Page 21 of Arse Over Irish Teacup
“What are you doing?” Beth asked.
“That stewardess is so dumb, she would buy reincarnation insurance.”
“Aidan!” Beth burst into giggles and covered her mouth. “I think we’re supposed to call them flight attendants now.”
“Not her. She can be a little too attentive if you know what I mean. That woman is a?—"
“I can see what she is.” Beth could also see she wore a black lace bra.
“I’ve made this flight a dozen times and I see her almost every time. Last time, she had her fingers tangled in my hair and stroked my beard!”
Beth laughed.
“It’s not funny!”
But it was! “I see, so you think if she believes we’re a couple that she will leave you and your beard alone?”
“Exactly. Please? You did drop your suitcase on my foot.”
Of course, Beth would play along. It’s the least she could do. “Okay, but I want a better nickname than Cupcake. A good nickname should be something more personal.”
He thought for a moment. More personal … Brown eyes, Angel …
That’s enough of that sort of talk!
“Spinner.” There. Now she sounded more like a buddy than the stranger he wished he’d met before his heart had been broken.
“What should my nickname for you be?” She deliberately listed off mushy names. “Snookums, Truffles, Honey …”
“I don’t need a nickname,” he said flatly while giving her the side eye.
“Spoil-sport.” Aidan lifted his drink to his lips and a drop fell from the bottom of his glass. The stewardess had spilled his drink. Helmet-hair walked past and Beth hailed her down. “Excuse me, my Sweetums could use a napkin. Would you mind?”
“I don’t need a napkin.”
If Beth was going along with this scheme, then she was going to have a little fun. “Now somebody has a grouchy face,” she said as if speaking to a toddler. “Don’t pay attention to him. My Sweetums is just tired. Long night and all.” She grinned knowingly at helmet-hair. Two could play this game.
The blonde left to retrieve the napkin.
Aidan turned his whole body in Beth’s direction. “Sweetums?”
“You know, like that gigantic monster on The Muppets. He looks scary but he’s a cream puff.”
“I’m not a cream puff.”
“Okay, you’re not a cream puff.” But, like a monster, he could be mean and scary.
Satisfied, Aidan sat back in his seat.
Beth waited a beat, allowing him to enjoy his fresh drink before making her inquiry. “What was she going to say before you cut her off?”
Beth was so easy to talk to that not answering didn’t occur to him. “I had a fiancé. She ran off with my best man a week before the wedding. How’s that for the worst breakup story?”
“That’s awful. I’m sorry.”
Although she was sincere, he could tell there was something more she wasn’t saying. “You have a look in your eye like you have something to say. Don’t tell me you can beat that?”
“Well, no not beat it but I can relate to the humiliation.” Beth wasn’t expecting something so bad and he’d said it with no emotion at all. That wasn’t a good sign. She reached across and gave his free hand an encouraging squeeze then sat back.
