by Ava Claire
“Of course!” I nodded, eyeing the red liquid. “In fact, he was the one who told me to go through with it.”
“What?” she shrieked. I had to help her put the glass down. “My Jacob told you to go through with it?” She got that stubborn look on her face, like she knew the truth and unless I had proof, she wasn’t buying it. “I just-”
She stopped mid-sentence, a vibrating sound stealing the show. Even though Hope was in the next room and from the silence emanating from the monitor, she was still sound asleep, we went into action mode. My phone was in my clutch, which was in the foyer.
That meant it was coming from my mother.
She pulled out the culprit, her flip phone shuddering until she opened it and brought it to her ear.
“Hello...” Her face creased into a frown, until she heard something on the other end that made her grin like it was my turn to frown. “It’s never an inconvenient time for my son-in-law to call me!”
Son-in-law?
Why was Jacob calling my mom?
She swam through a sea of tulle and hopped to her feet, engrossed in whatever he was saying. “Mmhm. Right! We were just talking about you, actually.” She finally remembered me, flashing a wink my way.
I scooted to the edge of the couch. “That’s Jacob? Can I-”
She put a finger to her lips. “Right!” She turned away from me, dropping her volume like they were having a top secret conversation. “She’s here with me.” She raked a hand through her salt and pepper locks. “Absolutely! Earl actually just finished building a little something that he’s been dying to unveil.”
I was on my feet, doing some awkward dance with my mother. I’d move closer, mouthing if I could talk to Jacob, only to have her shy away, shush or dodge me. “I’ll get her packed! Here’s Leila!”
I glared as I took the phone from her, my under breath comment completely wasted because she was already out of the room.
I brought the phone to my ear. “Jacob? What’s-”
“Stop talking,” he interrupted.
“Excuse me?” I followed up, my nostrils flaring. “If we were in scene, that would be totally appropriate-”
“We are in scene, love.”
I gulped, pricks of excitement racing over me before I pulled away from the door like my mother would overhear. “I don’t understand.”
“Do you trust me?”
The laundry list of questions I had came to a screeching halt.
“Of course I do.” The ‘but’ bloomed, so close to being said I impressed us both by leaving it at that.
“Good girl.” His deep voice rippled through me and I wondered if a part of him was blooming too.
Growing.
Hardening.
“Your mother will be taking Hope for the evening, and I’m sending a car for you. I’ve already texted you everything you need to know.”
Excitement was outweighing my curiosity, but I still tried to glean what he had in store. “I should probably change-”
“You better not,” he cut in gruffly. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I was gonna to take it off myself.”
But that meant-
“Oh.”
I did a little happy dance, squealing on the inside.
“Check your phone. If you agree to submit, text me back ‘Yes sir.’ Understood?”
Whatever was in store, it included Jacob.
My answer was yes.
It would always be yes.
“Understood.”
“See you soon.”
He disconnected the call and I finished my wine, moving back to the main room. I paused at the playpen and lifted Hope to my chest. I knew she got grumpy when she got woken up, but I breathed in her smell anyway. Kissed her as gently as I could manage. I nestled her back in with her tiny stuffed animal. She barely gurgled before she snuggled back into the position I’d found her.
I shot to the foyer, finding my clutch where I left it. I found my phone, bringing it back to life after I tapped in my passcode. I didn’t have the patience to wait for it to read my thumbprint.
There was a new text message waiting from Jacob.
Remove your bra and panties prior to boarding.
Chapter Four
I checked my phone, hoping for some indication that the game was afoot. Some clue about what awaited me, or what my final destination was.
After a surprise phone call and a single text, Jacob was suddenly close lipped.
My consent, ‘yes sir’ glowed up at me. The words ‘delivered’ was beneath it, but I got no other satisfaction than that. Jacob had turned off his read receipts a long time ago, courtesy of a little spat we had after I got pissy that it took him five seconds to read my text (‘See! I have proof! It says you read it at 9:15 AM!) and several hours to respond. Now, I had to just trust that he got my texts. Wait for his reply as patiently as I could muster.
