Page 6 of Decoded
“That sounds like a fun tradition. Where all have you been?”
“This is only the third year we’ve done it. We all agreed on New York City for our first trip, then Cancun last year, and Vegas this year.”
“What destination do you plan to enter into the drawing this year?” I ask.
Anna’s eyes light up and I can tell how much this woman loves to travel. Something inside me wants to help her discover the world, but I push that odd feeling down as I take in her answer.
“I know it’s super basic, but I really want to go to Paris. I’ve dreamed of going there ever since I was a little girl. I want to visit The Louvre and see the Mona Lisa, of course, and take in the views of the city from the Eiffel Tower. And I want to go to a little café to drink coffee and enjoy the croissants.” She says the last word in a fake French accent that is too adorable to not make me chuckle.
“Well then, I hope Paris is the last one pulled this year.” Her smile widens and she beams at me. I have to dig my thumbnail into my palm to stop myself from reaching out and cupping her cheek. I so badly want to kiss this woman, but trying to do that on a plane when she has no way of escaping me is not the way to go about that. So instead, I distract my dick by asking her more questions about her and her friends.
“Penny is an elementary school teacher. She’s taught third grade the past several years, but they just transferred her to first grade this year and I just know she’s going to be great. Her heart is so big and she’s gonna love those babies so much.” Her beautiful face lights up as she talks about the people she loves.
“Then Jasmine is an attorney. She’s such a badass and I want to be her when I grow up. She refuses to take shit from anyone, but she’s secretly a lot softer than her rough exterior lets on.
“Finally, we have Skyla.” The soft smile on her face lets me know she cares deeply about her friend. “She’s our dreamer. I don’t know if there’s a place in this world that could hold on to that girl for too long. It’s not unlike her to call us up and say something crazy like, ‘I wanted to see a live Toucan, so I’m in Costa Rica.’” She lets out a laugh and it warms my chest. “She’s so silly, but I love her so much.”
“It's obvious y’all have a great bond. So, there’s the dreamer, the attorney, and the teacher. What about you, Anna?” I notice she deflates slightly with my question.
“Oh, I’m nothing quite as impressive. Right now I’m an executive assistant for an accounting firm, but can I tell you a secret? I haven’t shared this with anybody, so I’m trusting you to keep quiet.” She whispers and I lean in closer, breathing in her scent and knowing I need more. I can’t help but smile as I give her a nod, urging her to go on.
“I’ve been trying to find work somewhere else. I actually just applied for a position at this one company where I’ve heard nothing but incredible things about the owners, even though I can’t seem to find anything online about them at all. I would be an executive assistant again, so I have hope that since I’ve got some experience in that area, I’ll be chosen for the position. The only downside is I’ve never lived outside of the city and it’s in a small town just a couple of hours from home. If I manage to get the job, I know it will upset my parents, and I really hate letting them down.”
“I take it you’re close with your family?”
She shrugs her shoulders in a noncommittal gesture. “We are, but, well my dad can be pretty hard on me. He has some high expectations, and I seem to fall short of those more often than not. He loves me, but well, it’s complicated.”
“I get complicated. My family is very close,” I tell her. “Sometimes too close. My brothers and I work together. Well,my brother Lincoln and I work in the same office. My brother Camden is an attorney, and while he works with us, his office is downtown. It’s a lot of togetherness, sometimes too much if I’m being honest. We work together all week, typically get together to get into something on Saturday, and then we have family dinners every Sunday.”
“Oh, we do that, too!” Anna gushes. “But I’m an only child, so it’s just me and my folks usually. Occasionally my boss will come over.”
“Your boss attends your family dinners?”
She nods before answering. “Yeah, he and my dad are best friends. Have been since college. It’s how I got the job, actually. The company I had been working for previously just closed and I needed a paycheck. My dad practically demanded that I work for his friend and I didn’t want to disappoint him. I also didn’t want to move back home, so here we are.”
Her incredible smile has dimmed and I immediately miss the light it brings. “I take it that being an executive assistant isn’t exactly your dream career?” I ask, hoping she will share all her hopes and dreams with me.
“I graduated with a degree in photography. But apparently that was a waste of an education and to make my dad happy, I double majored in business administration. Photography is definitely my passion, though. There’s just something about capturing that special moment. That special place. That special feeling. Oh, I love it so much.”
The sparkle in her eyes takes my breath away as she shares her passion with me.
“Do you still get to practice photography, then?” I ask, truly hoping this woman gets to pursue her passion, but sadly she shakes her head.
“There’s not really time for it. My boss is,” she trails off, shuddering slightly. “Well, my boss really wants me to be at theoffice when he’s there, which is a lot. Every now and then friends from school will contact me to take some family photos for them. Occasionally I try to travel to nearby locations and take some pictures, but that’s just for fun. I went to Mammoth Cave a few weeks ago. Have you been? So beautiful.”
I look at Anna’s round cheeks, full lips and emerald eyes.So beautiful.I find myself leaning in her direction, my hand reaching out and brushing a stray blonde hair from her cheek.Am I about to give in and kiss this woman?
Suddenly, the plane dips and I find myself pressed back against my seat. Short, quick breaths escape between my lips and I think I’m about to hyperventilate. Are we about to crash? If so, why is the only thought running through my mind that I will die before I ever get to kiss the incredible woman beside me? The woman who has scooted into the middle seat so she can cup my cheek and swipe her thumb over it. Back and forth, back and forth. Her calming movements feel so good, and I find my body relaxing.
“That’s it, Keaton. You’re doing great. Take a breath with me.” She breathes in through her nose and I find myself mimicking her actions. When she releases through her pouty lips, I do the same. “So good, Keaton. You’re doing so good.”
I listen to her soothing voice with just the slightest touch of twang to it and my body relaxes. We repeat the breathing exercise, and this time after I’ve exhaled, I can’t help but lean closer and brush my lips ever so lightly against hers. Her soft, full lips are perfect as they match my pressure. My hand comes up to the back of her head, brushing the golden waves of her hair. I’ve never had a reaction to a woman as quickly as I have to Anna, and now I’m kissing her on a fucking airplane. I’m not sure what has come over me, but I’m not ready to release her from my hold just yet.
All good things must come to an end, though, because all too soon the crackling sound of the plane’s intercom system has us separating far too quickly. As we straighten in our seats, I look to my left and see the sweetest shade of pink tinging her cheeks. She looks over at me, a sheepish grin on her face, and I can’t help but smile like a fucking opossum eating persimmons. Knowing she was just as into that kiss as I was has me wanting to pull her back over here and take her lips again. Hell, I want to pull her on top of me and take her right here on this fucking plane and let everyone know this incredible woman is mine now.
“Sorry about that, folks,” the pilot says, “we’ve run into a bit of turbulence. We ask that you please remain seated with your seatbelts fastened as we navigate these bumps over the next few minutes.”
“See, just some turbulence. He has it under control. Feel better?” Anna asks, her voice genuine, but breathy from the tender moment we just shared.
