. I trembled and moaned as his touch continued to work me over.
“Mmmm, I’d love to finish this later. Naked in our bed.” Adam’s hot words against my ear sent a tingle through my body.
“I think we can make that work.” I moved from his touch, trying to repress the desire Adam had lit with his massage.
We situated our bags and stood for a moment to clear our sleepy minds.
“Yuck, I wish I could brush my teeth and wash my face,” I groused. “I feel gross.”
Adam glanced around the area and nodded toward the restroom sign. “We can use the restroom. We’ve got our toothbrushes in our bags.”
Making our way to the restroom, I gasped as Adam quickly pulled me into the single “family” restroom.
“More privacy.” Adam shrugged.
Using the restroom and brushing our teeth, we let the water run until warm and splashed our faces to help us feel a bit fresher.
Once our bags were packed again, I had a devilish thought. Biting my lip to keep the smile from my face, I cut Adam off as he reached for the door.
He looked at me. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. It’s just, I thought we could use up some more of our time.” I wagged my brows as I spoke.
“Oh, really? That’s what you were thinking, huh?” Adam laughed as he dropped his bag and grabbed me around the waist. “I married a very smart man,” he whispered as he lowered his mouth to mine.
My body heated instantly. Whimpering softly against his lips, I rocked my hips into his. “We’ve still got a few hours before the plane arrives.” I swiped my tongue across his lips.
“Well, I’d hate to think we wasted perfectly good time,” Adam joked as his fingers easily worked the button of my jeans.
Gasping as he freed my hard length from my boxer briefs, I worked at top speed to undo his jeans, as well. Hefting his heat in my hand, I thumbed over his slit, rubbing at the bead of moisture.
I shucked off my shirt, jeans, and boxers, tossing them on top of my bag while Adam did the same and dug in his own bag for a condom.
“I know we don’t need it, but with no way to shower and clean up before the flight, it’s probably easier to use it this time.” He shrugged as he rolled the condom down his length.
Not caring one way or another, I nodded and linked my arms around his neck. Loving the strength of his arms as he picked me up, I wrapped my legs around his waist and shivered when my bare back hit the restroom’s cool tile wall.
I knew lube was packed in a side compartment of my bag, but by that point, I was too needy. Spit would suffice for the time being.
Holding myself around Adam, but relaxing enough to allow him inside, was difficult.
“I’ve got you, babe. Just lean against the wall,” Adam whispered against my ear as he slid deep.
What I expected to be a wild and frenzied coupling turned into a long, slow and sensual moment as Adam repeatedly thrust into my body in a gentle rhythm.
“Touch yourself,” he ordered.
The bossy tone of his words was all I needed. Fisting myself in my hand, I pumped to match his thrusts.
When Adam grunted and pressed himself deeply into me, I couldn’t help but become mesmerized by the look of pure ecstasy on his face. Feeling him pulse in my body, I lost myself.
“God, that was amazing,” Adam groaned as we both caught our breath.
“Agreed,” I panted. “But, my legs aren’t going to be functional if I don’t unlock them soon.” I laughed against his neck.
“I’m just glad I didn’t throw my back out,” Adam laughed as he pulled out gently and helped me regain my footing. Disposing of the condom, he ran the water and gathered paper towels for the two of us.
Once we were cleaned up, dressed, and presentable again, we glanced sheepishly at the door. Blushing, I grimaced a bit. “Sure hope the concourse is still relatively empty.”
“I’ll walk out first. I’ll text you if it’s crowded.” Adam made the decision.
I couldn’t help but smile as my man protected me.
Adam opened the door and stopped dead in his tracks.
I peeked over his shoulder to see a maintenance person with a cleaning cart waiting patiently.
Adam reached for my hand and we walked out of the restroom together.
Clearly there was nothing to be said without sounding completely guilty or awkward, so Adam and I just nodded at the man.
The maintenance worker grunted and shook his head. “Never know what’s going to come out of locked restroom doors. Wouldn’t believe the stories I’ve got.” He shuffled his cart into the restroom and whistled while he began to clean.
Adam and I darted from the area, biting back our laughter until we reached our gate. Once we sat down near charging ports and our eyes met, we could no longer contain the laughter. We didn’t care about the other passengers waiting at the gate, we laughed until tears streamed down our cheeks.
“At least we gave him another good story,” I said.
“I’m sure we’re one of the more normal things he’s seen in the restrooms,” Adam assured me.
We plugged in our phones and pulled up a movie Adam had previously downloaded. Sharing earbuds again, we spent the next hour watching the film while we waited for our plane to arrive.
We loaded the plane nearly twelve hours after our original departure time, but we were in the air quickly. I sighed deeply when Adam took my hand, and I got cozy for the next leg of our journey.
I couldn’t complain about being stuck in the airport for almost twelve hours. The time we’d spent together had only cemented our relationship and reminded me a million times over why I loved my husband. Staying devoted would never be a hardship.
