Airline travel is the safest mode of travel, she murmured to herself, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Yeah, right. That would make her feel so much better when plummeting from twenty thousand feet.
Had Lily been given a choice, she might have taken the train to New York. But Miranda had insisted that her fears were unfounded. She just needed to get back on the horsewhich would have been a reasonable alternative in Lilys mind. L.A. to New York via wagon train. When was the last time anyone died in a fiery wagon train crash?
In the end, Lily was forced to agree. Her fears were childish and she needed to conquer them before they completely paralyzed her. But that didnt mean shed be unprepared for disaster. She grabbed the emergency card from the pocket in front of her and tried to focus on the information. Why didnt they just give everyone a parachute? Then if anything bad happened, they could all jump.
She waved one of the flight attendants over to her seat. I think Im going to need something to drink after all. If its not too late.
Were still waiting for a few first-class passengers to board. What can I get you?
Vodka, Lily said. Two of those little bottles in a glass of ice with just a splash of cranberry juice. Lily forced a smile and sat back in her seat. This was all her fault. Shed made a vow a year ago to move out of Mirandas house and make a life of her own. But the time had never been right.
Miranda had always been in the middle of some crisis or another. Now her godmother was three months late on a deadline and had convinced herself the only place she could possibly finish the book was her summer house in the Hamptons. So Lily had been ordered to go on ahead and open the place.
She reached into her bag and pulled out a small photo album. Shed made the album in a pteromerhanophobia workshop shed taken last month. The participants had been asked to select photos representing all the things they wanted to do in the future. During a plane trip, they were supposed to find a photo and focus on it.
Lily flipped through the album. There was a picture of the Great Wall of China, her ultimate travel destination. And another of a cute little dogshed always wanted a dog, but Miranda was allergic. And there was a photo of a model in a sexy bathing suit. Someday, shed lose twenty pounds and look just like that.
Lily paused, her gaze falling on the photo of Aidan Pierce shed cut out of Premiere. Someday shed find a man who made her heart flutter as much as he had. Since seeing him from across the airport lounge a year ago, Lily had followed his career in the magazines. Shed bought all his movies on DVD and read everything she could find about his social and professional life. And occasionally, shed allow herself a fantasy or two about what it might be like to have a man like Aidan in her bed.
The flight attendant returned with Lilys drink and set it in front of her, placing the tumbler on top of a napkin. Ill have to collect that before we take off.
A man passed behind the attendant and she smiled as he bumped against her with his bag. Lily took a sip of her vodka and watched as the passenger searched for an empty overhead bin. He turned and she caught sight of his profile.
She sucked in a sharp breath and the vodka went down wrong, causing a fit of coughing. Gasping for breath, Lily slumped down in her seat and covered her mouth with the napkin.
The flight attendant bent closer. Are you all right? she asked.
Lily waved her hand, tears now streaming down her face. Of all the possible people to walk onto her flight, why did it have to be him? She risked a glance up and found Aidan Pierce watching her, an odd look on his face. He glanced at his boarding pass, then looked directly at the numbers above her head.
No, she said in a silent plea. Not the seat next to her. There were plenty of other places for him to sit. He couldnt possibly be sitting next to her, could he? He showed his boarding pass to the flight attendant and she stepped aside, pointing to the seat next to Lilys.
Lily turned to stare out the window, desperately willing herself to calm down and act like a normal human being. But when she turned back around, she came face-to-face with Aidans crotch as he reached up to put his bag in the overhead compartment.
His cotton shirt was unbuttoned at the bottom, offering her a view of his belly. Her eyes drifted from the line of hair above his waistband to the bulge in his cargo pants and then back up again. Lily quickly turned away, fixing her attention out the window again.
Suddenly, dying in a mass of twisted steel and burning jet fuel seemed to be an acceptable alternative to flying all the way to New York next to Aidan Pierce. He plopped down beside her. They were so close she could feel the heat of his body, smell the scent of his cologne. She wanted to reach out for her drink, but she was afraid her hand might be trembling too much to pick up the glass.
Its nice to have you with us again, Mr. Pierce. Can I get you a drink?
Ill have a beer, he said.
