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Elias

C hrist, I probably shouldn’t have kissed her. But I did and there’s no taking it back now. Not when hundreds of people whipped out their phones to document it. I’m sure it’s all over social media, and if my best friend sees it, I’ll have some explaining to do. Sure, Kalen knows we’re fake dating, but he doesn’t expect me to suck his sister’s face—and like it.

I cast Taylor a fast glance as we buckle our belts on the plane, and the second I see her running her tongue over her bottom lip, like she’s enjoying the lingering taste of my lips on hers, my dick jumps in my unforgiving dress pants.

Well, isn’t this just fucking great.

I glance around for the flight attendant. We’re not in the air yet, but dammit, I need a drink or two. Why again did I think Roman’s idea of bringing a girl home for the holidays and pretending to be a couple was a good one? Okay, sure, maybe it is a good idea, but my fault in that logic was asking Taylor. Why did I do that? I guess some part of me thought she was safe, that she wouldn’t want anything more from me.

Not that I now think she does. She’s young and smart and has the world at her fingertips. I overheard her saying after she graduated, she just wanted to enjoy travel and life, wanted to live a little like all women in their early twenties should. I want that for her too—even though I want her.

What the fuck?

Dammit, I think that’s the first time I ever admitted that to myself, which makes this charade all the more dangerous. Yes, I’m trying to dupe my folks, only because they’re determined to marry me to someone they think is the right girl. I love them, they’ve been good to me, and I don’t want to disappoint them. I just need time to find the girl right for me. Not one shoved down my throat by them. Eventually, I assume it will happen. I’m not opposed to marriage.

Then I kissed Taylor.

And it only confirmed what I thought it would. I really like her. Fuck me sideways.

“You okay?” Taylor asks and that’s when I realize I just groaned out loud.

I scrub my face, and look past her to see out the window. “Not a fan of flying,” I tell her, and it’s not a lie. I don’t love it.

“This is my first time,” she admits, and my head rears back.

“Are you kidding me?”

She shakes her head, a nervous kind of excitement about her and I’m glad we’re in first class and she has the window seat. “Why didn’t I know that?”

“It just never came up.” She tugs her belt, securing it tightly around her sweet hips as she wiggles and my goddamn mind wanders.

No, it never came up, but something else sure the fuck is coming up.

“My first flight was supposed to be this weekend, flying to New York with Kalen to see Dad.”

“Right. I guess I just assumed you’d flown before. We fly so much with the team, it just never occurred to me that this is your first.” She blinks rapidly. “Are you nervous?”

Her shoulders tighten. “I might be a little bit.”

I reach over and put my hand over hers, giving it a little squeeze. “It’ll be okay.”

She laughs and it curls around me. “Says the guy afraid of flying. Maybe I should be the one reassuring you.”

The flight attendant closes and secures the door, and I shake my head. “That’s not how it works.”

Lifting her head an inch, the way she always does when she’s about to challenge someone, mainly her brother, I brace myself. Honestly, I love a woman who has a mind of her own, and isn’t always pacifying me. She’s going to give my parents a run for their money, that’s for sure.

“Oh,” she begins. “You think because you’re a guy?—”

“No, Taylor. I think because I’m older and your brother is my best friend, that it’s my job to take care of you.” The words are a good reminder that I need to keep my hands to myself.

She sags a little and folds her arms across her chest. “I’m a grown woman, Elias. I can take care of myself.”

I exhale, and while I know she’s all grown up—believe me, I do—I promised her brother I’d take care of her and that’s what I’m going to do.

Does that mean take care of her in bed, too?

Jesus.

The flight attendant, who looks to be about the same age as Taylor, comes up to us, and I’m grateful for the distraction. Her smile is wide, her blue eyes full of recognition as she glances at me. “Can I get you something to drink?”

I glance at Taylor, and she grabs the menu from the back of the seat and gives it a quick glance. She puckers her full lips, the lips I recently kissed, and says, “I’ll have red wine.”

I clear my throat. “Rum and coke.” I resist the urge to ask for a double.

The flight attendant puts her hand on my shoulder. “I’ll be right back with those.”

I settle in and Taylor pulls out her e-reader, tucking it into the back of the seat in front of her, as the plane moves, and behind closed doors, the pilots go through their checklist.

“Whoa,” Taylor says excitedly when the engines rev, and it brings a smile to her face. I kind of love that this is her first time and I actually get to experience it with her.

What other first can you experience with her, dude?

Jesus.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

I crack open the water bottle beside me and take a long pull. The flight attendant comes back with our drinks and on the screens in front of us, the safety video begins. Taylor adjusts her ear buds and watches closely, and while she’s excited, I can sense her apprehension. A glass of wine or two will do her good.

She takes a sip of wine. “A girl could get used to this.”

