The man beside me was a complete stranger I'd known for less than two hours.
And I wanted to kiss him.
Insane.
I must be insane.
But I was already standing.
When I passed in front of him, I didn't try to avoid contact like before. I looked straight into his eyes, then moved with excruciating slowness, deliberately letting my knee graze against his suit pants.
I watched his Adam's apple bob hard, his fingers on the armrest suddenly clenching until his knuckles went white.
"I'll be waiting for you in the bathroom." I lowered my voice to a whisper only we could hear.
I turned and walked toward the first-class lavatory, my heart pounding so hard it threatened to burst through my ribs. Was I crazy? Had I really just invited a complete stranger like that?
But that man's gaze kept replaying in my head.
No.
I quickly rejected that thought.
Vivienne, you're not crazy.
You're just done being the good girl who stays quiet, endures everything, and gets thrown away in the end.
I pushed open the bathroom door, closed it behind me, but didn't lock it.
Ten seconds.
Twenty seconds.
The door handle turned.
A tall figure slipped inside, the door clicking locked behind him. The cramped space was instantly flooded with his overwhelming presence—cedar and gunpowder.
Before I could speak, he lunged at me like a caged animal finally freed.
One hand locked around the back of my head, the other clamped around my waist like an iron vise, and he slammed me against the mirror above the sink. The cold glass pressed against my back while his chest—scalding, solid as stone—pressed against my front.
"Do you have any idea what you just started?" he growled through clenched teeth, his nose almost touching mine, his burning breath spilling across my lips.
"So what—do you like it?" I met his gaze without backing down, grabbed his tie, and yanked him down hard.
He crushed his mouth to mine. This wasn't a kiss—it was an invasion, a war. His tongue forced past my teeth with brutal possession and greedy demand, claiming every inch of my mouth. He kissed me until I couldn't breathe, until my knees buckled, until all I could do was cling desperately to his broad shoulders.
His hands moved with urgent purpose, fingers deftlyworking open the buttons of my blouse until cool air brushed over my heated skin. He pushed the fabric aside along with my bra, baring me to him. His mouth broke from mine, trailing a scorching path down my neck and across my collarbone before closing over one sensitive peak. The wet heat of his tongue and the firm pull of his lips sent sharp sparks of pleasure racing through me, making my breath hitch and my thoughts scatter. I arched into him, overwhelmed by the intensity of it all—this man who seemed determined to consume me completely.
At the same time, his other hand slid beneath my skirt, pushing the fabric higher. His fingers found their way between my thighs, stroking and pressing inside with deliberate care, stretching and preparing me. The sensation was almost too much—intimate, insistent, building a deep, throbbing ache low in my belly. My legs trembled violently beneath me, threatening to give out as waves of dizzying need washed over me.
He sensed it immediately. With a low growl, he lifted me effortlessly onto the sink counter, the cool surface a stark contrast against my flushed skin. Our mouths met again in a heated, desperate kiss, tongues tangling as I wrapped my arms around his neck, lost in the taste of him and the overwhelming closeness.
A sharp knock on the door shattered the moment.
"Excuse me? Is everything alright in there?" The flight attendant's concerned voice filtered through. "We've had reports of some noise. Do you need any help?"
My heart slammed against my ribs, a rush of panic mixing with the forbidden thrill pulsing through my veins. The risk of being caught like this—exposed, vulnerable, completely entangled with him—only heightened every sensation. He didn't stop. His eyes burned into mine with dark amusement as his fingers continued their relentless rhythm, pushing me closer to the edge. I pressed my face into his shoulder, biting back a moan, my entire body trembling with the effort to stay silent.
