Chapter 4 Keaton
Chapter four
Keaton
A
nna is animated as she tells a story about her and her college friends on their trip to Cancun last year.
“She was so drunk, and we tried the best we could to rein her in, but she started dancing, flailing her entire body about, and fell right into a cactus. We had to haul the poor thing to the infirmary, where they pulled twelve of those dang needles out of her. Twelve!”
Her infectious laugh makes me do the same and I realize how easy it is to do that with her.
We’ve been talking and laughing these past few hours of the flight and it’s really helped ease my fears.
I’ve appreciated her sitting here with me to get my mind off things.
Having the opportunity to look at her has been incredibly nice, too, especially when she laughs making those luscious tits of hers jiggle.
“So, Cancun last year and Las Vegas this year. Y’all choose a different place every time? ”
She nods. “Yeah, on the last day of each trip we have brunch and that’s when we decide where we are going next.
We all put a destination on a slip of paper and put it in a glass.
Then we pull the slips out one by one. Each one we pull out is where we will not be traveling to, so when we reach the last strip, that’s our destination. ”
“That sounds like a fun tradition. Where all have you been?”
“This is only the third year we’ve done it. We all agreed on New York City for our first trip, then Cancun last year, and Vegas this year.”
“What destination do you plan to enter into the drawing this year?” I ask.
Anna’s eyes light up and I can tell how much this woman loves to travel. Something inside me wants to help her discover the world, but I push that odd feeling down as I take in her answer.
“I know it’s super basic, but I really want to go to Paris.
I’ve dreamed of going there ever since I was a little girl.
I want to visit The Louvre and see the Mona Lisa, of course, and take in the views of the city from the Eiffel Tower.
And I want to go to a little café to drink coffee and enjoy the croissants.
” She says the last word in a fake French accent that is too adorable to not make me chuckle.
“Well then, I hope Paris is the last one pulled this year.” Her smile widens and she beams at me.
I have to dig my thumbnail into my palm to stop myself from reaching out and cupping her cheek.
I so badly want to kiss this woman, but trying to do that on a plane when she has no way of escaping me is not the way to go about that.
So instead, I distract my dick by asking her more questions about her and her friends.
“Penny is an elementary school teacher. She’s taught third grade the past several years, but they just transferred her to first grade this year and I just know she’s going to be great.
Her heart is so big and she’s gonna love those babies so much.
” Her beautiful face lights up as she talks about the people she loves.
“Then Jasmine is an attorney. She’s such a badass and I want to be her when I grow up. She refuses to take shit from anyone, but she’s secretly a lot softer than her rough exterior lets on.
“Finally, we have Skyla.” The soft smile on her face lets me know she cares deeply about her friend.
“She’s our dreamer. I don’t know if there’s a place in this world that could hold on to that girl for too long.
It’s not unlike her to call us up and say something crazy like, ‘I wanted to see a live Toucan, so I’m in Costa Rica.
’” She lets out a laugh and it warms my chest. “She’s so silly, but I love her so much. ”
“It's obvious y’all have a great bond. So, there’s the dreamer, the attorney, and the teacher. What about you, Anna?” I notice she deflates slightly with my question.
“Oh, I’m nothing quite as impressive. Right now I’m an executive assistant for an accounting firm, but can I tell you a secret?
I haven’t shared this with anybody, so I’m trusting you to keep quiet.
” She whispers and I lean in closer, breathing in her scent and knowing I need more.
I can’t help but smile as I give her a nod, urging her to go on.
“I’ve been trying to find work somewhere else.
I actually just applied for a position at this one company where I’ve heard nothing but incredible things about the owners, even though I can’t seem to find anything online about them at all.
I would be an executive assistant again, so I have hope that since I’ve got some experience in that area, I’ll be chosen for the position.
The only downside is I’ve never lived outside of the city and it’s in a small town just a couple of hours from home.
If I manage to get the job, I know it will upset my parents, and I really hate letting them down. ”
“I take it you’re close with your family?”
She shrugs her shoulders in a noncommittal gesture. “We are, but, well my dad can be pretty hard on me. He has some high expectations, and I seem to fall short of those more often than not. He loves me, but well, it’s complicated.”
“I get complicated. My family is very close,” I tell her.
“Sometimes too close. My brothers and I work together. Well, my brother Lincoln and I work in the same office. My brother Camden is an attorney, and while he works with us, his office is downtown. It’s a lot of togetherness, sometimes too much if I’m being honest. We work together all week, typically get together to get into something on Saturday, and then we have family dinners every Sunday. ”
“Oh, we do that, too!” Anna gushes. “But I’m an only child, so it’s just me and my folks usually. Occasionally my boss will come over.”
“Your boss attends your family dinners?”
She nods before answering. “Yeah, he and my dad are best friends. Have been since college. It’s how I got the job, actually.
The company I had been working for previously just closed and I needed a paycheck.
My dad practically demanded that I work for his friend and I didn’t want to disappoint him.
I also didn’t want to move back home, so here we are. ”
Her incredible smile has dimmed and I immediately miss the light it brings. “I take it that being an executive assistant isn’t exactly your dream career?” I ask, hoping she will share all her hopes and dreams with me.
“I graduated with a degree in photography. But apparently that was a waste of an education and to make my dad happy, I double majored in business administration. Photography is definitely my passion, though. There’s just something about capturing that special moment.
