Chapter 17
Seventeen
SARAH
After Theo suggested I do some clothes shopping in London and spend a little of my money on myself, it didn’t take me long to pack. We were ready to leave in record time.
I had a moment of panic when, just as we stepped out the front door, I asked, “I don’t need a passport, do I?”
Theo raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have one?”
“No.”
“Well, you should get one. But to travel to London you just need ID. Your driver’s license will do.”
“Speaking of, what about my car?” I gestured to it as he led me to his rental.
“Leave it. We’ll figure something out.” Then he peered at my vehicle for a few seconds before turning back to me with a smirk. “We need to do something about this car, Sarah. You’re making all the other millionaires look bad.”
My laughter echoed off the driveway as I shoved him playfully aside to load my bag into the boot of his car.
We chatted about all the sights Theo wanted to show me when we got to London, and I let the butterflies of excitement fill my belly as I anticipated our trip.
It was out of character for me to do something so impulsive, but it made me feel alive.
I sincerely believed Grandpa would be proud of me for going out into the world.
Even though I was afraid it would take the shine off my excitement, I texted Jared to let him know I was flying to London. That I was spending an indefinite period of time there, but I’d be home for Christmas.
We’d just reached Inverness Airport when my phone buzzed in my purse with a response from Jared.
Ok. Have fun. Be careful. Call me if u need me.
Grateful at his measured response, I told him I would and that I loved him.
I knew Jared had thundered across the Highlands to “rescue” me out of his love and protectiveness, but I was hopeful that he was finally starting to see me as a grown woman with her own mind.
The problem with impulsivity, however, was that there were no more direct flights to London out of Inverness that day.
We had to fly to Edinburgh first. Fear had cut through my nerves as I followed Theo through the airport and fumbled with my shoes and belongings at security.
He guided me, though, helping me place my shoes on the conveyor belt and making sure I had all my electronics out of my bag and in the tray.
The only time he broke contact was when we each had to step through the doorway sensor thingy.
Then Theo’s hand was on my lower back again as we waited for our trays to go through the machine sensor too.
By the time we got to our gate, I was a sweaty mess.
Theo seemed to find my first visit to the airport amusing and adorable.
“It’s like watching Bambi try to walk for the first time,” he teased, rubbing my shoulders as we stood at the gate.
I rolled my eyes. “Funny. Is that what the first woman you slept with said to you afterward?”
Theo threw his head back in laughter, even as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me tight to him so my back rested against his chest. His laughter had drawn attention and I tried not to flush as he nuzzled my neck. I felt his smile against my skin.
Our teasing banter helped abate the nerves, but by the time we got on the plane, I could feel my knees shaking a wee bit. It finally hit me that I was about to find myself thousands of feet in the sky for the first time in my life.
Theo sensed the change as we took our seats.
He didn’t ask if I was all right nor did he smother me with protectiveness.
Instead, he just quietly wrapped one of my hands in both of his and held it.
He held it while everyone boarded the plane, while the flight attendants ran through the safety instructions (which I listened to harder than I’d listened to anything in my life), and he held it while the plane gained speed on the runway and thrust into the air.
I squeezed my eyes closed as the pressure forced me back in my seat, and I relaxed marginally at the touch of Theo’s lips on my hand and then on my cheek.
And then on my lips.
Despite the awkward position, he kissed me thoroughly, hungrily. It was an NSFW kiss if ever there was one. But I didn’t care because when he finally let me up for air, the plane had leveled out.
“We’re flying?” I gasped, peering past him out the window.
Theo leaned back to let me see out.
Amazement replaced my fear, and when the flight attendant came around to offer a drink and snacks, I started to enjoy myself.
Landing, however, was a nerve-racking business and I let out a little yelp as the wheels hit the runway. Theo tried not to laugh.
Once we arrived at Edinburgh airport, we didn’t have to go through security again.
Theo led me through the much bigger, busier airport, and I tried to take in all the shops and restaurants as he marched with long-legged strides.
He’d already told me we would eat for free in the business lounge since we were flying business class.
As we neared large glass doors with the airline logo etched across them, Theo slowed, digging into his coat pocket. “Go ahead, little darling. I’m just looking for the tickets.”
I stepped toward the doors, and they slid open automatically. I’d barely taken a step inside when a woman dressed in the airline uniform stepped forward, her palm up toward me. “I’m sorry, miss, this is business class only.”
Heat exploded across my cheeks and I turned toward Theo as he stepped inside.
His gaze moved over my face before he looked at the airline attendant.
To anyone else, his expression was a mask of disinterest, but I’d seen the flicker of irritation in his eyes and the popping of the muscle in his jaw as he pulled the tickets out of his pocket.
He handed them to the attendant and drawled mockingly, “Perhaps you should look at a person’s ticket before making assumptions about what they can afford. ”
The attendant flushed almost as red as me as she looked over the tickets. “I do apologize, Mr. Cavendish.”
“I don’t need your apology.”
The attendant could barely look me in the eye, and I squirmed in embarrassment and secondhand mortification for her. “Ms. McCulloch.” She swallowed hard. “I’m very sorry for my mistake.”
“It’s all right,” I assured her.
She took the tickets over to a desk where her colleague waited.
The man drew her a dark look as he held the tickets under a machine that beeped.
As Theo took the tickets from him, the male attendant said in a snooty voice, “Apologies for my colleague, Mr. Cavendish, Ms. McCulloch. She’s new.
It won’t happen again.” He gave her another dirty look, and I felt awful for her as misery cut across her expression.
