by Opal Carew
“Don’t worry. I don’t bite,” he murmured, a half smile curling his lips.
Tingles danced down her spine at the sight of that warm, sexy smile.
Ah, damn, she was overreacting. So she’d flirted a little. So had he. Anyway, when the plane landed, they’d go their separate ways. It wouldn’t matter in the least.
She returned his smile and slid into her seat, then held her breath, expecting to be overwhelmed by his masculine aura as he sat down, but instead of sitting beside her, he sat in the aisle seat, giving her a little space to breathe.
She raised an eyebrow.
“A friend of mine had to cancel at the last minute,” he said. “This was her seat. I thought you might like the extra space so you could stretch out.”
“Thanks.”
She fastened her seat belt and relaxed as people continued boarding the aircraft and settling into their seats. The handsome stranger didn’t mention anything about their interaction in the waiting area. Well, great. If he was willing to leave it alone, so was she.
After a few minutes, she began to feel uneasy. Would it be better to strike up a conversation and forge ahead rather than leave an awkward silence between them? Or would that just give him an opening to discuss it?
He glanced up and caught her gazing at him.
He smiled and held out his hand.
“Hi. My name’s J.M.”
“Oh, hi. I’m Kara.” She placed her hand in his. Goose bumps danced along her arm and down her back as he enveloped her hand in his bigger one. He squeezed a little, and hung on long enough that she was torn whether she wanted to pull her hand free or leave it in his warm embrace forever.
The pilot began his announcement and her handsome stranger—J.M.—released her hand. She watched the flight attendants give their safety spiel with their sample seat belt and oxygen masks. The aircraft jerked into motion and soon rolled along the taxiway to the runway. Snow swirled against the small aircraft windows. She felt her stomach flutter at the thought of flying through a blizzard.
“I guess we’ll have some rough weather ahead,” she said. “It’s a good thing they’re continuing to fly though. I’d hate it if they’d canceled the flight.”
“Don’t worry. They wouldn’t be taking off if they didn’t feel it was safe.”
She glanced at him and released her lower lip, not realizing she’d been tugging at it with her teeth.
“Of course.”
The engines roared. Her hands curled into fists in her lap. The plane was about to take off.
“If you take a deep breath, then release it slowly, it will relax you,” he said. “Do that several times during takeoff and it should help.”
Ordinarily, Kara would deny any nervousness about flying, but the warmth in his voice made her feel comfortable enough to admit the truth.
As the aircraft began to move forward, her entire body tensed. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. The aircraft picked up speed and she felt her pulse quicken, but she released the air from her lungs and drew in another deep breath.
“Think of the air filling your lungs as a beautiful white light filling you with calming energy,” he murmured beside her.
She tried to relax as she drew in another breath, but her jaw remained clenched and her muscles drawn tight. They sped faster down the runway, the plane jostling up and down as the wheels bounced along the concrete.
“Let the energy fill you. Body and soul. Calming you. You know you are totally safe.”
The warm sound of his voice soothed her. She willed her tightened muscles to release. She breathed out and drew in air again. Out and in again. Her body relaxed a little.
The jostling stopped as the aircraft lifted into the air. Her breath caught and her fingers tightened around the armrests.
His hand slid behind her, between the seat and her body, and flattened on her back, behind her heart. Heat emanated from his palm and fingers, seeping into her.
“Draw in another breath. Let the light fill you.”
She breathed in, allowing the comforting tone of his voice to soothe her. The heat from his hand calmed her. He continued to talk to her, encouraging her to breathe. Slowly, tension eased from her. Her muscles relaxed, her jaw unclenched. The breaths came easier now as the comforting heat from his hand filled her.
Finally, she opened her eyes. They were in the air and flying high. The worst was over.
She smiled at him. “Thank you. I usually get through it fine, but with the weather and all . . .”
He drew his hand away, along with the comforting heat, and she immediately missed it.
“You’re very good at that. Do you do that kind of thing for a living?”
“You mean, help beautiful women relax through takeoffs?”
She smiled at his compliment. “Are you a therapist or something?”
“I do counsel people, but not as a therapist. I . . . teach at a university and part of my course covers various techniques to relax. Students sometimes come to me to seek advice on specific problems.”
“A university professor. Impressive.”
He shrugged. “And what do you do?”
Oh, God, she was not going to tell him she wrote a sex column. That was a bad idea at the best of times—guys figured it was an open invitation to make a pass at her—and she didn’t want him to think she’d been using him as a guinea pig for her flirting column. Even though she had been.
“I . . . uh . . . do research.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Scientific? High-tech?”
“No. More . . . sociological.” Okay, it sounded hoity-toity, but it was true in a way. Sex was a study in social customs and mores. “You know, we’ve got a long flight ahead and I hate talking about work.”
“All right. So are you going away on business or pleasure?”
Uh-oh. She did not want to tell him she was going to a conference about sex.
“Pleasure.” It was the truth. Sex was all about pleasure.
He nodded. “I’m going on business, but I won’t bore you with that.”
“Okay, no work, no travel plans. What about family? Do you have any brothers and sisters?”
