by Ava Alexia
“We’ve been cleared for take-off. Are you ready?” he asked.
“Absolutely. Proceed,” Whit said.
“Very good, sir. Please buckle up,” the co-pilot smiled. He returned to the cockpit.
Whit and Maddie buckled their seatbelts. Maddie looked out the window and felt the plane begin to move. She had always loved the take-off of an airplane. She eagerly anticipated the powerful surge from this mighty aircraft. Maddie relaxed her head against the supple leather of the seat and closed her eyes. The plane increased its speed until she felt it rise from the ground and soared into the limitless sky. Whit observed Maddie’s expression.
“You really like take-offs, don’t you?” he noted.
Maddie opened her glittering green eyes.
“Yes. It’s one of my all-time favorite things,” she grinned. “There’s nothing to compare to it.”
“I’ll have to take you on more trips,” he grinned.
Maddie smiled but said nothing. She liked the idea of her and Whit traveling together and hoped that his comment would come to pass. Although she had asserted that their relationship was only about sex, she had begun to hope for more. She felt that this trip would tell her if more were in the cards for them. They would be spending an inordinate amount of time together and how they fared would be telling. Was Whit feeling the tug from the strings of commitment? And was he succumbing or pulling against them? She was about to find out.
“How about some champagne to initiate our venture,” he suggested.
“Venture? This is a business trip, Whit,” Maddie said mildly.
“That doesn’t mean there will be no for pleasure. Business conducted on an exotic island is destined to find amusement. It would be unnatural if it didn’t,” he surmised.
He unbuckled his seat belt and moved to the galley.
“Is there something I can get for you, sir?” Danny asked.
“Champagne. And crumpets and scones, please,” Whit said.
“Right away,” Danny replied.
Whit returned to his seat to face a grinning Maddie.
“What?” Whit asked in bewilderment.
“Crumpets and scones? You are so British,” she chuckled.
“It happens to be a delicacy that I enjoy. It’s not my fault that the treats are associated with England,” Whit said affronted.
Maddie shrugged elegantly.
“No, of course not,” she mocked.
“I could make light of a few American fancies, you know. No picnic is worth its salt without the proverbial potato salad. All that dressing! Ugh!” he grimaced.
“You don’t like potato salad? How frightfully un-American,” she scoffed.
“Well, I am British,” he replied smugly.
“I’ll be sure to serve potato salad when I cook for you,” she teased.
“You’re going to cook for me?” Whit asked.
“Maybe,” she hedged.
Danny arrived with two champagne flutes and the ornate wine cooler. He set the cooler next to Whit then poured the bubbly wine; giving each a glass.
“Ah, Danny. Maddie said that she would cook for me. Now she’s trying to back out of it,” Whit said sorrowfully.
“A home-cooked meal can be hard to come by. I would hold her to it if I were you,” Danny grinned.
Maddie looked at Danny in feigned anger.
“Good advice, my man. I will employ it,” Whit said cheerily.
Danny laughed and moved away.
“Shall we toast to my future home-cooked meal prepared by the lovely Madison McClain?” he queried.
Maddie paused to consider his question. She deliberately withheld her answer to make him sweat.
“Come on, Maddie,” Whit encouraged.
She finally relented and lifted her glass.
“To the best meal you will ever taste,” she said.
He laughed.
“Cheers!” he exclaimed.
They clicked their glasses and drank deeply.
“Hmm! This is delicious,” she sighed.
“I’m glad you like it. Dom Perignon; the wine of roses. It’s one of my favorites,” he said.
“I loved the light fruit taste. And it has a definite kick. I’ll have to be careful and not drink too much of this,” she said.
“Drink your fill. You’re in good hands here,” he said casually.
“Are you trying to get me drunk?” she accused.
“Why would I do that?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Why else? To make me pliable and agreeable?” she suggested.
Whit leaned forward to whisper in her ear.
“I don’t need champagne to bend you to my will. A simple touch can do that,” he murmured.
Whit slid his forefinger between her thighs and along her crotch. Maddie gasped.
“Whit!”
“Point made,” he said confidently.
“Behave,” she warned.
“I’m just being me,” he shrugged. “Did you know there is a bedroom on board? It’s quite convenient when traveling long distances and I want to sleep. You may certainly make use of it.”
“A bedroom on a plane?” Maddie was astonished.
Whit stood up.
“Come. I’ll show you,” he offered.
He grasped her hand and pulled her out of her seat. They moved to the back of the plane where there were two doors. He gestured to one of them.
“The bathroom,” he explained. He then opened the other door. “And the bedroom.”
He allowed Maddie to enter. The room was larger than one might expect of a bedroom on a plane. It had a dresser, a small closet, a recliner and a king sized bed. There was also a door that led to a small bathroom. Maddie circled the room in wonder.
“This is amazing,” she exclaimed.
Whit closed and locked the door. He then moved to stand behind her and pulled her close against him.
“It’s a very long trip. You can take a nap if you like. Or you could become a member of the Mile High club,” he murmured.
He bent to kiss her neck. Maddie could feel his erection; insistent and throbbing.
“We can’t. What about Danny?” she whispered.
