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“Yes,” she said calmly. “Much.”
“What were you doing in there?”
“Ah—meditating,” Lily replied. “It’s great for relieving stress.”
Aidan couldn’t believe the change in her. She seemed to have conquered her nerves and he suspected she might have gulped down a Xanax or two while she was in the bathroom. But as the plane turned onto the end of the runway and the wing flaps whirred, he saw her stiffen, proof that her calm demeanor was only skin-deep.
Aidan reached out and took her hand, lacing her fingers through his. “Look at me,” he said. She turned and met his gaze. “Just keep your eyes on mine and listen to my voice. There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’ve taken this flight a hundred times and I’m still here.”
“You—you have beautiful eyes,” she murmured. “And long lashes.”
“I was just thinking that about you,” Aidan replied. “And your mouth. It’s…”
“What?” Lily asked.
“Very…kissable.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” Aidan said, his gaze dropping to her lips. “Really.” He felt the plane begin to accelerate down the runway and he reached out and took her face between his hands. Leaning forward, Aidan kissed her gently, his tongue tracing along the crease of her lips until she sighed and opened beneath his assault.
As the plane gained speed, the kiss became more intense, Aidan exploring the sweet recesses of her mouth, drinking in the taste of her. He drew her closer, but her seat belt got in the way. He was almost frantic for more, the sensation of the plane lifting from the ground adding to the rush of adrenaline that surged through his veins.
The engines roared, obliterating the sound of his pulse pounding in his head. A tiny moan slipped from her throat, but the kiss continued. Aidan knew they were probably making a scene, but he was past caring. Instinct had taken over and he couldn’t seem to stop himself.
A ping sounded over the PA system and the bell startled them both out of their sudden lapse into passion. She slowly pulled back, her mouth damp, her lips twitching. “What was that?” she asked.
“If you have to ask, then I guess I didn’t do it right,” he said.
“No, I—I meant that bell.”
Aidan pointed to the light panel above their heads. “The seat-belt sign,” he said. “You are now free to get up and move about the cabin.”
“I’ll be right back,” Lily said, grabbing her bag again and unbuckling her seat belt.
He stood up and stepped into the aisle, then decided to take the window seat after she’d left. A few moments later, the flight attendant stopped by, returning the drinks that she’d collected before takeoff. She also set a plate of cheese and fruit on Lily’s tray table. “I’ll be back to get your dinner order in a few minutes,” she said.
He grabbed a grape and popped it in his mouth, chewing slowly as he considered all that had happened since he’d stepped on the plane. Aidan had never been one to indulge in anonymous sexual encounters, but then, he’d never met a woman like Lily Hart. His first intent in kissing her was merely to distract her. But the moment her lips parted beneath his, Aidan’s intentions had changed.
He couldn’t deny the attraction and he couldn’t help but be a bit curious as to what would happen if he acted on it. This was dangerous territory, the kind of scenario that most men found arousing, yet never experienced in real life.
Lately, Aidan had tried to be more cautious with his sex life, more discerning. He’d grown tired of having his social life splashed across the pages of every Hollywood magazine. Though his publicist loved it, Aidan was frustrated that his personal life had become better entertainment than his films.
If he were smart, he’d get up and move to another seat. If he indulged in this little scenario, it was sure to be all over the press in a few days and though most of his other girlfriends enjoyed the coverage, he wasn’t sure Lily Hart would feel the same.
When he’d first kissed her, he hadn’t expected her to return the kiss with such enthusiasm. Nor had he predicted his own reaction. Aidan cursed softly. This was crazy! He’d made a decision to find something real in his life and here he was considering a superficial sexual encounter on an airplane. The Mile-High Club was such a cliché!
He opened his eyes, then pushed out of his seat. When he got back to the bathroom, he knocked softly on the door. This time, when Lily opened it, he recognized her. Aidan glanced both ways, then pushed inside, closing the door behind him.
The bathroom was tiny with barely enough room for the two of them to stand. His body pressed against hers and he was forced to grasp her waist to maintain his balance. “About what happened,” he murmured. “I—I was just trying to distract you. I didn’t mean to—” He swallowed hard. “I didn’t mean to enjoy it…so much.” He paused. “Did you enjoy it?”
“Yes,” she said, watching him through wide eyes. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, then flitted back up to his eyes again.
