“Do you need to hold my hand?” He asks with his signature smirk spread across that sexy mouth of his.
“No, I’m good,” I say, pretending to be cool as a cucumber. But honestly, if it wasn’t for some of the suspicious looks I’ve been getting from Dena all morning, I probably would have held it by now.
Originally, the family was supposed to sit in a few rows in the economy section of the plane, but Brick had his manager or agent (I’m not sure which) pull some strings and reserve a block of seats in first class. Although I know he can afford it, I still think it was a really sweet thing to do, especially because it impressed the hell out of my mother and temporarily stopped her from asking a million questions about why Elijah isn’t here.
First class seats are grouped into two seats on the left and two on the right, and our family is occupying all the seats on the left-hand side of the aircraft. My mother and Mr. Solomon are sitting in the first row, Kyle and Dena are in the next row, Felicia and Kyle’s friend John are in the third row, and finally, Brick and I are sitting behind them.
Brick seems right at home in this part of the plane and examining his physique. I understand why. He’s a football player and both long and wide. He needs the extra space to stretch his long legs out in front of him, and I’m sure he flies on planes like this with his teammates all the time during the season.
When his strong arms flex as he reaches over to adjust his seatbelt, I have to suppress a shiver of desire. This is going to be a long flight.
“You okay?” he asks, sensing that something is off with me.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just doing a little mental checklist. I hope I didn’t forget anything.”
“If there’s anything you forgot, we can always buy it when we get there. Try to relax.”
I glance out of the window, taking in the majestic beauty of the puffy white clouds as they fly above us. I’ve never been on a plane before and am already feeling like a fish out of water, but the feeling of Brick sitting next to me makes me feel a million times more anxious.
“Kay, you okay back there?” My brother dips his head into the aisle and asks me.
“Yep.”
“Brick, did Kay tell you that this was her first time on a plane?”
Brick leans over and touches my thigh with one of his massive hands.
“No, she didn’t.”
I look into Brick’s handsome face and watch as his deep hazel eyes seem to glimmer with a hidden mischievousness.
While we were seated two rows behind Kyle and Dena, and a few days have passed since the karaoke party, I’m still nervous that the entire world can see just how drawn I am to Brick. If Dena saw it, so could others. Her words from the other night are still ringing in my ears.
Are you drunk?
No, are you?
I’m not the one hanging all over Brick during karaoke.
I’m playing a part, Dena. It’s karaoke. We were just singing.
You have Elijah.
I know that.
And you can never have anything with Brick. Like ever.
You’re being dramatic. Go enjoy your party, Dena. You worry too much.
You’re right. I’m overreacting. Brick is just a horrible flirt but still be careful. I don’t necessarily believe everything that’s been said about him in the media, but where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire.
“Here are your drinks. Is there anything else I can get you?”
A flight attendant hands Brick a tall bottle of beer and hands me a glass of rosé wine that I don’t remember ordering but readily accept.
“Did you order this?”
“You should have told me this was your first time,” he says. “I ordered these when I made the reservations. You can make food and drink orders in advance of your flight.”
