“Don’t worry, I’ll pay for it,” I said in Jolene’s general direction.
“It’s not a big deal,” she began. “The airline pays for our hotel and meals.”
She sounded so relieved to be talking about something else, I made a decision.
“Look, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I can try to get the app on my phone and call customer service if I need to get things activated.”
She pushed at her hair and put on a brave face. “I’m not uncomfortable. Besides, you never know if you may run into security. It’s better this way.”
I pointed at her. “Yet, you’re wrapped up tighter than a burrito like you think I won’t be able to keep my hands to myself. But I think I’ve proven that I can. Then again, maybe the getup is so you won’t jump me.”
It was a win when she graced me with a smile, albeit a sardonic one.
She shimmied out of bed and stood to face me. “I’m sure I can keep my hands to myself.”
I held out my hands. “What’s the problem then?”
She reached for the ties that kept her covered before stopping and looking up.
“Don’t get the wrong idea?”
I raised an eyebrow and she sighed while releasing the robe.
My grin could light up the world as I took her in.
“You’re wearing my shirt.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s not what you think. I wasn’t assigned this flight. I took someone else’s spot and I didn’t have clothes at my mom’s because I moved out,” she said, rambling on.
“It’s okay. It’s cute. You didn’t want to forget our time together,” I teased as her eyes rolled. “You shouldn’t do that. Your eyes might get stuck.”
When she flipped me off, I laughed harder. I reached into the mini bar and pulled out a single serving-sized bottle of wine. “You look like you need this,” I added, handing it to her.
Surprisingly, she took it without complaint and unscrewed the top before getting into bed without the robe.
Instead of getting back into bed, I sank into the desk chair and stretched out my legs.
“Are you going to wear that pilot’s uniform all night?’ she asked.
It was the first time since walking into the room I noticed what I’d been wearing. I hadn’t been able to think about anything else but her.
I focused on her as I sat up and took off my jacket.
“You can turn off the smolder, pretty boy. It’s not going to work.”
I held up the beer in her direction. “Pretty boy, huh?”
“Don’t blow up,” she said. “I’m sure women gas you up all the time. You don’t need my validation.”
No matter what she said, I was grinning ear-to-ear. “I’m stuck on the fact you think I’m pretty.” I called her out when her eyes headed toward heaven. “Ah, ah, ah.”
“Obnoxious doesn’t look good on you,” she said.
“It doesn’t? Because I swore you called me pretty.”
“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
I took a long draw on my beer as she tilted the wine bottle back. We said nothing more until both our bottles were empty.
Then I got up. “For the record, I think you’re pretty too.”
I removed my tie and started with the button on my shirt as I sat on the bed. My back was to her, which was why I was caught unaware.
“Kiss me then.”
She didn’t have to tell me twice. I turned and cupped her cheeks, drawing her up to crush my lips to hers.
The buildup over the last several days exploded. Each of us tore at the other’s clothes like there was a stopwatch nearby.
Every touch felt like a new experience from the softness of her breasts under my palms. They were as full and heavy as I remembered. It wasn’t until I removed her shirt that I thought I would lose my shit. A lacy surprise awaited me.
“You come gift-wrapped,” I said, before laying her flat and savoring the moment, or maybe memorizing it.
If I didn’t get my shit together, things would be over sooner than either of us wanted, which would be a first for me.
“Are you sure?” I asked, giving her a last chance to stop this.Twenty-OneJoleneThis is such a bad idea, my brain warned. A memory of Carter tried to surface, but I let the wine that warmed my belly smother it.
“Yes,” I said, answering his question of consent.
Grant lifted up and crawled backward, leaving a trail of kisses down to my sweet spot.
His kiss on my clit, even through the lace, sent tingles all over me. I cursed the teddy for its barriers. The only reason I wore it was because I’d forgotten clean underwear. Once I’d put it on, it was too revealing to wear alone. I’d pulled on his t-shirt, but couldn’t walk out only wearing that. I’d taken the robe conveniently hanging behind the door and hidden what I was wearing beneath it.