After the flight attendant delivers more drinks to the rest of the first class customers, she comes back and asks what we’d like to eat. She brushes against me when the plane turns toward its designated runway, and her hand lands on my shoulder again. This time she doesn’t pull it away.

Taylor and I both order the salmon and I turn my attention to the screen, but Harper, according to her nametag, doesn’t step away. I lift my head, slightly uncomfortable, because I know where this is going.

“Are you headed home for the holiday?” she asks when I focus back in on her.

“Yeah, visiting my parents.”

“I’ll be doing the same.” She gives an exasperated sigh. “It’s fun for the first ten minutes, but playing games and going to bed at eight every night.” She rolls her eyes playfully. “Not my idea of fun.”

“No, I guess not,” I agree. At thirty, I’m hardly old, but damn, the idea of going to bed at eight sounds just about right. Once again that reminds me that the woman seated beside me is young and needs to get out and enjoy herself when she can. Will she be bored over the holiday? Shit, probably. The least I can do is try to make it fun for her. She is, after all, doing me a huge favor.

Thick, dark lashes fall seductively over big blue eyes as Harper gives my shoulder a squeeze. “If you get bored, maybe we can go out, do something.”

I wish Roman was on this flight. He’s more her type. He’s more Taylor’s type too, but he knows better than to touch that. “I’m not sure?—”

Refusing to take no for an answer, she hands me a napkin with her number on it. “If you get a chance.”

I nod, and she steps away. I shift in my seat, and steal a fast glance at Taylor, and while I expect her to be offended, upset that Harper completely ignored her, or hit on me anyway despite the fact that I’m with another woman, she’s none of those things. In fact, she looks indignant, offended on my behalf. Behind all that outrage, however, there’s a hint of sadness.

“What?” I ask. Her eyes are way prettier. Where the hell did that thought come from?

She glares at Harper’s back, shooting daggers. “It’s crazy that you guys can’t go anywhere without getting hit on. My God, we’re on a plane and the flight attendant gave you her damn number.” I relax a bit. She’s been around us hockey players enough to know what it’s like. “You never know who likes you for you, or who just wants you because you play hockey.”

I snort out a humorless laugh. “Toss in important parents, and that really complicates things. Some people want to get close to me just to get close to my father.”

Her hand touches mine, genuine concern in her eyes as they rake over my face. “I’m really sorry, Elias. That’s tough.”

“It’s okay,” I respond, her touch fucking me over. I grab my rum and take a big mouthful.

“Are you going to call her?”

I nearly choke on my drink. I set it down, wipe my mouth, and catch Taylor’s cocky grin. “No, I’m not calling her.” I nudge her with my shoulder. “It’s you and me this weekend, remember?”

“I remember.” Her voice is soft, her lids falling slightly, and I can’t help but wonder if she’d whisper to me in bed, if her lashes would shade her pretty blue eyes as I put my cock into her. “I like this…” she shakes her head. “I mean, I like that…well, that my first time is with you.” Her eyes go wide. “I mean my first flight.” She throws one hand up. “I’m sure Kalen wouldn’t want me having a drink and would be checking my seat belt.” She shakes her head. “I love him, but it’s nice to be out from under his thumb.” As soon as the words ‘under his thumb’ leaves her mouth, pink crawls into her cheeks.

What the heck is that all about?

It was just the other day she joked about being my roommate, but then said she didn’t want to be under my thumb. Does she want to be under my thumb, or rather…under me? I gulp, and quickly dispel that image.

The plane picks up speed as we race down the runway, and Taylor turns from me. I’m not sure if it’s to hide her blush or watch our ascent. Her fingers dig into the armrest. I peel her fingers off, and she gives me a fast glance as I take her hand in mine, offering security and comfort.

I gesture toward the window and she turns. Leaning in, I catch the scent of her hair. I know exactly what kind of shampoo she uses, considering we share a bathroom. That comes with its own torture. It wasn’t long ago she’d walked in on me. I had just rubbed one out in the shower, and my cock was still hard when her door flung open. She stood there in complete shock, as I scrambled to cover myself up. What must she have thought? When she finally came to her senses, she bolted, and we never talked about it.

I’m always careful. The last thing I want to do is walk in on her naked. I snort. Okay, that’s not entirely true. I want that, but it’s not in my best interest. I do not want to close my eyes at night and have that visual dancing around inside my brain. At least at my parents’ house, there are plenty of bathrooms and bedrooms. Since they have old fashioned values, no way will I be sharing a room with Taylor, and for that I’m grateful.

As the plane takes off, the roar of the engines fade into the background, leaving only the occasional hum of the cabin. She turns back to me, her wide eyes betraying a mixture of awe and nerves. “What was that sound?”

I smile, leaning closer to reassure her. “That’s just the landing gear retracting. Completely normal.”