Oh God. He didnt sound the way he was supposed to sound. She hadnt met him that day at the airport, but shed watched him interviewed on E! and he always seemed so aloof, his voice so careful and measured, kind of self-absorbed. Now, he sounded like a nice guy.
Lily clutched her fingers together in her lap and realized her photo book was still open. She snapped it shut, then dropped it into her tote bag. How long could she possibly sit here without speaking? Sooner or later, someone would have to say something. They couldnt ignore each other for the entire six-hour flight.
Relax. Nothing is going to happen.
Lily shoved her glasses up the bridge of her nose and gave him a feeble smile. I-Im not scared.
He chuckled and then pointed to the book still resting on her tray table. The Pteromerhanophobic Traveler, he murmured. Quite a title. Catchy. Id assume by the little cartoon of the smiling airplane that the book is about people who cant get enough of flying?
For a moment she relaxed enough to really look at himhis shaggy dark hair and his sculpted mouth, pale blue eyes that seemed to see right through her. In comparison to the buttoned-down business attire most men in first class wore, his lived-in clothes made him look dangerous.
A shiver skittered down her spine. Lily had read thousands of romantic descriptions of male beauty, from Jane Austen to Joan Collins, but for the life of her, she couldnt recall one that did this man justice. He was, for all intents and purposes, perfect.
I-Im sorry, she murmured. Youre right. Im not a very good flyer. But her tension had nothing at all to do with her fear of flying. Shed never been good with extremely handsome men. They always made her feelclumsy and inept. And handsome men, especially men with beautiful smiles and even more beautiful eyes, made her lose her capacity to think in a rational manner. She always seemed to lose herself in thoughts of what they might look like naked.
If anything is going to happen, he said, itll happen in the first few minutes after takeoff.
Yes, I know. In the first ninety seconds, Lily said. So if were going to die, its going to happen really soon. That makes me feel better. She glanced over at him to see a smile break across his face.
Now youre beginning to make me scared.
Im sorry, she murmured.
He chuckled. Why do you keep apologizing?
He chuckled. Why do you keep apologizing?
Im sorry. She took a sharp breath, then forced another smile.
A flight attendant stopped beside Aidans seat and gave him a warm smile as she set his drink down. Lily glanced across the aisle at another female passenger whose gaze was fixed intently on Aidan. It seemed every woman in his general vicinity found his drink order endlessly fascinating.
She sneaked a better look at his profile. So he shared some qualities with your basic Greek god, but handsome men were a dime a dozen in Los Angeles. Shed just never been so close to one. His elbow grazed hers and Lily gathered her resolve, refusing to move her arm off the armrest of her seat.
He turned back to her and she quickly averted her eyes as he caught her staring. Would you like another? he asked.
Yes, Lily said without thinking.
Double vodka with a splash of cranberry juice? the flight attendant asked.
Just cranberry juice, Lily replied, a blush rising in her cheeks. Already, the vodka had calmed her nerves and warmed her blood. But it wouldnt do to have him thinking she was a lush.
With just a little vodka, Aidan said.
II really dont drink, Lily said. Only when I fly.
Me, too, he replied. Since were going to get drunk together, maybe I should introduce myself. My name is Aidan. Aidan Pierce.
Im Lily Hart, she said. She carefully placed her fingers into his palm. The moment she touched him, Lily felt a current race through her body. Frowning, she pulled her hand away, clenching her fingers into a fist. Nice to meet you, she murmured.
If only she knew how to flirt. There were probably ten or fifteen women on this flight whod give up a years salary to be sitting exactly where she was. This man was going to be completely wasted on her.
Lily had never needed to flirt. It had never been required for the men who usually found her attractive. But a guy like Aidan probably expected it, maybe even enjoyed itthe witty banter, the offhand caresses, the veiled come-ons. Lily realized if she didnt at least make an attempt, hed walk away thinking she wasodd.
The flight attendant reappeared with her drink. Aidan handed her the cranberry juice, then he held up his beer in a toast. To our safe arrival in New York.
Lily gave him a hesitant smile. This wasnt going that badly. In fact, if she wasnt mistaken, he was flirting with her.
So why are you headed to the other coast? Aidan asked.
