Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
E lisabetta
The plane ride is pretty silent. There are only ten of us on the flight, and I'm curious about where we're going. I peek over at Liam and watch as he reads his book. It's some crime thriller by an author I've never heard of.
"Everything okay?" he says, looking up, catching me unawares.
"Yeah, I was just wondering who that author is," I say, nodding toward the book. "I've never heard of him before, and you seem so engrossed."
He smiles at me. "Is that really what you were wondering?"
"Uh, yeah. Why would you?—"
"Or were you wondering if I'd like to join the mile-high club?"
He folds the corner of a page down, closes the books, and tucks it into the seat pocket in front of him. He turns toward me and gives me a wicked grin. "Because if you're interested in joining, I would be very happy to initiate you."
"Who says I'm not already a member?" I say, staring back at him, my heart racing.
"I don't know. Are you a member?" He leans forward. His blue eyes are questioning, and I shake my head quickly.
"I'm not, but it's not because I haven't had the opportunity."
"I know." He grins. "I'm pretty sure that many men would love to have the opportunity to take your in-the-air cherry."
"My what?" I burst out laughing. "Are you kidding me?"
"I'm not. I'm really not," he says, "but now that I think about what I just said, it does sound absolutely ridiculous, so my apologies."
"You're so British," I say, shaking my head.
"What does that mean?"
"I mean, you're so polite. Even when you're a jackass, you're polite. You puzzle me. You know that, right?"
"How do I puzzle you?"
"Because you drive people crazy. You were horrible to Skye and Juniper and Lyla, yet, I don't think you're that bad of a boss at all."
"You don't?" He frowns. "Well, we can't have that then, can we?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, if I'm not a horrible boss, then you'll never wanna go and get engaged to whatever man your father has for you."
I let out a deep sigh. "I've been trying to avoid thinking about that," I say as I reach over and squeeze his thigh.
His eyes widen slightly as I move my finger up his leg. "So, is this you trying to initiate airplane sex?"
"No, this is me trying to change the subject."
"I'm just curious why you would want to marry a man that your father has picked and not someone you've chosen yourself."
"I don't have anyone in mind to marry, and if I did, it's very unlikely that they would have enough money to help save my father's business, so I'll just do what I have to do."
"And you'll sleep with this man?"
I stare at him, my heart thudding. "What do you mean?"
"You'll have sex with a strange man because?—"
"Please, Liam, I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it. That's actually kinda gross."
"It's just weird to me that an independent woman like you, who's so confident and self-assured, would let herself?—"
"Liam, we have a decision to make here." I lean over and lightly kiss his cheek.
He looks at me. "And that decision is?"
"We can continue talking about my father and his archaic way of trying to solve the family problems, or we can focus on the here and now and you and me." I lower my voice as I kiss down the side of his face and then unbutton his shirt.
"I'm listening," he says, turning his face towards me. His lips are so close to mine now. I can see his eyes dilating as he gazes into mine. We're both breathing heavily.
I undo another button on his shirt. "I wonder if you have a six-pack." I say the first thought that comes to mind because I do wonder what he looks like naked.
"I guess you'll have to find out." He winks at me, and I undo another button. I slide my hand down his chest towards his stomach, and he groans slightly as I rub his hair against my palm. I feel his taut muscles and count as I go down. "One, two, three. Four?" My eyes widen. "You have an eight-pack?"
"It was quite hard to get." He nods. "I understand why you're so shocked, but you know, I'm a perfectionist. I like to be the best."
"So you have an eight-pack because a six-pack wasn't good enough?" I roll my eyes. "That's absolutely ridiculous."
"Is it, though? Or is it just really sexy?" He leans forward and sucks on my lower lip. My stomach flips as he kisses me. "You're so beautiful, Elisabetta. Too beautiful for the situation you find yourself in."
"I'm too beautiful to be in a fucked-up situation?" I pull away from him slightly. "I don't think that's true. There are many beautiful women in fucked-up situations. This world is fucked up. I actually think I'm luckier than most."
"You do? I mean, I'm not sure many women would be happy about the fact that their father was basically selling them to the highest bidder."
"My father's not selling me. He's arranging a marriage for me with a suitable husband."
"Suitable for you, or suitable for him?" he says under his breath.
"I already told you, I don’t wanna talk about this, Liam.”
“I know, but just because you don’t wanna talk about something doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t. You know, in life, oftentimes the hardest conversations are the ones that you should be having the most."
"What are you, a therapist now?" I lean back. “You've totally killed my buzz.”
"I doubt it," he says, leaning forward and running his finger down the side of his face. "I don’t think I could kill your buzz at all, Elisabetta Franco."
He licks his lip. He lifts the armrest and moves closer to me. "I think that you need to destress." He chuckles slightly as he grabs the blanket that's on the ground in the plastic.
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
I watch as he takes the blanket out of the plastic and shakes it and covers it over my lap. "I wasn't cold, but thank you. Very nice of you to offer me your blanket. I have my own, but?—"
"But what?" he says. "You don't want this one?"
"I mean, I don't need it."
"I think you do." His hand slides to my leg and shifts my skirt slightly up.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm just seeing if your skin is as warm as it looks."
"Um, it is."
"It is," he says as he slides his hand up higher.
"Liam!"
"What?" he says as he shifts closer to me.
"We're on a plane."
"There aren't many people on the plane," he says, lowering his voice. "In fact, I think the lights will probably go out in about 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.” He grins in a happy way as the lights dim. “Ta-da.”