That special place. That special feeling. Oh, I love it so much.”
The sparkle in her eyes takes my breath away as she shares her passion with me.
“Do you still get to practice photography, then?” I ask, truly hoping this woman gets to pursue her passion, but sadly she shakes her head.
“There’s not really time for it. My boss is,” she trails off, shuddering slightly.
“Well, my boss really wants me to be at the office when he’s there, which is a lot.
Every now and then friends from school will contact me to take some family photos for them.
Occasionally I try to travel to nearby locations and take some pictures, but that’s just for fun.
I went to Mammoth Cave a few weeks ago. Have you been? So beautiful.”
I look at Anna’s round cheeks, full lips and emerald eyes. So beautiful. I find myself leaning in her direction, my hand reaching out and brushing a stray blonde hair from her cheek. Am I about to give in and kiss this woman?
Suddenly, the plane dips and I find myself pressed back against my seat.
Short, quick breaths escape between my lips and I think I’m about to hyperventilate.
Are we about to crash? If so, why is the only thought running through my mind that I will die before I ever get to kiss the incredible woman beside me?
The woman who has scooted into the middle seat so she can cup my cheek and swipe her thumb over it.
Back and forth, back and forth. Her calming movements feel so good, and I find my body relaxing.
“That’s it, Keaton. You’re doing great. Take a breath with me.” She breathes in through her nose and I find myself mimicking her actions. When she releases through her pouty lips, I do the same. “So good, Keaton. You’re doing so good.”
I listen to her soothing voice with just the slightest touch of twang to it and my body relaxes.
We repeat the breathing exercise, and this time after I’ve exhaled, I can’t help but lean closer and brush my lips ever so lightly against hers.
Her soft, full lips are perfect as they match my pressure.
My hand comes up to the back of her head, brushing the golden waves of her hair.
I’ve never had a reaction to a woman as quickly as I have to Anna, and now I’m kissing her on a fucking airplane.
I’m not sure what has come over me, but I’m not ready to release her from my hold just yet.
All good things must come to an end, though, because all too soon the crackling sound of the plane’s intercom system has us separating far too quickly.
As we straighten in our seats, I look to my left and see the sweetest shade of pink tinging her cheeks.
She looks over at me, a sheepish grin on her face, and I can’t help but smile like a fucking opossum eating persimmons.
Knowing she was just as into that kiss as I was has me wanting to pull her back over here and take her lips again.
Hell, I want to pull her on top of me and take her right here on this fucking plane and let everyone know this incredible woman is mine now.
“Sorry about that, folks,” the pilot says, “we’ve run into a bit of turbulence. We ask that you please remain seated with your seatbelts fastened as we navigate these bumps over the next few minutes.”
“See, just some turbulence. He has it under control. Feel better?” Anna asks, her voice genuine, but breathy from the tender moment we just shared.
“I do, thanks to you.” I rub my thumb across her hand. “Would you stay here beside me?”
The pink on her cheek returns as a blush blooms across her beautiful face. “Oh, do you think you'll be comfortable?”
I know she’s thinking back to the cruelty of the man who sat beside her earlier and damn if I let her think for one second I wouldn’t want her beautiful body on me. “I imagine being closer to you would make me very comfortable.”
Capturing her plump bottom lip between her teeth she nods, and even though I see her unclasp the extra length of seat belt from her previous spot and click it into her new seat, I look away so she doesn’t get embarrassed again.
“Maybe you should have been the one to switch seats. Don’t you want to look out the window?” she asks.
My body tenses and the fear has officially crept back in at the thought of what I might see. “Absolutely not.”
Anna laughs lightly, “Okay, no worries. Umm, Keaton. I know we just met, but apparently you’re really good at keeping secrets. Mind if I tell you one more?”
I want to tell her that I’m dying to uncover every single one of her secrets, but I don’t want to frighten her off. “You can tell me anything, Anna.”
“That was my first kiss on a plane,” she admits, pink smattering her cheeks. “And it was pretty fucking incredible.”
I smile at her as my heart does a full-on touchdown dance inside my chest. “That was my first one too, and I’d say you’re fucking right.”
She catches her bottom lip with her teeth and I want to release it and give us both the chance for a second in-flight kiss, but the crackling of the intercom interrupts.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we will be descending into Las Vegas in approximately ten minutes. At this time we ask that you throw away all trash, return your seats to an upright position, and fold up those tray tables. We thank you for flying with us.”
“So, are you meeting up with your friends this evening?” I ask, secretly hoping she has no plans.
“Not tonight. Since I rely on a smaller airport than the rest of them, my flight came in a day early. I'll meet up with everyone else tomorrow. Tonight I plan to drink until I forget about this god-awful plane ride.”
“I hope it hasn't been totally awful,” I smirk at her.
“Oh, no. I didn't mean that. You're great.
I mean, you've been great. I mean, I've loved talking with you.” Her flushed face is adorable as she stammers over her words. “Anyway, I also have to find a room for the night. We don’t technically have reservations until tomorrow, so I should probably be a responsible adult first.”
It takes me just a moment to process what she just admitted. When in Vegas, I suppose one should take a gamble.
“Well, if you're needing a room, I just so happen to have one you could stay in.”
Anna's entire body flushes and I can’t help but light up inside at her reaction. Then, those gorgeous green eyes lock on mine. “I think I'd like that.”