I wait impatiently. I'm rushed, unprepared, and nearly bouncing as I stand from my recent stop at Starbucks. The line at the check–in stand is nearly out to the seats. I sigh and take a glance around. I have flown every week for the past two months and it is not uncommon to see people I recognize from previous flights. I see a delightful young woman I have talked to on numerous occasions on her cell phone. I catch her eye and she gives me a soft smile and nod of her head before turning back to her conversation. I glance up at the check-in desk again and feel my breath catch. How did I not notice him before? Standing ten feet away from me is someone I thought I could only dream up in my most vivid of dreams. He flashes a smile at the desk attendant as he grabs the handle of his carry on and I faintly hear him wishing her a good day. I hear a throat clear behind me and I'm brought out of my trance. I mumble my apologies and shake my head to clear it. Today is not the day to be distracted by ogling attractive – very attractive – strangers. I can't help taking one more glance his way but as I do, I catch his eyes and I quickly avert my eyes as I feel a slight blush touch my cheeks. I square my shoulders and try to get into my business frame of mind that I am going to need today.

I briefly glance up at the Departures board to confirm my gate as I talk on my Blackberry. My sister is droning on about her upcoming wedding and asking if I have a date. It isn't the first time she goes on about knowing the perfect man for me. If that was the case, there are about 11 perfect men she has known for me. While my sister knows me well, she does not know my taste in men well. In fact, many do not know the taste in men that I have. I don't have the heart to explain to Rose that I like my men able to wield a flogger or to make me cum on command alone. Different strokes for different folks if you will, but that is something I don't have the desire to ever go into my sister about. It isn't as if I have had any luck finding a man like that for me, but someday, maybe…

I'm brought back by Rose screeching out my name. I really do need to focus today. Maybe that extra shot of espresso was a bad idea. I assure her that I did hear her and while I appreciate her wanting me to meet Mr. Right, I do not want a repeat of flamboyant Alec or all too self assured Garrett. A quick glance at my watch makes me end the phone call as I arrive at my gate. I see that boarding has already started as I curse under my breath. It appears today is really not going to be my day.

My phone rings yet again as I enter the cabin of the plane. Glancing at the display, I sigh as I answer it.

"Hale, I think it's our day. This is the trip that should finalize it," I hear my boss exclaim. I only wish I felt as confident as he did about this. Big day jitters I suppose. Time for the calm facade.

"I think you are right, Mr. Dean. By the end of the day, we'll know if Seattle is our new place," I tell him. I don't mention to him that whether this goes through or not, I will be moving to Seattle one way or another.

"That is the spirit, Champ. Now I just wanted to run a few last minute things by you…" I hear him trail off as I catch sight of who is in the seat next to mine. Fuck my life. It's him. I breathe in deeply and try to listen to the last few words from my boss. It is mundane things that I already know and I quickly say my departing remarks. I take a deep breath as I hoist my carry on bag up into the overhead bins, trying to forget that a part of my anatomy that is rather aware of this man, is just above at eye level with him. As much as I would like to move over his lap to get to my window seat, I hardly think he would go for that. I clear my throat and say with a steady voice, "I think I got the window seat."

"Oh? Here." He stands up and as he moves out into aisle, the knuckles of his hand brush against my hip and I take a quick inhale of breath. I mutter out a thanks and quickly move to sit down. I move the armrest down as I try to keep my fumbling hands busy fastening my seat belt. I remind myself that he is just a man, albeit one of the most handsome men I have ever seen. He takes his place next to me again as I open my messenger bag, taking out the various papers I need to review briefly before the meeting today. His elbow brushes against mine on the armrest and I fight to act normal. I put the packet in the seat holder in front of me and hear him let out a deep laugh and a hello. I startle for a moment, wondering what I did that was funny and glance over at him. He is on the phone. I'm oddly let down by that.

