by Cari Quinn
White’s brow furrowed. He opened his eyes. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“The plane ain’t gonna flip over or nothin’? You told us how to use the air masks, but they aren’t out.”
It was very, very hard not to laugh at how ridiculous White was being. And yet Madeline shook her head, her expression serious. “The plane won’t flip. And the masks will come out if they’re needed, but that isn’t likely.” She leaned forward in her seat, her tone so quiet there was no way anyone beside Tim and White could hear her. “Are you always afraid when you fly, Ian?”
Scowling, White shook his head. “I’m not scared. Just don’t wanna die.”
Damn, the kid was tough, but Madeline was right. His skin was cold to the touch, and he was shaking harder than the plane. How had Tim not noticed this before? With how often the team flew, one of the players being this messed up every time they were up in the air shouldn’t have gone unnoticed. Not that there was any way to avoid putting White on a plane, but if Tim had known, he would have made sure to either sit with the kid or put him next to one of the players he could trust to keep White calm.
Like Madeline was doing right now. “I’ll let you in on a little secret, darlin’. I used to be scared to death of flying.”
Tim’s lips quirked at the rookie’s amazed, “Really?” The way White’s mouth hung open made him look so young. Poor kid’s like twelve. Not literally, obviously, but at his age, Mom had still called Tim her baby.
“Really. I was a dancer, did competitions all over the place so I traveled a lot in my teens. Never made it through a single flight without praying that the plane wouldn’t go down. But after I retired from dancing, I realized I missed being able to see the world. So I became a flight attendant.”
“And you weren’t scared no more?”
“Oh, I was terrified. I didn’t want anyone to know, but I wasn’t sure how long I could hide it. During training they went through every horrible scenario you can think of and taught us how to handle all the things that could go wrong.” At a beep, Madeline undid her belt and stood. She continued even as she went to fetch the beverage cart. “By the time I was hired and went up the first time, I was prepared for just about anything.”
“Just about? The plane didn’t go down, did it?” White clamped his mouth shut, lips twisted like he knew he’d said something stupid. He took a deep breath. “I mean, people live, right?”
“Sometimes, but no, the plane didn’t go down. Water?” She held up the large bottle, then scooped some ice into a clear plastic cup and filled it at White’s nod. “I messed up the flight number and stuttered half of my safety instructions. Tangled up the elastic on the mask. Public speaking is much scarier than flying!”
For some reason, White seemed to find that hilarious. He choked on the water he’d swigged, forcing Tim to pound on his back to get him to stop coughing. A loud click click click sobered White up fast.
Before Tim could assure White it was nothing, Madeline had it covered. She leaned over Tim, her body heat spreading over him, the delicate floral scent of her perfume surrounding him, as she pointed out the window and winked at White. “It’s just ice. You’re not scared of that, are you, honey?”
Looking sheepish, White shook his head.
Before Madeline could move away, Tim touched the back of her hand. He didn’t say a thing, not wanting to embarrass White, but it meant a lot to him that she’d taken the time to ease his fears. He tried to express his gratitude with his eyes and a slight curving of his lips.
Her cheeks grew nice and rosy red. He could feel the heat from her skin as she leaned close to whisper in his ear. “You’re very welcome, Tim.”
* * *
What the hell is wrong with me? Madeline stared at herself in the mirror above the sink in the Miami airport bathroom. She’d changed out of her uniform quickly, as usual, for some reason never feeling clean after a few hours on a flight, but this time, she didn’t just feel fresher, but more…alive. And about as giddy as a teenage girl who’d finally earned a smile from the handsome high school quarterback.
She couldn’t help but laugh at herself. Through her years working as a flight attendant she’d met rock stars, actors, and plenty of athletes. None of them fazed her because each and every good-looking young man reminded her of her three younger brothers. Being twelve years older than the eldest, she’d had a hand in raising them and never could seem to put aside that motherly instinct. The wild antics of the rich and famous and not-quite-grown-up amused her, which was probably why she was chosen so often for chartered flights.
