by Alexa Davis
I tucked my travel case into my rolling bag and zipped it up as I scanned the room one more time to make sure I hadn't left anything behind. Satisfied that I had everything, I grabbed the handle of my bag and headed to the elevator. I was scheduled to work the flight back to Los Angeles and then hop a shuttle to Vegas where I'd go home and break the news to Tommy. I wasn't sure how well he'd take it, but I was certain that it was time to call a halt to our limping marriage.
Once on the plane, I chatted with my co-worker for a bit before we began preparing the cabin for our passengers' arrival. I loved the way first class was laid out and how it gave everyone a little bit of privacy on a crowded airline. Whoever had designed the cabin knew what they were doing. I checked each small pod to make sure that there were blankets and pillows ready and set a small box of chocolates on each ottoman to welcome the passengers. It was a lovely touch that always seemed to surprise and delight the passengers.
As we opened the doors and prepared to welcome everyone aboard, I checked my nametag and made sure I was wearing my brightest smile. Our first passenger required help lifting her baggage into the overhead bin, so I stepped away and let Joan be in charge of greeting everyone. I had just placed the bag in the bin and was closing the latch when I heard a familiar voice say, "Is Emily Warner on this flight?"
I spun around and saw Austin grinning at me from the doorway. My face immediately began burning as I blushed all the way to the tips of my toes. He hadn't said anything about flying back on this flight!
"Why yes, Mr. Marks," I said as I walked toward him with my hand out. "I certainly am! How may I assist you today?"
"I'm glad to see you, Ms. Warner," he said, taking my hand and shaking it. We were both trying to maintain a calm professional demeanor, but I knew down deep that he wanted what I wanted – to run off to the back and pull of clothing as we searched for new ways to sate our heated need for each other. "I'd appreciate it if you could make sure that I'm not disturbed during the flight."
"Oh, okay," I said as my smile faltered. He was on the flight to work, not because he couldn't stay away from me. I had read it all wrong – again. "I'll make sure no one disturbs you, sir."
"Except for you," he whispered as he quickly bent down and spoke into my ear. "I want you to disturb me."
"Oh!" I gasped and then smiled up at him. "I see. Yes, sir, I'll take care of it."
Austin flashed me a mischievous grin as he disappeared into his private pod, and I turned back toward the front door where more passengers were waiting for me to direct them to their seats. This was going to be an interesting flight, that was for sure.
Chapter Fifty-Six
Austin
When I walked onto the flight and saw Emily helping stow a bag in the overhead bin, I smiled. I knew she was on this flight and I'd booked a place so that I'd be able to continue our previous night's conversation. After our bathroom romp, I'd decided that trying to push it into an overnight visit in my suite would be too much, so I'd dropped her off at her room and headed back to mine. It took everything in me not to walk back and knock on her door.
I wasn't afraid of being rejected. I knew that Emily wanted me as much as I wanted her. What I was afraid of was forcing her to make a decision and having her hate me for it later. I didn't want to end up like my father: a bitter man who'd forced everyone in his life to bend to his selfish desires and lived to regret it. If Emily was going to be with me, then she was going to have to make the choice on her own without me pressuring her.
But I wasn't above a little enticement.
I settled into my pod and looked around at the interior. When we'd designed the airline, I'd said that one of the things I disliked the most about flying was that it made me feel like just another number. There was nothing personal or unique about the interior of most airline cabins, so I'd set out to collaborate with designers who envisioned the flight experience as a way of asserting individuality, while conforming to standard regulations. These pods were the solution.
Big enough to accommodate two people sitting up and one sleeping, I saw it as a glorified sitting room. There were standard amenities in every one such as television screens that rose up from behind the ottoman, sinks with mirrors, and individual refrigerators at the back of the pod behind the main seating area. There was a tray table that could be extended to act as a desk or a dinner table for two and all of the linens were top quality Egyptian cotton. The entire pod was self contained and designed to allow the passenger to feel like they were traveling in their own airplane.
When the captain turned on the speaker and told the flight attendants to prepare for takeoff, I knew it wouldn't be long before Emily would peek in and asked if I needed anything. Moments later, the door opened and she stuck her head in.
"Do you need anything, Mr. Marks?" she smiled warmly.
"Just you," I said as I motioned for her to come in.
"I can't!" she protested. "I've got a cabin to prepare for takeoff!"
"Then come back once we're in the air," I said as I gave her the once over and sent her into a fit of giggles.
"You're crazy," she laughed.
"It's entirely possible," I said seriously. "You seem to have that effect on me."
I settled in with my laptop and began reading the files that Bax had sent me on Daniel's German business dealings. There wasn't anything new in the first several reports I read, and I began to get antsy as I continued reading. I wasn't sure we were going to be able to stop Daniel from going ahead with the Berlin project, and quite frankly, I didn't know if it mattered. What did matter was whether he stalled the Paris project. If he did, then we were going to find ourselves holding an enormous amount of debt we'd taken on in anticipation of starting the project before the end of the year. I sighed and rubbed my eyes as I looked at my watch and realized that it was almost time to eat.
