Chapter 25
Natasha
“Cabin crew, cross check.”
We are seated in Josh’s private plane bound for LAX Airport and I have to say I’m pretty damn nervous.
Cameron and Adrian have come along for the ride, Cameron to check out the hospital and living arrangements and Adrian to catch up with his boyfriend.
After not seeing him for eleven weeks he jumped at the chance to go home for a week.
They are sitting together three seats behind us.
Max and Ben and, what’s-his-name, Adrian’s bodyguard, are seated at the back together already playing cards, obviously used to extensive travel.
To think it’s only been nine weeks since I started seeing Josh again and already I can’t imagine my life without him.
I blow out a breath and close my eyes. I hate flying.
I’ve watched way too many episodes of Air Crash Investigation to sit back and enjoy the ride, who knows what the hell is going on in that damn cockpit?
Half the time I don’t think the pilots do.
One thing I do know for sure is that they don’t tell the passengers anything is wrong until they have approximately five seconds to live.
I frown at Josh. “Who is this pilot again?” I ask.
He smiles and shakes his head as he closes his eyes and leans his head back on the rest. “Will you chill? Do you think I would let a pilot who can’t fly, fly the freaking plane?”
I frown as I take his hand for comfort. “Did you check his references?”
Josh opens his eyes and frowns at me. “Is that a joke?”
“Josh, this is serious. We have precious cargo on board, you know. Namely me.” I bat my eyelids to accentuate the point.
He gives me a swoon-worthy smile. “Very precious cargo,” he repeats as he leans in and kisses me gently on the lips. “Why don’t you read a book? I have work I have to get done and then we can have sex and a sleep later?”
I frown at him and my eyes shoot around the cabin. “Sex in here, with everyone on the plane?” I gasp. He mischievously smiles and nods as he does wide eyes at me. I lean in to whisper, “I know you’re an exhibitionist but there is no way in hell I am having sex on this plane.”
He smirks. “Handbrake,” he whispers as he does wide eyes at me. Oh, I’m shocked.
“Did you just call me a handbrake?” I ask.
He smiles and nods. “Totally.”
The plane speeds down the runway and I brace myself for take-off.
Joshua senses I am scared and puts his arm around me for comfort.
I always feel so safe when he’s around. It’s like I’m in a safe bubble when I’m with him and I know it’s a false sense of security, the last week has shown me that.
My mind wanders back over the last few weeks.
The strip club when I saw him with the blond stripper.
I hated that night. And then seeing his tattoo at the fight, this brings a smile to my face.
What about when he told me he fucking adored me the first time?
I swoon at the memory. And to think I am on my way to LA with him to pick out a house for us to start a future in together.
Could he be more perfect? Hmm, unfortunately, yes he could.
The horrible memory of TC enters my head.
The amount of sex he has had with other women is definitely a fly in the ointment.
The stripper he was kissing the other night.
I close my eyes and rub my forehead in frustration.
Is Bridget right? Is he really just covering his ass with an elaborate story?
Is he the world’s biggest player? Have I turned into one of those pathetic girlfriends that make excuses for my philandering boyfriend?
My eyes roam back over to him in the seat next to me and I melt again, his beauty arrests me.
Never have I seen such an attractive male and he doesn’t even try to be, that’s what is so sexy about him.
That and his sexual confidence. I suppose I can’t begrudge his sexual history because it has made him an incredible lover and…
I blow out a breath as I try to articulate my thoughts.
If he still wants me after all that he has been exposed to, that’s saying something surely.
Isn’t it? I wonder if sex with another man would be as good.
I smile and bite my bottom lip. I’m naughty.
I can’t even imagine what it would be like.
“Why don’t you take your top off?” he whispers.
My mouth drops open. “Joshua, behave.” I smirk as I lean into him and kiss his beautiful lips.
“Frigid,” he whispers as he pulls back and winks at me.
Frigid, I am not frigid.
“Joshua, so help me, if you don’t shut up and look pretty for the rest of this flight, you are going to cop it.”
