Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned on the seat-belt sign in preparation for our departure. Please return to your seats and make sure your belongings are stowed securely in the overhead bins or beneath your seat. The flight attendants will be coming around to pick up your drinks.
It was now or never, Lily thought to herself. Just once, she wanted to go out there and grab what she wanted, even if it meant doing something wild and crazy and completely out of character.
Lily quickly flipped through the book, reading the list of hints shed so carefully researched. Scent is important. Reaching into her bag, she searched for her perfume. Highlight your most striking feature. Lily looked in the mirror. Shed always believed that her mouth was sexy. She had full lips, shaped in a perfect Cupids bow. The kind of lips Hollywood starlets paid good money for. Lily plucked her lipstick out after her perfume. Be confident, but not arrogant. That would be more difficult. The outside was easy to change, but shed been living with her doubts and insecurities for a long time.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the captain speaking. Were sixth in line for takeoff. Well be in the air in about five minutes. The weather is clear and our flying time to JFK will be approximately five and a half hours. Just sit back and relax and well have you to your destination before you know it.
Five and a half hours to live a fantasy, to live an adventure that might redefine the rest of her life. This time, she wouldnt be left with regrets. This time shed seek out her fantasies and make them real. And maybe, by doing that, shed transform herself into a whole new woman.
AIDAN GLANCED at his watch, then turned around to look down the aisle toward the bathroom. Lily had disappeared nearly ten minutes before and he was ready to ask the flight attendant to check on her. She seemed so frightened by the prospect of flying that he was worried she might have gotten sick or even fainted in the bathroom.
When hed boarded the plane, Aidan had been looking forward to a quiet, uneventful flight. Now that his in-flight meeting had been canceled, he thought he might be able to relax and catch a little sleep. Hed been going nonstop for nearly a year, working on his latest film.
He glanced down at the front of his pants, soaked through with the mixture of their two drinks. The flight attendant had handed him a wad of napkins when shed collected what was left of the drinks, but Aidan had resigned himself to being uncomfortable for the rest of the flight.
Hed never met a woman quite as skittish as Lily Hart. Though he was used to being hounded for autographs by giggling female fans and had experienced a fair number of racy proposals, he found all that silliness irritating. So why did he suddenly find it so charming in Lily?
Perhaps because there was no artifice there. She wasnt just playing the part to be coy. She really was a bundle of fears and insecurities. No woman intent on charming him would have spilled two drinks on purpose. Or locked herself in a bathroom for ten minutes.
He drew a deep breath and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes. She was beautiful, though, beneath those schoolteacher glasses and that careless hairstyle. And he couldnt deny he found her attractive. Hed been in L.A. for far too long and the women there had all started to look alikelong blond hair, trainer-toned bodies with spray-on tans. And personalities so bland that he could barely carry on a conversation.
At first, dating beautiful actresses had been a kick. In high school, hed never been able to get a pretty girl to give him a second look. Hed been skinny and fashion-challenged and hed worn glasses. College had been a little better. But these days, a membership at a gym, a competent Hollywood stylist and laser eye surgery had corrected all his problems. Now, he could pretty much attract any woman he wanted. The problem was, he didnt want them once he got them.
So what the hell was he searching for? Someone real, Aidan murmured. Something real.
Hed become disenchanted with his life in general, his work, women, even the car he drove. Hed been making hit films, but they werent important filmsthey didnt mean anything, they wouldnt last. His relationships had fallen into the same pattern, flashy on the surface and devoid of any true emotion. And hell, he drove a gas-guzzling SUV just because it looked cool. What was that all about?
Maybe that was why he found Lily Hart so intriguing. She was real, with all her quirks and mannerisms. Shed made a complete fool out of herself and yet he found that utterly charming.
And she was pretty, too. She wore barely any makeup; her pale ivory skin was almost flawless. Her dark hair, pulled away from her face, made her features even more striking. But it was mouth that he found most alluring. It was perfectly shaped, untouched by all those silly injections.
Aidan scolded himself inwardly. Why did he automatically focus on her looks? Was this what L.A. had done to him, turned him into a shallow, superficial jerk? The woman sitting next to him wasnt just a bunch of features thrown together for his viewing enjoyment. Hollywood was insidious, like a drug that lured you in only to make your life worthless.
Thats why he had felt compelled to return to New York. A dose of life in the real world always seemed to clear his mind and focus his thoughts. Aidan needed to remember the days when he had to pull pennies out of the sofa just to buy a cup of coffee.
The plane began to move slowly down the taxiway and Aidan pushed out of his seat and walked back to the bathroom. He rapped softly on the door. Lily? Are you all right in there?
An instant later, the door swung open and he found himself staring into the most striking green eyes hed ever seen. He took a step back, certain that hed knocked at the wrong door. But then he realized he was looking at Lily. Shed removed her glasses and let her hair down, the wavy dark strands curling around her neck. Her face, once pale and tense, was now flushed with color and her lips were painted a seductive shade of red.
He nervously cleared his throat. Youre supposed to be in your seat. Were going to be taking off soon.
She smiled at him, regarding him from beneath long dark lashes. Thanks, she murmured.
He stepped aside and let her pass, then followed her down the aisle. His gaze dropped to her backside, the fabric of her skirt clinging to her curves like a second skin. Lily flipped up her tray table and buckled her seat belt.
Feel better? Aidan asked.
Yes, she said calmly. Much.