The boy, Ian White, hadn’t been any different. He was the same age as her second youngest brother, all tough and yet vulnerable, just like Jonathon. She looked over at the pillow she’d taken to fix for him, which brought on a vision of the boy’s coach.
Assistant coach. Tim Rowe. She’d never heard of him before she’d been assigned to the flight. A few of the player names were familiar, but she always took the time to memorize the names of passengers on smaller flights to give them more personal service. This was the first time she’d ever considered making it more “personal” than was appropriate.
After applying a bit of gloss to her lips to defend them against the dry winter air, Madeline shook off the lingering sensation of Tim being so close and picked up the pillow to tuck it under her arm while grabbing the handle of her suitcase with her free hand. She walked out of the bathroom, mentally going over all the reasons she should keep things with Tim professional.
We will be working with the team for a very long time. You don’t want things to get awkward.
Of course, there was no reason for things to be awkward. She was a grown woman, and if anything happened between them, she wouldn’t fool herself into thinking it would last.
He walked away without looking back. If he was interested, he’d have . . .
Have what? For all he knew, she’d been more interested in his brother.
Aren’t you?
There lay the real issue. Dean Richter possessed all the qualities she typically looked for in a man. Self-assured, power oozing off him in waves, his very presence telling her that, if he got her alone, she’d willingly surrender every ounce of her control. Most of the time that was exactly what she needed from a man. The knowledge that she could just let go.
Her cheeks were hot again and she stopped by a small vendor to buy a bottle of cold water. Yes, just recalling how she’d responded to Dean had her hormones dancing like a million little fireflies in the night. Who could resist a sexy older man who looked at you like he could already see you naked beneath him?
Dean could give her a night she’d never forget. Could satisfy all her darkest urges.
She took a few long gulps of water, letting it cool her down as she idly looked over the men in the crowd milling about the terminal. Before long, she realized she was looking for his face. Not Dean’s, but Tim’s. Softer eyes, a voice that held concern when he spoke to White, his expressions so easy to read. She hadn’t mistaken his interest in her. If he’d asked her to meet him, for coffee, for dinner, for… Ugh, she wasn’t making any sense. Honestly, she hadn’t had a man in her bed for way too long. Appropriate or not, she wouldn’t have said no to either man.
But Tim was the one she wanted to know. Maybe sex with him would be a bad idea after all. She liked him already. Things could get complicated.
“Hey! Madeline!” The masculine shout came from the line in front of Subway. It was White, and his boyish grin made her smile as he grabbed his bag of food and ran up to her. He shoved his shaggy brown hair off his forehead. “Sorry, ma’am. Just glad I didn’t miss you. Do you think it’ll take long to fix my pillow?” He shifted the strap of his large duffle bag on his shoulder, continuing before she could answer. “Not that I wanna rush you, but I can’t sleep good without it. I know it’s stupid. The tear ain’t that bad, so I could just take it—”
“It’s not stupid at all. And don’t you worry, I can
have it ready for you before the game’s done tonight.” She couldn’t help reaching out to pat his cheek as his grin widened. Damn, she missed her little brothers.
“Maybe you could meet up with Tim and he could make sure I get it?” White glanced over his shoulder and Madeline spotted a few of the other players, waiting in the distance. Tim wasn’t with them, but White lowered his voice as though afraid to be overheard. “Just don’t tell him I suggested it.”
“White!” The black-haired team captain, Callahan, shouted, leaving the group as though to come get White. “Hurry up!”
Without thinking, Madeline put her hand on White’s arm. “How do you suggest I meet up with him then?”
“You can…ah…” White scowled as if he was frustrated with himself for not thinking that far ahead. Then he scowled at Callahan as the other man joined them. “I can find my own way to the hotel, Captain. Chill out.”
Callahan’s lips thinned. He glanced over at Madeline. “The kid bothering you, miss?”
