Chapter 22
I flipped my phone to airplane mode, closed my eyes, and melted back into my seat, a sigh of relief escaping my lips at the thought of a few hours without notifications.
This trip for the king of Norway’s birthday celebration would be our last for a couple of months, and after travelling all over Europe for the past several weeks, I fully intended to stay off Wi-Fi and use the time on this flight to turn my brain off.
“Your Majesty, can I get you any refreshments before we take off?”
I opened my eyes and smiled at the flight attendant, shaking my head. “No, thank you.”
She bowed her head and pivoted to Adelaide in the seat across from me. “And you, ma’am?”
Adelaide shook her head, smiling tightly. The flight attendant made her way back to the service station as our security detail settled into their places on board the private jet.
I leaned forward, speaking softly so that I wouldn’t be overheard. “Did you download any good books for the trip?” I winked and watched a blush creep over her face.
We hadn’t talked much about the night at Anton and Carmen’s house.
There hadn’t been any more sex, but Adelaide had been much more open with her affection.
She kissed me more in public, tended to extend her hand more often, and didn’t stiffen up when I placed my hand on her back when walking. I counted them as small victories.
Before she could answer, our family’s pilot came across the speaker.
“Welcome aboard. We are getting ready to take off. I ask that you please stay in your seats until the seatbelt signal is off. We are expecting some turbulence early in the flight, but I am going to get through it as quickly as I can. It will be a bumpy ascent and I apologize in advance.”
Adelaide hated takeoff. I had quickly learned this during our first flight together, when she left a fingernail mark on the top of my hand from holding it too tight.
“Hey,” I said gently, standing and moving into the seat next to her. I picked up her hand and laced our fingers together as the plane began moving. “Close your eyes and take a deep breath.”
“Oliver.” She worried her plump pink lip.
I’d have given anything to have that beautiful mouth on mine right then and give her something else to focus on. But instead, I lightly grabbed her chin with my other hand and forced her to look into my eyes.
“Do as I say.” My voice was soft but commanding. “Close your eyes and breathe. I’ve got you.”
The look she gave me told me she wanted to argue with me, but a bump on the runway had her doing what she was told, and I could see some of the tension melt away. Adelaide would never admit it, but she liked when I took control and gave her small orders.
That night in Madrid had been very eye opening for both of us.
I had never considered her as someone who would like to be bossed around, but I could tell that she needed someone to just take the reins sometimes.
She was always making decisions for herself, her students, and everyone around her.
It must be nice to not have to decide what the next move was, and I was happy to bear that burden for her where I could.
The plane lifted off, and my stomach took a little dip as we hit a pocket of air and the plane dropped a few feet.
Adelaide’s eyes jerked open and she squeezed my hand even harder. I brought our hands to my mouth and kissed the top of hers.
“Focus on me.” I pressed my lips to her index finger.
“Breathe in through your nose.” I placed a kiss on her middle finger.
“Now out through your mouth.” Another kiss on her ring finger.
“Now close your eyes and inhale again.” This time she shook her head defiantly and I raised my eyebrow in return.
“Close them.” I said more firmly as I kissed her last little finger.
She conceded, shutting her eyes and following the directions, but not before giving my hand a contrary little squeeze.
She blew out her breath. “Thank you. That really helped.”
“Of course.”
We continued breathing together for a few more minutes until a chime rang out, signaling that the seatbelt sign was off and we could move about the cabin.
I rubbed a slow circle on Adelaide’s thigh. “How about you grab your e-reader and head to the back and lay down? I’ll grab you something to drink and bring it to you.”
Adelaide’s mouth popped open. “Oh, I…”
I gave her a stern look. “Go.”
Her mouth tipped up in a sheepish smile before nodding her assent. She scooped up her bag and headed to the private suite at the rear of the plane while I made my way to the service station at the front.
“Hi, can I get a glass of champagne, please?’”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll bring it right to you.”
“Actually, on second thought, can I just have the bottle and a glass? I’m going to take it to my fiancée in the back. And a snack plate, if you have one?”
