22. Jake
Twenty-Two
Jake
Taylor and I talk until I reach customs. It’s a totally PG convo, though, because it’s impossible to have the type we’re both thinking about when I’m walking with the crew through one of the busiest airports in Asia. Still doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about it, especially knowing she’s getting ready to go to bed.
“Ok, babe, I gotta go,” I say apologetically. “I can call you back when I get to my hotel, but it’s late for you right?”
Taylor sighs. “Yeah, it is. I should go,” she says. “I have an early start tomorrow.”
I nod even though she can’t see me. “I miss you,” I say quietly, not bothering to hide how true that statement is.
“I miss you too,” she says, and I can tell she’s smiling.
“Call me when you land tomorrow,” I tell her. “I’m in Singapore for twenty-four hours.”
“Okay,” she says. “Goodnight.”
We hang up, and I slide my phone into my pocket, ignoring the look Theo shoots me that basically screams the fucker was listening to the entire conversation.
I’m glad Taylor didn’t ask me about him. Even though he and I barely spoke the whole flight over, I just don’t want to give this prick any airtime in my relationship with her. As far as I’m concerned, he’s part of her past, not her future. And I couldn’t care less about him or anything that happened between them.
As we all proceed through customs and immigration, the crew makes its way toward the doors to the outside, the heat and humidity already palpable despite the heavy air-conditioning.
As we step outside the terminal, it hits me like a brick wall, and I instantly start to sweat. From the corner of my eye, I see Theo walking over to me.
“So what, are you and Taylor a thing now?” he asks.
I glance over and see him standing next to me as we wait for the crew bus. “What?” I ask, not bothering to hide my annoyance.
He gestures to me. “You and Taylor,” he repeats. “That was her on the phone, right?”
I shake my head in exaggerated disbelief. “Sorry, but how is that any of your business?”
Theo looks away, hands in his pockets as he rocks on his heels. “Well, when you disappear halfway through saying goodbye to the passengers, it becomes my business,” he says, glancing at me, a smarmy look on his face.
I scrub a hand across my jaw, not bothering to hide my eye roll. “That isn’t actually a requirement of the job,” I remind him.
“Maybe not,” he says. “But it’s unprofessional when you disappear the way you did.”
I turn and face him, letting out a long exhale that’s got nothing to do with the heat. “What exactly is your problem with me?” I ask.
“What are you talking about?”
I raise a brow. “Really,” is all I say, not bothering to elaborate, knowing he’s had a bug up his arse from the second we met back in L.A.
And I know he knows exactly what I’m referring to because he’s made it abundantly clear since he came up to me in the pilot’s lounge that he knows who I am and how that relates to Taylor. He didn’t need to bring up my phone call just now to confirm that.
Gossip travels fast in the airline industry, and I’ve got no doubt after she turned him down in Sydney, he tried to find a reason for why that had nothing to do with him being a total fucking wanker and everything to do with her not being interested.
Theo shakes his head as the bus pulls up, not bothering to answer. I walk on and take a seat up the back, not talking to anyone as we make the short journey over to our hotel.
After we all check in, I decline the invitations to head up to the rooftop pool and instead head to my room where I spend an hour or so talking to my family in Australia because the time difference is more in our favor, before logging on to check my emails.
There are the usual work emails, one or two from friends, along with a high-priority one from my lawyer. Opening it, I read through what she’s sent me, which essentially amounts to fuck all change with everything after the paperwork got returned to her, unsigned, yet again.
She’d warned me from the start that it was going to take forever to settle, given the contesting and all the shit that was being brought up. And even though I know all of this, I can’t help firing back a strongly worded email that I really need this shit sorted ASAP. It’s already been dragging on long enough and I’m fucking sick of it, and the thought that it might somehow go on indefinitely drives me insane.
And it’s not just my new relationship with Taylor that’s making me feel this way. It’s that I don’t want to be tied to my past anymore. Don’t want the complications and drama that I know come with all of this shit that’s still hanging over me.
After a bit, I get changed, pulling on some running gear and heading down to the gym. After I crank out 10 kms on the treadmill, I head up to my room for a shower before heading back downstairs to grab some food.
I leave the hotel and wander the streets, eventually ending up at the night markets at Lau Pa Sat. After I grab a plate of kebabs and a Tiger beer, I find a seat and people watch while I eat my dinner. I send a couple of photos to Taylor, but I know she’ll be up and flying by now,the quick text I got while I was showering let me know, so I don’t expect a response.
