by C. Shell
I grip the leather arm chair once more, wishing like hell they would hurry up. I won’t be able to relax until Kelly is on my plane, restrained in her seat, and we are thousands of feet up in the air. The last forty-eight hours seem so surreal. Even as I made phone calls late into the night and threw enough clout and money around to bring my plan to fruition, I had huge doubts that it would actually work. Kelly is so head-strong and feisty, I figured she would find a way to slip away from me.
Her determination is the best thing about her. She doesn’t even realize how strong she is. Pulling out my cell phone, I check my over my emails once more, making sure all our reservations and accommodations are in place. I can’t wait to see her face when she sees what I have in store for her.
Noticing a glint of light fast approaching from the distance, my thoughts calm. She’s here. I hit a button on the side of my chair, alerting Floyd, that he is needed. I want this to go as smoothly as possible. I know I am at the top of her shit list at the moment, and I have a bad feeling, I won’t get many more chances to make it up to her.
Hearing her soft voice outside, I stand and rake a nervous hand through my hair. I hate feeling this rattled. The last time I remember feeling this off kilter was just after my sixteenth birthday. I was at make-out cove, down by the river, with Missy Stevens. That night I became a man, losing my virginity, to what I thought was the love of my life. Four days later she broke up with me, and by summers end, she had bagged half the football team and was making her way onto the baseball players.
I learned a hard lesson that year that sex and love doesn’t always mix. I can count on one hand the number of people I know of who have been lucky enough to capture both. Most people settle for whatever they get in life. They give into lust and later hate themselves later for it. Until Kelly, I never thought I would ever be able to put those two feeling together again. Now that I have, I refuse to let it go.
She is mine!
For now and forever.
Chapter 10 - Kelly
As James parks the car, I stare out the window at the private jet, in complete awe. It’s beautiful and a lot larger than I expected it to be. Pushing down my ramped up nerves, I slide out of the car, and take a moment to let it all sink in.
I’ve never been on a private jet before. In fact, I never had the pleasure of flying anything, but Coach. Not that I am complaining. Since meeting Daemon, I’ve had a lot of new firsts in my life. First true orgasm, first time dancing at a major charity ball, first time to knock a client in the face with a door, and last but not least, first true heartbreak. Not even losing Gary could hold that honor.
Following James, and a man who introduces himself as Floyd, I walk up the small flight of steps and board the plane. My feet falter as I glance around at all the bells and whistles a personal jet has to offer. Everything is very pretty, yet intimidating at the same time. Plush, overly large, dark grey leather seats line the sides and down the main cabin floor, mahogany wood trim encases everything. There is a fully stocked wet bar built into the corner, and a state-of-the-art movie screen make-up the interior. In the back of the plane are two closed doors. I assume one is the bathroom, which could make the other, either a bedroom, or maybe a private office.
Standing casually beside one of the large reclining seats in the back of the plane, is the whole reason I am here. I swallow hard as my eyes rake down his exquisite form. No man should be that sexy wearing a casual pair of low hung jeans and a simple slate grey button down shirt. He wears casual, as good, if not better than he does a three piece suite.
Electricity crackles in the air. I had hoped I would be able to be near Daemon and stay unaffected by him, but my short, sharp intake of breaths are defying me. I lick my lips nervously, not sure if I can convince my legs to carry me the remaining distance needed to take a seat.
“Come here, Tulip,” Daemon commands.
My legs move without resistance, doing the one thing, I could not make them do. I feel like one of those mariachi dolls, my limbs connected by string, and Daemon being the master who brings me to life. Even his dominating words sound hypnotic.
I am so screwed!
Standing in front of him, I mess with my hair, trying to pull it forward to hide the flush staining my cheeks. If I can’t make it five minutes around him without embarrassing myself, how the hell am I going to make it a full two weeks?
