It was making my head all spinny and floaty—and giving me—ideas.
“No,” he answered back and clicked my buckle in place.Then he sat back in his seat.
“Stefan.It'll take me—”
His head turned to me.“You're keeping the dress on, Francesca,” he said through gritted teeth.“Until I take it off you.”His eyes bore into mine.“Understand?”
I was pretty sure I understood what he meant.At least I thought I did.Because at the moment, there was a movie playing in my mind about exactly how Stefan was going to take this wedding dress off me.And let me tell you—it was a really, really, really good movie.
“Yeah, that's what I thought,” he said and stretched out his legs in front of him.
I didn't say another thing until a few minutes later when the airplane started moving.My hand instinctively grabbed onto Stefan's arm like my life depended on it.
“Are you a nervous flyer?”His hand landed on mine and held it.“You should have told me.I could have grabbed some pills from Giselle or Eve.”
His lips were moving, but I couldn't understand a word he was saying.This ginormous hunk of metal was soon going to be soaring through the sky—ready to plummet to the earth at any moment.
“Chesca?Hey,” Stefan's voice finally penetrated the panic in my brain.“Chesca.What's going on?Look at me.”I felt his hands on my head, and then he turned me to face him.“Hey.”His voice was calm yet also worried.“Tell me what's going on in your beautiful head.”
I tried to swallow, but my throat was too dry.So, I coughed and choked instead.
“Jesus.”Stefan let go of me and undid his seat belt.Before I knew it, he was walking to the back of the plane.And that was when I completely lost my mind.“Stop!Don't go!Come back!It's moving!”I yelled at the top of my lungs.Because I was freaking terrified.I envisioned Stefan being thrown from side to side, crashing against the walls of the plane as we bobbed and weaved through the air.
Stefan opened a cabinet at the back, and then something that looked like a fridge.He strode back quickly with drinks in his hands.The plane was still moving, though.And then I realized I was out and out sobbing.
Stefan sat back down beside me.
“Oh, my gosh.Do up your belt before you die!”I screamed at him and yanked the cold cans out of his hands.
He did what I asked.Thank goodness.“Give me those.”He grabbed the drinks out of my hands and put one of them in the drink holder in front of us.Very cautiously, he opened one can of cola.
The cola popped and fizzed as he opened it.“Here, take a sip.”He held it to my lips, and I did what he said.Mostly because I didn't know what else to do.
A few sips later, I said, “Why did you get up?You could have died while we were taking off.”
Stefan let out a reluctant chuckle.“We haven't taken off yet.”He gave me a quizzical look.“The plane's just taxiing to our spot in line.”
His explanation calmed me greatly.And then I started feeling really, really, really stupid.“Oh.I didn't know that.”I grabbed the drink from his hand and downed half of it.
“Give me a minute.I'll be right back.”He undid his seat belt and walked around me again.This time—I didn't scream like a weirdo.Even though I definitely wanted to.
Instead, I sat back, clutching my drink while I shut my eyes.
A short time later, I heard the clinking of glasses, and I opened my eyes.Stefan was back.With two shot glasses and a bottle of amber liquor.
“Do me a favor?”he asked, raising his full hands.“Do up my seat belt for me?I wouldn't want to plunge to my death while I pour.”His voice was teasing—and yes, it put me slightly at ease.But it still made me want to slug him.I set my drink beside the other can and did his belt up as fast as I could.
Because, yes.I was worried he might just plunge to his death.
“Thank you.All safe now,” he said, and cracked open the bottle.It said whiskey on it, and I immediately scrunched my nose up.I wasn't a fan.And I was sure he was going to offer me some.
Sure enough, he poured two shot glasses and gave me one.He clinked them together.“Cheers,” he said, then added, “wife.”
That word stopped my heart.
Completely.
Wife.