“What about in the bathroom? Can we have sex in the bathroom?” he smiles.
I frown at him. “No, definitely not. In your bed tonight when we get home, if you are lucky.”
He smiles and leans back in to me and grabs either side of my face as he tenderly takes control of my mouth with his tongue. I feel that familiar pulse between my legs as he kisses me deeply. Hmm OK, this is going to be a long flight.
Exactly fourteen hours later I wake as I feel Joshua stand and fuss around in the overhead luggage hold.
“What are you doing?” My half-asleep voice sounds husky as I speak.
“Just getting changed, Presh. Go back to sleep.” I nod and snuggle back into my pillow and blanket and then it dawns on me, why does he have to get changed?
Did he spill a drink on himself or something?
I open my sleepy eyes to see him in the aisle in just underpants as he unzips a suit bag. What in the hell is he doing?
“What are you doing?” I frown as I ask again.
He leans over the aisle and give me a kiss. “I’m in my underwear, feel free to molest me.”
“Josh, get your mind out of the gutter. I mean, why are you putting a suit on?”
He smiles a sad smile. “I can’t…I mean I always wear suits in public here, baby.”
I frown. “Huh, why?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “I just do, you will get used to it.” How strange. I mean the man rocks a suit but to put one on to land at an airport…that’s just crazy talk.
Ben walks up the aisle to us. “Joshua, what are the arrangements?”
Josh bites his bottom lip and glances at me. “Natasha will go with Adrian, you, and Max in the first car and Cam and I will travel with Jim in the second.”
Ben frowns. “I think I should stay with you.”
“No, I want you with Tash. We will be one minute behind you, it will be fine.”
What are they talking about? “How come I can’t come with you?” I ask.
Joshua grabs my hand and squeezes it. “Because we can’t be photographed together until we tell your parents.” I slump down in my seat like a naughty child.
“Oh, right. Who would be at the airport at this time anyway?” He smiles and nods and for the first time since we have been together, I see an emotion in his eyes I haven’t seen before…pity.
Adrian grabs my hand as we walk across the tarmac with Ben in front and Max behind us. I turn and look at the plane.
“Isn’t Josh coming?” I ask.
Adrian lifts my hand up and kisses the back of it.
“He will be out in a few minutes, Tash. Just don’t act like you know him if you see him.
” Huh, why in the hell not? As we walk out of the airport through customs and toward the glass screen, I nearly stop dead in my tracks.
There must be fifty photographers lined up against the glass, all waiting.
I hesitate and Adrian jerks me forward. “Act normal or they will know.” OK, what in the hell is he talking about now?
Have I missed part of the conversation? I nod and continue forward to the black Audi wagon parked outside.
Adrian ushers me to the car and opens the door for me to climb in, hmm, smell the leather.
This car is new; it has that new car smell.
I scramble over the seat and look out of the dark tinted windows toward the airport hoping to catch sight of my honey.
Adrian and the boys are putting all the luggage in the trunk and I sit in silence trying to sum up the situation.
Is Josh really this protected in America that I can’t even be seen with him?
This is ludicrous. Does he think I’m going to live in a cupboard hidden from the world?
We are so telling my parents when we get home.
Adrian jumps in and grabs my hand again.
“Drive,” he orders the driver without saying hello.
How rude. The driver pulls out into the traffic, but it is backed up and we are standing still, and then I see it.
My heart drops. A media frenzy, where photographers are running backward to try and get the shot.
Joshua is walking through the airport and every one of the photographers is chasing him and screaming out his name.
I sit still, frozen on the spot, as I stare out the window in horror.
This is why he got changed. He knew that they would be here, waiting for him.
I am brought back to the present by Adrian squeezing my hand again and I look at him, bewildered.
“Is this normal?” I frown at Adrian.
He smiles and nods. “Unfortunately, yes. Now we find out what you are made of, Tash girl.” I frown as his words sink in.
“I hope you have a strong stomach,” he whispers as he puts his arm around me. “You’re going to need it. Joshua Stanton’s world can be pretty harsh.”