“Danny is a smart guy. He will know where we are and won’t disturb us,” he said.
“But will I be able to face him afterward?” she muttered.
“We are two consenting adults living in the twenty-first century. Besides, Danny has figured out that we are lovers. It’s not hard to tell,” he said.
“Great!” she muttered.
“I didn’t know we were hiding it,” he said.
“We’re not. Not really. I just haven’t spoken about it to anyone,” she returned.
“It’s not a big deal, Maddie. Let me make you forget all about Danny,” he said persuasively.
Maddie pulled away from him and turned to stare into his incredible blue eyes. She knew that she could deny him nothing when looking into those orbs. She lifted herself on her toes and looped her arms about his neck. She pulled his head down and kissed him. That was all Whit needed. He took the lead by picking her up and depositing her onto the huge bed. He came down upon her and caressed every inch of her.
“You can scream your head off and no one will hear. I made sure these walls were soundproof,” he grinned.
“That’s a very good thing,” she panted.
Maddie pulled his mouth back to hers and they began a wild dance among the clouds. In seconds Whit had removed her clothing and was nestled between her thighs enjoying the taste of her. Surprisingly Whit had never used this room for anything but sleeping. Few women had been aboard his plane and the ones who had were never invited to the bedroom, much to their chagrin. Whit realized that he’d been saving this moment for someone special and that woman was Maddie. He accepted that he had developed deep feelings for Madison, feelings he’d thought he would never have. But they were bigger than life and he had to admit that they scared him. They caused him want to do things to please her.
He would do almost anything to see that beautiful smile on Maddie’s face. And that in and of itself made him pause. He had never much cared about making someone else happy. He didn’t try to make anyone unhappy, but he simply didn’t care one way or the other. That indifference had changed the moment he’d met Maddie and he felt better for it.
“Whit, please!” she exclaimed.
Maddie was writhing in ecstasy and desire was racking her body. Whit moved over her and plunged into her. Whit pumped into her so vigorously that Maddie could have sworn that their sexual play was rocking the plane. Both he and Maddie reached their peak together in a climatic explosion. Maddie slowly descended to earth more satisfied than ever in her life. Maybe it had something to do with making love in the heavens that gave her such a feeling of exhilaration and then contentment. She wasn’t sure but she knew that it was something that she wanted to repeat. Maddie smiled as she finally allowed herself to face a very startling fact: she had fallen in love in Whitman Lampier. She probably started loving him when he remodeled her cubicle office. It was his sensitivity to her feelings of being kicked to the curb and his wanting to make her feel better about the situation. She was also drawn to him because of his passion for interior design. He hadn’t just bought a business and turned it over to someone to run. He had educated himself about design and become fully invested with its success. He was charming, savvy, intelligent and so very handsome. He was everything she wanted in a man and he was lying right next to her. How could she not fall in love with him? She turned into Whit’s embrace and cuddled with him.
“That was fantastic,” she murmured.
“Indeed it was. I can’t wait to love you again,” he whispered.
Love? Maddie’s heart began to race. She had to calm down and not get ahead of herself. Saying the word probably meant nothing to him, although she was surprised that he used it. Was love what he was feeling toward her? Or was his use of the word purely innocuous? She shouldn’t make something out of nothing. Let it go. It didn’t mean anything. She dismissed it and recalled a subject she’d been meaning to ask him.
“Whit, remember when you canceled our dinner date,” she said.
Whit tensed and Maddie felt his body stiffened. She wondered why.
“What about it?” he answered cautiously.
“You never explained why you canceled. What happened to cause you to break our plans?” she asked.
“Something came up. I needed to attend to it,” he said vaguely.
“That’s what you said then but it didn’t explain anything,” she murmured sleepily.
Maddie yawned and her eyes drifted shut. Whit sighed in relief. With any luck she would fall asleep and he wouldn’t have to answer her. He remained quiet. Soon Maddie was sleeping soundly. Whit eased himself from the bed and pulled on his pants. He stood by the window and looked out at the scattered clouds lazily floating by. Maddie was curious but hopefully she would forget about it. He frowned fiercely as he recalled the reason he had canceled with Maddie. Raquel had made it clear about her intentions should he not go along with her plans. He had ignored her calls and avoided seeing her the past week. She had no idea that he had left town and he had sworn Tina to confidentiality. No one else knew that he was going to Aruba. He needed time to sort things out. The best solution was to pay Howard the money back. But he just didn’t have four hundred million dollars lying around his house. He had to find a way to raise the money and not bust his company into shreds in the process.
