Crazy busy real life equal little time to write! Thank you for your patience! It means the world!
Happy Reading! :D
I started in Pepper's direction, but then hesitated, glancing back toward the closed bedroom door. Vanessa. What if she catches us?, I thought. But then I heard Vanessa's snoring, and breathed a sigh of relief. Yes. Snoring. It's as attractive as it sounds, let me tell you. But, for all intents and purposes, it indicated we were in the clear.
"Tony?" Pepper said, noticing my hesitation.
I turned my head back to look at her, and smiled. "Yeah. Sounds great, Pep," I said, dropping the pillow and blanket on the nearby sofa, and walking to her at the bar. I took the stool next to her and watched her work.
She smiled with satisfaction, and went to pour me a Scotch on the rocks, unaware at first that I was gazing at her, the images from my nightmare still fresh in my mind. It was such a strange sensation to have someone I'd so vividly dreamt about just minutes before, sitting in front of me, in living color. I could still smell the scent of her skin and taste her kiss as if what happened between us in the dream had just occurred in real life, and were now having a drink to cap off the evening and recover. And, oddly, it made me ache for her. Have you ever felt a million miles away from someone who was sitting right next to you? That's what this felt like.
Pepper noticed me staring finally, as she poured my drink, and gave me a curious look as she handed it to me. Her cheeks blushed. "What?" she asked softly, awkwardly.
I realized what I was doing, and then I blushed, chuckling awkwardly before accepting my glass from her gratefully. "Sorry, I uh..." I stammered. I cleared my throat and lifted the glass in kudos. "Thanks, Pep," I said.
"Yeah, well," she said bashfully. "You know I wouldn't normally encourage this sort of thing. But, by the sound of it, we both could use a drink."
I grimaced, inhaling sharply through my teeth in embarrassment. "You heard that, huh?" I asked.
She chuckled and nodded. "Mmmm hmmm. Well, me, the rest of the people on this plane, and maybe the inhabitants of whatever island we're currently flying above at 30,000 feet heard it, yeah," she teased.
30,000 feet, I thought, her words calling to mind the feeling of her, terrified and trembling in my arms, before I went to pull that release and end both of our lives. I cleared my throat and attempted to push the grisly images out of my mind, forcing a chuckle out at her joke to cover it up. "So, trouble in paradise for you, too, huh?" I asked, trying not to sound hopeful.
She took a pull off her tumbler filled with some kind of clear liquid- vodka? gin?- and gave me a reluctant smile. "You...could say that, yes," she admitted.
XxXxXxXxXx
A few hours before...
Nick and I had fallen into quiet conversation not long after Vanessa had gone to attend to Tony, and we were left to ourselves. He was so attentive. It felt good to have someone so caring to talk to, and I didn't mind being so open with him. I asked him as many questions as he asked me, and we just sort of fell into a conversational rhythm, the both of us as at ease as ever, just like it had been on our date. He was honestly a pleasure to talk to, and definitely easy enough on the eyes to happily gaze at the whole time.
Once in a while, he'd gently sweep a stray lock of hair behind my ear, or take my hand, and stroke the back of it with his finger tips as we chatted. I'd be lying if I said that didn't send sparks shooting up my spine. It was so nice to be...to be...wanted by a man. In this way, romantically, I mean. He seemed fully interested in everything I had to say, and was completely engaged. That was definitely a defining difference between he and Tony.
Tony. I guess I couldn't deny that when he forgot himself, and I, myself, that we did enjoy each others company. And I also couldn't deny that, in those private moments, he and I did seem more connected. He could always make me laugh. And I loved seeing that mischievous smirk on his face when he was trying his hardest to do just that. His eyes sparkled, and that completely disarming boyish charm of his just...
I realized at that moment I was drifting. And the subject of my drifting was the person I had, just moments ago, pledged to let go of. If I was going to fulfill my pledge I had to vigilantly stop those thoughts the moment they occurred.
Nick and I had managed to pass a few hours this way, in hushed conversation. And I had successfully pushed Tony from my mind for the time being. I have to admit, I was a little proud of that fact. I couldn't remember a time in recent memory when I'd actually done that for any length of time, and I have to say it felt nice. Strange, and unfamiliar, but...nice.
We'd hardly noticed the hour, and it was clear that Tony and Vanessa had retired for the night. I looked at my phone, and realized it was nearing midnight. "My goodness, is it that late already?" I asked in disbelief.
