Page 2 of Since I First Laid Eyes On You

Grayson

F uck me.

No way. I’ve got to be seeing things. It cannot be her. Of all the people, she cannot be sitting next to me on this tin can for the next hour and forty-five minutes. No fucking way.

Her large, chocolate brown eyes look up and connect with mine.

Well, shit. I’m screwed, well and truly screwed.

My son’s, my only child’s, girlfriend stares back at me.

The girl I’ve been pining after since I first saw a picture of her six months ago.

The girl I’m jealous of my son for, and the girl who has no clue who I am. Paige. Fucking. Andrews.

With our eyes still locked together I walk to my row, the emergency exit row.

At well over six feet tall, it’s the only way this flight won’t cripple me, although the girl seated next to me may do that all on her own.

Her cheeks are flushed a light pink and her tongue pokes out to lick at her bottom lip, a lip I want to lick, suck, fucking bite.

It must have been a minute since we made eye contact, but we’re still staring at each other.

I know why I’m staring at her, but I can’t work out why she would be staring at me.

Have I got something on my face? I subtly lift my hand and run it over my stubble, checking for anything that may be there and come up empty, my movement, however, causes her to look away, her cheeks staining a darker pink.

I stow my bag in the overhead compartment and take my seat in the middle, next to her place by the window.

I wasn’t imagining it, she was definitely looking at me longer than would be deemed acceptable.

Is she attracted to me? I mean I’m twenty-three years older than her, sure I’m fit and look after myself and I certainly don’t have a problem attracting women, but she’s twenty-fucking-two.

Most twenty-two-year-olds don’t find forty-five-year-old men hot.

Plus, let’s not forget she’s dating my son. My goddamn son.

I tilt my head slightly to take her in out of the corner of my eye, only to find her doing the same, she quickly looks away again and starts fiddling with her phone, her hands have a slight tremble to them. My pulse increases, my breath catching in my throat. Mother-fucker. She’s attracted to me.

As I’m debating whether to say something to her, her phone rings in her hand, startling us both.

Before she can swipe accept I see the name on the screen, my son’s name.

Edward. She quickly hits the decline button.

Huh? Why didn’t she answer him? I’m not always my son’s biggest fan, and I can admit, he can sometimes be a bit of a dick.

He seems to think I’m going to hand him a job on a silver platter, however, I can’t help but be a little pissed off on his behalf.

Within seconds, the device rings again, and again she hits decline.

What. The. Fuck? Does she not want to answer it because she’s sitting next to me?

Does she think its rude or something? Not even half a minute later, the device goes off again, Edward, flashing on the screen.

She mumbles something unintelligible under her breath and before she can decline, I decide to say something.

“You can get that you know, I don’t mind,” my voice comes out deeper, huskier than usual. This woman affects me in so many ways.

She startles at my voice and turns her body towards me.

A slight grimace forming on her face. “It’s not that.

I just don’t really want to take the call.

He needs to accept things and me answering constantly won’t help him do that.

” She sounds like a fucking angel, her voice is so goddamn sweet, she could recite the English dictionary word by word and I wouldn’t tire of it.

I’m so distracted by her voice, it takes me a moment to realise what she said. Is she saying what I think?

“What does he need to accept?” Part of me, a very big part of me, hopes she says they’ve broken up, but that would make me a terrible father, right?

I shouldn’t wish for my son’s girlfriend to confirm they’re no longer together.

Especially not if the reason for me wishing that, is so that she’s available to me.

“That we’ve broken up, that we never really worked and there’s no point in us stringing this out any longer.

” My heart flips, it actually flips in my chest and I do an internal fist pump, the relief and guilt are instant.

She’s not his anymore, she’s not anyone’s.

I’m about to sit on a flight with her to some random place in Scotland and the woman I’ve been thinking of for six months, but couldn’t have, is now single. Yeah, I’m screwed.

“I’m sorry.” That’s the right thing to say right?

When someone tells you they’ve broken up with someone?

It’s certainly not to grab her, tell her I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her and then kiss the ever-loving shit out of her.

Even I know that wouldn’t be appropriate.

Is that what I want to do? Absolutely. Is it what I should do? Absolutely not.

“Thank you. But it’s been a long time coming and— sorry, this is not what you want to be hearing about from someone you don’t know.” She’s flustered and embarrassed; it’s adorable.

“It’s fine, I was the one who brought it up.

But we can talk about something else if you’d rather.

How about you tell me where you’re going?

Are you going home or visiting somewhere?

” I know full well that she’s not going home, she lives in some town near the city border.

Rents somewhere with a friend. Edward was annoyed she didn’t get a place with him, but seeing as he still lives with me at home, and doesn’t have a job, that would be a little impossible.