Chapter 5
Raquel took another turn about her father’s study in his extravagant townhouse. She was restless and angry. Whit had ignored her calls and she hadn’t heard a peep out of him. Surely he was not foolish enough to think that she was bluffing. She did not bluff. Raquel stopped pacing long enough to pour herself a shot of Vodka. She downed it in one gulp then poured herself another. She swallowed it then slammed the glass onto the bar. She began pacing again. Howard Fleming sat in his favorite burgundy winged back chair by the long window and watched his daughter. He knew her moods so well and surmised that she was upset with Whit. Could it be that Whit had rejected her plans for them? Raquel had not told him about her wish to marry Whit but he knew Raquel. He could see from the beginning of their affair that Raquel wanted Whit for a husband. Oh, she pretended to go along with a casual, sex only friendship but he knew better. He could see her desire for him from the moment she laid eyes on him…..and he knew she was doomed for disappointment. He had even warned her of the outcome to no avail. But Raquel was stubborn, spoiled. She felt that she was entitled to whatever she wanted which was a problem because she wanted a man who didn’t want her. Whit was a seasoned bachelor who was comfortable with his lifestyle. He would not change for any woman….including Raquel. Raquel was now beginning to feel the pangs of disillusionment and it was not a pretty sight. He sat there quietly and sipped his cognac. It wouldn’t be long before Raquel sought his help. Raquel stopped pacing in the middle of the room and turned sharply to face her father.
“Father, I want you to encourage Whit that it would be in his best interest to marry me,” she said bluntly.
“What if that is not what he wants, Raquel?’ Howard asked mildly.
“I’m sure you can make him see the benefits complying,” Raquel retorted.
“Marriage is a life-long commitment. A man has to make that choice for himself,” Howard said.
“It is a choice that I want. Surely you would not deny me my heart’s desire,” Raquel said persuasively.
“It is not for me to grant your wish. Whit must do that himself. After all, he would be the one putting the ring on your finger,” Howard said.
Raquel was shocked by her father’s words. He had never refused her.
“You will not help me? How could you be so cruel, Father?” Raquel cried.
“I am not being cruel, Raquel. But it is time you faced the fact that marriage to Whit was never in the cards for you. It is best to let the affair die graciously,” Howard encouraged.
“It wasn’t just a fly by night affair. We have a relationship; a lasting relationship that should consummate in marriage. I will accept nothing less,” Raquel said angrily.
“Then you are destined to heartbreak my dear daughter. Whit does not want to marry you and I will not try to force his hand,” Howard replied.
“How dare you not help me? I am your only child. Who else puts up with your peculiar idiosyncrasies? Mother certainly doesn’t. She would rather live on the other side of the world than to deal with you. Either you aid me with this or you’ll never see me again,” Raquel shouted.
Howard stood and approached Raquel. He stopped a foot in front of her. She could smell the cognac on his breath.
“Remember, to whom you speak. Do not threaten me. For it will be you who shall suffer from your ill-spoken words,” Howard said sternly.
Raquel gasped and took a step back from him. She glared at him then ran from the room. Howard refilled his cognac glass then returned to his seat to gaze out the window at the New York traffic. He smiled slowly. Perhaps Raquel needed a reminder of who owed whom.
*****
Maddie observed the lovely passing scenery in awe. The open jeep sped along the sometimes uneven dirt road at a rapid pace. Maddie held tightly to the seat in front of her to remain rooted in place. At one pointed the jeep hit a rut in the road and Madison was propelled upward, hitting her head on the roof. Whit laughed hilariously at her outraged face but finally composed himself enough to ask of well-being. Maddie had to laugh as well and told him she was fine. But aside from the bumpy ride the view of the ocean was breathtaking.
“I can’t believe I’ll be living in this paradise for even a short period of time. It’s beauty is indescribable,” she said.
“The magnificence of this place astounds me every time I come,” Whit said.
“You’ve been here before?” Maddie asked.
“Yes. I’ve had the good fortune to visit several times. I so fell in love with it t
hat I bought a villa at the crown of the island. It is where we will be staying,” he announced.
“You’re kidding?’ she exclaimed.
“No. I am quite serious. Of course if you don’t like the accommodations we can make other arrangements,” he offered.
“No! I’m sure I’ll like the villa just fine. You are full of surprises,” she replied happily.
“I try,” he chuckled. “Anything to please you.”
Maddie tossed him a sassy smile.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she teased.
She had noticed that Whit was saying more and more things of that nature and she liked it. He was making her feel as though she was special and she was beginning to buy into it. His words seemed sincere and she wanted to believe him. She hadn’t seen anything to make her doubt him, so why not trust him. Trust. That was a big step. In doing so she was allowing herself to be vulnerable to him. But she couldn’t seem to halt what was happening nor did she want to. She wanted to see where their newfound relationship would lead. She had once said that this trip would be telling and so far it was living up to her prophecy. Soon they were traveling a smooth road that ascended uphill. They drove around a bend in the road and Maddie caught her breath. There at the top of the hill was the most magnificent home she had ever seen. The façade showed gleaming white in the brilliant sun with six columns perfectly staggered along the width of the house. The house was three stories with terraces attached to many of the upper rooms. Maddie thought the house could be a featured home straight out of the Home and Garden magazine.
“It’s beautiful,” she said in awe.
The jeep drove around the half-moon drive and stopped before the grand steps that led to the portico. The driver jumped out of the jeep to open Maddie’s door. She exited the truck and stared at the house in wonder. Whit jumped from the vehicle and slid his arm about her waist.
“Welcome to my home. Come. Let us go inside,” he said softly.
They ascended the wide steps and just as they reached the portico, the double doors opened. A black man stood in the doorway smiling broadly.