"Time flies, huh?" Nick replied back. He stood up, and offered his hand. We'd had several drinks each, and though I wasn't certifiably drunk, I was a bit tipsy. So I sort of stumbled as I stood up, and he caught me in his arms, chucking.
"Whoa, there. Somebody's going to need some help to the bedroom," he joked.
My eyebrows went up in realization. "The bedroom! The plane only has two!" I remarked.
"Yes, I'm aware," he replied wryly.
"But...but, I...I hope you understand, that we...I don't think we should..." I stammered.
Nick chuckled again, and brushed his thumb over my lips, shushing me. "Ginny, I know you're not ready for us to sleep together. So I can take the couch or something," he said.
Suddenly, I felt guilty. I hated the idea of kicking him to the couch. It hardly seemed fair for him to be that uncomfortable on this long flight, and besides. We were adults. Why wouldn't we be able to share a bed for the sole purposes of sleep? So I shook my head. "No. No, it's fine. We can share a bed. We're not having sex. We're having..." My liquor-fogged brain struggled to complete the thought.
Nick gave me a wry smirk. "Sleep?" he offered.
"Yes!" I said, nodding emphatically. Okay, maybe I was drunker than I thought. "Yes. Sleeeep. We're sleeping. Together."
Nick nodded. "Understood," he said. "Allow me to assist you, though? So you don't fall down and break your neck on the way?" he teased. "You're a tad wobbly."
I started giggling. And then he giggled at my giggling. He brushed a thumb over my cheek and gazed into my eyes. "You're even cute drunk," he remarked softly. "And wobbly."
I pretended to pout. "I am not drunk, Mr. Nick Green. I'm...I'm just...impaired...slightly...slightly," I said, making a hand gesture to illustrate "slightly" but doubting anything I was saying was all that convincing.
"Oh, okay. My mistake," he said, in a patronizing tone, and giggling at me some more.
Suddenly, he swept me up into his arms, and I squeaked with surprise. "All the same, your cute impaired self needs some help to bed. And I'm just lucky enough to be the guy around to do it," he explained.
I laughed. "Then, by all means!" I said, jabbing a pointed finger in the direction of the bedrooms. "Let's go."
XxXxXxXxXx
Nick and I had turned our backs to each other as we dressed for bed. I climbed under the covers first, and when he got my okay to join me, he did, too. He was shirtless, but had sweats on on the bottom. I was wearing a light weight, thigh-length, satin nightgown. I admit it was a bit on the sexy side for the occasion, but I was glad I'd brought it along, as it would probably suit sleeping in the warm tropical night air of the Cayman Islands. A happy accident, to be sure, but seemingly now, a bit light for my current location, as my skin erupted in goosebumps immediately.
Nick noticed this. "Are you cold?" he asked.
I shrugged. "Maybe a little," I admitted. "But I'll be fine."
He placed a gentle kiss on my shoulder, and then rubbed my upper arm. "I know we're decidedly not having sex, and please believe, I'm okay with that. But I'm not opposed to holding you, if it would help?" he offered. "Purely with innocent intentions, of course."
I thought about it for a moment. I couldn't deny that the feeling of being in a man's arms as we slept was a sensation long forgotten, but fondly missed at this moment. It would be nice to feel that again, and, as he'd said, he was perfectly willing to observe the boundaries we'd set. So I accepted, and he pulled me into his embrace, my back to his chest, to spoon with him. His toned arms wrapped protectively around me, and I settled in to his embrace.
"Better?" he asked softly.
I smiled and nodded. "Yes, actually," I replied. "Thank you."
He placed a delicate kiss just below my ear on my neck, which made me smile, but also cause something to come to mind. I rolled back over to face him, and he looked at me questioningly. Then I raised my lips to his, and kissed him, which he promptly returned. He cupped my cheek and we deepened the kiss. I had to know. Now that I'd sworn off Tony, and made Nick my primary romantic focus, I had to know if that spark was there now.
Nick was a very adept kisser, as I'd mentioned before. He was tender, but assertive at the same time. He was gentle, but the way he took command of the kiss made his passion undeniable. He ran a hand down my body, and gripped my behind wantonly. I was convinced, if I had allowed it, he would have been all for furthering the moment past something much more than a kiss. But still? I felt no spark in the kiss, which was all the more confusing. I loved it when he made tiny, tender gestures- tucking my hair behind my ear, or ghosting his finger tips over my skin. Those gave me butterflies. But an actual, verifiable act of affection, like a kiss, and I feel no spark in that? What was the matter with me?