I try to not eavesdrop as I see the cabin door closing. He says a quiet "love you" to whoever is on the line and my hope dwindles. Why I had hope in the first place is something I don't feel like asking myself.

I look around for something to do while they drone on about safety procedures when I hear him say something. I realize he has said something to me.

Act normal, Jasper. "Sorry, what did you say again?"

He smiles as if he is in on a secret. "Would you mind raising the window cover? I typically enjoy the view. If you don't care."

I'm struggling not to stare at his lips as he speaks and I nod my head quickly as I reach over to move the window cover up.

He lets out a thanks and cocks his head to the side. "Business or pleasure?" Well, I would like to pleasure you. I don't think that is quite the answer he expects though. Good thing I'm not quite brash enough to say it.

"Business, mostly. I make this trip weekly now. How about you?"

"Oh, a mix of both. Mostly pleasure I think." He smirks at me. I tamper down the hope that I feel expanding in me.

He continues on as he nods his head at the portfolio in front of me. "Here in Santa Barbara or Seattle?"

This is a safe topic. I can handle this. I think.

"Well, I'm moving to Seattle shortly. This business deal would just make it that much better. Santa Barbara is home base until that happens." This makes him ask more questions about Santa Barbara and the area surrounding it. I grew up here and while I know it well, I am mostly just listening to his deep voice. He talks about how he is heading back home to Seattle after a week of visiting friends from college. I'm watching him as he speaks. I didn't realize just how attractive he was until earlier. His bright green eyes are catching the sun just right, making them shine even more. He has an oddly different mix of red and brown hair. It works for him. Then again, I think anything would work on this man. The most attractive thing is his crooked, yet perfect smile. He goes to push up the cuffs of his jacket and I catch sight of a leather band on his right wrist. I see a familiar emblem and my eyes snap up to his. He is still talking but at the look on my face, he slows down.

Before I can even think of what I'm saying, I blurt out, "Dom?"

He quirks an eyebrow at me as he replies, "Excuse me?"

I start to stammer out an apology. I tell him he looks like an old acquaintance named Dominic I knew. He looks amused and shakes his head. The next words out of his mouth are, "No, you didn't. Try again. I know what you meant by that."

I gape at him for a few seconds before I regain enough sense to shut my mouth. I don't know what to say to that. While I have read countless things and talked to a few other people I know are in the lifestyle, this is the first time I have ever been in this situation.

He seems to take pity on me and moves the sleeve of his jacket up, tapping his index finger on the leather band and looking right at me. "This?" I slowly nod and he glances around the cabin. I pray to all that is holy that he is not looking for a way to get away from me. I just can't make my mouth work yet to plead with him to stay.

"It's not all that often that people recognize it for what it is. You did though, why is that?"

I guess this is either claim to know barely anything about it or be honest. If this man is what I think he is, I don't have any other choice but to be honest.

"I, uh, have done quite a bit of research on it and I, you know, recognize the symbol. I'm sorry for just blurting it out like that. I don't know what I was thinking, I just," I nearly start to ramble on and with one word that sends my heart racing, he says, "Stop."

I swallow hard and softly say okay. I try to ignore the tightening I feel below as he takes on that tone. He looks around again and sighs before saying, "I want to continue this conversation, but let's wait until we're in the air. It should be louder and a bit easier to carry on the conversation then." I understand and really do not want the mother in front of us to hear whatever he has to say to me. I nod in his direction and reach out for the magazine in front of me. I need something to keep me distracted.

I start to flip through it until I find the Sudoku section and I reach for a pen as my hand shakes. I feel the heat of his arm pressing into mine on the armrest and hear him softly say relax. I let out a deep breath I didn't know I was holding and somehow, I do relax. We can talk about it without any others listening.