“Not at all. We were trying to figure out how I will meet with Tim to return the pillow once it’s all fixed up.” Madeline patted White’s forearm, smiling when his tense muscles relaxed under her hand. “I’ll get ahold of the team’s travel coordinator, Ian, and take it from there. No worries.”
With his lips softened and an amused light in his eyes, Callahan changed from hard and cold to dangerously attractive. Still too young for her, but her wariness of him faded away as he motioned toward the escalators. “Or you could follow us down to the bus and just ask Tim.”
Refusing would make it seem as though she was avoiding Tim, but by going to the bus, she might give him the wrong impression. Would he believe she only wanted to ask him about returning the pillow? What if he thought she was coming on to him?
Would that be so bad?
Yes. She preferred for men to make the first move. To get a feel for what they expected from her before she set herself up for disappointment.
“You don’t have to do it, ma’am. Really.” White stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and hunched his shoulders. “Stupid to go to all this trouble.”
“Enough of that, White. It ain’t no trouble, is it, miss?” Callahan curved his hand around the back of White’s neck in a rough, affectionate gesture that had White snorting and elbowing his captain in the ribs. The same hold would have frozen Madeline. She wet her lips with her tongue, missing Callahan’s next words. He chuckled, repeating himself. “Come on, he doesn’t bite. Not unless you ask real nice.”
The last thing she wanted was for this young man to think she was afraid to speak to Tim. But she was tempted to elbow Callahan herself when she nodded and he smirked. As they walked to the escalator, she gave him a sidelong look. “Didn’t your momma teach you it isn’t polite to speak to a lady that way?”
All the teasing, the friendliness, disappeared from Callahan’s expression. He glanced over at her. “No. But she wasn’t a lady herself.”
You really stepped in it there, genius. Madeline sighed as Callahan quickened his pace, noticing how the other players avoided him as though sensing his mood. White stayed close to her, taking her suitcase and his pillow when they reached the bus, offering to keep an eye on it while she went in.
The bus was huge, the seats larger than those on any bus she’d ever been on, but it was still a bus, with little space to move around. All the players either stayed outside or quickly sat to let her pass, making her feel very self-conscious as she made her way toward the back of the bus.
Tim, who’d been sitting at the edge of one of the last seats before the bathroom stall speaking to his brother, glanced over and stood quickly when he spotted her. His head hit the bottom of the luggage compartment. Hard.
“Fu—damn it! Ow!” Tim laughed at himself and rubbed his head as he moved closer to her. “I wasn’t expecting to see you again until we got back on the plane. Not that I didn’t want to, I—”
Dean snorted without looking up from the clipboard in his hands.
Usually, uncertainty in a man turned Madeline off. For some reason, it made Tim more approachable. She stopped worrying about how coming here looked and smiled at him. “Ian asked me if I could get his pillow back to him after the game tonight. We both agreed it would be easier if I met with you to return it.”
“The pillow…” He blinked. Nodded quickly. “Of course. We’re staying at the Marriott. I could meet you in the lobby—of course, White could meet you there himself.”
“Yes, he probably could.” Madeline decided to just go for it. She wanted to spend some time with Tim, away from his brother and the team. That he hadn’t taken over and asked her out didn’t change that. This would probably go nowhere, but she needed to see that for herself. So she went for blunt honesty. “I think he’s playing matchmaker, which is adorable. I couldn’t disappoint him.”
The skin around Tim’s eyes crinkled as he gave her a broad smile. “You do know he’s twenty-two, not twelve? And a big boy like that isn’t ‘adorable.’”
“Ha! I’ll have you know men don’t fully grow up until they hit their thirties. Most of your team is made up of children.”
“True.” Tim cocked his head slightly. “So you’re going out with me to make the boy happy?”
“I don’t know, Tim.” She grinned at him, having more fun just talking to Tim than she’d had on actual dates. “You haven’t asked me.”
