Page 59 of One Midnight Kiss

23

FOX

There was something criminal about the quiet tension between us this morning. It was this barely contained hum. It was just there. I knew we both felt it but neither of us was addressing it. I hoped the flight back home would force her to talk to me.

After she left my room last night, I had been replaying everything over and over again. The sensation of her beneath me, her body giving into pleasure, the sound of her calling my name. It was intoxicating. It was a song I didn’t think I would ever grow tired of hearing. I had made her orgasm.

Unless she was lying about never achieving a climax, I was technically her first. There was something empowering about that. I wanted to beat my chest and shout from the rooftops. I did that. I made that woman whimper and cry out in ecstasy.

Why did I ever let her leave in the first place? Why didn’t I just hold on to her and insist she stay? But that wasn’t how things worked between us. She was all soft and pliable when I was between her legs, but the moment it was over, she went right back to her ice queen status.

Natalia and I hadn’t exchanged many words since she left my room. This morning, we met in the lobby for coffee before it was time to head for the airport. We had fallen into a routine, something that felt like familiarity, but not quite comfortable.

We climbed into the back of the car. Natalia had her sunglasses on and her face glued to her phone screen. She was making it very clear she didn’t want to talk.

Honestly, that was probably for the best because I didn’t know what to say. Thanking her for good sex felt wrong. Reminding her of my sexual prowess would probably earn me a slap across the face. So, it was best if I just kept my mouth shut.

At the airport, we checked in at the kiosk and went through security without a word.

“Do you want a snack before we board?” I asked her.

She glanced up from her phone, her expression serious as if she was considering it more deeply than necessary. “No, thanks,” she replied, her voice distant, detached.

I nodded, stuffing my hands in my pockets. I couldn’t help but feel a sting of rejection, though it was just about a snack. We walked to our gate in silence. Every now and then, I caught her stealing glances at me, her eyes quickly darting away when our gazes nearly met.

We settled into our seats on the plane. Natalia by the window, me in the middle seat next to her. She was tapping away on her tablet with a fierce focus that was almost admirable. It was a morning flight back to Seattle, and first class was only half full. I should be enjoying this moment of quiet, should be catching up on work, maybe skimming through emails. But instead, I couldn’t get last night out of my head.

It was good. No, it was better than good. The kind of good that didn’t settle the itch, just made it burn deeper. Part of me expected it to be a one and done. That was how I usually rolled. I loved the excitement of learning a woman’s body. I loved the chase and the conquest, but this was very different. This had depth, it had texture, something that lingered like the taste of a rich wine. I didn’t just want Natalia. I felt like I needed to understand her—every layer and every shadow.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Natalia shift in her seat. There was a vulnerability about her in that moment that pulled at something inside me.

I wanted more. I needed more. I risked a glance at her hand and smirked when I saw the ring. It was still on her finger. I got a small thrill from that. It was not a real engagement ring, but the fact that she hadn’t taken it off yet felt like a win. Like she was playing along with this little game we were in.

She chewed on the end of a pen, lost in whatever document she was reviewing. I leaned closer, letting my shoulder brush against hers. “Can I have your number now?” I asked.

“No,” she replied without looking up.

I watched her lips as she said it. I swore I saw the corner of her mouth twitch, like she was fighting back a smile.

“What do I need to do to get it?” I pressed, lowering my voice just enough to make it feel like a secret, something shared only between us.

She exhaled, still pretending to ignore me, her eyes glued to the screen. “I haven’t decided yet.”

To me, that was a win. If she hadn’t decided, that meant she was considering it. And if she was considering it, she was not done with me. Not by a long shot. I could easily get her number from Wilder or Christa, but where was the fun in that? This challenge, this game—it was too good to pass up. I was enjoying it and didn’t want it to end.

Since she wasn’t going to talk to me or flirt with me, I stretched out, settling deeper into the plush first-class seat. The flight attendants started to make their rounds. I accepted a Coke and settled in. It was peaceful, almost serene. But that was not what I wanted. I didn’t want peace. I glanced over and noticed Natalia had put her blanket over her lap. A wicked idea popped into my head.

I slid my hand under the thin blanket, touching her knee first before slowly moving my hand up. She tensed, finally breaking her concentration and glanced over at me.

“Fox,” she warned quietly, her voice low but edged with a hint of a plea. “Don’t.”

I ignored her, moving my hand higher. I felt her body shift, just a tiny adjustment, but the telltale sign was she didn’t pull away from me.

“Fox,” she hissed. “You have to stop.”

“You say no, but your body is saying something else,” I murmured.

Her lips parted, a tiny little gasp as my hand slid between her thighs. She chewed her bottom lip, trying not to react. But I could see the effect I was having on her. It was written all over her face. There was a flush creeping up her neck. She was trying so hard to stay composed. It was almost adorable.