Chapter 7
Adam
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are scheduled to land at JFK within the next half hour.” The captain’s voice crackled through the plane’s speakers. “Those of you who checked luggage can make your way to Baggage Claim to retrieve your belongings. On behalf of the entire crew, we’d like to thank you for flying with us this evening, and we apologize for the inconvenience of the delayed flight.”
Very few of the original passengers had decided to wait around on the later flight, so those of us who chose to wait were rewarded and compensated.
Kyle snuggled against my shoulder, “I hate that we’re so late getting in, but flying first-class and getting a free drink was nice.”
I smiled. “It was. Just don’t get used to first-class.” I nudged his shoulder with mine.
“I’m not sure I’m the world traveling type.” Kyle sat up, stretching his shoulders. “I mean, I like taking trips, but the packing and waiting and all of that really wears a person out. So, coach seats are fine for the few trips we may take.”
“I don’t know. I think it would be great to head overseas for a while. But, you’re right, the long flights and layovers are definitely tiring.” I ran a hand along his neck, kneading at his tight muscles. “A trip to California is a must though. I want to be there long enough to do San Diego, San Francisco, and head up to the northern part of the state.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Kyle agreed. “Let’s plan on our f
irst anniversary trip being to California.” He laid a hand on my leg and dropped his head on my shoulder again.
“Definitely.” I smiled as I kissed the top of his head.
“Ladies and gentlemen, as a reminder, the Captain has asked that you return your seats to the upright position and stow away your tray tables. The fasten seat belt sign is on, so please refrain from moving about the cabin. We should be landing shortly.” The flight attendant’s soothing and friendly voice flowed through the speakers.
Kyle and I watched as the plane continued to descend on its way to JFK. The lights of the city were brilliant as we flew overhead. Within several moments, the plane had positioned itself for landing, and we soon felt the bouncing and bumping of the plane’s tires as we touched down.
When it was safe to move from our seats, Kyle and I stood and claimed our carry-on bags from the overhead storage before heading down the aisle toward the front exit of the plane.
Walking hand-in-hand with Kyle as we entered the airport, I smiled at the prospect of the days before us. I looked forward to celebrating a new year and our new beginning while experiencing the city with the love of my life by my side.
~*~*~*~
“I’m deeply sorry, Mr. Matthews, it seems that the power outage deleted your reservation.” The hotel manager was obviously stressed about the screw up. “From what I can tell, your reservation was removed when the computer system came back on because you hadn’t checked in yet.” The man wrung his hands together before furiously clicking away on the keys of the computer in front of him.
Kyle’s weary head dropped to the counter as his carry-on bag landed on the ground with a thud. Wrapping an arm around him, I pulled him close and whispered, “Hey, it’s okay. We’ll get it figured out.”
The bob of the manager’s Adam’s apple and the twitch of his jaw did not bode well for the news he had to give us. He cleared his throat and I braced for his words.
“Thanks to the power outage and glitch, we not only don’t have your reserved room, there are absolutely zero rooms available tonight or through the weekend due to the holiday celebrations,” he squeaked out, visibly preparing for the tongue-lashing he expected to get.
But, Kyle just chuckled weakly. “Is there any way you could call other hotels and find us a room?”
The manager nodded. “Most definitely, but I will warn you that it’s likely to be the same outcome because of New Year’s.”
I took Kyle’s hand, picked up his bag along with mine, and led him to the foyer couches while the manager punched in numbers and feverishly attempted to find us another room.
“I’m so sorry about all of this.” Kyle sighed as we sank to the plush couch.
“Babe, you have nothing to be sorry about.” I put my arm around him and hugged him to my side. “The delay wasn’t your fault, the power outage wasn’t your fault, the computer glitch wasn’t your fault. No one is to blame here. It’s just a handful of really sucky situations completely out of our control.”
Kyle nodded, his eyes filling with tears. “I’m just tired and cranky. I was looking forward to a soft bed, curling up in your arms, and sleeping off the jetlag.”
“We’ll get a room, take a hot shower, and sleep off this whole crappy day. Okay?” I jostled him, trying to liven him up. “Let me see what the manager has to say.”
I spent the next half hour checking in with the hotel manager to see if he’d found us a room. Finally, the man hung his head dejectedly.
“Sir, I’m so very sorry. There’s not a hotel within a twenty-five mile radius that has a room available.”
“There’s not a single room? Nothing at all?” I felt my shoulders slump and my heart plummet.
He shook his head sadly. “No, even the lower scale places are booked. The only types of rooms you could possibly find this weekend are definitely not the type of establishments you and your husband would want to be associated with.”
“What type of establishments are you talking about? I mean, if they have a bed and a shower, we’ll take it.” I knew I needed to get Kyle to a room and in a bed before he collapsed.
“Mr. Jeffries, I’m going to be very frank with you. The only available rooms will come with a bed and a shower, but also with roaches, bodily fluids, and discarded syringes. These are pay-by-the-hour type places.”
