“You’re the worst,” I grumble, shaking my head.
“Maybe, but you’re breathing normal now, and we’ve already leveled out.” He points to the window. I slide open the shade to see us dancing just above the clouds.
Understanding his game of distraction, I smile and nod in gratitude. “Thank you. That was very nice, and far less stressful than the warrior speech Sage always gives me.”
“Yeah, she’s a little scary.”
I let out a light laugh. “She’s not a fan of your cat, hate to tell you.”
“More concerning is that she’s not a fan of me.”
“Oh she is,” I assure him. “This is Sage being nice.”
“Dear God, I fear for her enemies.”
I nod solemnly. “As do I. Try not to make that list.”
He winks at me. “Noted. Now, if you’re okay, I need to attend to the other lady in my life—which is a spoiled, overweight black cat, who’s been mean-mugging me since I put him in a carrier.”
I’m the lady in Taio’s life now? Huh. I like how that sounds. Except, aside from his death-grip trust exercise, he seems like he doesn’t want to get too close. I mean, I tried to undress in front of him, and we tossed around a vibrator like a hot potato, and now all of a sudden he’s offering me high fives.
“Can I meet your cat?”
Taio’s smile fades. “Absolutely. As long as you don’t call him ‘my cat.’ He’s a passerby. I just couldn’t abandon him at my apartment for four months straight. And I didn’t have enough notice to find a more permanent solution.”
“Sorry, we did sort of pluck you from your life without warning, didn’t we?”
Taio rises to his feet, having to duck his head to avoid the overhead storage compartments. “It’s fine. It worked out. I’ll go get Black Cat.”
“What’s his name?” I ask.
I have no idea why, but Taio rolls his eyes before heading down the aisle to the back of the plane storage area where his cat’s carrier is probably buckled down for safety.
I let out a deep breath when I’m finally alone, letting the residual nerves fall off me like raindrops on a freshly waxed car. I always feel better when we’re mid-flight. Up here in the sky, it’s serene. I’m safe. Untouchable. At peace.
“Hey,” Taio says, sending my heart rate right back to the moon. He leans over the outer seat, getting as close as he can.
“Jesus,” I say to his face which is mere inches from mine. “Scared me.”
“Sorry, I forgot. I owe you this.” His lips graze my cheek, so soft, but they linger. My pulse surges, sending electric currents of curiosity through me like Frankenstein coming to life. The moment he pulls away, I replace his lips with my hand, trying to hold the warmth in place. “A deal’s a deal. I’ll be right back.”
With that, he disappears again, leaving me far more confused than before.
He wants me?
He wants me not?
It was a kiss on the cheek.
But still a kiss…
I touch my cheek again, my smile growing.
Yeah, still a kiss.
chapter 10
Taio
