The Romantics(68)

Immediately, there was an announcement on the intercom. “All flight attendants please head to the back of the plane.”

A rush of heels and loafers against dingy carpet.

Sammy lifted the phone to her ear.

The woman was turning as red as her polyester blazer. “Ma’am, if you do not put your phone away now, we will have no choice but to escort you off the plane.”

But Sammy didn’t put the phone down.

The woman’s neck muscles strained against her fake silk scarf. “Ma’am.”

But as Sammy heard Gael’s nervous voice, she didn’t even care.

Let them kick her off the plane. The lady could scream at her for all she cared.

She didn’t want to be on this stupid flight anyway.





tsa pda


Gael had been alone in the TSA holding room for forty-five minutes. It was after 8:00. Sammy’s flight had definitely taken off by now, he was sitting here in handcuffs, and he was probably going to be charged as some sort of terrorist. His mom was very likely freaking out.

They’d confiscated his phone, so Gael couldn’t even let his mom know he was okay or distract himself from the terrifying thought of what life in Guantanamo would be like.

Then, finally, the door opened. A half-bald man with tired eyes and a protruding belly walked in, a notepad in hand, looked Gael up and down, and opened his mouth to say something. But just then, voices sounded from the hall, and the man stepped back out, one hand on the door, his body hidden.

Dear god, were they recruiting someone to torture the truth out of him? Gael wondered.

“Another one?” the man asked. “Ridiculous. These entitled millennials. They’re worse than terrorists.”

He heard a muffled voice but couldn’t make out the words.

“What do you mean the other room is closed for renovations? Mike’s still on break. What the hell am I supposed to do with her?”

More impossible-to-hear words, and then: “Does she seem violent?”

And after another second or two, “Fine, bring her in.”

The door swung open, and Gael had to blink twice to be sure of what he was seeing. There, standing in the doorway, was Sammy Sutton.

Gael’s heart threatened to burst at the seams.

She was wearing her own set of handcuffs, and she sauntered in like she owned the place.

When her eyes caught his, she gasped.

But within moments, the shocked look on her face was replaced with the most adorable smile in the world.

“Hey, stranger,” she said playfully.

“Hey,” Gael said.

The man looked from Sammy to Gael and back again. “You two don’t know each other, do you?”

Gael shook his head quickly. Sammy did, too.

The man raised his eyebrows, but he didn’t pursue it. He pulled up a chair on the other side of the table. “Take a seat,” he said to Sammy. “I gotta get my partner and find another place to put you.”

“Sure thing,” she said. She raised her eyebrows at Gael as she sat down.

The man moved for the door. “Try not to collude or anything while I’m gone,” he said. “And on a Friday, no less,” he muttered under his breath as he walked out of the room.

Sammy looked behind her to make sure the door was shut. “So I didn’t expect to see you here,” she said. Her handcuffed hands rested on the table, just inches from his.

“Me, either,” he said. He leaned forward, and so did she. They were so close it was making him crazy.

“So what’s your story?” she asked, her hands magnetically moving toward his.

Gael calmed his breathing. “I was trying to get through security to convince you not to get on your flight.” His hands met hers, and his thumb traced circles in her palm. His body suddenly felt hot all over. “What’s yours?”

She smiled mischievously. “My phone miraculously came on just as we were about to take off. I may have been a little less than cooperative when they told me I couldn’t listen to your voice mail.”

Gael felt himself blush. “You shouldn’t have listened to that voice mail anyway,” he said. “It was terrible and awkward.”

She laughed, leaned even closer. “I would expect nothing less.”

“Hey,” he said, without pulling back so much as a millimeter. “Not nice.”

Her face was only inches from his when she spoke, so close she only had to whisper to be heard. “I’m pretty sure you never liked me because I was nice, Gael Brennan.”

“I’m pretty sure you’re right.”

And then he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

And it was freaking fantastic.

Her lips were soft, and her mouth was warm, and it was everything he’d ever wanted, everything he hadn’t even known to want just weeks before. It was exactly how it was supposed to be, he was sure of it this time . . .

Sammy pulled back. “You taste like pickles.”

Gael burst out laughing. “It’s a long story,” he said.

“I look forward to hearing the whole thing.”

He kissed her again, and it felt so wonderful, so thrilling, so right, that he barely even heard the opening of the door.

“Oh, Jesus Christ,” the TSA man said. “I don’t get paid enough to deal with this shit.”