TWENTY-SIX
Evaleen
Edgar sat there with those dimples on display. His laugh was always smooth, confident, and utterly seductive.
With every chuckle, I felt my insides twist and flip as if the Olympics were being held in my stomach.
How should I act?
His assistant, John, moved to the row of spacious first-class seats in front of Edgar, leaving the seat next to him vacant. The plane was filling up with me as one of the remaining passengers to board.
Things felt off when I left Edgar’s home last night. He was surprised by my request to leave, but what was the point of staying? Edgar obviously didn’t want anything from me. I couldn’t blame him. I don’t really know what I’m doing in the bedroom, and then I take one look at his penis and freak out.
He came in the cab with me to make sure I made it home safely. I spent the entire ride back to my place replaying how mortifyingly shocked I was when he removed his briefs. Each time I cringed a little bit more.
My fingers drifted over the soft leather of the top of the seat I stood next to but paused before reaching Edgar’s row. There were only two seats in each row in first class. Edgar couldn’t see me approaching as he turned back to the front. Whatever relief I felt when he turned his back to me was fleeting as I already knew my seat number.
Glancing around I noticed the only empty seat was next to Payne. Perhaps I could suck it up and deal with Payne for the thirteen-hour flight.
Payne must have read my mind because he turned and narrowed his eyes at me. His caveman jaw ticked daring me to move closer.
“Oh, thank goodness I made it.” A very out of breath Morgana knocked me from behind.
“Hey, Drake. Are you sitting next to Payne?”
She dug around in her black leather bag. There were cellophane wrappers falling out. She pulled out her ticket. “Here it says seat 3A. That is right—”
“Next to Payne.”
“Oh, so it is. Great.” Her lips thinned as she sighed. She appeared tired despite the flush of her cheeks. That gave me hope that perhaps Morgana would be willing to switch with me for the flight?
I glanced back at Payne and watched him scrape his fingers through his dark brown hair probably making dandruff fall all around him. Then he began fidgeting with the light and fan above him. On and off. On and off. Then, on and off.
Nope. Couldn’t do it. Drake would be the brave soul dealing with that annoying twat.
It was time for me to face the man who gave me the best sexual experience of my life so I could run away from him. Because that’s what I do.
“Excuse me,” I said as I came to stand next to Edgar’s seat.
Edgar glanced up with a gleam in his eyes only to see me. It faded away. My throat tightened and I wanted to run again. I wanted to trek back up the cold loading ramp and leave this place, not take my seat by the window as Edgar rose to give me room.
After I sat, I made myself busy putting my navy leather purse away and getting out my book.
“So, you come here often?” Edgar said.
I looked up from my book to find him winking at me.
“What?”
He sat there staring at me with his dimples on display.
“Are you feeling okay, Edgar?”
“Of course, I feel fine. I am stuck in a giant metal cylinder for half a day with a beautiful woman.” He winked again and then frowned. As if he was rethinking the wink. “I didn’t mean I’m stuck. I meant once we are in the air I guess technically we can’t get out. Oh no, you don’t have a fear of flying, do you?”
His breathing picked up so rapidly I thought he might be projecting. Maybe he was the one with the fear of flying. I lowered my steamy romance to my lap and placed a hand on his arm assessing his odd behavior.
“No, no, Edgar. Of course, I don’t have a fear of flying. It’s the twenty-first century. They have made many improvements in airplanes. Do you need me to hold your hand while we take off?”