I thought my days of obsessively checking my phone for a response from Jacob were behind me.
Riiight.
I pressed the screen with my pointer finger, finding the time. His text came twenty minutes ago, as my mother packed Hope’s bags like she’d be staying with them for a week instead of overnight. I didn’t give her a hard time because the glow that beamed from her face, like Christmas, Mothers Day, and her birthday were all happening at once, was enough to silence my gentle reminder that we’d be back home tomorrow afternoon.
Or maybe not. I turned my attention out the window, since mum was the word, as far as Jacob was concerned. It wasn’t too helpful since we were sitting in traffic, but the driver’s GPS, combined with Jacob’s text, tipped me off.
Remove your bra and panties prior to boarding. The last time I received that text, I was knee deep in the jet-set life that I’d only seen on the screen or read about in magazines. I’d just been gifted the fanciest (and most expensive) clothing I’d ever owned, weaving through a private aviation terminal. Back then, I’d been handed an envelope with very personal instructions, by a virtual stranger.
One key difference—that go round, I had some idea where I was headed. Today, I hadn’t gotten any further than the first leg of our journey.
We were headed to the airport.
I stuffed my phone back in my clutch, before I was tempted to check it again. My notifications were on, and I’d hear and feel it if Jacob decided to grace me with a breadcrumb or two. I just had to bask in the unknown. In this treat, especially after the evening started off with me wondering what the hell I’d gotten myself into.
I glided over sequins and beads, my skirt billowing around me like some dark wedding gown with a train so epic I’d need several people to hold it as I walked proudly toward my destiny.
“Let me know how the temperature is for you, Mrs. Whitmore,” the driver piped. He flashed me a sympathetic smile before he turned his attention back to the road. “My wife was in a wedding recently and the bride had the bright idea to put all the bridesmaids in these massive dresses. Picture four women stuffed in the back of a limo with skirts twice as large as yours, and a bride with a dress that bested them all. She told me the lot of them were sweating buckets before they even got to the venue.”
“Those poor women,” I chuckled. Megan was still giving me crap about the fact that me and Jacob secreted away and did a ceremony with just the two of us. According to Megan, I’d robbed her of the opportunity to embarrass me at the bachelorette party. Or ruin her makeup at the ceremony when Jacob and I exchanged our vows. I reminded her that she dodged a bullet—I could have forced her into some ugly dress that she’d thankfully only have to wear once.
I don’t know if it was some sort of telepathic solidarity from the driver’s story, excitement about seeing Jacob, or just genuine overheating, but I pulled a tissue from my clutch and dabbed my forehead. “A little bit of AC would be great.”
“You got it!” he said cheerfully, punching a few buttons. Sweet, ice cold air flowed from the vents. “We should be at the terminal in a jiffy.”
I leaned back into the leather cushions with an exhale, closing my eyes. The first face I saw was Jacob’s. Jacob, grinning beneath the warm sun, balancing Hope and a smile that made me feel like everything would be okay.
My phone rattled in my clutch, so I fished it out. My heart was in my throat as I peered at the screen, expecting to see a little tease from my husband. Instead, I saw a text notification from Simone.
Simone: Was gonna wait until the morning to send this, but I thought you should know...the paparazzi seem to think there’s blood in the water with you and Corbin, and the dinner tonight has them all in a-
I tore my eyes from my phone, opting to take in the sights instead. The concrete jungle that surrounded me, still bursting with life. Lovers hand in hand. People narrowly avoiding collisions because their eyes were glued to their phones. Cabs and sedans with Uber stickers zipping in and out of lanes. A bus with an advertisement for Rich O’Connor’s upcoming movie.
I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. I couldn’t escape work, even if I tried.
I didn’t finish Simone’s text.
I didn’t need to.
Corbin wasn’t a client at Whitmore and Creighton, but it didn’t matter. I was gonna have to figure out how to navigate the rumors and suspicions about our connection, whether I wanted to or not.
