In Flight (Up in the Air #1)(70)

“You’re the most gorgeous creature on the planet. How do you not know that you’ve completely ruined me for other men?” I asked him quietly, and he gave me a beatific smile.

He bent and ravished my mouth until I yielded. I was hesitant at first to share such a hot kiss outside of a bedroom. But it was hard to remember that in the moment. He swept a tongue into my mouth, and it went on and on.

I was moaning low in my throat when he pulled away.

“Tell me that again,” he murmured against my kiss-softened lips.

“A male supermodel would look downright homely standing next to you. No man could compare to you. Why would I ever bother with another one?” I spoke the words quietly, and he was swiftly kissing me again.

I realized I had found a weak spot. The words were nothing but the truth, but I needed to remember to use them when I needed them. I doubted he could stay mad when I reassured him in such a way.

I had no idea how long we’d been necking like teenagers when he pulled back again. I looked up into the startled gaze of Captain Damien, and a sheepish Stephan.

“Oh, hey,” I murmured through kiss-swollen lips. The two men looked like they had been trying to speak to us and I hadn’t even noticed.

James wrapped himself around me from behind again, his arms under my br**sts and dangerously close to brushing too close for decency. He kissed my neck, giving me a soft bite as he pulled away. It was way too sensual for company, but I knew he didn’t give a damn.

He reached out a long arm to the shorter Damien. “Hi. I’m James Cavendish. Bianca’s boyfriend.”

Damien shook his hand, looking stunned. “Oh. Boyfriend? Oh, well, hi. I’m Damien. Nice to meet you. You must be a pretty great guy if Bianca gave you a chance.”

James kissed my neck again, sucking hard enough to leave a mark. He kissed the spot again as he pulled his face away.

I squirmed uncomfortably. Things were getting awkward fast.

“We were made for each other. It’s as simple as that. Bianca told me just a moment ago that I had ruined her for other men.” His voice was all charm, but I glanced up and behind and found that, unsurprisingly, his smile was all predatory challenge.

I elbowed him in the ribs. I couldn’t believe he’d said that. I blushed profusely.

Stephan laughed, though it died away when he saw my look.

Damien coughed uncomfortably. “Well, okay. I’d better get back. See you later.” He left.

I was fuming.

James began kissing my neck again.

I tried to stomp back on his foot and missed. “That was embarrassing and out of line, James. You can’t take things I say and use them like that. It makes me want to never tell you things like that.”

He murmured an apology against my neck. “I’m sorry. I just had to set him straight after the things you said to him earlier. I won’t do it again. Forgive me?”

His teeth tugged at my ear, and it was hard for me to concentrate.

“You need to go back to your seat,” I told him sternly, far from appeased.

His hands drifted up to my br**sts, and I looked around, scandalized. But we were alone. I hadn’t even heard Stephan leave.

“I love you br**sts. I’m going to clamp them tomorrow. I would pierce them for you, if you’d let me. I would love to mark you like that.”

I knew he was trying to distract me, but even knowing that, his tactic still worked. I was shocked. It sounded like such a hardcore, permanent thing to do. I had never in my life even considered doing something like that. And he said it as though he’d do it himself.

“You could do that? As in, you could do the piercing yourself?”

He murmured a yes against my shoulder, kneading my br**sts with just the right pressure.

“You think I would allow anyone else to handle these? To do that to you? Fuck no. That would be a job for me.” He pinched them roughly as he spoke.

“You’ve done that before?” I asked him cautiously, my back arching automatically. I wasn’t really thinking of doing it. I was more curious about this odd skill of his.

He rubbed his hard erection against my butt. “I’m properly trained and quite good at it. It can’t be painless, but I’ll try my best to lessen the pain.”

I noticed that he didn’t exactly answer the question. I had a sudden vision of all of his ex-lovers sporting nipple rings for years after he was done with them. It did seem like a small price to pay, I supposed, considering how good he was in bed.

“Do you pierce all of your lovers?”

He snorted. “You have the oddest notions. No, I do not normally pierce my lovers.”

“Just your favorites?” I asked, half-serious.

“I only have one favorite,” he replied, nuzzling against me.

“What was her name?” I asked, getting annoyed that he wouldn’t give a real answer to the question.

He pinched a nipple hard enough to make me yelp. “I was referring to you, you silly girl. And to finally answer your persistent line of questioning, I have pierced three of my ex-lovers. Now, I believe it’s my turn to get some information from you. And, considering that you got to pick the question for me, I’ll do the same to you. Have you ever gone out with Captain Damien?”

I couldn’t have been happier with his question. I’d just been about to protest the exchange when he’d asked it.