“Then what exactly are we supposed to do? We’re stuck in New York City with nowhere to stay.” I was beginning to lose hope and feared Kyle’s reaction when I delivered the bad news.
“The hotel is prepared to refund your reservation, comp you a room anywhere we have locations in the United States, and pay for your transportation to the next nearest location where a hotel room is available for this weekend.”
While I appreciated the offer of fixing the screw-up to the best of his ability, I was at a loss as to how to proceed. “We’ll take your compensation and the transportation voucher, but let me talk to my husband about our options.” I nodded to the man. He seemed relieved I wasn’t going to yell at him. It was pointless to scream about something that couldn’t be changed. I wasn’t going to make a scene on my honeymoon.
“Please, let me take you to the staff lounge. You will be more comfortable there as you discuss your plans. There’s also coffee, soda, and water available. And, please, help yourself to the snacks.” The manager looked around nervously. “If all else fails, I could possibly allow you to sleep in the lounge, but it wouldn’t be the greatest accommodations.”
I shook my head. “Thanks for that, but I’d really rather not spend my New Year’s honeymoon in a staff lounge.”
~*~*~*~
Kyle cried into my shoulder when I told him the news. “What are we going to do? Should we try to get a flight back to Indiana?”
“Hell no. We are in New York City on New Year’s Eve weekend for our honeymoon. We are not going back to Indiana, and we are not sleeping on the floor.” I racked my brain for a solution as I spoke. I knew a few people in New York, but I wasn’t sure any of them were ones I could call and ask to sleep on their couch.
And then it hit me. Patrick Richardson. I was pretty sure he still lived in New York. Pat was in the “old friend” column of people I knew, but I was pretty sure neither of us would want to delve too deeply into the specifics of how we knew each other. I assumed Pat and his family were still shrouded in pasts and secrets and mystery, just like when I’d first met him. I’d never taken the time to question him much, not because I wasn’t curious about his family, his past, and his secrets, but because I had a strong suspicion he either could not or would not divulge the information.
“I have someone who might be able to help,” I said to Kyle as I pulled out my phone. “Pat Richardson is an old friend. I haven’t talked to him for a while. The last time I called him was when I had some design questions. Pat’s the best in the design field.” I scrolled through my phone to find Pat’s number. I could only hope he hadn’t changed his contact information.
“An ‘old friend.’” Kyle gave me a watery smile. “I’m not sure I’m up for meeting some guy who came before me.”
I chuckled as I pressed send to call Pat. “No, no, it was never anything like that. Truly just friends.”
“Like hang out and watch-the-game-type friends, or suck-each-other-off-type friends?” Kyle was getting crankier by the minute.
When the call went to Pat’s voicemail, I hung up. On one hand, I was glad to know it was still his number. On the other hand, I didn’t know what to do since he hadn’t answered the phone.
“Do I come across like the type who hangs out and watches the game?” I teased Kyle.
He pouted. “No. So does that mean…”
“No sucking ever took place. Nor did any kissing or touching or anything. Just someone from my past who I know I can call on occasion when I have questions about design.” I ran a hand over my face. “But, it appears he’s not…” I stopped as my phone rang.
It was Patrick.
“Hello? Pat?” I an
swered.
“Adam Jeffries. To what do I owe the honor?” Pat’s voice filled the line.
“We’ll my husband and I are in New York for our honeymoon. Our flight was delayed, the power went out at the hotel, and a computer glitch deleted our reservation. Do you have any suggestions on places we could stay? The hotel has called around and can’t find anything.”
“Damn, man.” Pat let out a whistle. “You couldn’t have picked a worse weekend to find a hotel. But, listen, Cy and I were on our way out to grab a late night coffee. Let us pick you up at the hotel. We’ll get coffee and figure something out.” Pat offered after only a moment’s hesitation.
I could hear a man’s voice talking in the background. A hand must have covered the phone because Pat’s answer was muffled, but soon he came back on the line.
Once I’d given him the name of the hotel, Pat assured us he’d be there in about twenty minutes.
The manager tripped all over himself to stow our bags. He assured us he’d be on duty for several more hours and would be happy to assist us in any way necessary when we returned.
Twenty minutes later, Pat texted me to let me know they were walking up to the hotel. We waited for them to enter the hotel; introductions indoors would be warmer than on the sidewalk.
“Pat, man, it’s good to see you. It’s been a long time.” I reached out a hand to shake Pat’s hand, but he pulled me into a hug.
“You look good.” He slapped me on the back as he turned to introduce his partner.
“Adam, this is Cy. Cy, this is my old friend, Adam.”
Cy stepped forward and shook my hand. “Welcome to New York. I’m sorry you guys are having such a string of bad luck.”
“Thanks.” I smiled wryly as I shook his hand. “Pat, Cy, this is my husband, Kyle.”
With introductions complete, we headed out the door and down the block to a coffee shop. Kyle insisted on paying for Pat and Cy’s drinks.