Aidan knew what he had to do, what she wanted him to do, and what he found impossible to resist. Without a second thought, he brought his mouth down on hers. This time, it wasn’t to distract her. This time, his thoughts were completely focused on the sensations of her sweet mouth beneath his.
He’d kissed a lot of women, but it had never been quite like this. There was something forbidden about what they were doing, something dangerous, that made the simple act of kissing seem so much more intense. He felt her fingers tangle in his hair and a groan slipped from his throat as he pulled her against him.
Maybe that was it. Had they been standing at her front door, this would be just an ordinary kiss. But the anticipation of what might happen between them next was making this all more thrilling than it really was. It made sense, but at the same time, Aidan didn’t want to believe it. Maybe he’d simply found a woman he could trust—at least for the next six hours.
He drew back and smoothed her hair away from her face. “We should go back to our seats,” he said. “Someone is going to want this bathroom.”
She didn’t speak, just nodded. Lily grabbed her purse from the sink, then slipped out the door. When he returned to his seat, her eyes were fixed on a book in her lap. He watched as she turned a page, noting the tremor in her hand. Reaching out, Aidan drew a finger across the soft skin below her wrist and she turned to look at him.
“Later,” he promised.
2
THE LIGHTS in the first-class cabin were dimmed a few minutes after the dinner service ended. Most of the passengers took the opportunity to catch some sleep. With the time change, they’d arrive in New York just after six in the morning, the beginning of a brand-new day.
But right now, Lily wanted the night to last forever. She and Aidan had shared a bottle of champagne during dinner and to her surprise, she was feeling remarkably relaxed. She suspected the company had something to do with that, as well.
Their dinner conversation had been light and teasing, Lily carefully weaving her web of mystery around her handsome companion. He’d kissed her. Obviously, he found her attractive and that thought gave her the confidence she needed to continue with her “experiment.”
If she expected to have a social life, she was going to have to learn to operate like the other women in L.A. She needed to be able to use her seductive powers to get what she wanted. After all, competition for men like Aidan Pierce would be relentless. Lily knew she’d probably never be able to compete for a guy like him in the real world, but right now, he was sitting next to her—and touching her—and kissing her.
Though he was curious about her life, he wasn’t bothered by her evasive answers. Telling him the truth about who she was and what she did would prove just one thing—her life was incredibly dull.
But Aidan wasn’t reluctant to speak about his life. He amused her with little stories of his travel adventures. He’d been all over the world, staying in exotic locales she’d only read about. When he talked about Tahiti, she commented on the beaches and didn’t correct him when he assumed she’d been there. When he asked, Lily simply said she’d visited many interesting and exotic places in the world.
“You haven’t told me what you do for a living,” Aidan said.
Lily took a sip of champagne, attempting a coy smile. “I write,” she said. It was the truth. A simplified version of it, at least. “What about you?”
He seemed surprised by the question. Of course, she knew exactly what he did for a living. But she could pretend she didn’t. Wouldn’t that add a little more mystery to the attraction between them?
“Forget that question,” she said. “Let’s not talk about work.” Lily studied him for a long moment. There was another question that needed to be answered. “Are you married?” Lily knew he wasn’t, but he could be involved in a relationship that hadn’t been reported in the magazines.
“No,” Aidan said. “And you?”
“No,” she admitted. “But let’s not talk about relationships, either.”
“So we can’t talk about work or relationships. What’s left?”
Lily smiled. “I don’t know. Tell me about your childhood.”
He picked up her right hand and carefully studied her fingers. Then he drew her hand to his mouth and kissed each fingertip. No man had ever done that to her before and Lily found it strangely provocative. “I had a normal childhood,” he said. “Nothing dysfunctional, nothing traumatic. What about you?”
Lily hesitated. She never talked about her childhood, not even to Miranda. She’d managed to bury all the emotions so deeply that they barely even touched her heart anymore. “Mine was perfectly idyllic,” she lied. “Next topic. How about favorite color?”
“Blue. Favorite dessert?”
“Lemon meringue pie,” Lily replied. “Favorite vacation spot?”
“Your mouth,” he murmured.
Lily’s breath froze and her mind raced for a witty comeback. Men just didn’t talk to her like this! She glanced away, hoping for inspiration, but Aidan hooked his finger beneath her chin and forced her gaze to meet his.
“And yours?” he asked.