“Please enjoy the lounge and the rest of your day.”
“Thank you for your shitty customer service,” Theo replied blandly. “Please do not enjoy the rest of your day.”
I caught sight of the flight attendant squeezing her eyes closed in dismay as Theo guided me past them and into the large lounge.
It was half-empty. There were different kinds of seating. Some bistro tables. Bench seats. Chairs with electrical sockets and side tables. Stools at high counters where people worked on their laptops.
In the center was a catering area with sandwiches and pasta, soda, water, juice, and coffee and tea machines. There were snacks and fruit plates.
I’d have marveled at what a business class ticket could buy you if I wasn’t currently annoyed with my companion.
“You embarrassed her,” I bit out.
Theo drew us to a halt at a table away from other people. “She embarrassed you first. All’s fair, love.” He stroked a tender thumb over my cheek. “Only I get to make you blush.”
I flushed even harder as I gritted my teeth in irritation. “That may be, but I didn’t want you to embarrass her for me. She was embarrassed enough by her error. And the way her colleague looked at her … I feel bad for her. What if she’s on a trial run and they let her go over this?”
Theo tugged my bag off my shoulder and placed it on the bench seating, a heavy sigh spilling from his lips. “You are far too nice, Ms. McCulloch.”
I frowned. “You can be nice. You’re nice to me.”
Cupping my face in his hands, Theo murmured against my mouth, “I’m not nice. Let me prove it.”
He kissed me hard and deep. Another inappropriate public display of affection.
By the time he released me, I was breathing hard, and I knew I was flushed bright red again.
“See?” The bastard grinned smugly. “Now, what do you want to drink?”
I pressed a cool palm to my hot cheek as I slumped onto the bench beside my bag. “Um … Diet Coke.”
“Anything to eat?”
“Whatever you think,” I mumbled.
Despite his good-natured teasing, I was still uncomfortable with the way he’d treated the attendant on my behalf.
I knew he hadn’t been overly horrible to her (his last parting remark, however, was totally unnecessary), but as someone who’d spent her life being mortified by my shyness, by feeling constantly embarrassed by it, it didn’t sit right with me to put someone else in that position.
Yes, the flight attendant shouldn’t have assumed I wasn’t flying business class (and I was not going down the rabbit hole of wondering why she’d assumed that about me), but it was a mistake.
She was new. She was learning. And yes, maybe I was hyperfocusing on the incident and blowing it out of proportion because of my own issues, but I couldn’t help it.
Theo returned with snacks and attempted conversation, but I was stuck in my head.
Aye, Theo was nice to me. But was what I just witnessed a taste of what he was like with others?
I knew he was kind to North, that he cared for North, but I didn’t know how he treated other people beyond me.
We’d eaten out a few times and he’d treated the waitstaff with politeness.
But we hadn’t had interactions with other people.
We’d been living it up in our little bubble together.
What if … what if I didn’t like who Theo was outside of our bubble?
Dread knotted in my gut.
I could feel Theo’s intense study as I nibbled, no longer hungry, on the snacks he’d brought over. Surprisingly, he didn’t push me to chat. Instead, he seemed to fall into his own grim contemplation.
Was he thinking what I was thinking?
I didn’t know why that made me feel worse.
Not long later, it was time to gather our belongings and head to our gate.
Theo took my hand, his grip firm, unyielding, as we strode together out of the lounge.
The two airline attendants were still there, and my hand flexed in Theo’s with uncertainty as he gestured the woman over to the desk so he could speak to them both.
She looked like she wanted the floor to open up, and honestly, I was right there with her.
Theo cleared his throat as he glanced between the man and woman. “I just want to apologize for my attitude earlier. It was a silly mistake. No need for embarrassment or admonishment.” He stared sternly at the man. “Let’s just forget this, yes?”
The male attendant frowned but nodded. “If that’s your wish, Mr. Cavendish.”
“Please. I have a feeling it won’t happen again.” He offered the woman a teasing smile, and she blushed for an entirely different reason now.
“Thank you.” Her gaze flicked to me. “Apologies again.”
I gave her a soft smile, something easing in me as we nodded goodbye. Theo’s hand squeezed around mine as I hurried to match his stride.
He looked down at me as we stepped out of the glass doors, and I gazed back up at him with an expression I worried bordered on adoration.
Relief loosened the tension in him. I felt it.
By the time we boarded the plane, the tension between us had eased. Theo fussed over me, advising me what to choose on the lunch menu, making sure I had enough room, that I was comfortable.
When the male flight attendant returned to ask us if we had everything we needed for the fourth time, his bright eyes fixed on Theo, I realized he’d asked us more than anyone else and tried to contain my snort.
As soon as he was out of earshot, I leaned into Theo. “I think our flight attendant fancies you.”
Theo grinned, a bit smug. “I think you might be right.” Head bending toward mine, he whispered huskily, “Unfortunately for him, I rather fancy you.”
I tried to smother a smile but couldn’t. “It would be quite the conundrum if I fancied him.”
“Don’t be daft,” he murmured, reaching for my mouth. “You fancy the pants off me. You have literally fancied the pants off me multiple times this past month.”
My laughter was swallowed in his kiss.
I kissed him back, a feeling of utter happiness cascading over me.
It amazed me because I didn’t think I could feel like this so soon after losing Grandpa. And I realized that was the magic of Theo.
On the other side of the coin, however, were the cold shadows awaiting me if he ever took his affection away.
Fear niggled in the back of my mind. I kissed him harder to chase away the unwanted emotion.