He turned away from the waiting passengers, pulled his phone from his pocket and called Saul. That should deflate his cock.
“What?” Saul snapped.
“Good morning.”
“It’s afternoon where you are.”
“I’m still in Philadelphia.”
“What the fuck?”
“The plane was late getting here and I missed the transatlantic flight. Philadelphia airport was closed. There was no room in any hotel and I’ve spent the night on the floor.”
“You have a shoot tomorrow.”
“Yeah, it was really uncomfortable. Thanks for asking.”
“The shoot,” Saul snapped.
“I’ll have to go straight there from Heathrow. Assuming I can get on the flight tonight.”
“You fucking better.”
Jai bristled. “It’s not my fault a ton of snow decided to land on the East Coast.”
Saul’s harrumph suggested he disagreed. Wanker.
“I’ll text you the flight details. You can tell—”
Saul cut off the call. Jai almost wished there was no room on any flight or that the airport would close again, but judging by the number of people waiting at this gate, the snow was no longer a problem. He shoved the emergency blankets and pillows into one of the bags they’d been given, put the water and snacks in the other in case Summer wanted them and went over to wait for her outside the restroom.
She stomped over to him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You looked so cute.”
“So I shouldn’t tell you that you’ve left your fly undone?”
He glanced down. He couldn’t help it, even though he knew he was zipped up.
“Want to see if there’s anything in these bags you want to keep while I freshen up?” he asked.
“You don’t want to treasure the blankets as a memory of that kiss? Spring and Autumn can make spacesuits out of them.”
He laughed as he headed into the restrooms, but a little tiny part of him lingered on that idea longer than he’d expected.
When he emerged, washed and shaved, the bags had gone and Summer stood leaning against the wall wearing her hat.
“Breakfast?” she asked.
“I think we should see if we can get on a flight tonight first.”
“Will we have to pay again?”
“Possibly. Since our flights into Philadelphia were late and the airport closed down we might not have to, but you’re insured I assume?”
She nodded.
“No problem then.” He reached for her hand and she wrapped her fingers around his.
Fifteen minutes later they sat eating breakfast at a café in the airport terminal.
“I need you with me every time I fly,” Summer said. “You had that woman eating out of your hand. If her tongue had been longer she’d have licked you. No way would I have got an upgrade if I’d been on my own. I’d have had to pay again, probably not got on a flight for a couple of days and even then had to hang by a strap from the wing.”
He smiled.
“Oh that was it,” she said. “That’s what swung it. That smile. It needs to be bottled.”
Jai sipped his coffee. It hadn’t been difficult to persuade the clerk to give them seats on the flight tonight. He’d already been flying business class though Summer hadn’t noticed. Now she was too. Had it been his smile that made the difference? He was pretty sure the clerk recognized him, judging by the number of women who suddenly converged on the desk.
“There’s something I have to do today,” Summer said. “I need to buy hair dye.”
“I think it’s pink enough.”
“I don’t want it to be pink when I arrive in London.”
Was that why she was wearing the hat? He frowned. “Then why didn’t you sort it out before you left Bogota?”
“Didn’t occur to me.”
She focused so intently on pulling her croissant to pieces that Jai was certain she was lying.
“I rather like it pink.”
She glanced at him. “Do you?”
“Yeah. Leave it like that.”
After a moment’s hesitation her lips curved in a smile. “Okay.”
Why had he said that? He couldn’t see her again once they got off the plane in London. Could he? What if he could keep the relationship secret? Would Summer understand? Particularly when he couldn’t tell her all of it?
And how are you going to keep it a secret, fuckwit? Only go out with her when you have a bag over your head?
Never go out.
She’s going to love that.
“Not sure we’re dressed for shopping anyway,” she said.
She still wore his sweater and that hat, but her legs were bare and he didn’t have a coat with him. According to the check-in clerk, there was a train that went from the airport to the center of town but he didn’t want to go shopping.
“What would you like to do?” he asked—hoping.
“See if I can find my beloved sweater at security. Take a long, hot shower. Ooh and there was something else. I forget what now.” She tapped her lips.
“Did it involve me? Because I fell asleep thinking about how you wanted to kiss me somewhere other than my mouth.”
She gave him the sweetest smile. “I do have a thing about elbows.”
“Well, it’s your lucky day. I have two.”
Summer pushed to her feet. “Let’s see if you can work your magic on a hotel clerk. I’ll pay. I can use my credit card. I feel bad you’ve had to fork out for the food last night and this morning. I didn’t expect to need dollars.”
“Forget it. And I’ll pay for the room.”
“I want to.” She caught his hand and when he saw her eyes, he understood.
“You sure?” He didn’t mean about paying. Getting a room together was a hell of a lot more than messing around on the airport floor.
She nodded.
They went back to the bank of phones and Jai successfully pleaded for a room to be available in the next few minutes. When there was no trace of her sweater at security, they headed for where the shuttle bus would arrive.