Im taking a little vacation, Lily said. In the Hamptons.
I have friends in the Hamptons, he said. Its pretty wild in the summer. Lots of Hollywood people. So, are you staying with friends or did you rent a place?
II have a house. I mean, its my familys house. Well, not really my family, butIve been going there since I was fourteen. Its near Eastport. She took a sip of her drink. This was a conversation. Now it was time to ask him a question. And where are you going?
The city, he said. I have a place in SoHo. Actually, I was supposed to have a meeting on this flight, but it was canceled at the last minute. And you must have gotten her seat. He grinned. Kind of a happy coincidence, dont you think?
And that was a compliment. Oh God, it was, wasnt it? Or could she simply be reading a deeper meaning into his words? This was exactly how her fantasies always started, except she wasnt usually drunk and she always looked like shed just stepped out of the pages of a fashion magazine. But this was close enough.
Feeling better? he asked.
A little, Lily said. She reached out to set her drink down, but in her excited state, she missed the edge of the tray table and the glass slipped out of her hand. It tumbled off to the side and landed on Aidans leg, splashing her drink all over the front of his cargo pants.
Mortified, Lily grabbed a napkin and dabbed at the damp spot then realized where she was dabbing. She looked up into his gaze and caught his bemused smile.
Sorry, she murmured.
I can see were going to have to monitor your consumption. Aidan took the glass from between his legs and set it down. Lily didnt want another drink. Nor did she want to continue to make a fool of herself in front of this man. Suddenly, she felt the need to throw some cold water on her face and regroup.
She bent down and grabbed her tote, then stood. But as she did, her bag caught on the edge of Aidans tray table and his bottle of beer tumbled over, sending another round of drinks into his lap. Sorry, she murmured as she crawled over him into the aisle.
When she reached the bathroom, she stumbled inside and locked the door behind her. Lily sat down on the toilet seat and reached into her bag for one of her phobia books. But instead, she pulled out a hot-off-the-press copy of The Ten-Minute Seduction.
The book had hit the stores last week to little or no fanfare. She had hoped it might be a success after all the hard work shed put into it. But really, what woman would need a book like this? Most men didnt need to be seduced. They were usually quite willing to engage in sex whenever and wherever and with whomever.
I need this book, Lily murmured. She opened it up and scanned the first chapter.
Step one, carefully choose a target. Not every man can be seduced. A man who is completely secure and happy in his relationship with the woman in his life may willingly engage in flirtation, but will not be tempted to go further, even if you strip off every last bit of clothing and offer yourself to him on a platter.
She blinked, then looked up at her reflection in the mirror. For all she knew, he could be dating or committed or secretly engaged. Though he seemed to be interested. But then, men in Hollywood cheated all the time. Paging through the book, she found the pertinent section on flirting and read it silently.
Flirtation is a careful balancing act. Show too much interest and youll scare him off. Show too little and youll never get past the preliminaries. Make eye contact and then hold it just a few seconds longer than proper before glancing away. Lean in as you speak and if you can, accidentally touch him. A clever combination of confidence and mystery will tempt any man.
Lily moaned. Yes, shed written these words, but theyd come from careful research, not from real-life experience. She set the book on the edge of the sink and stood up, regarding her reflection in the mirror. The glasses would have to go. She dropped them in her bag, then pulled the elastic from her haphazard ponytail. With trembling fingers, she unbuttoned the next two buttons on her blouse, exposing a bit more skin and just a hint of cleavage.
Better, she murmured. But it wasnt Lily Hart staring back from the mirror. If only she could become another person entirely, for just the next six hours. Could it be that difficult to play a part? L.A. was all about perception, people pretending to be something they werent in order to get what they wanted.
Could she push aside her own inhibitions and see if there was a seductress buried somewhere deep inside her? As a single woman living in L.A., shed have to get herself some kind of game if she ever planned on attracting a man like Aidan. Why not take advantage of the situation and see where it led?
Every woman had this fantasy at one point in her life. How many times had she wondered what it might be like to switch places with a beautiful supermodel or a sexy actress, to be the object of every mans secret desires? And she had nothing to lose. Shed never see Aidan Pierce again after this flight.