But! And this was a big but..I didn’t have to think about any of that, or him, right this moment.
This moment, and the rest of tonight, was mine.
Me: Thanks for the head’s up! Let’s touch base tomorrow. I almost sent it off, but I wanted to make it clear that I was off the clock, barring death or catastrophe. Have a gn!
Almost instantly, she replied. You too, boss lady!
The real world, dinner, Corbin Wolfe...I put it all on pause. Tonight, I wasn’t Leila Whitmore, PR consultant. I was just a woman who was waiting with bated breath to see her man.
I closed my eyes, going back to my happy place. It wasn’t long before the stop and go melted into smooth sailing.
“Mrs. Whitmore?”
I popped a single eye open, then both when I realized we were no longer moving. We’d arrived at our destination. He hopped out, rounding the car and opening my door.
I blinked my eyes, trying to gather myself, along with all of my dress. He helped me as best he could. I fished in my clutch for a tip. He’d just deadlifted like twenty pounds of tulle, after all.
He shook his head when I handed him a couple of bills.
“Mr. Whitmore has taken care of everything. Enjoy your trip.”
I drew more than an eye or two as I booked it into the terminal. I wasn’t sure if it was the dress or my lack of luggage, but I had tunnel vision. I didn’t have a destination or a boarding pass, but-
“Mrs. Whitmore!”
The voice was vaguely familiar. Like a song that you liked but hadn’t heard in forever streaming from the speakers. I spun on my heels, aimed toward the voice. My face split into a grin when I saw a blast from the past.
Maggie Hall looked almost identical to the last time I saw her on that fateful flight when I just joined Whitmore and Creighton. She was still rocking the heck out of a navy blue suit, though. Her jacket was lined with silver buttons that gleamed and there wasn’t a single wrinkle to be found on her pencil skirt. The wild, scarlet coils that bonded me to her instantly back then were still in full effect, though she’d cut off most of her length and the curls framed her sweetheart face.
I didn’t bother with a handshake, bringing her in for a hug. “Maggie! How have you been?”
“I’ve been great!” She gave me a tight squeeze before she stood back and let out a whistle. “And from what I can see, so have you! You look incredible, Mrs. Whitmore.”
“Call me Leila,” I smirked, looping my arm in with hers. This was the woman who gave me the ‘strip’ note. Who probably overheard Jacob and I going at it like horny teenagers. We were definitely on a first name basis.
“Leila.” She tried it out and from her toothy grin, she was a fan. “It’s so good to see you! When I got the call from your husband, I couldn’t wait to dust off the old uniform. The Mr. wasn’t too happy that he got put on baby duty, but he’ll survive,” she said with a snort.
“You have kids?” I asked, my interest perking. I was already fishing out my phone, just as she whipped out her own.
“I have a little boy. Connor.” She showed me a picture of the cutest little baby with curly, white blonde hair and his mom’s bright eyes.
“He’s adorable, Maggie!” I handed her my phone. It was filled with pictures of my little girl, but I settled on the most recent one. I’d snapped a pic before she left on her sleepover with my mother. She looked like a little angel when she was sleeping. “Here’s my Hope.”
“Oh my goodness!” Maggie brought a hand to her chest. “She is so precious. You and Jacob made a beautiful baby.” She nudged me playfully. “Duh.”
“We did, didn’t we?” I said with a conspiratorial wink. “Speaking of Jacob-”
“Right!” Maggie went into business mode. “Your final destination is under wraps, per his instructions, but I’ve already checked you in and we can go ahead and board.”
We breezed through the terminal, headed out onto the tarmac. I saw the Whitmore and Creighton logo immediately, picking up the pace. I’d already traded my heels for Chucks, but I decided against telling her I’d race her there.
I climbed the steps two at a time, wondering how long of a flight it would be. How long I had to wait until I saw Jacob.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait very long.