Daemon arches a brow, clearly amused by my unease. “Take a seat, Kelly,” he says indicating to the lush chair next to his. I look at it before turning my attention to the other empty seats closer to the front of the plane. I want one of those seats. The ones farther away from Daemon and closer to James and the pilot. I need to find a distraction from him and having others around sounds like a safe choice at the moment.
“Sit,” Daemon snaps, obviously picking up on my internal fight or flight instinct that is kicking in.
Fighting against the butterflies doing havoc on my stomach, I do just that. I let out a pleased sigh as I sink into the supple leather. I never knew leather could feel this divine. This is a far cry from the rigid, rough cloth seats I normally get when flying coach.
Daemon slides into the seat beside me. Reaching over me, he begins working on the strap, pulling it around lap, and snapping me in. Despite myself, I smile. “I can do that myself,” I murmur in disbelief.
“I never said you couldn’t,” he retorts, tightening the strap a bit more. “Floyd is doing the last checks now and we will be taking off momentarily. As long as we don’t encounter any bad weather, we should arrive in Malaga, Spain within seventeen hours, and be at our villa in time for lunch. You can have the rest of the day to relax and get acclimated.”
“OK,” I draw out, surprised to hear we are going to the South of Spain and not Madrid. Curious, I ask about it. “Why not Madrid?”
His lazy smile takes my breath away. “Madrid is beautiful, but Marabella is majestic. The beaches are breathtaking and the villa we are staying at is completely private. I think you will approve of the boutiques and Old World craftsmanship of the furniture offered around there.
I blink in surprise. “You do know this trip is for you and not me right? I’m the hired help. Paid and bought for,” I add bluntly.
Ever since I witnessed Daemon handing over a check to Cherie this morning, paying for my time away from the office, I’ve been stewing, feeling more like a glorified prostitute, and less like a professional business woman. I’m not stupid. This trip is nothing but one big ruse. A way to keep me close and a chance for him to slip back into my life. The fact that he paid to make it all happen, instead of giving me time to adjust and decide on my own time whether or not I want to give him another chance, leaves me feeling defiant and bitchy.
Daemon moves so fast, it takes me a moment to comprehend what is happening. Gripping my chin tightly in his hand, he pulls my face within inches of his own. “Don’t you ever speak of yourself in that way again,” he growls low. “I paid for your expertise and your mind, not for your body.” He runs his thumb over my bottom lip. ”Just so we are clear, baby. Your body’s been mine since the moment you placed your achy feet in my hands at Sashas’ Charity function.”
His heavenly spicy scent consumes me. That familiar pull between us is there. His proximity is overwhelming. My thoughts swirl and my body clenches remembering the wonderful way his hands roamed over my body that night. He’s right. That night started it all.
Lost in memories, I jolt in my seat, feeling the plane hum to life. I grip my chair as we begin taxing down the runway. The plane is efficient and quiet. It is wasn’t for the pop in my ears, I wouldn’t have even realized we were already high up in the air.
Smiling my way, his dimples giving me a heart-stopping show. I can’t help but wonder if he knows the effect they have on me. Wouldn’t surprise me if he does. Not much ever seems to get by him.
“Have you eaten anything? Are you hungry?”
I feign surprise. “You mean you don’t know? I thought James wou
ld have kept you up-to-date on all those things. What I ate, where I went, who I saw, even how many sugars I put in my coffee. That is why you left him with me today, right?”
He flashes me a sideways glance and frowns at me. “Never. I wanted you two to have a chance to get to know each other before the trip. He will be a big part of your life while we are here. Like I said before, it can be dangerous for a woman to travel around the city by herself, and there will be times I will be tied up with work and cannot accompany you.” I settle back in the chair, listening to him speak. “Don’t take out your frustration on James. He means you no harm. He is only doing what I ask of him. “
“You seem to put a lot of trust in him.”
“He’s a good man. I would trust him with my life,” he says softly.
“I like him,” I smile. “He won me over the moment his face lit up while speaking about his wife. Any man that openly loves his wife, as much as he does, is a good man in my book.”
