揥elcome back to the land of the living.?There抯 an empty seat beside her, so I sit for a moment. 揑 thought you抎 nap the whole way there.?
揑 can抰 go back to sleep now. I don抰 know, something about plane pressure never feels quite right.?
揝orry, hon. Do you want some coffee??
She nods. 揃ut, um, I like cream and sugar…？
I place the cup securely in the holder beside her. 揕et me start another pot, and I抣l be right back to sweeten it up.?
揧ou rock!?
I return to the galley and start a second pot. I抦 scooping ground coffee into a filter when an unexpected warmth against my ear makes me jump.
Before I even turn around, I know.
I can smell him. Earth, citrus, a hint of espresso, and overpowering alpha male.
揧ou just can抰 sit still, huh? You had to take over the flight attendant抯 job??His voice is a low rumble, a purr that plucks at my nerves.
The attendant rounds the corner and gasps. 揙h, I抦 sorry, sir! I offered to do it, but she said she wanted the experience. I didn抰 see the harm…？
揋uilty,?I say without looking at him. 揑 couldn抰 pass up a chance to join the coffee mile-high club.?
His eyes flash with a wicked gleam when I realize my mistake.
揂re you done bothering me, Mr. Lancaster??
He smirks at the flight attendant. 揑t抯 fine. I know how Eliza gets.?
What? He doesn抰 even know me.
Why is he acting so familiar?
First the flirting, and now this?
Did he really bring me on this trip for the sake of coffee science? What do I know about Kona beans, anyway? I抳e never picked them by hand.
The sudden crisis of confidence hits like a Mack truck.
揥hy don抰 you sit down? I抳e got this. I think we抮e the only people left without coffee,?I say, ignoring how he squeezes into the tight space next to me.
Lancaster doesn抰 move. If anything, he inches closer, watching how I tremble every time he brushes me and梠h, God. He抯 enjoying this, isn抰 he?
When I grab the new carafe, I almost elbow him in the gut on my way out.
揇o you mind? Like I said, I抳e got this.?
His look reminds me how very little I抳e got anything when it comes to self-control. I almost drop the coffee container on the floor.
When his hand darts around my wrist, I almost hit the ceiling.
I抦 barely breathing as he moves his fingers slowly up my hand, gently lifting the carafe away from me.
揧ou抮e shaking like a leaf with a container of hot liquid. Are you sure you don抰 need a hand? Serving coffee isn抰 below my pay grade, sweetheart,?he whispers.
Dear Lord.
I shake my head fiercely, until he gives up the carafe again when I reach for it, touching his fingers.
For the faintest second, my hip brushes his.
揑 can handle my coffee, Mr. Lancaster, but…but thanks.?And because I can still feel his breath when he抯 so achingly close, I add, 揑t抯 not as hard as I thought it would be.?
He clears his throat loudly.
At first, my mangled words don抰 register.
Shocked that this self-possessed man seems so flustered, I replay the last two lines in my head.
Oh. Shit.
It hits me what that must have sounded like.
Double entendre? More like death warrant.
He抯 still staring at me as I turn, giving him an apologetic look.
揢mm梞aking airplane coffee. That抯 what I meant! Not梱択now.?I stop cold and swallow. 揑t抯 not any harder than doing it on the ground.?
The relieved smile that lights up his face almost makes me boneless.
He抯 barely moved by the time I抦 done serving everyone seconds and I squeeze past him again.
The galley抯 tight, and Cole抯 large, muscular body fills it.
Every accidental touch makes me eat my words.
There抯 nothing soft about any inch of him whatsoever.
I抦 sandwiched between him and the coffee pot bolted to the wall.
A fat bead of coffee splatters against hot metal and sizzles.
揇on抰 know how they do this full-time. It抯 steamy as hell in here.?His voice is low, all flames.
I think I just died.
I抦 quiet so long he finally moves away, his heat trailing his heavy footsteps.
It抯 been days since my fingers touched his lips and I saw myself kissing him.
I want to be reckless.
I want to turn around and bite him on the lower lip just to see how he responds.
Just to inject the slightest sanity back into my life by getting this craziness over and done with.
Then I remember his daughter is in the front row.
We抮e on a plane full of senior staff, and he抯 still my boss, basically a prince of Corporate America.
Seriously.
What kind of fresh, caffeinated crapstorm even is my life?
All the travel videos on social media can抰 prepare me for Kona抯 breathtaking beauty.