“The first-class bathroom on the flight between LAX and JFK,” she said, trying to keep her voice from cracking.
This was it. There was no going back. Lily was now an exciting and interesting and adventurous woman, the kind of woman who could seduce a man like Aidan, the kind of woman he’d want.
“So do you plan to return to that spot anytime soon?” he asked. He reached between them and pushed the armrests out of the way, then grabbed her waist and pulled her across his lap.
Lily looked around to see if anyone had noticed, but Aidan cupped her face in his hands and turned her gaze to his. “Don’t worry. They’re all asleep.”
“You’ve done this before?”
“Never,” he said. “But I can’t say it hasn’t crossed my mind a few times during a particularly boring flight. I usually get seated next to businessmen or grandmothers.” He wrapped his arm around her hip and his other hand tangled in her hair.
This time when he kissed her, it was easy and perfect, as if he’d memorized the contours of her mouth and knew just how they fitted together. Lily relaxed in his embrace, enjoying the way he made love to her lips and her tongue. She’d always thought kissing was overrated, two mouths pressed together. But Lily now realized she’d never really been kissed, at least not by a man who took his desires seriously.
With every taste, she could feel his need growing more desperate. She shifted, her backside pressed into his lap and he moaned softly. Emboldened by his reaction, Lily sat up, bracing her hand on his thigh. Parting the front of his shirt, she leaned closer and kissed his chest.
She’d never been so blatantly forward with a man and it felt good. But she wasn’t in the real world anymore, she’d been caught inside this fantasy. She didn’t have to think before she acted. There were no rules and nothing was out of bounds.
Lily reached for the buttons of her blouse, but he brushed her fingers away, tugging at the fabric until he’d exposed the curve of her shoulder. Aidan bit at the spot beneath her ear, his breath warm against her skin, then trailed his lips to a spot between her breasts. “You have too many clothes on,” he murmured.
Lily crawled out of her seat and retrieved a pair of blankets from the overhead bin. The cabin was silent and dark, the flight attendants busy in the galley. She sat down next to him and handed him the blanket.
He chuckled softly, drawing her back onto his lap.
“Now I’m beginning to wonder if you’ve done this before.” Aidan pulled the blanket around them both and worked at the buttons of her blouse.
Lily stared up into his eyes. Suddenly, she felt light-headed, but she drew a deep breath and stopped him from going further. “I think we might need a bit more privacy,” she murmured. “I’ll meet you in the bathroom. Wait for a minute or two and then come back.”
She rebuttoned her blouse and crawled off him, then tiptoed down the aisle. A flight attendant saw her from the galley and stepped out. “Is there anything I can get for you?” she asked.
Lily shook her head. “I’m fine,” she replied.
The flight attendant nodded, returning to her co-workers. Lily locked herself in the bathroom, then braced her arms on the edge of the sink. This was it. If she had any inhibitions left, she needed to rid herself of them pretty quickly. A shiver shook her body and she drew a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror.
She wasn’t afraid, and that’s what surprised her the most. Lily had spent most of her life being fearful of one thing or another. Maybe it was the alcohol, or the altitude, or the unfamiliar surroundings, but she knew exactly what she wanted—no doubts, no insecurities.
Or maybe it was the man. Aidan had been charming and attentive, treating her like the most captivating woman he’d ever met. It was easy to seduce a man who wanted to be seduced. Lily drew a ragged breath. She’d followed the advice in the book and she now had a willing partner. But was she prepared to go the rest of the way?
A few seconds later, Aidan knocked on the door. Without a second thought, Lily opened it. She wanted this man, here and now. There was no reason to deny her needs—or her fantasies.
THE DOOR clicked shut behind him. The sound was like a starter’s pistol, both of them coming together in a flurry of hands and mouths. Lily’s fingers clutched at the hem of his shirt and he tugged it over his head. A moment later, the buttons on her blouse were dispatched and Aidan pulled it down over her arms.
He yanked Lily against him, finding her mouth again and furrowing his fingers through her hair. Skin met skin beneath the harsh light from above the sink. He drew back to look into her eyes and at that moment, Aidan was certain Lily was the most beautiful woman he’d ever met.
How could this be happening? When he’d stepped onto the plane a few hours before, he’d expected the usual trip spent sleeping or reading or distractedly watching a movie. But now he was locked in a tiny bathroom, undressing a stranger.