“Yes, of course. Let me put it on a tray for you.”
“That’s perfect. Thank you.”
Once the tray was set with an assortment of meats, cheese, crackers, fruit, chocolates, and the bottle of champagne, I made my way to the bedroom suite. Adelaide was settled on the bed under a plush cream throw.
She sat up, setting her e-reader aside. “What’s all of that?”
“I thought you could use a snack as well.” I pushed the door closed with my foot, set the tray on the table beside the bed, and began removing the foil and wire cage from the champagne bottle.
Adelaide peered at the label as I grabbed a towel and began working the cork out. “Oh, that’s my favorite champagne!” she said gleefully.
The cork came loose with a barely audible pop. “I know. I asked the staff to keep it stocked for you. I thought you knew that?”
Her eyebrows came together over the bridge of her nose, and a shadow crossed her face. “No, I didn’t.”
I stilled, the wine flute in one hand, the bottle in the other. “Was that okay?” Shit, did I overstep? Clearly something had just made her uncomfortable.
“No. I mean, yes. I mean…I just…” She pushed down on the mattress, scooting herself back so she could sit up straighter, crossing her legs under her.
She took a deep breath and started again.
“I just don’t understand how you are so thoughtful.
It seems like you are always prepared for anything.
You make sure I have snacks and breaks when we’re out for tour stops.
You have the plane stocked with my favorite champagne.
Jesus, you even made sure to have moisturizing hand sanitizer so my hands don’t get dry on the road.
I know we need to make sure everyone believes we are really a couple, but those are all things that no one besides me would even notice.
Why go out of your way for me like that? ”
My heart fell. She still really didn’t know, did she?
I set down the bottle and glass, coming to sit next to her on the bed. My heart pounded in my ears as I took her hands in mine. I stared into her green eyes, allowing myself to get lost in their depths as I searched for the words to make her finally understand.
“Adelaide, this isn’t an act for me anymore.
If I’m being honest, it never was an act for me.
I love you. I think I’ve been in love with you from the first time you schooled my friends at trivia.
I never thought I’d get a second chance with you, and then it felt like fate intervened when your dad invited us to your fundraiser last fall.
I thought maybe, just maybe, this is the opportunity to reconnect and make things right.
And then my life went to hell, and I didn’t see any way I could reasonably ask you to sacrifice so much of what you loved to be with me.
Every time I think you’re within arm’s reach, something happens to pull me out of your orbit.
But I don’t want to be away from you again, Laidie.
I don’t want you and I to end when the law is changed.
You are my first thought upon waking and my last thought before falling asleep.
You have become my reason for being, the purpose behind my every action.
I want to say ‘I do’ to you in June and every day for the rest of my life.
It’s why I take care of you—even the smallest details of your life matter to me more than you could possibly know. ”
Her eyebrows were high on her forehead, her mouth open, but she remained silent.
I continued, fighting for words past the sound of my blood rushing in my ears. “That night together in Spain meant more to me than you realize. I felt like we had finally unlocked something between us, that you finally trusted me again.”
“I do trust you,” she whispered. “But I…” Her voice trailed off.
I shook my head, feeling as though I was floating above my body.
“It’s okay, Laidie. You don’t have to say anything.
I just wanted you to know that it’s not a lie for me.
It never has been. But you don’t have to feel the same way.
I will always respect your wishes and nothing about our plan has to change. ”
I squeezed her hands, then stood and made my way to the door. I didn’t think I could take hearing that she didn’t love me back; that was a hurt that would have to wait for another time.
“Ollie, wait!”
I paused, my hand on the door handle. I took a breath and slowly turned back to find her now standing next to the bed. She took a step forward. “Don’t leave. Please.”
I could barely feel my feet, much less move them. She took another step and reached her hand out, grabbing hold of mine and pulling me closer to her. As I willed my body to move, the plane dipped.
Adelaide let out a gasp as she toppled onto the bed, her tight grasp on my hand causing me to fall on top of her. I caught myself at the last second, bracing myself above her.