Although, he probably wanted her to pay for everything, little shit that he is.

“Oh, I’m visiting,” she sounds surprised I’ve continued the conversation, if only she knew. “My friend is getting married just outside of Inverness, so I’m here for the weekend. What about you?” The world cannot be this small; there is no way that we are both heading to the same place. Right?

“I’m actually going to a wedding too, my friend's daughter is getting married. Some village in the middle of nowhere.”

“Glencoe?” No. Fucking. Way.

“Yes, Chloe's wedding. Chloe Miller.” I swear to God, her face lights up; it lights up like she’s a fucking tree at Christmas.

“Chloe is my closest friend. We’ve known each other since we were kids.

I can’t believe we’re going to the same place!

” Neither can I, sweetheart. Neither can I .

I had no intention of pursuing her, I honestly didn’t.

I walked on to this plane thinking not only was she my son’s girlfriend, but also that she was too young and that she wouldn’t look twice at me.

But that’s changed. Not only is she attracted to me, but she’s no longer his.

Yes, she’s still half my age, but I honest to God couldn’t give a shit about that right now.

I want her, and if I’m not mistaken, she wants me too.

***

Paige

Oh my goodness. I have never been so attracted to someone before.

The minute I saw him walk towards me on the plane, I couldn’t stop staring, and what’s worse is that he saw.

The last thing this man needs is some girl half his age annoying him all flight.

I’ve never been bothered by age, to me it really is just a number, but I’m also aware that not everyone thinks that.

That said, he was the one who started the conversation and it would be weird if we didn’t talk considering we’re going to the same place.

I still can’t believe he’s going to Chloe’s wedding.

What are the chances of me sitting next to a guy on the plane going to the exact same place as me?

“Chloe’s father, Angus, and I met back at university,” he continues talking to me. “We’ve been friends since. How did you meet Chloe? Did you meet at uni, she went to St Andrews right?”

“No, we met on holiday actually, when we were eight and became email friends, or whatever you want to call it. Then as we got older, those emails turned to text messages and then phone calls and then each of us was flying down or up to stay with the other for a week at a time during the holidays. Chloe’s the sort of friend that I might not see all that often anymore, but when we do meet up, it’s like we only saw each other yesterday.

” His smile is infectious and I can’t help the giggle that escapes me, he may be older than me, but he has a certain boyish charm about him.

“That is one of the strangest, yet possibly cutest friendships I think I’ve heard about. You must be good friends.”

“Cutest? Really, that’s what you’re going with?” I internally cringe at his words, could he make me feel any younger around him.

His smile only grows wider. “You don’t think you’re cute?”

My cheeks heat, is he flirting with me? Oh God, please, please let him be flirting with me. “Do you?”

“I think you’re really fucking cute.” Holy shit! He is definitely flirting. Okay, okay, breathe Paige. You can flirt, it’s been a while, but you used to be good at this.

“Well, that’s good to know. I think you’re pretty cute yourself.

” Okay, so maybe I’m not so great at flirting.

My pulse is hammering. I can feel it pounding at the base of my throat.

He must be able to see it; I can practically hear it beating around the plane.

His gaze drops to my lips, I instinctively lick them on reflex and his gaze darkens, the blue around his pupils practically disappearing. His gaze flicks back to mine.

“Sweetheart, you do not call a forty-something-year-old man, cute.” Sweetheart?

I didn’t know I had a thing for pet names, but sweetheart definitely makes me swoon.

Or maybe it’s just the man that’s saying it.

I saw the women at the front of the plane turning as he walked past, he seemed oblivious to their attention, probably so used to women throwing themselves at him that most don’t even register now.

“Are you staying at the estate?”

“Yes, you?” I can only nod my response, words deserting me at the heat in his eyes .

“Good.” One word. He uttered one word, but the promise in it is everything. “How are you getting to the venue? Angus has arranged a car to collect me; it makes sense for us to share.”

“I was going to get a cab at the airport, but if you don’t mind then that works better.”

“Oh, sweetheart, I don’t mind sharing with you.

” I blush again, just when I think I can’t possibly blush any more than I already am, I go and blush further.

Is he still talking about the car? Do I want him to still be talking about the car?

I haven’t felt this attracted to someone in, well, never.

I’m not used to guys being this forward, but God, do I like it.

He’s not even touched me and I swear I’m on edge.

I can feel myself leaning closer to him, being drawn to him inexplicably.

His eyes drop to my lips again and he licks his own, goose-bumps break out over my body and I visibly shiver.

“Cute, so fucking cute,” he mumbles under his breath, leaning back in his chair, he takes my hand and holds it to his thigh. “Tell me more about you. Let’s start with your name?”