Page 8 of Spark (Lust & Luster)

Dante

M y eyes slowly open. The room is silent. It’s not that big, but the lack of any sound tells me Aryanna isn’t here.

I sigh. I’m flying home today, and I want her to join me on my plane.

We could join the mile-high club together.

I can still smell her perfume on the sheets, warm and faintly floral, mixed with the memory of her nails dragging down my back.

I should have called her before I left to come here, but I didn’t get my act together.

I regretted it even more when she said the three-hundred dollars she saved by connecting in Dallas was important.

I contemplate waiting for her with only the sheet around my waist to tempt her. That had to have been the best sex I’ve ever had. The image of her arching beneath me, lips parted on a gasp, punches through my thoughts hard enough to make me half-hard again.

Then I see a note next to the bed, on top of the alarm clock.

I’m sorry. A.

My chest tightens, an ache settling low in my gut. It’s ridiculous, how fast she’s gotten under my skin. What is she talking about? Why is she sorry?

I need to find her. Slowly I sit up in bed and move my feet to the ground.

There’s a twinge in my thigh. I think I may have pulled a muscle.

I haven’t had sex like that in so long. Damn, that was hot.

I was with one of my regular no-strings fucks last week, but sex with Aryanna is far different—more intense and a hell of a lot more fun.

I wonder what’s going on. She must have gone for coffee.

Entering the bathroom, I suddenly realize there’s nothing that belongs to Aryanna left in the room. Suddenly it all starts coming together. I remember hearing a shower at one point, but I was too tired to join her. I didn’t think she was leaving .

Even the ridiculous bridesmaid dress is gone from the closet, and I don’t see her suitcase anywhere. Looks like I’ve missed my chance to ask her to fly home with me.

I look at the clock. It’s after eight, and I’m hungry after last night.

My clothes are where I left them on the chair. I quickly get dressed, look out into the hall, and walk across to my room. As I slip my key card in the door, a voice comes from behind me.

“Oh my God, my head hurts so much. What did you do to me last night?” Roxanne asks.

I turn and she looks rough—big raccoon eyes, her hair a tangled mess, and she’s still wearing what she wore to the Electric Cowboy.

I snicker. I might have fed her a few drinks last night, hoping she’d be too drunk and unable to make a pass at me. Mission accomplished. “I think you did it to yourself.”

“I need food.” She staggers toward the elevator.

“I’ll be right down,” I tell her. “I have a quick work question to take care of.”

It dawns on me that Aryanna could still be at the airport. I quickly try to call her. It goes to voicemail. “If you’re still here in Atlanta, call me,” I tell her voice mail.

Maybe she’s going through security. I text her.

Me: Where are you? Are you still here in Atlanta?

Crickets. I hop into the shower and put the phone on the sink, waiting for it to ping with Aryanna’s response. It doesn’t.

After I dry off, I text her again.

Me: I have a feeling you’re on a plane home. I wish you would have told me you had an early-morning flight. I have a private plane. I would have happily given you a ride.

Me: I know this started out as a wedding fling, but I want to see you again. What are you doing tonight? We may be landing at the same time. Let’s get dinner, and then we can go back to my place and continue what we started last night.

Although… I think if we do that too often, my dick might fall off.

When I enter the restaurant downstairs, everyone from last night is having breakfast together.

I pull a chair out and sit down. “Where’s Aryanna?” I ask.

“She had a long travel day,” Alicia says. “I think she has two layovers going home and gets there at something like midnight tonight. I thought you were going to offer her a ride on your plane.”

“I fucked up. I’m sorry. That was my intention, but it seems I missed my opportunity. The funding and my travel have me chasing my tail half the time, and I never got there.”

“Loser,” Tom says.

I flip him the bird like we’re fourteen years old. “Thanks. I don’t need any more pressure.”

The server appears. “Would you like a menu?”

I shake my head and look at everyone’s plates. “I’m looking for two eggs over hard, with bacon, sausage, toast, hash browns, and a side of pancakes with maple syrup, please.”

She raises her eyes to me. “Anything to drink?”

I grin at her. “Coffee and juice, please.”

“Fresh squeezed orange, grapefruit, cranberry, or apple?”

“The fresh squeezed orange, please.”

She’s gone for a half-second before she returns to fill a cup of coffee for me and points to the cream and sugar on the table. Then she tops off everyone else’s drinks.

Everybody chats while I eat, but I keep thinking about Aryanna and kicking myself for letting her get away. I have her number, at least, and I can make plans with her this week. I will see her this week.

After I finish up my breakfast, we’re all finally ready to head out. Alicia and Tom are going to the airport after lunch for their flight to Belize.

“Come see us soon,” Alicia says. “There are plenty of things to do here besides the Ritz Carlton and the Electric Cowboy.”

I hug Alicia. “You’re too good for this guy, you know.”

She smiles at Tom, and I see a real love in her eyes. I’ve never even considered getting married, but suddenly it doesn’t feel like an absolutely never proposition. And all because of Aryanna. I’m so far ahead of myself I don’t even know what to think.

I take the elevator back upstairs, and unfortunately, Roxanne joins me. The car is stuffed with just the two of us. When we get to our floor, she follows me down the hall.

“Maybe one day we’ll get the chance to hang out again—when Alicia and Tom have a kid or something.”

She pulls a business card out of her back pocket and hands it to me. “Call me.”

“Thanks.” I don’t offer her mine and I don’t know what else to say.

My flight pulls away from the private plane terminal, and I’m just going to shut my eyes for a minute until we get to altitude. The next thing I know, the flight attendant is shaking my shoulder.

“Mr. Marino, we’ve landed in San Francisco.”

I look around, completely disoriented. I didn’t expect to sleep away the trip home. Since I’ve done the bare minimum over the last few days for work, I’d planned on using the flight to catch up. So much for that. I check my phone, hoping Aryanna has texted me about plans.

She didn’t.

On the ride home, I’m too distracted to work. I keep checking my phone, waiting for Aryanna to respond. If she does, I can direct my driver to turn around and pick her up, or detour to wherever she is. Although, if she’s getting in at midnight, maybe she’ll want to get together tomorrow.

That wouldn’t be too bad. I could take her to dinner. There are a couple of nice places not too far from my house down on Union Street that could probably fit us in. Then maybe I’ll take her back to my place, and we can have a real conversation.

A moment later I’m shocked to find myself considering what space in my closet I could make for her. Hell, I’m even picturing her toothbrush next to mine — and the sound she makes when I press her up against my bathroom counter.

I want to see her so badly. I’m in trouble.