“No, I’m an only child. My parents live in Colorado and we see each other several times a year. What about you?”
“I’m an only child, too.” Kara had been five when her father had left. It was a good thing he hadn’t stuck around long enough to sire any other kids. It had been tough enough on Mom with just the two of them. “My mom lives in Hawaii.” She’d remarried a few years ago and moved there.
“Really? That’s a long way away. You must be very lonely.”
Pain lanced through her. How the hell did he do that? Here they were making perfectly good small talk and somehow he made it too . . . real.
Yes, she was lonely, but how did he know that? When her mom had moved away—even though she’d been an adult at the time—she’d felt deserted. Again.
“What about other family? Aunts and uncles? Grandparents?” he asked, his brown eyes filled with warmth.
“They all lived in different states. Everyone but my grandma’s sister—my great-aunt—she’d been a widow for as long as I remember. She and I spent a lot of time together.”
“It sounds like you were very close. But now . . . ?”
She nodded, not trusting her voice as the painful memories rose.
In fact, Auntie Dee had been like a second mother to Kara. She still remembered her loving hugs, filled with lavish affection.
“Auntie Dee took sick about a year after Mom moved to Hawaii.”
Kara had visited her every day at first, even moved in with her for a while, until Auntie Dee had gone into a nursing home.
“She died two years later.”
Kara had watched her deteriorate over those two years. For the last six months, she couldn’t even recognize Kara. The pain of losing Auntie Dee, even before she’d died, had been intensely painful. She still missed her terribly.
J
.M.’s warm hand covered hers.
“You must miss her very much. I’m sure you were a special part of her life.”
Her jaw clamped together and her stomach twisted. She drew in a deep breath, squashing the tears that threatened.
Finally, she glanced at him. How did this man see so much? Her usual defenses blocked nothing from him. With just a question or two, he’d succeeded in bringing out these deep feelings in her. When other people asked her about family, she kept it light. Surface stuff. But with him . . . he got to the heart of the matter. Nothing hidden.
And because he did that, she felt herself becoming closer to him. Which was crazy, because she hardly knew him. But she realized she wanted to.
She liked his touch. Both when he’d pressed his hand to her back earlier, and now with his hand covering hers. Although he was hot and sexy, what she felt right now wasn’t sexual. His touch was soothing . . . warm . . . caring. Although she had barely met him, she yearned to get to know him better. To feel his arms around her.
Oh, God, what was wrong with her? A case of lust gone mad, obviously. And it shouldn’t be surprising. This guy was hot, but he was also friendly and warm. A killer combination, if ever there was one.
The pilot made a chatty announcement, welcoming them aboard and telling them various information about the altitude they were flying at and the service they’d be receiving, which Kara mostly ignored. A few moments later, one of the attendants pushed a trolley down the aisle with dinner trays.
Kara and J.M. discussed mundane things like the weather and how difficult it had been getting to the airport through the traffic and accidents on the slippery roads. Once dinner was done and the plates cleared away, she grabbed her purse, which she’d stowed under the seat, to get her sweater. She pulled out the book about Tantric sex so she could reach her sweater underneath.
“Are you interested in that kind of thing?” J.M. asked.
She glanced at the book, then quickly shoved it back in her bag.
“Not really. Someone suggested I read it. Personally, I think the whole thing is a bit over the top. The author talks about sex as being sacred.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
She barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes and saying, “Please,” as she pulled on her sweater.
“Well, it seems to me he’s saying it’s okay to enjoy sex if you elevate it to a higher level. That if you study his techniques and believe that God is part of the experience, then you can enjoy it.” She shrugged. “I think sex is a natural act and anyone can enjoy it, whether they study special techniques or not.”
“Tantra isn’t really one man’s technique. There are millions of interpretations and applications.”
“I know, but this guy is trying to sell books.” She zipped her bag and pushed it back under the seat. “I believe he teaches courses, too. He wants people to think it’s hard so they’ll buy into his teaching.” She pulled her sweater tighter around her. “As I said, I think anyone can enjoy sex. And without guilt. Even if they don’t choose to believe it’s a religious experience.”
The pilot began talking over the speaker system, mentioning information about connecting flights. “. . . and I’m sorry, folks. It seems Indianapolis International Airport is closed due to weather.”
Several groans sounded throughout the cabin.
“For those passengers whose destination was Indianapolis this evening,” the captain continued, “we will arrange to book each of you on the first flight possible tomorrow morning. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”
Oh, damn. She’d really wanted to get settled into the conference hotel and get up early tomorrow to register. Now it would be afternoon before she got in, putting her in the thick of the registration lines. She hated lines!
“Well, it looks like we’ll have a little more time to get to know each other.” J.M.’s lips turned upward in a devastating smile.
She stared at him, her eyes wide. Oh, God, now the flirting had come back to bite her in the butt. That, paired with her comments about enjoying sex without guilt . . . Damn, did he think she was ready to jump into the sack with him?
Three
J.M. smiled. So his perfect woman didn’t believe in Tantra. But she had read his book, which meant she’d at least given it a chance. He was sure with a little time and the opportunity to show her the benefits of Tantra, he could convince her of its merits.