Daemon seems to relax with that. Squeezing my hand, he says, “You didn’t answer me before. Are you hungry?”
“A little,” I admit. “If you have some crackers or peanuts that would be great.”
I expect him to push a magical button that alerts a team of cooks and waitresses to begin scurrying around and preparing food, but he doesn’t do that. Instead he gets up, walks to the small kitchen in the back corner and begins searching through cabinets. I’m amazed and surprisingly excited to see him work his own magic. Ask any woman around, and I think she will agree, that a man cooking who can cook is quite the aphrodisiac.
From my seat, I can’t see what he is putting together, but from the wonderful smells filling the cabin, it’s safe to say I’m getting more than just crackers and peanuts. Folding my legs up under myself, I search out James. I find him sitting a few rows up from me, looking very content. Donning a pair of in-flight earplugs, he seems totally engrossed with an old western flick playing on the big movie screen. Tony’s has talked me into watching a few westerns with him in the past, and although I like their plots, I have never been able to really enjoy one. I’m more of a, Sex in the City, kind of girl.
“Here you go,” Daemons says, startling me, as he places a plate on the small table hooked to my seat. I lick my lips peering over the fresh fruit, chicken and rice, and my all-time favorite, a slice of chocolate cake.
“You did this? All by yourself?” I ask trying to mask my emotions. He could have made me burnt chicken and spoiled fruit, and I would still be smiling. I love a man that tries to put others needs in front of his own, and that is exactly what this food represents to me.
“It’s not a five star meal, but it’s edible. I’ve made so many meals for Trey growing up, that cooking became an outlet for me. I enjoy being able to make something wonderful out of just a few ingredients.”
Not trusting myself to speak, I pick up the fork and knife on the plate, and make work on the food. The first bite I take is pure heaven. I can make out a hint of basil and the chicken is so tender and juicy. Following it up with a bite of watermelon, I make several, “Mmm,” noises while nodding my approval.
“This is amazing, Daemon. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you like it,” he says, flashing me a smile that has my insides clenching.
I really don’t know how I am going hang onto to a once of self-control during this trip. He unravels me. I lick my lips to moisten them. Just being this close to him has me wanting to hump his leg like some rabid dog. I know it’s wrong. My body has turned into a complete rebel, demanding things that I swore I would not do. It refuses to get on board with this whole ‘being mad at Daemon thing’ I’ve got going on.
Since finding out about his and Cherie’s deal, I have tried to paint him as the ‘big bad wolf’ that will eat me if given the chance, but then he goes and does something sweet, like opening up about his past, and I am left once again questioning who he is, and why I keep saying ‘no’ to him.
Finishing my meal, I turn my attention onto the scrumptious chocolate cake that keeps calling my name. Just like everything else, it tastes divine. Licking the frosting off my fork, I bite back a happy groan. In my small circle of friends and family, my love of chocolate is legendary.
His warm laugh rolls over me. Reaching out a finger, he swipes the corner of my mouth, wiping off some chocolate icing that I missed. Bringing that same finger to his mouth, I gasp, watching as he dips it into his mouth and licks it clean.
Holy shit! I think I need a new dry pair of panties.
We stare at each other. The atmosphere around us is electric. He reaches out, grabbing a fistful of my locks, and brings his lips crashing down on my own. I open to him, allowing him better advantage to take whatever he wants. I’m so tired of fighting something I secretly yearn for. For now, for this moment, I resign myself to his pleasure and give him everything I have.
The kiss ends all too quickly. Once again my body is primed and ready to go, and Daemon is fleeing, leaving me achy and unsatisfied. I don’t understand his motive. I sure as hell don’t like it. My lips feel bruised and very well kissed.
Pulling himself upright, he reaches into the side of his seat. “Here,” he says handing me a remote. “I’ve got to go to the office and finish up some work. If you need anything push the red button,” he says indicating to a button on the remote. “It will send an alert my office. If you want to watch anything or get hungry again, ask James, and he will help you.”
