Page 74 of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

Without a word, the guy put his headphones back on and returned to his magazine.

I wanted to evaporate. I glanced up the aisle, but the flight attendant was busy with other passengers. “Kannon, please,” I said, tugging at his arm. “Let’s just sit down. It’s a short flight. Not worth it.”

But Kannon ignored me. He tapped the guy again, harder this time.

The man yanked his headphones off, visibly annoyed. “What now?”

“You’re in her seat,” Kannon said, nodding toward me. “Move it.”

The man leaned to the side, gesturing at the people still waiting in the aisle. “How about you be a big boy, sit down, and stop holding everyone up?”

I could feel the burn of eyes on us as the line stalled. My stomach churned with anxiety. I rifled through my bag, praying I had some Tums or anything to calm the acid rising in my throat.

Kannon, on the other hand, was cool as a cucumber. He pointed to the window seat again. “Move. Now.”

The man chuckled, looking Kannon up and down. “Pipsqueak.”

I froze, my hand in my bag. Oh, no.

“If you wanted this seat, you should have bought it,” Kannon said. His voice was low and gave me goosebumps. “But you didn’t pay for it. She did. So, you’re going to get your ass up and put it in the seat you did pay for.”

“Buddy you’re going to want to sit your ass down before I put you down,” the man said.

I groaned. I knew exactly what was coming.

Kannon glanced at me. I shook my head. “Don’t.”

“Sir, did you just put something down your pants?” Kannon’s voice rang out loud and clear throughout the entire cabin.

The man’s face went pale. “What?”

“That’s disgusting,” Kannon said, louder now, turning to the flight attendant a few rows back. “Ma’am, did you see what this pervert just⁠—”

“I’ll move!” The guy practically leapt out of his seat and shuffled over to the window.

Kannon plopped down in the middle seat. He leaned in close to the guy. “I don’t want to hear you breathe for the rest of this flight. Got it?”

The man didn’t respond. He just stared out the window, defeated.

I slid into the aisle seat, clutching my bag to my chest and trying to process what had just happened. I had not expected to make such a ruckus. I was not that person. I didn’t start drama. I avoided it. I was the one that could compromise.

Kanon looked over at me and offered a satisfied smile. “Comfortable?”

“You didn’t have to do that,” I hissed.

“I didn’t do anything.”

I tucked my purse under the seat in front of me.

“Shoot, I need to put my duffel in the overhead bin,” he said.

Kannon stood up to put his duffel bag in the overhead bin. As he reached up, his T-shirt rode up slightly, revealing a strip of skin and toned abs. I caught myself staring and quickly looked away, my cheeks flushing.

“See something you like?” he teased as he sat back down, catching my gaze.

I rolled my eyes, trying to play it cool. “Just making sure you don’t cause any more trouble.”

He chuckled. “Me? Trouble? Never.”