Casually resting his hip on the arm of a seat, arms folded over his chest, Tim shrugged. “I said we could meet in the lobby.”
Something slapped a seat in the back of the bus. Dean made an irritated sound as Tim looked over at him. “You, brother, are an idiot. If you don’t ask her out for coffee, I will.”
Dean’s sharp tone made Madeline shiver. She could imagine him using that tone with her if he wasn’t pleased. Could see herself doing everything in her power to make sure he rarely had a reason to.
She’d been in the lifestyle for a few years, going to clubs in different cities, always sceneing with men more like Dean than Tim. There was no way she’d refuse if Dean asked her for coffee…or pretty much anything. He pushed all the right buttons by simply being in the same space as her.
Tim seemed to notice. He gave her a stiff smile. “He doesn’t say anything he doesn’t mean. He will take you.”
No mistaking his meaning. She frowned, irritated that Tim wasn’t making more of an effort. Even more irritated at herself for wanting him to. She took a deep breath. “I didn’t come here to see him. But I do think I’m wasting both our time. I’ll meet you in the lobby after the game. Good luck.”
Before she could turn her back on him, he put his hand on her arm. She went still. He spoke softly. “Wait.”
For several beats, she stood there, shaking with a strange mix of humiliation, frustration, and…anticipation. His grip on her arm was firm, not enough to hurt, but enough to keep her from walking away. She sensed something in him that she’d been missing before, a power that wasn’t quite as bold as his brother’s, but no less intense.
“I think I misunderstood—it doesn’t matter. Would you like to have coffee with me? Or we could go out for a beer.” He loosened his hold on her arm, but didn’t move it. “I’ll pick you up wherever you’re staying.” His lips twitched at the edges. “We’ll have to stop by the hotel to bring White his pillow though.”
“Naturally.” She wasn’t sure why it made her so happy that he’d finally stepped up, but it did. She turned to face him. “And I wouldn’t mind a beer actually. My treat if your boys win.”
“Hell no! I’ve made enough of a mess of this.” He lifted his hand, brushing his fingertips across her cheek, his gaze as soft and warm as his touch. “Let me show you I can be a gentleman.”
Dean covered a laugh with a cough.
Madeline ignored him. Which was so much easier now with Tim so close. All the Doms she’d been with were sure of themselves, took control of her easily, fulfilled her needs—and nothing more. She had
a feeling Tim could give her more, which was frightening and thrilling all at once. She hadn’t gone on a date in a very long time unless one was to count a few meetings with potential Tops. Having a beer with a man who clearly wasn’t trying to get in her pants as quickly as possible, who wasn’t interested in her submission, would be a nice change.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever met a ‘gentleman.’” Oh, that sounded lame. She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Forget I said that. Going out for beer would be nice.”
“Nice?” Tim slid his hand into her hair, moving forward until she was trapped between a seat and his body. His lips were so very close to hers, close enough to feel his breath on her flesh, his heat. “Nice sounds boring.”
She swallowed hard, waiting for him to kiss her. Knowing if he did she was a goner. “It does.”
“I promise not to bore you, Madeline.”
“Good.”
“I hope you enjoy the game.” He released her hair and took her hand. Bent down to press a kiss to the back of it. Smiled up at her when she stared at him. “The way you were looking at me, you were about to make me into a liar. You should go before I stop caring that this bus is about to get very crowded.”
Hell, she was going to need a very cold shower when she got to her hotel room. She quickly gave him her cell number and got off the bus. She knew she was blushing when a few of the boys grinned at her.
That had to have been the strangest way she’d ever been asked out on a date. To have had him simply come on to her would have been simpler, made her feel sexy, but she might have turned him down because he wasn’t a Dom. Somehow, he’d managed to make her forget that she needed that dominance from a man. She wasn’t thinking about doing a scene with him, but she did want to be near him. Wanted him to touch her, to feel his lips on hers.