I stepped inside the main cabin, my eyes recognizing his ass immediately. Firm and grabbable, and even more delicious because it was wrapped in a pair of dark wash jeans. That was as causal as my man got though because his top half was covered in a white button down shirt.
“Nice butt.”
He slowly pivoted to face me. His cerulean eyes were bright, his whole face alive with the glory of love. I inched toward him, but he held up a hand to prevent me from doing what I wanted to: erase the remaining distance between us in a blink of an eye and kiss the hell out of him, until Maggie reminded us we had to be strapped in for takeoff.
“Wait.” His voice was like a whip. Like a caress. “I want to see you.”
Warmth started at the heart of me—between my thighs. Any time those blue eyes of his took me in, nice and slow, like he didn’t want to miss a thing, I couldn’t help but get wet. To imagine what it would feel like when he finally touched me. Because even though he’d touched me more times that I could count, it always felt like the first time.
He always took my breath away.
He studied my face; the contours, the colors that Olga had used, turning me into a work of art. He drew closer, but still kept his distance, like he knew if he got too close all bets were off.
My heart raced, thundered as his gaze swept down my neck, lingering at my chest. I was well within his reach, but I eased forward when his hand stretched toward my breasts. I tried to remember to breathe as his fingertips danced around the hem of the strapless bustier, turning me into putty in his hands.
“And did you follow my instructions?”
It was rhetorical since he stopped teasing and slipped his fingers inside my dress. Cupped my breast.
My eyes drifted closed, but they flew back open when I remembered Maggie. The pilot. “Uh, maybe we should go to the compartment?”
The pain centered on my nipple and spread like wildfire, reverberating through me. It told me that was the wrong answer.
But his eyes sparkled like he was hoping I’d say that. Hoping he’d get the chance to remind me who was in charge.
“The only thing you need to worry about is passing inspection.”
He released my nipple, but he wasn’t done. His hands rounded my curves. Grazed my waist. Without warning and with more finesse than I had and I’d been wearing the dress for hours, he grabbed hold of the skirt and hiked it up. He didn’t
check with his eyes. His eyes were on mine, as his hand shot to my core. They smoldered when he connected with my bare, waiting flesh. He strummed my naughty skin, fingers dipping into the petals of me.
The lust that rippled across his handsome face made me wonder what he’d say next.
What would he demand of me? To bend over? To spread wider? To go into the back room so we could devour each other while we soared above the rest of the world?
He went with option D - none of the above.
He pulled his hand from my warmth and moved even closer, cradling my face in his hands. Letting me see him too. Not just the superficial, though I could stare at his angles, his ocean blue eyes, and that ‘kiss me’ mouth of his all day. He let me see what lied beneath—the love that filled up the cabin.
That filled up my heart.
His next words weren’t a command at all. They were the words of a man who was utterly lost, but now, with me here...he was found.
“God, you’re beautiful.”
I was on the verge of losing my mind.
First, Jacob had to wear those jeans. Then, he played dirty, gazing at me like I was the one that looked like sex on a stick. Touched me like he didn’t care who saw. Didn’t care about anything other than showing me how wet I could get, just from him grazing my skin. Giving me a slice of pain to go with the dizzying pleasure. The anticipation of what was to come.
The cherry on the top was when he told me I looked beautiful, then leaned in and whispered for me to “Buckle up”.
That’s it.
I had no idea where we were going—and he was loving every minute of it.
There was no point looking out the window for clues, we were still kissing clouds. Maggie was tight lipped, all business while Jacob glowered, clearly worried that she’d let something slip. The pilot was no help either, skipping right past the ETA and weather conditions at our final destination.
“I hope I’m not overdressed.” I eyeballed Jacob, but he was too busy attending to more important matters on his phone. “Or underdressed.”
He didn’t raise his eyes from the screen, but the smirk that whispered on his lips told me he heard me. “Clothing will be the least of your worries. To be honest, I considered telling you to strip altogether and board the plane in nothing but a trench coat.”