Finally, I head back to the hotel to crash but, as I walk through the front doors, my path to the elevators takes me past the bar and I hear someone call out, “Hunter!”
Turning toward the bar area, I see a couple of members of the crew smiling and waving at me. I lift a hand in a casual wave before pointing toward the elevator and miming that I need to get some sleep.
But my response is ignored and instead, one of the young flight attendants hops off her stool and runs over, grabbing me by the arm and practically dragging me into the bar area.
“Come on, come and have a drink with us,” she says, clearly having already had several herself.
I shove a hand through my hair, glancing at my phone as I see it’s still relatively early, so I decide to go for one drink, knowing I have all of tomorrow to relax.
“One drink,” I say, pulling my arm from her grip.
She claps her hands together as though this is the greatest thing she’s heard all night and we both walk over to the small group from our flight. I recognize most of them, although without their name tags, I’m not sure of the names. It probably doesn’t matter by this stage, I’m sure I’ll pick them up. At least that fuckhead Theo isn’t here.
After I order a beer, I take a seat at the table, pulling my phone out and making sure it’s not on silent in case Taylor calls me.
“It’s Jake isn’t it?” the flight attendant who brought me over says.
I nod. “Yeah.”
She smiles at me, leaning closer. “I’m Michelle.”
She holds out her hand, and I glance at it before giving it a quick shake. “Nice to meet you.”
She giggles, and it’s slightly nauseating. “So, you’re Australian, right?” she asks, still leaning close. Her tits are practically resting on the table, her top low cut enough that she’s flashing me more than an eyeful. She doesn’t seem to care either.
“I am,” I reply, taking a sip of beer.
“Oh, I’ve always wanted to go there,” she says, her eyes lighting up as her smile widens. “I’ve heard so many good things about your country,” she adds. “And the men, whoa,” she says, fanning herself as she gives me a not-so-subtle once-over. “I haven’t had an Australian guy yet,” she adds, clearly drunk at this point and with zero filter on what comes out of her mouth.
I can’t stop the eye roll as I pick up my beer, unsure exactly how I’m supposed to respond to that comment. Michelle doesn’t seem to notice, though, as she continues on.
“I mean, obviously,” she says, grabbing my arm now. “Look at you,” she adds. “You’re hot, and I’m sure you’d be…” she trails off as though it’s blatantly obvious what she’s getting at.
I turn to her, carefully removing her fingers from my arm. “Obviously,” I respond sarcastically.
“So,” she continues, seemingly oblivious to my complete lack of interest in her as she inches closer, her tits now resting against my arm. “You wanna change that for me?” she whispers, licking her lips as she stares up at me. “Wanna come upstairs?” She’s trying to be coy, batting her eyelashes at me as she trails her nails up and down my arm.
I pull away from her, the whole thing making me feel gross and worse still, like I’m betraying Taylor. I finish my beer as I move to stand. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
Michelle pouts, pushing her chest out as she reaches for my hand again, pulling herself up and pressing her body against mine. “Come on, Hunter,” she murmurs, her breath sweet with whatever alcohol she’s been drinking. “I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”
I shake my head, stepping backward and disentangling myself from her grip. “Not interested, but more to the point, not actually single, Michelle,” I reply, my hands up as if to ward her off.
“Come on,” she says, intoxicated enough to think she can somehow convince me. “What happens on the road, stays on the road,” she adds. “I promise not to tell.”
“No,” I say, the word firm. “I’m not that kind of guy and like I said, not interested either.” I finish off my beer, leaving the empty glass on the table as I move away from her, ignoring whatever it is that Michelle yells out in response.
At the neighboring table though, I notice Theo, sitting with some other flight crew, his eyes fixed on me and a look on his face that suggests he’s watched this whole thing play out and he’s wondering what he can do with what he’s seen.
“What?” I snap at him.
He smirks. “Don’t tell me you’re seriously turning down that piece of ass?”
I roll my eyes. “You’re a dickhead, you know that?”
Theo laughs, but it’s humorless. “Please, as if she isn’t hooking up with someone wherever she is,” he says, not needing to spell out who he’s referring to. “You may as well stick your dick in it. Fuck knows she’ll be letting some guy do it to her.”