“It’s not far but it’s so cold,” he said. “We might freeze if we walk and I don’t want to risk anything happening to my extremities.”
“Just imagine the demons in snow. Wouldn’t they love it? They could copy kids making snow angels and leave scorched imprints of their bodies.”
The way he felt, he might manage that himself. God, I want her.
* * * * *
Jai grabbed her hat and pulled it on his head before they ran from the van into the lobby. Maybe it would stop him being recognized, though he was almost too desperate to care. As they stood at reception, Summer put her hand on his neck and he sucked in a breath as snow slithered down his back.
He turned and growled. “That was unwise.”
“It was an accident.”
He laughed. “Does that ever work?”
“Not usually.”
The guy on reception gave him a strange look but that might just have been because of the hat or the way they were fooling around. Jai didn’t want Summer to know who he was, didn’t want his celebrity to spoil this.
Armed with a key, they made for the elevators.
“You okay?” he asked as they waited.
“Nervous.”
He put his arm around her and pressed his chin into her head. “Why?”
“What if the shower isn’t hot? The disappointment would be crushing.”
He smiled against her hair. “I’m worried sick about that too.”
“This isn’t like me,” she whispered.
Which was part of her appeal.
She nuzzled into his chest. “I bet you’re thinking I’m a tart.”
“No I’m not.” Except he kept thinking he ought to give her an out.
She huffed out a breath. “I don’t know what’s got into me.”
Hopefully me pretty soon.
They stepped into the
elevator and Jai pressed the button before he pulled her close.
“Twenty-two months, three weeks and two days since I kissed a guy,” she whispered. “Though I was obliged to kiss a llama eleven months ago, which I’m not counting. I was tricked into it. They said it was insulting to the farmer if I didn’t. Oh how they laughed. Bastards. Anyway, nearly twenty-three months without a kiss.”
“You’ve forgotten my kiss already?”
She laughed.
Jai pulled her ’round to face him. “That long? Really?”
“Yes and I’m not going to ask you how long it’s been for you because I don’t want to hear it was less than a day.”
The elevator doors opened and they stepped out into the corridor.
“I’ve never had a kiss like that before,” he whispered.
Summer stumbled to a halt and turned to face him. “Nor me.”
“Forgetting the llama, you weren’t tempted by any South American men?” He tugged her down the hall.
“Tempted on occasion, but resisted. You, I don’t seem able to resist.”
He pushed the card into the slot, pulled it out and opened the door. “Why not?”
Summer stepped inside and he followed and closed the door.
“You make me laugh,” she said.
There was an upswell of joy inside him. “Not my enormous dick then?”
She sighed. “No, nor your big head.” She yanked off the hat.
He sniggered and pulled the curtains across to cut out the brightness of the day. Summer dropped her backpack onto a chair and kicked off her shoes. He peeled the sweater up over her head and tossed it aside.
“I’m shocked and stunned you’re not impressed by my big head,” he said.
“Nor your gorgeous body. Nor that handsome face. Nor that you look better after a night spent on a floor than any person has any right to look. Nope, it’s just because you make me laugh.”
He grabbed hold of the bottom of her dress and bunched the material in his fists.
“And you make me…” She swallowed hard.
Jai slowly pulled the material up. “What?” he whispered.
“Forget.”
He’d guessed there was something lurking in her past. When she was so accurate about the last time she’d been kissed, it wasn’t hard to guess it hadn’t ended well. A good reason never to tell her why he’d not properly kissed a woman for almost ten years.
Inch by inch he lifted the dress up her body.
“Jesus Christ,” he said with a groan as his fingers skimmed her hips. “No underwear?”
“I don’t like bras and you made me wet my panties. They were uncomfortable so I got rid of them.”
She held up her arms and he whisked the dress over her head.
He’d seen dozens, fuck it, hundreds of women naked. There was little room for modesty in modeling, so he couldn’t explain why this naked woman turned him on so fast and so hard. Then he got it and smiled.
“What’s funny?” she asked.
“You are.”
When he began to unfasten his shirt, she knocked his fingers away and did it herself.
“How did you get an all-over tan?” he asked.
“How do you think?” She rolled her eyes.
“Ah, same way as me.”
“You went up onto the roof of your building and locked the door and then found a completely secluded spot behind the water tank but freaked out every time a plane flew over?”
“Absolutely.”
She was long, lean and sleek with cute little breasts topped by tiny silver barbells. A matching one pierced her navel. His shirt hit the floor and she unfastened the button above the tent in his pants.
“Can’t see a tattoo,” he said.
She turned. A small and intricate blue dragon with its wings out curled over her left butt cheek.
“That’s cute.” And hot.
He wrapped his hands around her hips and pulled her so she rested with her back against him. Summer lifted her arms and linked her fingers around his neck as she tipped her face to his. One press of her lips and he fell. It was as though whatever had been damaged inside him for so long was coming back to life. For years he hadn’t allowed himself to feel, because that way he kept himself safe, but Summer was making him feel. And as much as he loved it, it scared him because she couldn’t be part of his fucked-up life. He didn’t want to hurt her.
