He leaves.
I glance down at Ember as she pushes her purse back under the seat in front of her.
When she turns to face me, it’s as if there is a glow around her. A radiance that only I can see and my heart can feel. It fights to not crack open out of the armor that keeps it safe, but feels like it breaks simultaneously.
“What?” she asks curiously.
I just shake my head and joke, because that’s what I do when I avoid something I don’t want to address. “Those bathrooms are the size of a matchbox.”
“Well, I’m sure they are compared to you. You’re like the Jolly Green Giant. Except you’re not green. So you’re just, Jolly Giant. A jolly giant.”
She giggles, and it’s infectious. Beautiful. My damnation.
I take my seat and we fall into conversation again as the flight attendants make their final rounds and buckle for landing.
Words are being exchanged, but I can only think of slamming my lips into hers. Wrapping my arms around her body, pulling her into my seat. I want to make her straddle me while I explore every inch of every curve of her gorgeous body. Run my hands through the locks of her sunset strands that have entranced me these past couple hours and make her forget there is anyone but us.
Jesus, I want to.
But I follow rules and respect boundaries.
Why? I have no fucking clue. She makes me want to break every rule I have.
The captain comes back on the loudspeaker, telling us we’ve landed, tearing me from my thoughts. The plane is heading to another city after Las Vegas, so it appears some passengers will stay on and some will get off. He asks thateveryone remain seated so that those catching a connecting flight can exit first since our flight was slightly delayed.
I won’t do what I want to do and take her in every corner of this plane. But I won’t deprive myself of attempting to see her again.
“So, hey.” I remove my cap and run my hand around the back of my neck before replacing it on my head. “Why don’t we exchange numbers? We could meet for coffee or something while we’re here in Vegas?” I sound more confident than I feel.
“Oh.”
There’s that fucking ‘Oh’. The same ‘Oh’ she gave Crouching Tiger.
“I… I can’t.”
My eyes narrow in confusion. I know she feels this, too. She has to.
The little boy from Texas, who was raised with good manners, wants to respect what she just said. But the man sitting in front of the woman that has made him feel more alive than he has felt in years.That man, I want to unleash on her and see what happens.
My friends are constantly telling me to take more risks with women. Hence, why I’m still single. Actually, I’m single because I believe in more than lust. Sure, I have women that show interest in me. But a woman that sets my soul on fire, I haven’t found that.
Until her.
Until today, before getting on this plane thinking it would be an uncomfortable, draining flight. But no, physically and mentally, I’m alive. So fucking alive.
Goddammit.
I’m not letting her get away that easily.
Before I can open my mouth, she tips her chin at the emptying aisle and says, “We’re up.”
Shit, that was fast.
I stand and grab the bag I placed in the overhead bin as she leans forward to squeeze between me and the seat, brushing her ass against the front of my pants.
“Shoot, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t ever be sorry forthat.” I wink, giving her my most flirtatious grin.