“How the fuck did you know they were gonna go out?” I stare at him. “Are you psychic?”
“Some say I am.” He chuckles slightly. “But no, I just have a gift for these things.”
"But how? I don't?—"
"I saw the flight attendants by the lights." He smiles at me. "I could see she was about to turn them off."
"Oh, okay." I let out a deep breath. "I feel stupid for saying this, but a part of me thought you really may be psychic for a second, and I was about to lose my mind."
He chuckles then. "Do you really think there are psychic people in the world?"
"I don't know, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there are people who have supernatural powers that many of us wouldn’t understand. I mean, I don't, and I don't think you do, but somewhere out there? Sure, maybe."
"Really?" He looked surprised. "I thought you, a woman of science, of?—"
"Of what?" I say as he pauses.
"I just didn’t think you'd believe in such things."
"I mean, I didn't believe that I was the sort of woman who would have to get married to a man I've never met before," I say honestly. "Many things in life change."
"I know," he says. His fingers make their ascent back up.
"Liam!" I say.
"Recline your chair," he whispers in my ear.
"What?"
"Recline back. It will make it easier."
"It will make what easier?" I glare at him. I have a feeling I know what he's about to do, and I don't know if I should stop him or not.
"I told you I wanna help relieve some of your stress." He grins at me. "I think you want me to, as well.”
I stare into his eyes. They’re dark, seductive. And I know that he knows that I want him.
His fingers are tracing the edge of my panties now. I gasp slightly as he pushes them to the side and rubs me gently.
“I wish my tongue were touching you know." He grunts. "I wish my cock were ready, but we have time."
"I thought you didn't wanna sleep wih me," I retort back at him. "I thought you said that?—"
"Shh." He places his fingers on my lips. "You're not to talk right now."
"Excuse me? You can?—"
"Elisabetta, for once in your life, just be quiet."
"Um, I know you didn't just tell me to be quiet."
"If I was your husband, I would do more than tell you to be quiet." He grins. "I'd make you."
"Oh, yeah? How would you make me be quiet?" I pause. "Actually, don't answer that question. I think I know what you're gonna say."
"And what's that?"
"You'd stuff your cock into my mouth or something gross like that."
"You think having my cock in your mouth would be gross?"
"No comment."
He laughs loudly then. "You are the most marvelous thing, aren't you?
"Am I? Or am I just telling you the truth?"
"I don't know."
His fingers rub my clit, and I watch as he pulls them back from under the blanket and licks them. My jaw drops as he puts them in his mouth and sucks. "You taste sweet." He licks his lips. "Very, very sweet."
"Are you freaking kidding me right now? Did you just do what I think you just did?"
"If you are asking me if I just rubbed your pussy and then sucked your juices, then yeah. Is it wrong for me to wanna know what you taste like? I mean, let's be real. I've seen those lips up close and personal. I've seen you come at the touch of your own fingers. I wanted to taste that beautiful?—"
"Stop!" I hold my hand up. "I'm not drunk enough for this conversation."
"You weren't drunk the other day when you?—"
"Liam!"
"Yes, darling?"
"Don't call me darling," I say quickly. "I'm not your darling. I am your assistant and?—"
“And soon-to-be lover,” he says in a sultry tone. “You’re gonna be my paradise lover.”
“That sounds absolutely cheesy.” I shake my head as I turn to look at him. “Why are you so devastatingly handsome and so freaking annoying?”
"I don't know. Why am I?" He grins. "Is it perhaps because—" He pauses.
"Because what?" I ask him.
"I don't know." He frowns slightly. "You ever sometimes wonder the sort of person you are?"
"All the time. Why?"
"I don't know. Sometimes things just pop into my head that make me question the path I am going on in life."
"What, the path that led you to being a billionaire?"
His lips thin, and he lets out a deep sigh. Something's bothering him, and I have no idea what. This dark cloud has suddenly appeared from nowhere.
"Hey, is everything okay? You were literally just joking a couple of seconds ago, and?—?
“I was just thinking about your situation and you and life,” he says. “You’re a good person.”
"I mean, I try to be. I'm not always. I'm not perfect. I mean, I never heard that I was an angel or anything in another life, so…"
He chuckles. "You know you're absolutely ridiculous sometimes?"
"I know. I should've been a comedian, but I'm scared I'd just get tomatoes and eggs thrown at me all the time."
"Yeah. I could see that happening."
"Ha ha, very funny," I say. I lean my head on his shoulder and look over at his profile. He's still thinking, and I don't want the mood to change. I like a teasing Liam. I like who he is when he's flirting with me and trying to turn me on. For some reason, it makes me feel special, even though it really isn't.
"Hey!" I tap him on the shoulder, and he looks down at me. He kisses the tip of my nose, and I frown slightly. “What was that for?”
"Because you're cute, and you're pretty," he says.
"Why?"
"Well, you were about to do something to help relieve my stress, and you stopped."
"Well, you were acting like you didn't want me to," he says, shrugging. But I can see a wicked glint in his eyes as he tries to hide a smile.
"Well, perhaps I've changed my mind. Maybe I do want that release after all. I mean, I'm soon to be a married woman. If I can't have some fun with my boss on a plane, then what sort of life would I have led?"
He shakes his head and smirks slightly. "You are?—"
"Don't call me ridiculous again," I say, interrupting him.
"I wasn't going to say that. I was gonna say that you're the perfect mix of sweet and naughty. Now relax," he says as he pushes me over to the side, his hand sliding back under the blanket.