Chapter 9
“Bri,” she heard her name from somewhere beyond her sleepy haze. Stretching and twisting her body, she tried to get her blood moving until she heard a low growl.
“The flight!” She jolted upright. He was so close, their noses almost touched. “Did we miss it?” Her voice turned to a whisper, feeling the heat of him as he sat on the edge of her seat, pressed against her thighs.
“Shhh.” The sound puffed his lips, making them more kissable than they had been in her dreams.“We have plenty of time. I thought you might need some caffeine first.” He held up the paper cup, the aroma of citrusy vanilla mixing with coffee enveloped her the way she wished he would.
“You really think of everything. Do you have a checklist for all your women?” They were minutes from departing, in more than one way, and she was angry. Not at him, but the situation that her boss had created and how obligated Bri felt to prove herself for the sake of her future.
“There is no one else.” He murmured, kissing her forehead. His confession last night had underscored her attachment to him, or rather, how she was already feeling the loss of him.
“I should go freshen up before we board.” She slipped past him before she got any more emotional.
Taking her bags, she headed to the nearest restroom.
A quick paper towel bath, deodorant, and an empty bladder, as well as a clean shirt and panties, were rejuvenating.
Putting her braids in a half-updo and re-applying her makeup helped her feel ready to face him and the next part of the trip.
“Hey,” he breathed the word, looking her over when she found him in a line that hadn’t been called for boarding yet. “I’ve always liked your hair like that. It reveals more of your elegant neck.”
“You shouldn’t say things like that.” It was moments of such familiarity that made it feel as if they’d been dating for the past three months instead of avoiding each other.
“Why? It’s not like I said I want to see if all of your body blushes as beautifully as your cheeks.” She could feel the heat of his words travel down her chest to between her legs.
“Ethan, if you were going to talk dirty to me, couldn’t you have done it last night when I could have done something about it?” They shuffled forward with the crowd as their line number was called.
“That’s exactly why I didn’t. As crazed as you make me, I might have gotten us arrested. Besides, you specifically and repeatedly said that nothing can happen between us.” He whispered in her ear, pulling her tightly against him.
“I’m starting to regret that. I’m having difficulty remembering the reasons when you’re this close.” She could feel his low growl vibrate through her.
They walked quietly, parting briefly to scan their boarding passes, onto the jetway, knowing that each step was closer to saying goodbye. They had exchanged phone numbers and socials, but it wasn’t the same as having him so close.
“I guess this is it,” she said, stopping at her row.
“I’ll meet you at the end of the jetway when we land.”
“Why delay the inevitable?”
“Why hold up the line? Move out of the way.” An older man behind them hissed.
“Hey, it’s you two again. Aren’t you sitting together?” The helpful man from their cancelled flight interjected when the older man had shoved past them.
“Bill, right? We booked at different times. I’m back there.” With the three of them squeezed into the tight space, Ethan waved his thumb over his shoulder toward the back of the plane.
“Well, we can’t have that. Here, take my seat next to her, and I’ll take yours.” Bill showed his boarding pass on his phone, encouraging Ethan to do the same, and took pictures in case they had to verify the information.
“Thanks, man. Let me know if there is anything we can do for you,” Ethan enthused, clapping Bill’s shoulder.
“No need. Have a happy holiday and pass it on.” The man waved as he headed to the back.
“Well, here we are.” She leaned against Ethan once they had gotten everything stowed away.
“A few more hours for me to tempt and entertain you,” he said while they waited for someone to take the third seat.
They smiled at each other when the attendant announced that the door was being prepared for departure and snuggled closer.
After the plane pushed out of the gate, the same voice stated there would be a slight delay while they went through the de-icing process.
Ethan kept her amused, sharing stories of his most bizarre investigations, like a company that thought they’d been hacked when it turned out that someone decided to color-match the wiring to the servers to make it look ‘prettier’.
It wasn’t until she had to get up to use the bathroom that they realized they’d been parked on the tarmac for over two hours.