Grounded (Up in the Air #3)(43)

He only came to life briefly when we reached the airport and it was time to say goodbye. He let the guys file out before crushing his mouth against mine, his kiss was hungry and desperate.

We were both breathless and agitated when he pulled back.

“Are you okay?” I asked him.

He nodded, but that trouble hadn’t left his eyes.

“Bye,” I told him.

He got out first to hand me out. “I love you, Bianca,” he said.

I nodded. “I love you too, James,” I said steadily. I didn’t even feel the need to panic or withdraw at the words. They already came easily to my lips. I had it so bad.

Stephan, Javier and I were lucky to get a row of seats together for the flight, since we were flying space available. We all tried to sleep since we’d be working well into the next morning, but I didn’t think any of us got more than a one-hour nap on the four and a half hour flight.

I woke up from my nap as the plane began to descend for landing, the feeling familiar enough to act like an alarm on my body. My head was pillowed against Stephan’s shoulder. I rubbed my cheek against that supple muscle before pulling back to look at him. His arms were crossed over his chest, making his muscles bulge attractively. He was smiling and awake. He looked as happy as I’d ever seen him. It was a good sight for my heart, especially after all of the drama from the night before.

I saw that Javier was still passed out; his head pillowed onto Stephan’s other shoulder.

“Morning, Buttercup,” Stephan said softly.

“Just sitting here smiling while we sleep on you?” I asked him with a smile.

He just flashed a dimple at me, nodding. “Sandwiched by my two favorite people in the world. What’s not to smile about?”

I had to laugh. “So what happened last night?” I asked him. I didn’t want to ruin the mood, but I needed to know. That had been a lot of drama to be squashed so easily.

“Javier said he loves me,” he said with a very soft smile.

I was relieved and confused all at once. “What about before that?”

He grimaced and told me briefly about Vance and the way he’d bullied Javier.

I gripped his hand when he finished. I wasn’t sure what to think about all of it. Javier did have a reputation for loving drama, but on the other hand, I’d met Vance, and that one lived and breathed the stuff. I did know one thing, though. Stephan believed Javier with a certainty, and he would feel horrible for not defending the other man—instead walking away when he was being harassed.

“If that was what really happened, you couldn’t have known.”

He gave me a stern look. “You don’t believe that’s what happened?”

I gave him my little shrug. “You know I’m more cynical than you. I don’t know what to believe, but of course, I have my doubts. That doesn’t matter, though. If you’re together, I support that, because it’s what you want.”

He gave me a sad smile. “You shouldn’t be so cynical. I have no doubts about Javier, Bianca.”

I nodded, watching him carefully. “I know. And like I said, that’s enough for me.”

“When are you going to learn that I’m not the only trustworthy person in the world?”

I didn’t have an answer for that. At least, not one that he wanted to hear. Nothing but time and consistency would make me trust Javier with Stephan’s heart, and the drama of the night before had done nothing but set that time further back, whatever his story was.

“You don’t think he’s good enough for me,” he said, clear reproof in his voice.

I had to smile at that. “I don’t think anyone is good enough for you, myself included.”

He just shook his head.

We’d been over this, and neither of us ever budged.

“I told James that I love him,” I told him quietly.

I heard the familiar sound of the wheels coming down from the plane. I was surprised that Javier was still sleeping peacefully.

Stephan beamed at me. “That’s wonderful. Your therapist would be proud.”

I laughed, hardly offended, since he only spoke the truth.

“Aren’t you going to ask me what he said?” I asked him.

He shook his head without hesitation. “He’s been head over heels from the start, Buttercup. I had no doubts. That man worships the ground you walk on.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Mr. Callous

We had almost no downtime once we got to Las Vegas. Javier and Stephan said a quick and circumspect goodbye, though I could practically see the heat snapping between them.

We shuttled to our airline’s headquarters, checked in, and prepped for our flight, though that entire process was hardly uneventful.

All of the other crews that we greeted were abuzz with the recent announcement that our airline had filed for Chapter eleven bankruptcy. We were still in business for the moment, but speculation as to what that meant for us was running rampant.

I was mostly in shock about the whole thing. Stephan and I shared a very long look that meant we would talk about it later. The shuttle we took back to the airport was so loud with everyone voicing opinions and fears that we couldn’t have heard each other over the noise if we’d tried.

I texted James.

Bianca: Did you hear the news about the airline?