"What would you like for dinner, Mr. Marks?" Emily asked as she stepped into the pod and closed the door. She looked like the consummate professional in her form fitting dress and jaunty scarf tied neatly around her neck.
"You really want to know?" I asked as I pushed the tray aside and stood up.
"Mmm hmm," she nodded. "It's my job to get you whatever you want. This is, after all, first class."
I laughed softly as I gathered her in my arms and kissed her lips lightly. She wrapped her arms around me and returned my kiss as I felt the heat rising between us again. I knew we probably shouldn't, but I couldn't help myself. When I was near her, all I wanted was to touch her and feel her touching me. I sat back down in the recliner and pulled her onto my lap as I slid a hand up under her dress.
"Oh Austin, we shouldn't..." she whispered into my lips. "I'm working!"
"I know we shouldn't, but I own the damn company, so I can," I said as my fingers slipped under the filmy fabric covering her moist center and began gently stroking the velvety folds. She moaned softly into the kiss as I played in her wetness. She was so soft, and I could feel that she wanted me, too.
"Austin..." she groaned as she stood up and slipped the panties down around her ankles before stepping out of them. She bent over and unzipped my trousers, pulling out what I knew was a raging hard on. "Oh my," she smiled as she leaned down and licked the tip of my shaft causing me to shudder and push my hips up to meet her tongue.
Emily sunk to her knees and began running her tongue up and down the length of my shaft as she coated it with her warm wet saliva. It was so slippery and wet that when she wrapped her lips around the head and began to gently suck, I groaned. I had to hold back as she worked it with her expert tongue, teasing the underside and sucking the shaft as she moved lower and lower, taking more of my length into her mouth. When she finally took the entire length of my stiff rod into the back of her throat, I gasped and looked down to see her looking up at me with those beautiful eyes. It took everything I had not to release at that moment.
She sucked her way back up to the tip of my shaft before starting a second descent. I wasn't sure
I could hold out long enough for her to work her magic, so I ran my fingers through her hair and pulled her head up.
"On my lap," I said in ragged gasps. "On top. Now."
Emily smiled as she stood up and offered me the foil packet she'd tucked in the pocket of her uniform. I quickly split it open and rolled the thin sheath down over my swollen member, then grabbed Emily's arm and pulled her to me. She spread her legs as she reached down and firmly grasped my shaft as she guided it to the edge of her wet entrance. For a few moments, she rubbed the tip back and forth, covering it in her juices before sliding it up inside her needy hole. I gripped her arms as she slowly lowered herself onto me and then began gently rocking back and forth, driving me deeper and deeper.
When I started groaning, Emily bent down and covered my mouth with hers whispering, "Shhhhh, quiet," into my lips. I kissed her back as I wrapped my arms around her waist and thrust up into to her warm wetness over and over. I could hear her moaning into my lips as we moved together in time, seeking a way to get deeper into each other's bodies. I thrust up harder and faster as I felt us both on the edge of climax, and then in one long stroke, I released as she tightened around me, throbbing and pulsing.
I held her against my chest as we both caught our breath, and when she had recovered, she raised her head and looked down at me with a lazy sexy smile.
"Mr. Marks, you're going to get me fired," she said softly.
"Don't worry," I whispered. "I'm good friends with the boss."
Emily threw her head back and laughed loudly before she stood up, grabbed her panties off the floor and pulled them on again. I watched her, marveling at her beautiful body and her easy smile. She leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips before asking, "So, Mr. Marks, about dinner?"
It was my turn to laugh, and I looked up at her and said, "Just bring me whatever you think I'd like, and I'll be happy."
"Alright, then," she smiled as she turned toward the door of the pod. "I'll take care of you."
"Oh, and Emily," I blurted out. I wanted to tell her how much she already meant to me and how much I wanted her to stay here and spend the flight talking and letting our passion take over.
"Yes?" she turned and looked at me expectantly.
"Um, I'd like a beer with dinner instead of wine," I said as I looked past her into the cabin. "Just bring me whatever you've got."
"Will do, sir," she said giving me a mock salute as she exited the pod and returned to the cabin.
I washed up in the sink and then sat down with the laptop determined to figure out what it was that Daniel was doing, or at least, pretend like I was while I thought about Emily's lovely smile.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Emily
Austin and I spend the entire flight back to the States flirting, laughing, and when everyone else had gone to sleep, we sat and talked. I was worried that my fellow flight attendant would be upset that I was disappearing, but she said it didn't bother her a bit (partly because she had her own thing going with a businessman in 2A) and waved me off when I disappeared into Austin's pod once we'd gotten the other passengers settled in for the night.
We talked about our mothers, our childhoods, and the unexpected turns our lives had taken. I'd already told him about how much Tommy had wanted to play baseball, but I hadn't told him about the very dark days after the injury and how, some nights, I worried that I'd come home from the bar and find he'd hurt himself – or worse. It was hard to admit that part of the reason I was staying with Tommy was out of pity. I felt bad that his dream had been taken from him, and guilty that mine had not been.
"In fact, Tommy was actually the reason I became a flight attendant," I admitted as we sipped coffee in Austin's pod. "He encouraged me to apply so that I could get out of the bar. I didn't realize how much it would pull us apart, I guess."