She exhales, her tense shoulders dropping slightly. “Okay. Normal. Got it.”

Moments later, the plane banks hard to adjust its course, and gravity tips me toward her. The ground below flashes past, a dizzying mix of clouds and cityscape, and she lets out a startled “Ohmigod!” Her voice trembles, but there’s something endearing about the way she inches closer, seeking comfort. The warmth of her leaning against me stirs something deep inside, and for a moment, I can’t focus on anything else.

“We take off into the wind. We’re just adjusting for that,” I explain, trying to keep my voice steady even as my pulse spikes. “Nothing to worry about.”

The plane steadies, and she relaxes, her head tipping slightly as a smile teases the corners of her lips. “I think…that was kind of fun,” she says, her voice laced with surprise.

“Kind of fun?” I tease, chuckling.

“Well, once I knew we weren’t, you know.” She flattens her palm and flips it dramatically. “Flipping over, it was…exhilarating.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “Trust me, nothing is flipping over.”

“Good.” She grins, the tension melting into excitement as the flight smooths out.

Before long, our meals arrive. It’s a long journey, so after we eat, I settle in. I’m half-watching a movie while she busies herself with her e-reader. She pauses, rummaging through her bag, and pulls out a tube of lip balm. Her motions are slow, deliberate, and far too distracting as she applies it, her lips glistening in the cabin's soft light.

“It’s so dry in here,” she murmurs, rubbing her lips together.

I nod, clearing my throat. “I’ll grab some water when the attendant comes by. Or another wine?”

She flashes a playful grin. “Both. Definitely both.”

Soon after, she starts to shift in her seat, glancing around nervously. “You okay?” I ask, watching her unbuckle her seatbelt.

“Yeah, I just need to use the little girls room.” She stands, and I quickly move aside to let her pass.

First-class means she only has a short walk to the lavatory, so I stay in the aisle, stretching my legs. The plane jolts slightly, and I grab my seat for balance. A few minutes pass. Then a few more. A knot of worry tightens in my stomach. Could the turbulence have startled her? This is her first time flying. What if she’s unsteady or overwhelmed?

I glance at my watch. Dammit, shouldn’t she be back by now?

I head to the lavatory, finding the Occupied sign glowing red. I knock softly on the door. “Taylor? You okay in there?”

Her muffled voice carries through the door. “I… ugh.”

Before I can ask, the door unlocks and swings open. She’s standing there, her face a mix of frustration and embarrassment. “What’s wrong?” I ask.

“I dropped my lip balm,” she mutters, gesturing inside. “It’s on the floor, but every time I try to grab it, it rolls.”

I bite back a laugh, stepping closer. “Step out, and I’ll get it for you.”

She moves toward me, but as she does, the plane gives an unexpected jolt. She turns, stumbles back, her hand reaching for the sink to steady herself, only for me to lose my balance and stumble in after her. With the tight quarters working against us, the door snaps shut behind us, sealing us in the small space.

“Shit,” I mutter, trying to regain my footing. But there’s no room to maneuver, and I’m pressed against her back, my chest to her shoulders, my hips against hers.

She freezes, her breath hitching. “Um… I think we’re stuck,” she whispers, her voice barely audible over the hum of the engines.

“Stop moving,” I growl, my voice rougher than I intend as the heat of her body sinks into mine. Her squirming is doing things to me—dangerous things.

To my cock.

“Um, did you find my lip balm?” she asks innocently, her tone laced with awkward humor.

Is she seriously asking me that right now?

“No,” I grind out, my voice thick with tension. “That’s not—” I bite back the rest, knowing I’m not about to explain what’s going on in my pants. “We need to get out of here.”

She glances at me in the mirror, her eyes locking with mine, wide and uncertain. The tension between us crackles like a live wire, her curves pressed against me in a way that sends my pulse into overdrive.

“I think…” My voice drops further as my hands find her hips, gripping instinctively. “You need to…flip over.”

Her lips part, her breath catching, and for a moment, neither of us moves. Has her brain gone in the same direction as mine? I don’t know, but the space suddenly feels impossibly smaller, the air ridiculously thicker, as if the plane itself is conspiring to trap us in this dangerous, electric moment.

Then she smirks, breaking the tension with a laugh. “All this for a lip balm?”

I groan, shaking my head as I try to steady my breathing. “I’ll buy you a million tubes when we land. Just…ugh, just hold still,” I mutter, knowing full well this moment is about to become a story neither of us would forget anytime soon—especially if the media got a hold of it. But I can’t let that happen. In fact, when it comes to Taylor and me, I can’t let anything happen. But that doesn’t mean this encounter isn’t going to plague my dreams all weekend.

Things are really looking up, dude.

As that sarcastic inner voice mocks me, I glance down at my crotch. Yeah, things are really looking up, in more ways than one.