by Lacey Wolfe
Oh shit; this was happening. She was going out with this hot man she knew nothing about. Lord help me. Please don’t be a mass serial killer. That would be just her luck.
She grabbed her clutch purse and swung the door open just as he was about to knock.
His gaze swept over her body, taking in every inch of her. “Gorgeous.”
Krista grinned, because the way he stared at her, she believed him. “Thank you.”
She closed the door behind her. As they walked to the limo, he placed a hand on her lower back. The skin-to-skin contact scorched her. She chewed on her bottom lip to stifle the moan she wanted to make.
The driver held the door open and they climbed inside the car, sliding on the leather upholstery. Once they were on the road, she stole a glance at him.
He sat with ease in the seat, his arms stretched out to his sides. “I can’t tell you how happy I am you’ve agreed to this date. I promise to show you a good time.”
“I’m sure it will be lovely.” Unless she ended up in pieces, in a plastic bag, in the middle of the ocean. Okay…chances were that wasn’t going to happen. She wasn’t getting the psycho-killer vibes from him. Then again, from history, it seemed that it was usually the attractive men who were the ones to be weary of.
Krista was surprised when the limo got off the interstate at an airport exit. There weren’t any good restaurants in that area. She was even more shocked when they arrived at the small airport.
“What’s going on?” Panic began to set in s she gripped the edge of her seat.
He cocked an eyebrow and grinned. “I’m taking you to dinner.”
The limo stopped in front of a gate. “Where?”
“To my favorite place.”
She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. “I can’t leave town. I’m sorry. Truly I am. You’ve gone to a lot of trouble, but I must tell you, I have a—”
He placed a finger over her lips. “We aren’t leaving town. We’re having dinner in the sky. I have my own jet.”
“Wait a minute. We’re having dinner on your jet up in the air?” That was technically leaving town though, right?
Neil nodded with an amused grin.
Krista stared at him. She’d never had dinner on a plane—unless you counted a pack of peanuts.
A moment later, the gate opened and the limo drove through. Once the vehicle stopped, Neil opened the door and climbed out. After straightening his suit jacket, he extended his hand. She took it and stepped out on the pavement. She stared at the plane. Oh God, she was in over her head—big time.
“If you’re not comfortable with this, I understand. We can go elsewhere.” He appeared sincere, but he’d obviously put much effort into this date. She couldn’t wait to tell Jamie.
She shook her head. “It’s fine.”
“Good.”
It was only last night—not even twenty-four hours—that she’d met this man, and now he was leading her toward security before they would board his private jet. Had she somehow fallen into a fairy tale?
* * *
They were safely in the air. Krista was buckled in the seat next to Neil. Her knuckles were almost white from how tight she gripped the armrests. The seatbelt light was off. Right about now, she needed a glass of wine to help ease her nervousness.
Neil hadn’t intended to scare her, only impress her. “You’re free to roam around. I’ll be right back.”
He unbuckled, stood, and went toward the beverage area. He had one stewardess on board and she was most likely putting the finishing touches on dinner. He found the wine and poured two glasses. He then made his way back to Krista, noting she was still buckled.
“This might help.” Neil handed her the glass.
Krista took it and gulped it down.
“Want another?”
She wiped her mouth. “No. I probably shouldn’t.”
“I don’t mind. Really.” He handed his glass to her. “Have this one. I’ll go get another.”
A few minutes later, he returned to find Krista finally unbuckled. “Feeling better?” He took a sip from his glass, holding the bottle loosely in his other hand.
She nodded; her face appeared more relaxed. She was beautiful. Her curls looked like she’d spent hours on them and all he really wanted to do was run his fingers through it. “Yes, that second glass really helped.”
“You could’ve told me you were afraid of flying when we got here. I would have made other arrangements.” Though, he had kind of thrown this whole night on her.
“I’m not afraid of flying.”
He took a seat next to her. “Is it me?”
Krista’s gaze darted away. How silly of him. She wasn’t like the typical woman he took out. She was down to earth and completely out of her element.
“I apologize.”
Krista looked back at him. “Don’t be. It’s just…just…”
He rubbed her knee, needing to touch her. “I understand.”
“You do?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Yes. I kinda go after what I want at full force, as I mentioned, and I’ve done that to you and scared you, which wasn’t my attention. I wanted to take you out on a date and show you a really good time and hope that, perhaps when it was over, you’d like to see me again.”
“You have whisked me away. I feel like I’m in a dream or something. I’ve never had a date like this before and I do appreciate the effort.”
“But.” He could feel it. She didn’t want this.
“This isn’t my life and I can’t just drop everything and do this on a regular basis.”
Neil took her small hand between his, hoping to soothe her. “We don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with. If you’d like to end this date now, just tell me.”
He could feel her body relax and he was thankful.
She sighed as a small grin formed on her red lips. “No, no. You’ve gone to all this trouble. I’d like to continue it. I am enjoying it, really.”
Raising her hand to his mouth, he pressed a light kiss to it. “I’m glad. Dinner should be arriving any minute.”
* * *
Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Krista stared into the mirror in the tiny bathroom.
