Chapter 7 #3
On the flight home, Jill worked the phone, calling in every favor she’d accumulated since she’d been Kate’s attorney and manager. After an hour, though, it became clear that all the favors in the world couldn’t put the genie back in the bottle.
Anxiety pooled in her chest, making her wonder if she was having a heart attack at twenty-five-thousand feet.
Ashton reached over to place his hand on top of hers. “Take a break, baby. You’ve done all you can.”
“I’ve done nothing. That video is still out there for all the world to see.”
“That’s not your fault. It’s hers. It’s theirs. They did this, not you.”
“My job is to protect her, and I can’t protect her from this.”
“And that kills you. I know. But she took a foolish risk by cavorting in broad daylight, and by now she ought to know better.”
Jill pulled her hand free of his. “If you’re going to kick her when she’s down, I don’t want to hear it.”
“I’m not kicking her. I swear I’m not. I’m only stating the obvious. She should’ve known better. They both should’ve.”
“You’re right,” Jill said. “I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize for being upset, darlin’. When I get my hands on my father, I may have to punch him for this.”
“Like you said, what’s done is done. No point in coming to blows over it.”
“He should’ve protected her better than he did.”
“I’m sure he’s beating himself up more than any of us ever could.”
“Probably,” Ashton conceded. “Whatever I may think of the two of them together, he was wrecked by what happened with her.”
“For what it’s worth, so was she.”
“So I suppose after all those years of yearning for each other, they weren’t exactly thinking with their brains.”
That drew the first hint of a smile from Jill since the call from Buddy.
“We can relate, right?” he asked with that charming grin that sent a rush of desire zipping through her veins. Once again, he took hold of her hand, but this time he brought it to his lips.
“Yes.”
He waggled his brows. “Want to join the Mile High Club?”
Jill stared at him, aghast. “Are you out of your mind?”
“Nope.” He turned her hand to focus his attention on the inside of her wrist, where her pounding pulse gave away her true feelings on the matter.
“Who would fly the plane?”
“The autopilot,” he said, gesturing to the dashboard. “That’s who’s flying it now.”
“No. Absolutely not. N-O.”
“You’re no fun at all.”
“I believe I’ve provided adequate proof to the contrary over the last few days.”
“I love when you get all lawyerly with me. Makes me hot.”
“Everything makes you hot.”
“Not everything. Only you.” Giving her hand a gentle tug, he pulled her over for a kiss.
Jill marveled at how he’d managed to diffuse her anxiety and take her mind off her sister’s mess. She closed her eyes and fell into the kiss.
“Holy shit,” he said a few minutes later when he finally pulled back from her. “For a girl who said no so forcefully a few minutes ago, that was kinda mean.”
“How do you figure?”
He rested her hand over the bulge between his legs. “That’s how I figure.”
“That feels like it might be uncomfortable,” Jill said, pushing down gently as she moved her fingers over his length.
Ashton sucked in a breath.
“Oh, sorry.” Jill started to pull her hand back, but he put his hand over hers.
“Don’t stop.”
“Ashton…”
“It’s fine. I promise we won’t crash.”
The sky stretched before them, vast and blue and littered with puffy white clouds.
They were completely alone as the plane hurtled through space and time, infusing Jill with an unusual sense of daring as she tugged on the button to his jeans and unzipped him, drawing a hiss from him as the zipper traveled over his erection.
She released her own seat belt and turned in the seat.
His eyes went wide when he realized her intent. “Jill…”
“Hmm?”
“What’re you doing?”
He’d driven her crazy more than once over the last few days, teasing her into an orgasmic frenzy until she was practically catatonic in the aftermath. Paying him back would be fun.
“This,” she said, bending to tease the tip of his very hard penis with her tongue.
“Shit,” he muttered, gasping. He fumbled around the far side of the seat and pushed it back a few inches, giving Jill the room she needed to maneuver.
The armrest poked her in the ribs, but she ignored that to focus on him. “Pay attention to the plane,” she said, making sure her lips vibrated against his sensitive skin.
“Ah, yeah. Sure. That’s all I’m thinking about.”
She smiled and took him into her mouth, using her tongue and lips to maximum effect.
His fingers sank into her hair, tight enough to cause pain, not that she minded. Knowing he wanted her so badly was a huge turn-on.
The plane hit a bump of turbulence, forcing him deeper into her mouth and making him moan. “God, that’s hot,” he whispered.
“Mmm,” she said against his shaft as she stroked him with her hand and lips.
“Maybe you ought to stop.”
The note of warning wasn’t lost on her as she continued to tease him with her tongue, adding a tiny bit of suction.
“Jill, baby…stop. Stop.”
Not in the mood to do what she was told, Jill continued until he was coming into her throat, both hands clutching her hair.
“Wow,” he said, his chest rising and falling rapidly. “You’re full of surprises.”
“It’s not fun being predictable all the time.” He’d put her in touch with a lighter, playful side to herself that she hadn’t known existed before him.
“Come here.”
She inched closer to him and his appealing scent as his arms encircled her.
“I’m crazy about you,” he whispered against her ear, making her shiver with desire and excitement at the promise in his words.
“I seem to have the same problem.”
“That’s convenient,” he said with a laugh.
Jill pulled back from him so she could see his handsome face. “I have a feeling it’s going to be completely inconvenient.”
“Maybe so, but it’ll be awfully fun, too.”
“It already is.”
With his hands on her face, he smoothed his thumbs over the fragile skin under her eyes. “You look rested and relaxed. I know this thing with Kate is upsetting, but I don’t want you to make yourself sick trying to make it right for her. You got me?”
Jill smiled at him, appreciating the concern behind his words. “Yeah, yeah.” She glanced down at his lap. “Need some help putting that away?”
“Ah, no, that’s all right. You’ve done more than enough.”
Laughing, Jill sat back in her seat, feeling quite pleased with herself. She’d shown him.