The moment I enter the terminal where we’re supposed to meet, I spot the tall, dark, and handsome man who occupies my every thought. Just for him, I got up an hour early to pluck, wax, exfoliate, hydrate… I’m ready for whatever will go down in San José.
Rolling my suitcase behind me, my backpack heavy with my laptop, I join Lex and Steven—the only ones here so far. Lex notices me when I’m about ten steps away, and his eyes lock on me, not letting go until I reach my destination. “Hey, guys!” I greet.
Strategically, I avoid looking at Lex, fearing I might spontaneously combust. He’s wearing a black button-up shirt tucked in his jeans and a dark blue blazer. I’m wearing a white dress shirt with a red leather jacket I barely ever wear, brand new jeans, and my black Chucks.
Since we’ll represent Kelex there, we were told to step up our game. That’s why my suitcase is filled with blouses, professional-looking tops, two skirts, fancy jeans, dress pants… I have some more comfortable items too, but not much. There’s also a pair of modest heels in there.
Steven is still sporting one of his plaid shirts, but it’s ironed. “Hi, Andy,” he says with a smile, adjusting his glasses on his nose.
“Hi, my dudes!” Brian barges in, visibly very happy to be here.
Before long, Mason arrives too, looking so stylish he could be on the cover of Vogue. Then it’s Oliver, charming in his beige pants and a mossy green long-sleeved shirt. While Lex is busy talking to Brian and Steven about their presentation, I greet my ginger friend with a smile.
Our little group is energized, and we share an exciting conversation about our hopes and expectations. The whole thing feels more like a fun trip with friends than a work trip, and I cannot wait to get there. The computer nerds in us are thrilled. I’m confident it’ll be amazing, especially if I score someslexytime while in SanJosé.
Joseph arrives about five minutes later, dressed like his usual professional self.
“Everyone,” Lex calls once we’re all here. He takes out a large envelope from his laptop bag and pulls out our plane tickets before distributing them.
Twenty minutes later, we’re boarding our plane. With some resentment, I look up at the compartment I’m supposed to lift my suitcase into. “Okay, let this not be too humiliating,” I whisper.
I’m struggling to make it fit when a familiar hand comes to my rescue. Lex is right behind me, standing a little closer than he should, and he effortlessly settles my luggage in there.
“Thanks,” I say, feeling even shorter than usual.
“No problem.”
I take my seat by the window and frown when I see Lex settle his suitcase up there with mine. He then removes his jacket, folds it in half, and lays it over our things. My confusion deepens when he sits beside me, setting his computer bag at his feet.
“Did you… Did you plan this?” I stammer, gesturing at our seats.
His unfazed look makes me feel stupid for some reason. “Of course. I asked Beatrix in accounting to get me a seat right next to yours when she bought the plane tickets,” he sarcastically answers.
It’s only fair to get stupid answers when we ask stupid questions, but still, I don’t exactly like his tone. “Okay, no need to be a jerk.”
He surprises me by resting his hand on the inside of my knee, sending a shiver up my thigh. “Sorry. I’m not a big fan of planes.”
The guys are somewhere in front of us, so I doubt they can see Lex’s hand, which is why I don’t swat it away. The intimate gesture does all sorts of things to my brain and body.
I don’t know how to make him feel better, but having a view might be a nice distraction. And most people prefer the window seat, right? “Do you want to switch seats?” I offer.
“I have more legroom here.”
Since that didn’t work, I try something else. “You know, planes are the safest form of transportation. Then I think it’s buses, trains, ferries, cars, and way down there, motorcycles. I can’t remember where bicycles stand.”
He looks down at me with a crooked smile and a soft chuckle. “I’m not scared of the plane crashing. I just don’t enjoy being stuck in it with people,” he explains. “I find it overwhelming, with the noises, vibrations, uncomfortable seats…”
Oh, yes, that makes sense too. “Well, at least it isn’t a long flight,” I say with optimism.
He squeezes my thigh gently. “Something tells me I’ll enjoy it.”
Letting go of my leg, he unbuttons the wrist of his sleeve before rolling it up, revealing his muscular forearm. Hypnotized, I follow the movements of his hand, methodically folding and tucking the fabric before doing the same on the other side. Those long and thick fingers fucked me to bliss yesterday evening.
Ugh, why does everything about this man have to be so hot?
Two hours this close to him is a bad idea. A hundred witnesses—five of them being colleagues—and a very hot Alexander is a dangerous combination.
As if sent by the gods themselves, Mason pops up next to us. “Hi, fam. Andy, would you mind changing seats with me? I wanna show Lex something, and I thought we could use this time to do that,” he asks. His voice contains so much hope that I know I can’t refuse. “I mean, if that’s okay with you,” he adds to Lex.