She had to go back out there. She’d already been in here much longer than a normal person would be. Oh God, what if he thought she was pooping? How embarrassing!
With one last glance in the mirror and a tug at her dress, she opened the door and left. As she exited the short hallway, she gasped. A table was set up with a beautiful white tablecloth on and several candles burning in the center. The food had arrived, and Neil smiled in her direction as he waited on her.
Damn it, someone pinch her and wake her up. How had she gotten here? Twenty-four hours ago she never would’ve imagined she’d be here tonight. But here she was. It was best to enjoy this evening, chances were as he got to know her better, he’d change his mind about her.
“I can’t take my eyes off of you,” Neil said from behind her chair as she sat down. Gently, he pushed her closer to the table before seating himself.
Her cheeks burned. She glanced at the food that was presented. It looked really tasty and her stomach growled.
“I hope chicken is okay. I had wanted to go with lamb, but wasn’t sure yet of your tastes.”
“I’ve never had lamb.” The thought of eating one didn’t appeal to her.
“Glad I made this decision.” He pulled his napkin from the table and placed it on his lap.
The stewardess appeared. “Is there anything else I can get you?”
Neil eyed Krista. Krista looked up at the woman. “Uh, I think I’m good.”
“Same here.”
The woman turned and walked away, returning to wherever she’d been hiding all this time.
Neil had something to him that she couldn’t pinpoint. He was older, yes, but the way he spoke, people simply responded. Oh crap, maybe he was a Dom. She’d hopped on the book craze recently with every
other woman and read a few of the popular BDSM books. But never in her life had she thought she’d encounter a man like the Doms she read about.
“Are you okay?” He took a sip of his wine.
“Are you…are you a Dom?”
Neil chuckled. “A what?”
Oh, she was embarrassed now. If her cheeks hadn’t been red before, they were now. She picked up her glass and took a big sip from it.
With an amused expression, he said, “No, I’m not a Dom. Why would you think that?”
“You just have this way about you and you’re in such control. I just thought…that maybe you were.”
“I assure you, I’m not. Though, you are correct. I do like to be in control. But when it comes to the bedroom, I don’t want to be in full control. I like to be touched as much as I like to touch.”
Thank God. Because if she got into the bedroom with him, she’d want to touch. It’d be absolute torture not to.
Silence ensued and the awkwardness began to set in. Grabbing her fork, she stabbed a green bean and slid it into her mouth. A sweet and tangy flavor hit her tongue.
She thought about asking him what he did for a living, but then wasn’t sure she wanted to know, not with the amount of money he had. She didn’t want to come across as a gold digger. Then again, he was the one pursuing her.
“Do you have kids?” she asked.
He cut into the chicken. “No.”
“How come?”
After he finished a bite of chicken, he set his fork down. “Never made the time for that. Now at my age, it’s out of the question.” He cocked an eyebrow. “Is that a problem?”
“No,” she lied, even though it was a problem. A very big one.
“It isn’t that I don’t like children. I haven’t met the right woman, and well, now at my age it’s sorta out of the question. I’d be in my sixties with a teenager.”
“I understand.”
Neil set his napkin on the table. “Would you like to dance?”
Dance? Now? “Aren’t we eating?”
“I think we’re more picking at it like birds.” He leaned closer. “To be honest, I need an excuse to be close to you. I want to feel your body in my hands.”
Krista took a moment to imagine it. They’d be intertwined; his hand would be on her bare back, right above her ass. He’d probably rub his hand up and down her spine, and it would send chills. She was turned on just thinking about it. But he had a point, she wasn’t going eat each much. Her nerves were on the high end.
“Sure,” she answered.
From his phone, he did something and soft music started to play. Neil stood and offered his hand to her. He led her to the middle of the plane and pulled her into his embrace. Both of his hands settled on her waist, and hers laced around his neck.
It felt right. Like she was where she was supposed to be. She stared up into his eyes and wondered if he tried to kiss her, would she let him? The feel of his lips on hers. Ugh, she was falling in much too deep. But how could she not? An older—and obviously rich man—had her on his private jet for a date. This didn’t happen every day.
She might as well enjoy it, because this could be the only time this happened.
“You feel so right in my arms,” he whispered against her cheek.
Krista nodded, knowing she couldn’t form any words.
She laid her head on his shoulder and almost moaned out loud when one of his fingers traced her spine.
“It’s taking every ounce of my control to not kiss you right now, Krista.”
It was taking everything in her not to shove him down on this floor and have sex. If his hand even went inside of her dress, she’d throw all inhibitions out the door and get down and dirty with this man.
The plane jerked and she clutched his shoulder. “What was that?”
“Just turbulence.”
But then it jerked again, and she almost lost footing.
The pilot’s voice sounded over the intercom. “Mr. Clark, we are hitting some extreme weather conditions. You and your companion may wish to take your seats and buckle your seatbelts.”
Oh my God! We’re going to crash! The plane jerked again and Krista practically sprinted to her seat to buckle.
“It’s okay.” Neil squeezed her hand.