Her lips were damp from his kiss and her hair tumbled around her face. Her breath came in quick gasps. Pressing his forehead to hers, he gently smoothed his hand over her shoulder, then down her chest. When he reached her breast, he cupped it in his palm.
Everything about her was natural, including her perfect breasts. It had been so long since he’d touched a completely real woman and the prospect of making love to her was overwhelmingly exciting.
But it wasn’t just her appearance, Aidan mused. Every reaction was honest and unstudied. With other women, he felt as if their responses were designed solely to increase his pleasure, the moans, the sighs, the frantic whispers, scripted like lines in some porno flick. When he touched Lily, she trembled. When he softly bit her neck, her breath caught in her throat. And when she felt pleasure, she sighed.
Aidan slipped his fingers beneath her bra and drew his thumb over her nipple. It was already puckered into a hard peak. Grabbing her waist, he turned her around, then sat down and pulled her between his legs. Her belly was soft, her skin like silk, and he reached up and drew her bra straps over her shoulders.
Lily held her arms over her breasts but he gently captured her hands in his. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured. “Let me touch you.”
Another tiny moan slipped from her throat as he brushed his lips across her nipple through the fabric of her bra. Everything around them seemed to dissolve into a soft haze. He was aware of the sounds of the plane, the whir of a fan above his head, the buzz of the fluorescent lights, the muffled roar of the engines. But his attention was completely focused on her body—and her pleasure.
He smoothed his hands along her thighs, shoving her skirt up to her hips. Pressing his face into the warmth of her body, Aidan kissed her belly and inhaled the sweet scent.
Lily’s hands skimmed over his chest, her fingers trembling. She seemed to be transfixed by the feel of his body beneath her touch. Her cheeks were flushed and her breath came in tiny gasps. Though he was certain she’d been with a man before, it seemed as if this was all new to her.
“Have you ever done this before?” he asked, suddenly needing to know.
She shook her head, her thick hair a curtain around her face. “No.”
Though he’d learned to doubt what usually came out of a woman’s mouth, Aidan sensed he could trust Lily. He covered her fingers with his and pressed her hand to his heart. “Me, neither.”
A tiny smile curled the corners of her mouth, as if she were pleased by the admission. He stood and pulled her into his embrace, his lips finding hers again. They stumbled as they searched for a comfortable space, their feet tangling together. Frustrated, Aidan circled her waist with his hands and lifted her up to balance her on the edge of the tiny sink.
Grabbing her legs, he wrapped them around his waist and lost himself in the taste of her mouth. Lily braced her hands above her head, her blouse still caught around her wrists, exposing her body to his touch.
Aidan knew they wouldn’t be able to stay in the bathroom forever. Yet he didn’t want to rush. He’d come prepared, retrieving a condom from his overnight bag before following her into the bathroom.
He slowed his pace, kissing her deeply. His hand slipped beneath the waistband of her skirt and she arched against him. They were still dressed, but it was clear where they were headed.
Instinctively, he began to move against her, his erection rubbing at the spot between her legs. He was glad for the barrier between them. Without it, he would have been far too close to his release. Lily braced her arms behind her and tipped her head back.
“Tell me what you want,” he said. He drew her leg up along his hip, the contact between them suddenly more intimate. “This?”
“Oh, yes.” Lily sighed, shuddering as she spoke.
At first, she seemed to be so focused on what he was doing to her that she barely moved. But then, she reached around and grabbed his ass, pulling him even closer. The fabric from his pants created a delicious friction against his shaft. Aidan considered himself quite skilled in the bedroom, able to pleasure a woman in a hundred different ways before giving in to his own needs. But when Lily touched him, he felt as though he was experiencing a woman for the first time.
Was it the excitement of doing something so forbidden? Had he become so jaded about sex that it took something a little kinky to turn him on? Or was there something about Lily that made her different from the others? He barely knew her, yet he felt as if they’d been thrown together for a reason.
Her hand slipped beneath his waistband and Aidan groaned. He was so close already, yet he kept tight control over his desire. He wanted to lose himself inside her, but at that moment, Aidan realized it didn’t make a difference how or where he found release.
This wouldn’t be the last time they shared an experience like this. He didn’t have any intention of letting her just walk out of the airport and out of his life forever. He would seduce her again, and not in a cramped airplane bathroom, but in a big soft bed.