He probably should have told her he was the author of the book before the conversation had gone too far, but he’d wanted to hear her honest opinion. He couldn’t tell her now. At least, not right away. There was no point in embarrassing her.
The seat belt sign flashed on and Kara buckled her seat belt. She glanced at him nervously, then gazed out the window. He was fairly sure her jitters were less from the idea of landing than from his comment about spending more time together.
Although she had flirted shamelessly in the airport, it had been clear, especially when she’d seen him in the seat next to hers, that she’d never intended it to lead anywhere.
Given the obvious attraction between them—and the fact he knew she was the woman he had manifested as his perfect mate—he fully intended to convince her to spend the night with him. He might know they were meant to be together, but he still had to convince her of that.
Kara’s stomach clenched as the aircraft came to a stop at the gate and people rose from their seats and filled the aisle. Once off the aircraft, she knew she could just excuse herself and slip off to the ladies’ room, or whatever, and give J.M. the slip. But did she really want to do that?
She watched him as he stood up and opened the overhead compartment. He pulled out her carry-on and placed it on the seat.
My God, not only was he a gentleman, but he was also observant—remembering exactly which bag of the several up there was hers. He was a sensitive man, too. Warm and concerned for others’ feelings. She could tell that by their conversation. And she liked being around him. That and he was extremely sexy. The attraction between them was blazing hot, and she hadn’t been with a guy for a while.
As the line of people began to move, J.M. waited for her to move in front of him, then followed her toward the front of the aircraft.
Maybe she should look at this as a golden opportunity. She could have a one-night stand—something she’d never done before—with a sensational guy. And she didn’t have to worry about the repercussions, like the awkwardness the following morning when they promised to call each other, knowing full well they never would, or the potential embarrassment of running into each other again after breaking that promise.
“Good night.” The flight attendant nodded as Kara stepped past her. “I hope you enjoyed the flight,” she said as J.M. passed her.
The more Kara thought about it, the more she realized she did not want to let this chance slip away.
They walked through the long tunnel leading from the plane to the gate, then stepped into the bustle of the terminal. J.M. slowed, then rested his hand on her arm and guided her out of the flow of traffic.
“Hold on a second,” he said.
She nodded as she watched him pull out his cell phone and tap digits on the keypad. A moment later, he turned away while he talked to someone, then he flipped the phone closed.
“I don’t really want to get caught up in that,” he said, nodding his head toward the horde of people heading to the airline desk to set up their flight for tomorrow and ask about hotels, “so I just reserved a room at Angel’s Inn, a small hotel just a few miles from the airport. I’ll book tomorrow’s flight on-line.”
Kara nodded. That made more sense than standing in a long line, and she knew with so many people arriving all at once at the hotels the airline recommended, the reception desks would be mobbed. It would probably be hours before they got a room.
Oh, damn. Was this good-bye?
She remembered the warmth of J.M.’s hand on her back, and the calm that had resonated from his touch. She had no doubt the
heat of his touch could elicit far more than a calming response. An electric zing spiked through her at the thought of his arms encircling her, drawing her close to his body, of those full lips capturing hers in a smoldering kiss.
She was sure he was as interested as she was, but she hadn’t given him any hints. With her luck, he’d walk out of her life any second if she didn’t do something. Now.
She stepped toward him and, before she could change her mind, settled her hands on his shoulders, pushed herself onto her toes, and pressed her lips to that sensuous mouth of his. An electric tingle shimmered through her and her hormones danced in delight. Their mouths parted and she stared at him, allowing the heat she felt to shine in her eyes.
At the sight of his brown eyes, dark with desire, her breath caught. Oh, God, she wanted to feel this man’s arms around her. To feel his lips plundering hers. To touch that magnificent body of his.
His arms slid around her and he pulled her against him, his mouth finding hers again. His lips moved on hers and she glided her arms around his shoulders. She’d been right about the muscles under his shirt. She felt the solid contours of his arms embracing her and her breasts pressed against a hard, sculpted chest. His tongue brushed against her lips and she parted. As he swept inside her mouth and stroked, she melted against him.
He released her lips and brushed the hair over her temple. She could feel his warm breath against her ear. “I was going to invite you to share my room. Does this mean yes?”
Butterflies danced inside her stomach. She could still back out. A kiss wasn’t a commitment to all-out sex.
Ah, damn, Kara, don’t second-guess everything.
Why not allow herself to experience what could only be a magnificent adventure? Sure, she’d never had a one-night stand before, but hadn’t she been the one saying that people could enjoy sex without guilt? That’s what she was always telling readers, anyway. Of course, her columnist persona was very different from real-life Kara. Real-life Kara had always been the shy, bookish type, which is why she’d chosen to become a writer. Of course, writers needed to pay the bills, so when she heard about the job opening for the sex columnist gig, she’d ditched her glasses, given her wardrobe a makeover, and landed herself the job. Little did her boss—or her readers—know that most of the advice she doled out was culled from relationship books rather than from personal experience.