her, as she massaged his fine
body with her lotions.
"I used to be in better shape," he said
quietly, "before."
Better than this? She thought. "My," was all
she could say.
Fifteen minutes passed quickly, and she said,
"Okay. That's it for today. I'm a little tired, too."
He turned towards her, on his side, fixing
her in his turquoise gaze. "Sorry, sweet pea," he whispered. There
was the tone to his voice again; it caused a heavy sensation
between her legs. But, she found she couldn't look away from his
intense stare.
He whispered still, "You turn me on, darlin.'
Every lovin' thing you do. The massage just tips it off for
me."
Wrapped in his male, aftershave scent, she
began to say something, but words left her.
Her eyes flitted over him, and she realized
as she looked below his waist, he was hard, rock hard. Turning
away, her breath came out finally. "It's time...time for you to go
now," she told him quietly.
After he gathered his things and left, she
sat on the bed and hung her head, as she sighed with
frustration.
Chapter 7
The next morning, at seven o'clock, Ram
called her. "Rise and shine, darlin,'" he said, "Going to the
Bahamas today."
"Oh my gosh," she whispered, "how soon?" And
she had the sinking feeling her clothes were all dirty.
"Nine. You'll be ready then?"
"Sure," she replied dismally, "no
problem."
When she perused her clothes, only a few were
left clean. She chose a crop top with flare jeans and boots, and a
sweatshirt as she remembered the plane being chilly. That was one
of the few things she recalled about the first flight.
After she'd had some toast and coffee from
room service, she just waited for him. And, waited for him. And,
waited for him some more, watching TV morning news. Checking her
watch, she realized it was nine-thirty.
He laughed as he answered her phone call. "I
know, I know, I'm late. Hey you aren't the only one who can be
tardy you know."
She sniffed. "Just checking." And, she hung
up.
Five minutes later, he knocked and strolled
into her room. "Ready?"
"I've been ready."
"Really?"
The double entendre was not lost on her and
she frowned. "I've got so many dirty clothes. I don't suppose you
have a washer and dryer on that plane?"
"Not yet," he said dryly, "we're working on
it. Besides, you look fine to me. Just fine. And we'll get them
washed for you in Nassau."
He thought he really liked her crop top look.
It was a total turn on for him, and he had to fight the urge to run
his hand down her hair, which she wore loose today. "Out the back,
as usual," he told her, "the porter will follow, just leave your
bag."
Gently guiding her by the arm, they went down
the service elevator in the back of the hotel.
She was silent on the taxi ride to the
airport, and silent again as they went through security.
Once in the plane, he asked, "You took your
airsick pill?"
She nodded and sat in the captain's chair
across from him.
He noticed her hands gripping the arms of the
chair, as they rose quickly into the clouds.
After a minimum of turbulence, he asked
politely, "You doin' okay, then?"
She nodded again.
"What?" he asked.
"Just a mood, I'll get over it."
He smiled, thinking she was mad at him for
being late, like she usually was...late for everything. "I want to
ask you about..."
Looking at him now, she said, "What?"
"Who's Gram?" he asked.
"None of your business."
"Talk now. Talk. We're just passing time
here, Jace."
She felt like his eyes were boring a hole
through her, as she replied, "What part of none of your business do
you not understand?"
He raised his eyebrows. "Guess I've been
told." And he picked up a magazine from the glass table and began
leafing through it.
"I'm sorry. It's no secret I guess," she
said, after a pause of several minutes.
"Tell me about it," he said, throwing the
magazine down.
They both unfastened their seat belts as the
plane leveled out, and he leaned forward.
"Well," she began, "obviously she was
Craig Strete
Keta Diablo
Hugh Howey
Norrey Ford
Kathi S. Barton
Jack Kerouac
Arthur Ransome
Rachel Searles
Erin McCarthy
Anne Bishop