What were you doing in there?
Ahmeditating, Lily replied. Its great for relieving stress.
Aidan couldnt believe the change in her. She seemed to have conquered her nerves and he suspected she might have gulped down a Xanax or two while she was in the bathroom. But as the plane turned onto the end of the runway and the wing flaps whirred, he saw her stiffen, proof that her calm demeanor was only skin-deep.
Aidan reached out and took her hand, lacing her fingers through his. Look at me, he said. She turned and met his gaze. Just keep your eyes on mine and listen to my voice. Theres nothing to be afraid of. Ive taken this flight a hundred times and Im still here.
Youyou have beautiful eyes, she murmured. And long lashes.
I was just thinking that about you, Aidan replied. And your mouth. Its
Youyou have beautiful eyes, she murmured. And long lashes.
I was just thinking that about you, Aidan replied. And your mouth. Its
What? Lily asked.
Verykissable.
Really?
Yes, Aidan said, his gaze dropping to her lips. Really. He felt the plane begin to accelerate down the runway and he reached out and took her face between his hands. Leaning forward, Aidan kissed her gently, his tongue tracing along the crease of her lips until she sighed and opened beneath his assault.
As the plane gained speed, the kiss became more intense, Aidan exploring the sweet recesses of her mouth, drinking in the taste of her. He drew her closer, but her seat belt got in the way. He was almost frantic for more, the sensation of the plane lifting from the ground adding to the rush of adrenaline that surged through his veins.
The engines roared, obliterating the sound of his pulse pounding in his head. A tiny moan slipped from her throat, but the kiss continued. Aidan knew they were probably making a scene, but he was past caring. Instinct had taken over and he couldnt seem to stop himself.
A ping sounded over the PA system and the bell startled them both out of their sudden lapse into passion. She slowly pulled back, her mouth damp, her lips twitching. What was that? she asked.
If you have to ask, then I guess I didnt do it right, he said.
No, II meant that bell.
Aidan pointed to the light panel above their heads. The seat-belt sign, he said. You are now free to get up and move about the cabin.
Ill be right back, Lily said, grabbing her bag again and unbuckling her seat belt.
He stood up and stepped into the aisle, then decided to take the window seat after shed left. A few moments later, the flight attendant stopped by, returning the drinks that shed collected before takeoff. She also set a plate of cheese and fruit on Lilys tray table. Ill be back to get your dinner order in a few minutes, she said.
He grabbed a grape and popped it in his mouth, chewing slowly as he considered all that had happened since hed stepped on the plane. Aidan had never been one to indulge in anonymous sexual encounters, but then, hed never met a woman like Lily Hart. His first intent in kissing her was merely to distract her. But the moment her lips parted beneath his, Aidans intentions had changed.
He couldnt deny the attraction and he couldnt help but be a bit curious as to what would happen if he acted on it. This was dangerous territory, the kind of scenario that most men found arousing, yet never experienced in real life.
Lately, Aidan had tried to be more cautious with his sex life, more discerning. Hed grown tired of having his social life splashed across the pages of every Hollywood magazine. Though his publicist loved it, Aidan was frustrated that his personal life had become better entertainment than his films.
If he were smart, hed get up and move to another seat. If he indulged in this little scenario, it was sure to be all over the press in a few days and though most of his other girlfriends enjoyed the coverage, he wasnt sure Lily Hart would feel the same.
When hed first kissed her, he hadnt expected her to return the kiss with such enthusiasm. Nor had he predicted his own reaction. Aidan cursed softly. This was crazy! Hed made a decision to find something real in his life and here he was considering a superficial sexual encounter on an airplane. The Mile-High Club was such a cliché!
He opened his eyes, then pushed out of his seat. When he got back to the bathroom, he knocked softly on the door. This time, when Lily opened it, he recognized her. Aidan glanced both ways, then pushed inside, closing the door behind him.
The bathroom was tiny with barely enough room for the two of them to stand. His body pressed against hers and he was forced to grasp her waist to maintain his balance. About what happened, he murmured. II was just trying to distract you. I didnt mean to He swallowed hard. I didnt mean to enjoy itso much. He paused. Did you enjoy it?
Yes, she said, watching him through wide eyes. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, then flitted back up to his eyes again.
Aidan knew what he had to do, what she wanted him to do, and what he found impossible to resist. Without a second thought, he brought his mouth down on hers. This time, it wasnt to distract her. This time, his thoughts were completely focused on the sensations of her sweet mouth beneath his.
Hed kissed a lot of women, but it had never been quite like this. There was something forbidden about what they were doing, something dangerous, that made the simple act of kissing seem so much more intense. He felt her fingers tangle in his hair and a groan slipped from his throat as he pulled her against him.
Maybe that was it. Had they been standing at her front door, this would be just an ordinary kiss. But the anticipation of what might happen between them next was making this all more thrilling than it really was. It made sense, but at the same time, Aidan didnt want to believe it. Maybe hed simply found a woman he could trustat least for the next six hours.
He drew back and smoothed her hair away from her face. We should go back to our seats, he said. Someone is going to want this bathroom.
She didnt speak, just nodded. Lily grabbed her purse from the sink, then slipped out the door. When he returned to his seat, her eyes were fixed on a book in her lap. He watched as she turned a page, noting the tremor in her hand. Reaching out, Aidan drew a finger across the soft skin below her wrist and she turned to look at him.
Later, he promised.