Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Theo
“What the hell was I thinking?” Theo grumbled as he checked his watch for the third time while standing in the security line. Traveling on the busiest day of the year. I should have my head examined.”
The woman in front of him turned around and thinned her lips in annoyance. Her gaze went from his face to the child’s hand she held. It took Theo a minute to realize he’d cursed in front of the little boy and mouthed, “Sorry.”
The woman nodded and turned back around.
As the line limped along, Theo’s mood tanked. Patience wasn’t one of his virtues, and what little he had was slipping away as he was stuck in line. He couldn’t believe that the extra hour and half he’d planned for wouldn't be enough time, even in this little airport.
Theo was so inside his head that he startled when everyone started clapping. Someone had come to their senses, and opened two additional security lanes and they were finally making headway. It looked like he’d make his flight after all.
After being cleared, he jogged through the airport, thankful he’d only brought a backpack with him. He made it to the gate as the flight attendant was getting ready to close the doors.
“Wait. Please. I’m on this flight,” he said as he reached the podium.
The attendant checked his paperwork. “Mr. Larson? You have excellent timing. One more minute and you’d have been out of luck. We’d called for you a few times.”
“Sorry, I was stuck in the security line. It’s a good thing I made it, since I have a connecting flight in Atlanta.”
The man smiled as he scanned Theo’s boarding pass. “No worries, we’ve got you. It’s a full flight. You’re the last passenger. Seat F2.”
“Got it. Thank you. Have a happy Thanksgiving.”
“Thanks, you, too. Good luck.”
Theo breathed a sigh of relief as he made his way down the ramp to the plane. As he stepped through the door, the flight attendant greeted him.
“Welcome aboard. Please hurry and take your seat. We’ll be taxiing shortly.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”
The gate agent wasn’t kidding about the full flight. As Theo looked down the length of the plane, all he could see was a sea of faces staring back at him. He thanked his earlier self again for only bringing the backpack. He’d be able to shove it under the seat since there’s no way there’d be any overhead space left.
Lucky for Theo, seat F2 was near the front of the plane. Even luckier, it was an aisle seat, and he wouldn’t need to squeeze past his seat partner. At aisle F, he leaned down and shoved his bag under the seat, then sat down. Breathing a sigh of relief, he buckled in. He’d made it. At a noise from the person next to him, he turned to see who he’d be sitting with the for the next couple of hours.
“Livie?” Theo didn’t even try to hide his surprise.
Live’s cheeks turned the deep peachy color he recognized well. It always made her cornflower blue eyes seem to glow. “Yeah, small world, right?”
Her voice soothed the last of his frayed nerves, like it did every time he heard it. Olivia Anderson had to be some kind of sorceress. He’d been under her spell from the moment he’d seen her at the Ready Room. Not that he’d let on about it. Instead, he’d avoided her as much as possible. He didn’t have time for a relationship, and she deserved that from whoever she dated.
“It sure is. Heading home for turkey day?” If he hadn’t been watching her closely, he’d have missed her wince.
“Afraid so. I mean, yes. My mother wouldn’t take no for an answer. How about you? Going home, too?”
“I am, but it’s a surprise. It was a last-minute thing, so I haven’t told them I’m coming.” Theo hadn’t been home in three years. Too long. Since he’d been home, his sister had given birth to twins, and he hadn’t even met his two-year-old nephew. Plus, his parents were getting up in years. This visit was years overdue.
“That’s wonderful,” Livie said as the flight attendant’s announcement cut her off.
After the pre-takeoff briefing, they taxied onto the runway. Theo did an internal fist pump. It might have been the first on time liftoff from Norfolk ever. It should mean he’d make his connecting flight to Duluth.
As the plane gathered speed, Livie’s hand squeezed his where it rested on the armrest. Then her grip tightened until her short nails dug into this skin.
“Livie, are you all right?” The peach hue that had been on her cheeks disappeared. Her face grew so pale her freckles stood out against her skin. Visible tremors wracked her body.
“Yup. Living the dream,” she muttered as she gritted her teeth.
Theo wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince. “Don’t like flying?”
“What? I love it, can’t you tell?” she asked as her knuckles turned white where she clutched his hand.
Theo shifted in his seat and pulled his hand out from under hers. Then he pulled her as close as he could with the armrest between them and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He took her hand in his and laced their fingers together. “I’ve got you, baby. It’ll be okay, I promise.”
Livie’s gaze met his. Only a tiny rim of blue was visible around her dilated pupils. She was panting, like she’d run a marathon, and trembled against him.
Theo squeezed her tighter against his side. He hoped once they leveled out, she’d relax.
It didn’t take long for them to reach altitude, though it seemed to take forever. As he’d hoped, Livie relaxed against him, and her shaking stopped.
Two bright patches of color stained her cheeks as she realized she’d been clinging to his hand. She leaned back in her seat and pulled as far from him as possible. “I’m so sorry I turned you into a life preserver. I really, really hate flying, and try to avoid it when I can. It’s stupid being so afraid.”
“Hey, it’s not. Besides, it’s not every day I get to rescue a damsel in distress.” Theo tried to make his voice light and teasing. He hated she’d gone from terrified to mortified and wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s okay if you want to laugh. I know it’s ridiculous to be so scared.”
“No, it’s really not. Everyone is afraid of something, Livie, and there are probably millions of people afraid of flying. You’ve got nothing to be ashamed about. And for the record, I’d never laugh at your fear or anyone else's.”
Livie turned to look at him finally and seemed surprised. “I…I don’t know what to say. You’re not what I expected.” She slapped a hand over her mouth and muttered, “oh god.”
She was adorable.
“I’m not? What did you think I’d be like?” He’d debated on whether to ask, but curiosity got the better of him.
“Oh, good lord. Can we just forget I said anything?”
Theo chuckled. He wanted to touch her again. Once she’d let go of his hand, he’d missed the warmth, the feeling of home. That was the ridiculous part. They barely knew each other. Who was he kidding? They didn’t know each other at all except for the Ready Room. He’d never spoken to her except to place his food and drink his orders.
“My parents raised me to be a good man. I do my best to live up to their expectations.”
Livie mumbled something. It sounded something like, “a really hot guy.”
“I didn’t catch that.”
“You weren’t supposed to.”
“Aww, c’mon. We’ve seen each other in the Ready Room for months. We’re not complete strangers. I think you can give me an honest assessment, beautiful.”
Livie’s gaze darted to his as she absorbed his words, and she looked shocked. Didn’t she realize she was gorgeous?
Theo had been talking himself out of asking her out for months. He’d even started going to the Ready Room more on the off chance she’d be working. It had been almost impossible to keep from touching her long ponytail as it swayed over her shoulder when she’d brought his orders. He was dying to know if her thick auburn hair felt as soft as it looked. She looked so sweet, innocent. But when her creamy skin, dotted with freckles, flushed with color when he was near, he had a hard time remembering why he shouldn’t ask her on a date. And her curves? Mouthwatering. What he wouldn’t give to have free rein to slide his hands over them and wrap her thighs around his waist.
As he sat next to her now, he wondered why he’d held back. Other than the obvious, she was too young for him. He knew she was in medical school, but her innocence shone like a beacon in the dead of night. He wasn’t a player, but relationships didn’t appeal to him. His career came first, at least for now.