Take off is smooth. Easy. It's the least nerve wracking part of the flight for me. The most nerve wracking, however, is sitting right next to me. We're in the air for a good ten minutes until our pilot announces that we can take out portable devices. I see most everyone around us putting ear buds in and breathe a sigh of relief. I don't know what he has to say and either way it goes, I don't think I really want anyone else to hear it. This will either be the quickest 2 ½ hours or the longest. I slide my magazine back into the seat back in front of me. I take another much needed deep breath and look his way. He is looking right back at me, seeming to be taking me in. I see his eyes move down to my neck then my bare wrists, and back up to my eyes. He smiles smoothly at me.

"I can tell you're a little unsettled about this. Try to relax, we are just talking." He says this in an authoritative but gentle voice. I wonder how else I could hear that. I feel another part of me wondering the same thing and try to reel it in.

I let out a soft okay with a nod of my head.

He looks at me for a few more seconds and holds his hand out in front of me. I glance up at him and he smiles as I take his hand, he grips it tightly and I hear his beautiful voice say the name of the man I will be dreaming about, no matter what happens. "I'm Edward Cullen, and you are?"

That name sets off a bell somewhere in the back of my mind, but I ignore it. I give him an easy smile in a way to say thank you for helping me calm down. "Jasper Hale. It's nice to, uh, fly with you." As soon as it is out of my mind, I berate myself in my mind. He grins at me. "While this is nice, I could make you fly in a number of ways, but for now, yes, this has proven to be quite a nice flight." I feel my cheeks heat as I wonder how any blood is going there when it is all rushing down. He seems to take notice of the blush and smirks at me in a knowing way.

"This isn't really how I usually do things and while I would like to continue talking about this with you, homeland security may have a problem with how I'd proceed with it. I have work I sadly need to attend to and it looks as if you do as well." He says with a glance at the packet of papers with me. I regretfully nod and feel my smile fall. Perhaps this is just his way to let me down easy. He got the reaction he wanted and that's it.

He seems to know where my train of thought is headed and he shakes his head. "It is not that, believe me. It's just easier for now. I'll give you my number and you can decide what to do with it." I perk up at that and he seems to notice. He smiles and nods his head as he hands me his card with his name, cell number, and email address on it. "I want to hear from you and while I usually don't like to leave things in others hands, I'll wait to hear from you, if I do at all." I realize this for what it is and as much as I would have rather spent the whole flight talking to him, I can tell more about him from this small exchange. I nod my head and reach back for my wallet, slipping his card in there and smiling up at him.

He nods back at me and with a glance at the packet that I catch, I take the hint and reach for it. Time to review all the information that is desperately needed.

I have somehow gotten into reading more of the contract in front of me as I try to ignore the man next to me. I don't dwell on how his thigh feels against mine or that I can feel his body heat nearly searing my entire left side. No, I don't take notice of it. At all.

I let out a sigh and tap my pen against my lips. I need to figure out a way to change one thing in this contract and if I can do that, I know the deal is ours. I bite the tip of the pen in exasperation. I hear a low groan next to me and look at deep green eyes staring at my lips. I realize what happened and I smirk, running the tip of the pen along my lips, seeing his eyes narrow as I do. I feel his thigh press harder into mine with warning and he makes a point to meet my eyes. His gaze moves down to his lap and I follow it. I let out a soft whimper. I don't want to acknowledge that I just did that, but what I do want to acknowledge is a large bulge in his grey slacks. I swallow hard as I try to look away. His voice brings me out of my gaze and I look up at him.

"Unless you are going to do something about that," his eyes flash down to his groin and back up at me, "I suggest you put that pen down or keep it far away from your lips. Understand?"

I am fairly certain I don't gasp. Pretty sure. Well, not that sure when I see the look he gives me. I happen to enjoy the smoldering looks he is giving me though. I've been half hard since he brushed up against me when I sat down, he can deal with it. I pointedly move the pen to the tray table and run my tongue along my lips, meeting his eyes as I do. His eyes flash with heat and I see the muscles in his jaw clenching.

"You really should not have done that."