"Did the job pull you apart?" Austin asked.
"No, if I'm honest, we were headed in different directions," I said. "I think if he'd been able to follow the baseball route, we would have been separated by that, it's just that it would have been easier for him. And, it didn't help that his methods of coping with the pain were to start drinking and gambling."
"He gambles?" Austin asked.
"Oh yeah, he's a poker player who is known for his ability to beat the house," I said shaking my head as if to shake off the thought. "The problem is that he only seems to win when he is stinking drunk and then that creates problems with his ability to play. He loses a lot more than he wins. That's the reality."
"Not to be too nosy, but is it a problem?" he asked tentatively.
"It's a big problem," I nodded. "I haven't told anyone, not even my mother, but we are in deep debt and if he doesn't rein it in, we are going to have to file bankruptcy soon. I picked up extra flights to try and pay down some of his gambling debts, but with the house payment and the repair business..."
"Repair business?" Austin asked. "I thought he was part of the ground crew at the airport."
"He is," I nodded. "But he thought that starting a car repair business out of our home would give him a new line of income and help pay off some debt. The problem is that he's a terrible businessman and we're constantly losing money on the business. I've asked him to hire an assistant or let me do the billing, but he's too proud to let anyone help, so..."
"That's really hard," he said as he picked up his cup and sipped the hot liquid.
"We were too young when we got married," I sighed as I tried to shift the course of the conversation to get away from the uncomfortable financial situation I was in. It felt embarrassing to talk with Austin about something so personal. "Everyone said so, but we were stubborn and believed we could beat the odds. Wait, what about you? You can't have been a monk all these years!"
"Oh, I'm no monk," he said with a rueful smile. "I'm definitely not a monk. I like women, and I have a number of women friends who keep me company when they're not busy with other guys, but..." he trailed off.
"But what?" I asked quietly. "Did somebody break your heart?'
"Who me?" he said surprised. "I don't have a heart! C'mon, lady, you know that!"
I laughed loudly and shook my head. "Oh no you don't! That's a complete lie!"
"No, but seriously," he said looking at me. "It's not heartbreak that made me the way I am. I've loved girls, but not been in love with them. I think it's because I watched my mother and I knew somewhere deep inside that she was in love with my father and that he loved her, but the situation was impossible, so they learned to live with what they had."
"So, you were shaped by a love that couldn't be," I said wistfully.
"No, it was a love that did exist, it's just that they chose not to pursue it," Austin said. "I still can't quite figure out why. I mean, my father could have seen my mother any time he wanted, despite being married. And, my mother won't talk about it. All I can figure out is that my mother drew a line in the sand and never backed down."
"So, that is where you get your stubborn nature from!" I laughed.
"Oh yes, it's a trait that runs strong on both sides," he said and grinned.
"Good to know," I nodded.
"Emily, I know it might sound weird to say this, but is there any way I can help you out of this situation?" he asked.
"Oh, no. Thank you, though," I said quickly. There was no way I was going to allow Austin to bail Tommy and me out of the mess we were in. We'd find a way, somehow.
"Alright, well, if you find you need help, please let me know," he said sincerely. "I'll help you in any way I can. No strings attached."
"You're very kind," I said smiling.
I looked out the window of the jet that was taking me back to Las Vegas and Austin pulled me into his arms just before the plane had landed. There was a deep warmth in his touch and he simply held me tightly to him as he caressed my hair. Before he let go, he lifted my chin and kissed my forehead as he smiled and said, "Soon. I know it will all work out soon."
I knew what I wanted, but I wasn't sur
e I was going to be able to get it. Dealing with Tommy had become a crapshoot and I was worried about what I would find when I got home. I could feel the tears welling up as I looked out into the night sky and watched the lights below fade into the darkness.
#
When I walked into the house, I knew things had not gone well while I had been away. There were pizza boxes stacked high in the corner of the living room and the kitchen floor was covered in a sticky substance that caused my shoes to adhere to the floor with every step. There were dished piled in the sink, and some looked like they had begun to grow mold. The house smelled like a combination of rancid food and body odor, but there wasn't a body in sight.
"Tommy?" I called as I unstuck my feet from the kitchen floor and walked back toward the bedroom. "Tommy, are you home?"
I opened the door to the bedroom and was assaulted by the smell of sweat and something I didn't recognize. Tommy was dead asleep in the bed covered only by a sheet. He was snoring so loudly I was positive he would wake himself up.
"Tommy Warner!" I shouted over the sound of his snores as I ripped the sheet off of him and shook his shoulder. "WAKE UP!"
"Huh? Wha? Oh, hey Em," he smiled sleepily and rolled over to face me. He squinted up at me and covered his eyes with his arm. "When did you get home?"
"Just now," I said in a stern voice. "What in the hell has happened to our home?"
"Don't get all worked up about it, I just had a few friends over," he said in a thick voice as he waved his other arm at me. "I'll clean it all up in the morning."
"Tommy, that wasn't just from last night," I said. "You haven't cleaned anything since I left! This house is a disaster!"