I feel my blood start to boil, my hands clenching into fists at my side as I imagine punching this fucker right in the face. “Oh, I don’t know about that,” I bite out, my gaze locked onto his. “I mean, she turned you down, didn’t she?”
Theo’s face flushes, because clearly, I know about what happened at the bar in Sydney and don’t give a shit about it either. I watch as the guys he’s sitting with all glance at him before turning back to me, as though waiting to see what happens next.
“Yeah, I know all about that,” I tell him, answering his silent question. “I know a lot of things actually,” I add, lifting a hand and waving my little finger at him in the universal sign of a small dick.
The flush on Theo’s face deepens, his eyes practically bulging from his head as he stares at me, swallowing hard. I don’t bother saying anything else, just give a short laugh before turning and walking out of the bar.
Upstairs in my room, I feel the anger drain from my body as I grab a miniature bottle of scotch from the mini-bar and empty it into a glass. Collapsing onto the bed, I pick up my phone and hit redial on Taylor’s number.
It goes straight to voicemail, her husky voice telling me to leave a message and she’ll get back to me as soon as she lands. I don’t bother, instead flicking to the photo app, where I scroll through the few pictures I have of her and us. Photos from Hawaii and the one she sent me yesterday morning of her lying in bed.
It makes me hard and horny just looking at it, and not for the first time do I realize how much I miss her right now. How much I hate that we’re forced to fly separately and how the fuck we can make this work if ninety percent of the time we’re on opposite sides of the globe.
I must eventually doze off because the sound of my ringing phone wakes me. I open my eyes, see the light on the side table still on, the empty glass lying on the bed beside me.
Looking around, I see my phone lying on my stomach, Taylor’s face as it flashes on the screen indicating a FaceTime call.
“Hey beautiful,” I say, my voice husky with sleep.
“Shit, did I wake you?” she says, pulling the tie from her hair so it falls loose around her shoulders.
I smile. “You can always wake me,” I tell her. “I just wish you were here to do it in person.”
Taylor smiles back at me, that bottom lip of hers between her teeth. “Me too.”
“Where are you now?” I ask, glancing at the time.
“Chicago,” she replies. “It’s fucking freezing.”
“It’s hot and humid as fuck here,” I tell her. “Perfect weather for staying in an air-conditioned bedroom all day,” I add, a smile tugging at my mouth.
Taylor laughs, moving so she’s sitting on her own hotel bed now. “What’d you do today?” she asks.
I sit up a little. “Nothing much. Gym, night markets, drink at the bar, and back to my room,” I say. “You in your room now?”
“Yes.”
My grin widens. “Take off your uniform,” I tell her.
A light blush creeps over her cheeks, but she moves her fingers to the buttons of her shirt, slowly undoing them. When she slips it off her shoulders, I sit up even more, my eyes glued to the screen.
“Your turn,” she murmurs.
Grinning, I rip my T-shirt over my head and throw it across the room, my eyes never leaving hers. “Now your pants,” I say.
Taylor props the phone against a pillow before standing, her fingers on the waistband of her trousers as she slowly undoes the button and zipper before sliding them over her hips. I watch as she kicks them off so she’s standing in front of me, wearing nothing but a lacy pale pink bra and panties.
“God, fuck, you are gorgeous,” I tell her.
She smiles. “Now your pants.”
I do the same with my phone before losing my shorts quickly, along with my boxers, so I’m now naked.
“Oh god,” she whispers.
“Lose it, baby,” I tell her, finger waving at the screen as I shuffle back on the bed, so I’m now propped up on the pillows.
When Taylor has done the same, I smile at her, sliding a hand down to my cock, which is already hard. “How do you feel about a little FaceTime phone sex?” I ask, shifting the phone so she can see exactly what I’m doing.
I hear the gasp, watch as she too settles herself back on her bed. “Really?”
I grin. “Yeah, really. I wanna watch you come, Taylor,” I add, my voice low. “If I can’t be there to make you, then I want to watch while my words and your fingers do it.”
Taylor stares back at me, her eyes wide as she swallows hard. I can tell in this instant that this is something she’s never done before. But before I can encourage her further, assure her that this is going to be sexy, I watch as she slides her hand over her breasts, moving the phone so I can watch as her fingers move lower still until they disappear between her legs.
“Okay,” she whispers.