I slowly broke the kiss and smiled warmly, though I'm sure it was tinged with a touch of disappointment. He seemed oblivious to it, though, and smiled warmly back. "Can I uh...ask what that was for?" he cooed.
I shrugged. "It had just occurred to me we hadn't kissed since you arrived. I guess I didn't want the day to end without it," I cooed back. Yes, I know. That wasn't the whole truth, but it was true. We hadn't kissed, and if we were going to be sharing a bed together that night without the promise of sex, and he was fine with that? I figured it was the least I could do. The man was putting up with all of this bizarre ridiculousness like a champ so far.
"Well, thank you," he replied. "I do appreciate the gesture." He pecked my lips one more time.
I smiled again and rolled back over. "Goodnight, Nick," I murmured.
"Goodnight, Ginny," he murmured back, squeezing me affectionately in his arms as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
XxXxXxXxXx
I don't know what woke me first- the sound of Vanessa's ridiculously predictable, over-amorous wailing, or the sound of Tony's voice. And it wasn't even so much the sound, as it was the words he was saying. Specifically, two of the words he was saying- Pepper! Oh,Pepper! And he really wasn't saying them so much as he was moaning them. Loudly.
It startled me, and I sat up in bed a little too suddenly, jostling Nick. He snorted awake and groaned. "What. What happened?" he grumbled sleepily.
I winced. "Um, nothing. Sorry. I'm just...I need a glass of water. Go back to sleep," I urged. I waited for a moment as he nodded in understanding, and rolled over. When I was assured he'd drifted off again, I eased myself the rest of the way out of bed and tip toed out the door and into the hall. I wasn't exactly sure why. After all, the previous encounter with this only left me completely wrecked. But I guess curiosity just got the best of me. And before I knew it, I found myself with my ear pressed to the door of Tony and Vanessa's room, listening with rapt attention.
More of Vanessa's moaning reached my ears, and I grimaced, but then I leaned in to see if Tony would say it again. I waited, my own breathing loud in my ears. But nothing happened. It seemed they were finished. And I was out of luck.
I frowned. "Damn," I heard myself mutter, and instantly admonished myself. So THIS is how you let go of someone, huh? By standing outside their bedroom door like some kind of voyeur?, I scolded. I backed away, holding my hands up like the door was sudden scalding hot. "Stop this," I whispered to myself. "You have to stop this."
I quickly turned away and walked back toward the bedroom Nick and I shared. However, I couldn't bring myself to go lie back down. My mind raced once again with thoughts about what I'd heard. Why me? Why was he always calling out my name? Shouldn't it have been Vanessa's name? And why didn't she come unglued? She isn't the type to tolerate something like this! None of this was making sense. I needed some time alone to think.
So, I walked back into the living area and spied the bar, illuminated by the overhead light. I frowned. I'd already had a lot to drink that evening, by my standards, and didn't relish the idea of having more at that moment. But it was a quiet place to sit, and maybe a glass of club soda would help to calm my nerves.
I got myself a tumbler from the cabinet, filled it with club soda from the sprayer nozzle and took a seat. I took a big swallow from the glass, and ran a hand through my hair. Maybe that had been the problem. Maybe I had had too much to drink, and was hearing things, and only thought I'd heard Tony call my name. It wasn't an unreasonable scenario. The only thing was, when this happened before I was perfectly sober. So had I heard him after all? It was all so confusing, and I was struggling to piece together reality at the moment.
That's when I heard Tony's voice again. This time, he sounded angry. I couldn't make out the exact words, but I quickly swiveled around just in time to see him storm out of the bedroom, slam the door, and come into my line of sight clutching a blanket and pillow. He huffed as he stopped dead in his tracks, looking surprised to see me.
Well, when you can't beat 'em, join 'em, I thought. So much for letting go. I patted the stool next to me, and smiled with jovial abandon. "Drop the pillow and blankey, Stark. Sounds like you could use a night cap," I said, forcing out of my mind, with every ounce of my being, the thoughts of what I thought I'd heard come from his room just minutes before.
