I silence my phone and shove it in my bag.
"She's going to lose her mind," I tell Garth.
"Good. Keeps her distracted."
When boarding starts, first class is called first, and we settle into seats that are basically recliners. The cabin has that newleather smell mixed with something that might be lavender, and through the window I can see snow still piled on the wings.
"This is insane," I whisper as a flight attendant offers us warm towels. "I could get used to this."
"That's the idea." Garth takes my hand as the engines start. "Look at me."
I do, and his grey eyes are steady, calm.
"Tell me about that house," he says as we start taxiing. "The one with all the Christmas lights."
"The Grinch house?"
"Yeah. What made it so special?"
I focus on him instead of the fact that we're about to launch into the air. "The family went all out. Every year they'd add something new. One year they had a life-size Grinch on the roof. Another year they did this whole Max the dog display in the yard."
We're accelerating now, and my grip tightens on his hand, but I keep talking. "My dad would always slow down when we got close, like we might miss something if we drove past too fast."
We lift off, and I barely notice because I'm lost in the memory of my dad's smile, the way the Christmas lights would reflect in his glasses.
"You did that on purpose," I say when we level off.
"Did it work?"
"Yes. Thank you."
The flight attendant brings lunch, and we eat while watching clouds. I'm still nervous—I hate flying, always will—but having Garth's hand in mine makes it bearable.
When the meal is cleared and most passengers have settled in, Garth leans close.
"I have an idea," he murmurs.
"What kind of idea?"
"The kind that involves the bathroom."
Heat floods through me. "Garth. We can't."
"Why not? We're in first class. No one's paying attention." His thumb traces circles on my inner thigh. "And I want you."
"You had me this morning. Twice."
"I know. Still want you." His hand slides higher. "Come on."
I look around. The other first-class passengers are absorbed in movies or sleeping. The flight attendants are in the galley. And Garth is looking at me like he wants to devour me.
"Two minutes," I whisper. "Then follow."
His smile is wicked.
The first-class bathroom is significantly bigger than coach and very luxurious but it’s still an airplane bathroom. I've barely locked the door when there's a knock.
Garth slips inside, locks it behind him, and immediately pulls me into a kiss.
