After Thought
Page 26
He let them into the main cabin. There was a two-seater, leather couch at the front of the aircraft, opposite the electric door they had just entered. They passed through the galley that contained a microwave and convection oven combination, a small refrigerator, an espresso machine, and a minibar. Beyond that were four spacious seats facing one another, two on one side of the aisle and two on the other, all with small laptops available for use. In the next section were two additional seats, facing each other on one side of the aisle, with a table between them set with a white tablecloth, formal place settings, a floral centerpiece, and a bottle of chilled wine. Across the aisle was a spacious couch. At the back of the airplane was a lavatory, sink, and changing area with a hard sliding door for privacy. Adam had never seen anything like it. He felt like he was in a dream.
They took a seat at the table and Mason presented them with steaming hot washcloths. Following Maddie’s lead, Adam took one, wiped his hands with it, and put it back on the tray. Mason opened the wine and poured them both a glass.
“Your meal will be out soon. Please let us know if you need anything at all.”
“Thank you, Mason,” said Maddie.
She looked at Adam, smiled, and raised her glass.
“To a safe flight home and great times ahead.”
They clinked their glasses. Adam took her free hand, leaned across the table, and kissed her gently on the lips.
“To great times ahead indeed.”
The meal was one of the best Adam had ever eaten. Being a self-proclaimed chef, he was impressed by the quality of the food that had been prepared in the small confines of the airplane.
The wine flowed freely as they enjoyed the meal and each other’s company in a relaxed and romantic environment for the first time in days. Adam’s head was spinning a little, perhaps a combination of the altitude and the wine. Maddie must have felt it too. She grinned at him mischievously and said, “I’m not a member of the ‘Mile-high Club,’ but I think I might want to be.”
He stopped mid-drink and put his glass down. In the next instant, they both ran to the changing area and closed the door. They kissed passionately, exploring each other’s bodies with their hands as they frantically removed their clothing. He kissed her mouth and neck while caressing her breasts and between her legs. She stroked his erect manhood. When they couldn’t refrain any longer, he spun her around, bent her over the sink, and entered her from behind. They both moaned in ecstasy as the pleasure built with their rhythmic movements until they both cried out in climax.
The captain’s voice came over the intercom. “Flight attendants, prepare for landing.”
They hastily cleaned up, got dressed, and took their seats side by side on the couch. Maddie leaned her head on his should and said, “We’re almost home.”
He smiled, kissed the top of her head, and said, “I love you, Maddie.”
She turned to face him, kissed him softly on the lips, and whispered against his lips, “I love you too, Adam.”
Chapter 52
Three months later, the crazy world of the KTP and peacekeepers, Refined Transcendent Power, and the events of New Mexico seemed a million lifetimes away to Adam as he belted out his favorite number in Night Fury’s first set at the Venus de Milo on Saturday night. The crowd was giving off a great vibe. Everyone was on their feet, crowding as close to the stage as they could. People were clapping, raising their hands, banging their heads, cheering, and singing along. Maddie and the regulars had staked their spots on the front row and were pressed up against the barrier, cheering them along.
The band members had given him and Maddie a bit of the cold shoulder when they had first returned, especially Zach, but they soon got over it, and rehearsals resumed as normal.
Adam was strutting back and forth on the stage, slapping people’s outstretched hands as he passed them. He winked and squeezed Maddie’s hand as he went by. She blew him a kiss. Strobe and laser lights bounced off the smoke in the air from the pyrotechnics. Adam was in his element.
As he was making his way back to center stage, he glanced at Maddie, as was his custom throughout his performances, and stopped in his tracks. Directly behind her, he saw two men who hadn’t been there before, one on each side of her. Maddie, who was getting into the performance, seemed unware of them. He blinked. He could have sworn that the man on the left looked like Ian, and the man on the right looked like…no, it couldn’t be… Paul? Then their images flickered, like his old TV screen had often done when the HDMI cable was loose. He rubbed his eyes. They must have been playing tricks on him. Maybe someone slipped something into his drink? Was he hallucinating?
Maddie looked at him questioningly, wondering why he had quit singing. It wasn’t like him to forget lyrics during performances. The band played on, covering for him. In the next instant, the song ended and the house lights dimmed to darkness. He lost sight of Maddie for a brief moment. When the house lights came back on, Adam’s eyes widened and his heart froze in terror. Maddie and the two men were gone.
THE END.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my dedicated beta readers:
Dalton
Jill
Cristy W.
Sandy
Holly
Alec Greg
Zeus
Rachael
Cristy F.
Gail
Thank you, Alyssa, for using your artistic abilities to create the logo for P. A. Crenshaw Books.
About the Author
Thank you for taking the time to read my debut novel, AFTER THOUGHT, book one in the AFTER THOUGHT series. I hope you have enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you liked this book, please take the time to leave a review and help other readers discover this book.
If you want to know when my next book will launch, please visit my website at www.pacrenshaw.com, where you can sign up for email updates and pre-launch news.
You can also find me via the web:
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/P-A-Crenshaw-104495121552669
Twitter:
twitter.com/pacrenshaw1
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/pacrenshawauthor/
P. A. Crenshaw was born and raised in a small town in New Mexico and now resides in South Carolina. An engineering manager by day, fiction writer by night, she is the proud mother of two amazing young adults and two mischievous kitties who enjoy walking on the keyboard while she is writing (the kitties, not the kids). When not writing, she can be found spending time with family and friends, reading, hiking, traveling, doing yoga, meditating, thinking positive thoughts, and expressing gratitude for life’s blessings. She is currently working on her next novel, AFTER DEATH, the irresistible sequel to AFTER THOUGHT.