“Thanks, but I think I can manage on my own,” I say rounding up my dishes to take them back to the kitchen.
“I know you can,” he retorts dryly. “Get used to being pampered. You’re my guest on this trip and as such you will be catered to.” Grabbing the dishes out of my hands, he abruptly turns and vanishes to the back of the plane.
My mouth hangs agape. His moods swing back and forth so fast they give me whiplash. Grumbling under my breath, I unfasten my belt and go in search for a blanket and pillow. After looking through several cabinets, near the front of the plane, I finally find them folded up on a chair near James.
Giving him a weak smile, I pull out what I need from the stack and head back to my chair. Raising the armchair between my seat and Daemons, I position my newly found pillow and blanket and stretch out on both seats. The pillow smells of Daemon. I bring it to my nose and inhale deeply, drinking in the spicy smell of his unique cologne.
What a day. If I wasn’t on a plane jetting off to, what I assume to be paradise, I wouldn’t believe it was all real. Staring up at the white ceiling, I re-play the day over in my head, wondering if there is anything I would change. Surprisingly, there isn’t. I think I played my cards well today, and although I would prefer to be headed to Spain with Sasha and Tony, I can’t help but be a little excited that Daemon is with me.
I really need to get my head checked!
Chapter 11
It’s been a whirlwind of activity since we landed. After being rushed through customs, we loaded up our bags into a beautiful, sleek, red convertible Porsche Daemon rented, and now we are traveling on to a private villa he has rented.
Ever since waking up on the plane, my mind has been stuck in a thick, all-consuming, fog. I must have been more tired than I realized, because I slept the entire trip, which is not a bad thing, but waking up with my head resting in Daemons lap was. I’m not sure exactly when he rejoined me. Instead of pushing me back onto my side of the seat, he repositioned me, and laid me across in his lap. I woke up to him stroking my hair. It felt nice. Too nice.
I also must have been in a deep sleep, because when I rose up, I instantly noticed a large wet spot on his jeans. I was mortified. I still can’t believe I drooled all over him. I don’t normally do that sort of thing. Instead of being mad or grossed out, he nonchalantly dabbed it with a towel, and asked how I was feeling. He might be okay with my spit covering his leg, but I’m still having a hard time looking his way without turning as red as a tomato.
With the wind whipping through my ha
ir, I lay my head back on the soft headrest, and stare out through my tinted glasses at the landscape passing us by. Spain is everything I thought it would be and more. The sea breeze tickles my senses are we edge closer to our destination. The water here is unbelievably clear and as blue as the cloudless sky above us. I’m definitely in paradise.
“A penny for your thoughts,” Daemon asks, stoking the backside of my hand. The small contact sends a chill up my arm.
“Just admiring the view,” I mumble, not daring to look his way. “Are we near the villa?”
“It’s around the next corner,” he murmurs. “I called ahead and had the chef prepare lunch for us. You need to eat.”
My stupid stubborn streak choses this moment to make a presence despite my obvious rumbling stomach. “I don’t need others going out of their way and doing things for me, Daemon. I am more than capable of cooking my own meal. This isn’t a vacation for two lovers. It’s a business trip. Nothing more. ”
“Never said you couldn’t take care of yourself, Tulip,” he growls low. “James and I would also like to eat, so do me a favor, and tuck your claws back in. I know damn well what this trip is about. I’m not trying to fight with you, but if you insist on having one, make sure you’re prepared to lose.”
I feel downright chastised. How could I only think about myself and not either of them? Of course they would want to eat also. I’ve got to stop being such a bitch and get relax. I bite at my bottom lip and try to sort out the internal conflict raging within me. I let out a long sigh and wonder when my last period was. It must be soon. That would definitely explain why my emotions are over the place. When in doubt, blame everything on your menstrual cycle.
I push my pride aside. I don’t want to make this two weeks feel longer then they really are, and tension between us, would definitely put a damper on everything. Time to put on my big girl panties and act like the mature, level-headed,girl I claim to be.