Zio
In the blink of an eye,our trip was over. While our time in Hawaii had ended, our adventure would continue once we returned to Sunnyside. It made it easier to walk away from paradise when I knew Armand would stay in my life.
Traveling was always hell on my anxiety, as I double-checked my quadruple checks for all my documents and possessions. Although the rational part of my brain understood I had everything, my OCD demanded I be extra super sure. If I hadn’t already fallen for Armand, him accepting my behavior would have sent me past the point of no return. He didn’t get mad at me or tell me to stop checking so many times. When my parents got irritated by my compulsive need to repeatedly confirm I had all my stuff, I didn’t take his patience for granted.
We were on the same return flight, which meant we could sit together in the waiting area. It kept me in a calmer state than I’d normally be in since his easygoing nature counteracted my stress.
Despite heading to the same place, I experienced a sense of disappointment when they announced over the loudspeaker, “Now boarding our priority and platinum members.”
“That’s me,” I said. “What about you?”
“I’ll board with the last group.” He gave me a sweet kiss that I savored, despite public displays of affection being something I hated prior to being with him. “I’ll see you when we land.”
“I’ll wait for you outside the gate when we arrive.” After another kiss and a quick double check of my stuff, I left him to line up to board. I tried to be subtle about glancing over at him to confirm he was still there, almost as if I half expected him to disappear forever. He waved when he noticed, making me blush.So much for being subtle.
Once I got on the plane, I sat in my window seat in first class that I had thanks to my brother’s generosity. The comfort and spaciousness made flying less hellish, as did the flight attendant giving me two small bottles of Irish whiskey with a glass of ice. I took it as a good sign that there were six cubes.
Putting on my headphones and pulling out my e-book reader, I settled in to read Ever Princely’sThe Prince & His Librarian. Since it was Felix’s pen name and I was going to meet him soon, it seemed important to check out his book. A tiny part of me also hoped I’d glean some helpful tips from it; I still had a lot to learn about having sex with a man.
I had never read a romance novel in my life, but Prince Leander Montarelli’s charming nature sucked me into his story. When I discovered the librarian, Cyrus Valan, was a handsome, older gentleman, my interest in their relationship grew. Their banter was so engrossing, I forgot about all the people filing onto the plane. I barely noticed when someone sat beside me, but I eventually registered a seductive and alluring scent.
Glancing up from my book, I startled when I saw Armand sitting next to me with a pleased expression. I took my headphones off to rest around my neck as I asked in awe, “What are you doing here?”
“It seems we were destined to meet each other after all.”
“But how’s that possible? You boarded with the final group, which would mean you were in coach.”
He chuckled as he shook his head. “I’m part of the first group, but I’m always one of the last people on before they close the doors. I don’t enjoy having a parade of passengers banging into me with their bags when I sit in the aisle. It’s easier to wait until the end to take my seat. Finding out I’m sitting next to you was a pleasant surprise.”
I leaned over and kissed him with all the overflowing joy in my heart. If I had been looking for a sign that we were meant to be, I couldn’t have asked for a clearer one than that.
* * *
My nerves spikedafter we landed because Armand’s friend Arsène was picking us up at the airport. It was intimidating to meet someone who was so important to my boyfriend, especially because I wanted to make a good first impression. I was already desperate for his approval that I was worthy of being with his best friend. It tempered my immediate excitement over getting to stay with Armand a few more nights.
After we collected our bags, he stopped me and held my gaze to convey his seriousness. “You have nothing to fear from Arsène. We’re as close as brothers, so if you get along with me, you also will with him. He likes you, so you’re not fighting an uphill battle for his approval. You already have it.” He gave me a reassuring kiss on the forehead and another on the lips that turned my insides into goo.
Nodding that I understood, I held his words close to my chest. I tried to ignore the asshole who lived in the back of my head, who whispered about all the ways I could fuck up my initial impression.
Exiting the airport, Armand led us over to a luxury sedan where an older and younger man waited. I was unprepared for Arsène to be so attractive that he looked like he should have a career in front of a camera instead of behind it. He was tall, handsome, and dressed in tight jeans and a black blazer with the sleeves rolled up into cuffs that had floral finishes. He had a friendly smile that set my anxious heart at ease.
Arsène embraced Armand before greeting him with air-kisses on each cheek. They said something to each other in French that caused them both to laugh before they parted.
While Arsène was masculine, Felix had a boyish charm. His lanky frame, faded T-shirt, and tattered jeans emphasized his youth, although he was probably only a few years younger than me. His unexpected appearance normally would have thrown me into a panic, but his sunny smile kept my fears at bay. If he was anything like the characters he had written about in his book, he would be nice and funny. He embraced Armand next. “Welcome back!”
“You must have missed me if I’m getting a hug from you,” Armand teased him.
“Now that you have a boyfriend, I don’t have to worry about giving you the wrong idea.” Felix laughed as he stepped away. He startled me by hugging me. “I’m so excited to meet you, Zio! I can’t wait to know more about the man who did the impossible.”
I tilted my head in confusion. “The impossible?”
“Tame our Armand,” Arsène explained with a chuckle. He hugged me, then air-kissed both of my cheeks as well. It allowed me to smell his woodsy cologne that was almost as tantalizing as my boyfriend’s. Was smelling incredible a French thing? “I am so happy that you two have found each other. Come, let me take you both home. You must be tired after your long flight.”
The warm fuzzies in my heart bloomed that Arsène implied that my home was with Armand. It helped distract my fears as we loaded our luggage into the car before I sat in the back seat on the passenger side. When Armand got in, he took hold of my hand and gave it a squeeze.
Arsène began driving to Armand’s apartment. “How was your flight?”
“Quite enjoyable since we ended up sitting next to each other,” Armand answered. “It seems fate wasn’t taking any chances of us missing out.”
