Page 88 of Just Between Us

“Do I get to know what the surprise is?”

“No, that’s why it’s called a surprise,” Cole whispers against my mouth before kissing me, his tongue invading my mouth and his hand carding through my hair and pulling me. I grind down against him and he hisses. I completely forget about the man following me.

***

“That’s a plane,” Kai deadpans, standing still as he stares at the private jet in front of us. It’s a sleek black G6 that belongs to Cole’s grandparents, and it sits on the tarmac under the grey English clouds in all its glory.

A porter comes along and takes our bags from the car as Cole curls a hand around Kai’s waist with a triumphant smile. “Why do you think I asked you to pack your passport?” he asks, planting a quick kiss on Kai’s slightly open mouth. He is still staring at the jet, half horrified, half in awe.

“Are you either of you going to tell me where we’re going?” Kai finally turns, looking between us.

I shrug. “Don’t look at me, he won’t tell me either.”

It’s one of the things I love most about being with Cole. I barely have to think when I’m around him. I know my professors would be so disappointed that I’ve been underutilising my brain since graduating.I was supposed to have at least three published papers by the time I hit twenty-seven.

Maybe getting fucked dumb is a real thing.

Cole gives us a wink and pulls his sunglasses down before walking ahead of us. Kai still looks a little lost. I take his hand, and he smiles at me, eyes grateful. “Not a fan of surprises?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “It’s not that. I’ve just never seen anything like this.”

I bump his shoulder. “If it makes you feel any better, I had the same reaction when I first saw it.”

Even if I grew up extremely privileged, we were never private jet rich, but both sides of Cole’s family are rolling in unfathomable amounts of money. Private jets and presidential suites are nothing to Cole Armas.

We follow behind Cole and up the flight staircase. Lauren, the air hostess appears with a bright Colgate white smile, dressed in her navy-blue uniform. Her dark hair is tied back in a sleek bun and her eyes are a stunning blue.

“Welcome aboard Mr. Armas, Mr. Bellamy. It’s good to see you again,” she says. She holds out a hand to Kai. “Hello, Mr. Thomas. My name is Lauren, I’ll be your hostess today. It’s a pleasure.”

Kai shakes her hand, looking slightly dazed. “Ah, nice to meet you too, Lauren.”

He gives me a look like he can’t quite believe it and I squeeze his hand as Lauren moves aside to let us through. “I’ve been told I’m not allowed to say our destination, but our flight time will be just under two hours so please make yourselves comfortable.”

“Thanks, Lauren,” Cole says, and they smile at each other conspiratorially.

The interior is lush with ivory leather seats and a grey carpet. The seats have an S.C.L. embossed in silver lettering for Cole’s grandparents' names, Serena & Christian Laing.

“Two hours flight time,” I say. “I’m guessing we’re going somewhere south?”

Cole looks back at me as he takes his seat on one of the four seats that face each other. He lifts an eyebrow.

“You think so? What’s your guess, Kai?”

Kai thinks for a second. “Two hours is about the flight time to Paris,” he says.

That’s a pretty good guess.

Cole shrugs, clearly enjoying this. “We’ll see.”

Kai shakes his head, his eyes scanning the plush cabin. “This is kind of crazy,” he says quietly, his hand still in mine, holding on tightly. I like the way it feels like he needs me to anchor him.

His birthday will be in two days, and I quietly hope he likes our gift.

Once we’re all settled, Lauren brings us glasses of champagne even though it’s only eleven in the morning. The pilot welcomes us and before long we’re in the air. Cole sits across me, and Kai is next to me, his eyes glued to the window.

“Since we have two hours to kill, let’s play a game,” I say, pulling out a battered box of UNO cards. My dad and I always played when I travelled with my parents as a kid and carrying around my beaten-up stack wherever we go has become a habit.

Kai’s eyes light up, looking at the cards. “I don’t think you want to play against me. Outside of my sister Zoe, no one can beat me.”

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