“Your mother and mine are night and day.” Caldwell chuckles.
“Are you saying I’m like your mother?” I tease.
“Oh, God no.” He shakes his head harder. “But there must be a plan.”
“Yeah, that’s kinda me.” I laugh. “Except now. No plans. I’m going with the flow. See, I’m laid-back.” I try to lay the seat back, but it doesn’t work. It takes me a few tries.
“What’s changed? This need to jump and not know how far the ground is.”
The flight attendant stops next to us, asking which meal we each want for our dinner. When she steps away, I answer him.
“I’m boring,” I admit. I might as well let him know this if by chance he is flirting with me. I don’t need another disastrous date in my future, except this isn’t a date. We will part ways in a few hours’ time, and I may never see him again.
“Who told you that?” I can tell he’s annoyed at whomever did it.
“A few dates. Boring, cold, plain, prude, and you know what? I’ll stop there.” I give a forced laugh, trying to lighten things so I don’t become emotional.
“That’s fucking ridiculous. Sounds to me like they knew you were out of their league and would never reach the bar that would let them find out if you are boring and cold, which I doubt. You give your all. I can see that in you in the short time we’ve known each other.”
“You’re sweet.” I know the heat on my cheeks isn’t because of the drinks. “But they’re right. I mean, I’m still a virgin.” I snort a laugh but quickly cut it off. Why did I say or do any of that? If it were possible, I’d climb under this seat, but it’s not, so I have to deal with the words I released out into the world.
“Don’t hold back now.” He gives me a playful smile that has the embarrassment that was rising pushing right back down. “Not everyone hops into bed right away. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. You want a connection.”
“Yeah,” I admit, taking another sip of my drink when the flight attendant refills it. “I’m worried that’s the part I’ll be terrible at. I’m already so behind at this point. And two, I think I’ll be one of those girls that connects sex and love strongly to each other. Then I’ll be all clingy.” I groan at the thought.
It’s not because I wouldn’t want to be clingy. I just don’t want to face the judgment that comes with being that way. Though, right now I’m finding I don’t give a crap, but I’m pretty tipsy at this point.
“There isn’t anything wrong with that. My brother fell in love in a few short weeks. When you know, you know.” He says it with such confidence. “And I promise you, gorgeous.” Caldwell leans closer. “You won’t be bad at it.”
I lick my lips. “You think?”
“I know.”
“How?”
“That’s easy. Because I know you’re not plain, prude, boring, or cold, and I can prove it.” I don’t get a chance to ask how. Caldwell presses his mouth to mine. His hand goes to the back of my neck, cupping me there, effectively holding me in place. The action is small compared to the effect it has on my body. He wants me, and he wants to make sure I’m not going anywhere.
I part my lips when his tongue licks along the seam of my mouth. I moan when his tongue touches mine. He tastes of mint and earthiness.
I kiss him back. This is my first kiss, and I’m going to get my fill. With each second, the kiss grows hungrier, and the need to be close to him is overwhelming. I suck his tongue before biting his bottom lip. He lets out a low groan that rumbles from himbefore he suddenly jerks back, leaving me in a daze and gasping hard for air.
“Sorry,” I whisper. I’d taken it too far, and he was merely kissing me so that I could see there is passion inside of me. There is, but I don’t believe it’s only the kiss; it’s him. But I’m still shocked at how I’d returned it. I don’t think it’s the drinks either.
“Don’t ever apologize for that.” The insistence in his eyes has me shifting in my seat.
“You stopped,” I point out.
“I was two seconds from pulling you into my lap.” He gives the back of my neck a squeeze, reminding me I’m still in his hold.
“Oh.” I lick my lips. That doesn’t sound bad to me.
“Not here, gorgeous.” He keeps calling me that, and I kind of love it. Who am I kidding? There is nokind ofabout it.
Chapter Four
CALDWELL
Mable tastes as innocent as I thought she would. I watch her as she sleeps. We’d talked for another couple of hours before she dozed off. She was past tipsy, which I will be using against her when she awakens. There isn’t enough time for her to sober up before we land, at least that’s what I’m hoping.