The stewardess retuned. “I apologize. We’ve hit a thunderstorm. Would you like us to land as soon as we can?”
Neil glanced at Krista, then back at the stewardess and nodded. Krista let out a sigh of relief. She couldn’t wait to firmly plant her feet back on the ground and get home to EJ.
Krista sipped her morning coffee. She’d tossed and turned all night. Once the plane was back on the ground, they’d taken the limo straight back here. The storm had been her wake-up call.
Neil had walked her to the door and left with only a kiss to her cheek. All night she did her best to find the peace of sleep, but it hadn’t come. She hated to admit it, but she really liked the guy. It would never work, and she wasn’t the type of girl who played. She needed something serious and real.
Setting the mug down on the table, she propped her head on her hand and sighed. What fun it would be to be whisked away by a rich man to all sorts of places for dinner. They could easily head to Paris for a day and spend the next in China. It would be a thrill in life, until he got bored of her and moved on to impress the next woman. And she’d be left broken hearted. However, that type of life didn’t fit into hers.
Krista wasn’t sure if she’d hear from Neil again. When he’d left, he hadn’t mentioned calling on her. Perhaps her little freak-out on the plane chased him off and he realized what a loser she was.
The front door opened and shut. Jamie and EJ must have arrived. She pushed back in her chair and stood. She watched from the kitchen doorway as they kicked their shoes off in the foyer. Jamie smiled at her and as soon as EJ had his shoes off, he turned and ran toward her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
“I missed you, Mom!”
Squeezing him back, she said, “I missed you too.”
“I had so much fun with Ms. Jamie though. She let me stay up late and play video games.”
It warmed her heart to have such a good and dependable friend who loved her son almost as much as her. “She did. Well, that’s awesome.”
“Oh, yeah. It totally was.” He released Krista and turned to Jamie. “Can I have the Legos you bought me?”
Jamie handed him the bag. “Sure thing.”
EJ removed the box, discarding the bag on the floor. “I’m going to go to my room and do these, okay?”
She picked up the bag. Usually she’d scold him for the mess, but not this time. “Sounds good.”
As soon as EJ was out of sight, Jamie grabbed Krista’s hand and led her back to the kitchen.
“Dish.” She made herself at home—like usual—and got a coffee cup out of the cabinet and a few moments later joined Krista at the table, steam rising from the mug.
Where to begin? Her friend would never believe the date she’d had. “Last night was something. Dinner was on a private jet in the sky.”
Jamie’s mouth dropped open. For once, her friend was speechless.
Rubbing her nails along the table, she continued, “We talk and danced, but then a storm hit and I panicked. He brought me home and that was it.”
“Did you kiss? Are you going out again?” her friend questioned. “Can I add that I’m jealous?”
Krista giggled. She wanted to kiss him while on the plane. It would’ve been romantic the way the candles lit the room. “No, we didn’t kiss. I don’t know if we’ll go out again or not. His life and mine are so different.” She paused and scrunched her nose. “And he doesn’t want kids.”
Jamie moaned as she set her cup down. “Did you tell him about EJ?”
“No. Once he said he was too old for kids, I kinda dropped it. But come on, that’s a deal breaker. I have EJ and that isn’t changing.”
She ran her finger around the rim of her mug. “Maybe he
just doesn’t want his own, but wouldn’t mind that you do.”
Krista sipped her coffee. They way Neil had made it sound, to her at least, was a child in anyway was out of the picture for him. “You’re getting ahead of this anyway. No one mentioned marriage. Besides, I can’t be going on these extravagant dates. I have EJ.”
“And the bestest friend ever who loves to babysit.”
Krista would be lost with the help Jamie provided. “I know, but I don’t want a broken heart.”
Jamie lifted her mug to the edge of her lips. “How do you know it’ll be broken?”
He’s a rich bachelor, for starters. “Let’s be serious. It isn’t going anywhere. I’m sure he’s a great man, but if he’s going to the type of club we went to the other night, then he isn’t looking to settle down. And I’d like to.”
“I see your point.” Jamie set her mug down. “Too bad I don’t get to live vicariously through you.”
“Too bad.” Krista smiled.
She stood to refill her coffee when she heard the sound of a car door upfront. Her ex and EJ’s father had mentioned stopping by, but it was awfully early. She set her cup down on the counter and went to the front. A van was parked in her driveway. She peered out until finally a man appeared carrying a large vase of flowers.
Flowers? She opened the door.
A tall man in a white uniform stood straight. “I have a delivery for a Krista Michaels.”
“That’s me.”
“Here you go.” He handed the large vase of assorted flowers to her. “Have a wonderful day.”
She turned, went back inside, and kicked the door shut.
EJ greeted her with wide eyes. “Whoa. Who are those for?”
“Me.” She set the vase down on the end table by the couch and removed the card, eager to see who sent them.
Krista,
I had a lovely time last night. I hope to do it again real soon, on land this time of course.
-Neil
She put the card back in its place with the colorful flower arrangement. Jamie was by her side, her eyes lit up.
“I don’t want to hear a word about it.” Krista brushed past her, her cheeks flushed and heart beating fast. She was in over her head.