The thought of having to lie to her about where he was, who he was with, what he’d done—no, he couldn’t do it. But…
“Summer,” he whispered.
“What?”
He turned her to face him.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Premature ejaculator? You cry when you come? Wife and kids? Three wives and lots of kids? Gay but het for now?”
“Tomorrow you’ll be back in the UK.” He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. “Picking up your life again. I’m worried you’ll think you made a mistake.”
“That’s my problem, not yours.”
“We can just lie down and sleep if you like.” I’ve had a brain transplant.
“Then I’ll never know if I made a mistake.” She smiled. “I understand what you’re saying, but fate, karma or whatever brought us to this point. I want to keep going. But…I know that this is just one day. A day when winter and summer collide. I know I won’t see you again. We go our separate ways. But we have this now, let’s not waste it.”
He should have been relieved by her words, and he was and yet he wasn’t. He kissed her, and swept his hands up the sides of her body onto her breasts. When the metal in her nipples rested in the palms of his hands, his cock pressed more insistently at his zipper.
He lowered his head to her shoulder, licked up the curve of her neck and she shuddered against him. Jai fumbled with the zipper on his pants and pushed them down. When he tried to kick off his shoes, he stumbled and fell sideways onto the bed. Summer laughed.
“Hey, laughing is not appropriate.” He reached down to his feet. “Just because I forgot to remove my shoes first.” He tugged them off, along with his socks, and stood up. “Better run.”
Summer fled into the bathroom and he yanked down his shorts. His cock sprang up, already hard and getting harder. He heard the sound of the shower, then Summer squeaked. When he walked in, she stood in the tub pressed against the back wall, hands out trying to hold back the spurting water.
“Cold, cold,” she gasped.
He reached behind the curtain and adjusted the setting.
“Arrgghh. Hot, hot.”
“Get out again until it’s just right.” He twisted the dial the other way.
“That’s better. It’s okay now.” She moved forward.
Jai stepped in behind her and pulled the curtain the rest of the way across. Summer stood groaning with her head under the water and her hands pressed on the tiles.
“That is so good,” she said. “Oh my god, really good. Really, really good. I honestly don’t think there is anything in the entire world better than a hot shower.” She let out a long moan and turned to give him such a wicked grin that he snorted with laughter.
As her gaze slid down his body, her eyes widened. “Oh wow.”
Jai swallowed hard. “Is that a good wow or a bad wow?”
“A bad wow usually comes out as, ‘oh shit’. Well, it’s all in the tone of voice. You weren’t lying. You really are tanned. Every inch of you.”
She looked into his eyes, mischief all over her face. When had he ever been teased like this?
“It’s no good,” she said. “I’m trying really hard not to stare but you are…that is…what’s the word I’m looking for?”
“Tanned?”
She nodded. “Absolutely. Big, that’s the other word. A lot of body to wash but someone’s got to do it. Can I volunteer? Pick me. Pick me.”
He unwrapped the soap and handed it to her. Summer never took her gaze from his face as she rubbed the oval tablet between her palms to work up some suds and then be
gan to wash him. She was gentle, careful and thorough, working her way down each arm and over every finger, tugging him under the flow of water to rinse off the soap before she began on his back.
“That’s a bad bruise. What did you do?”
He winced as her fingers skimmed the bottom of his spine. “Slipped on the stairs.” The lie fell easily from his lips.
“Ouch. It’s only that part of you that hurts, right?”
“Yep.”
His stomach lurched as she dropped to her knees behind him. He tipped his face to the flow and trembled as her hands and—oh god—her lips touched his backside. His cock went diamond-hard, his balls tightened and—oh fuck. She had her face pressed against his butt, her tongue snaking down the seam. He widened his stance as far as the tub would allow and braced his hands on the tiles. She washed his legs, his feet, every toe, while she licked and nipped and kissed his butt. When she sucked at the skin between his balls and his cock, he gulped so hard he swallowed a ton of water and coughed.
Her hands slid along his shins, over his knees and up his thighs. The piercings in her nipples rubbed the backs of his legs as her breasts brushed against him. When she trailed her thumbs up the creases of his groin, he let out a low groan and his cock pulsed.
“Can I turn round?” He tried not to sound as if he was begging but he was.
“360 degrees or 180?”
He shifted to face her and looked down to see her smiling up at him, her eyelashes beaded with water, her eyes bright.
“Summer. You’re such a fucking tease.”
“I am?”
“Look at the state of me.”
“I can’t. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
“Intimidating. I keep thinking—will if fit? What if it doesn’t? What will he do? What will I do? Then I thought—it has to fit. It would be cruel if it didn’t. Maybe it’s an optical illusion. You’re shaved so that makes you look bigger but oh my god, that is one beautiful…thing…penis…cock…dick…tinkle you have there. Shut me up now before I say something stupid. Er…even more stupid. You have something you can shut me up with. Did I just say that part? I meant to think it. Damn.”
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