Valorous(15)

“I love you, too. Every time I think I’ve seen the full extent of who you are, you go and top yourself by arranging a spaghetti dinner for my class and then paying for the whole school to eat for the rest of the year!”

“Technically, Addie did the arranging and stuff.”

“Whose idea was it?”

“Mine. I guess.”

“See? There you have it. My guy is the most thoughtful, wonderful man in the world.” She takes my face in her small hands and forces me to look at her as she kisses me. Hearing her call me her guy winds me up in knots that have nothing to do with stress and everything to do with desire. After the momentous step we took together the other night, I hadn’t expected to spend these last few days dealing with her worst nightmare come to life. I’d hoped to spend them wrapped up in her, making love to her over and over again.

Nothing has gone according to plan since we got home from LA on Monday night.

We arrive at Teterboro and are driven onto the tarmac where a Lear awaits us. I’ve requested a plane with a bed for this trip and not for obvious reasons. I want Natalie to get a good night’s sleep while we fly. If other stuff happens, too, well, so be it. Our security detail wishes us well and ushers us onto the plane where a flight attendant named Miranda greets us.

I can tell she’s trying to be professional, but she wants to do that screaming thing women do when they meet me. Thankfully, she manages to contain the urge. Natalie, Addie and I buckle in for takeoff, and as soon as we’re airborne, I get up and hold out a hand to Nat.

“We’re going to get some sleep,” I tell Addie. “Will you be okay out here?”

“I’m great. I’ve got a ton of work to do, and then I’ll sack out on the sofa. See you in LA.”

“Don’t work too hard.”

She gives me a small smile that’s full of sympathy for what we’re going through. She’s been almost as upset as we are, and she’s out for blood on our behalf.

I lead Natalie to the back of the cabin and into the bedroom.

“Holy cow,” she says when she spies the full-size bed. “This is the life.”

“I’m glad you think so, because it’s your life from now on.”

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around that.”

I drop a quick kiss on her lips. “Take all the time you need to get used to it. You want to use the bathroom first?”

“Sure, thanks.” She takes her purse with her into the tiny bathroom that adjoins the bedroom.

While she’s in there, I unbutton my shirt and remove it and the T-shirt under it. I remove my jeans and then pick them up off the floor so Natalie won’t trip over them. A few minutes later, she emerges from the bathroom wearing only a T-shirt. Her hair has been brushed and the minty scent of toothpaste follows her.

I take my turn in the bathroom and make use of the toothbrush and toothpaste the airline provides. And then I take a minute to remind myself that I need to be gentle with her tonight and keep the rage that’s overtaken me out of our bed. It has no place there, especially in light of what’s happened to her in the past.

When I feel calm enough to be what she needs, I leave the bathroom and crawl into bed beside her. “This is becoming my favorite place to be.”

“In bed on an airplane?”

“No, in bed with you.” I reach for her, and I’m greeted by a snarl and a bark that remind me we’re not completely alone. “Fluff, you and I need to come to an understanding.”

The little brat shows me her pathetic fangs.

“Maybe we’ll do that tomorrow.”

Natalie giggles like a little girl, which goes a long way toward helping me relax. If she can laugh like that, maybe I can chill the f*ck out until tomorrow, when I’ll rejoin the war already in progress. Natalie sits up to settle Fluff at the foot of the bed.

The dog reacts by whimpering in protest. I can’t say I blame her for wanting to sleep cuddled up to Natalie.

“Stay.” Natalie’s stern tone turns me on. Hell, everything about her turns me on.

Satisfied that Fluff will stay put, she turns on her side so she’s facing me. “How you doing?”

I caress her cheek and let her silky hair slide through my fingers. “I should be asking you that.”

“I’m not the one who’s about to spontaneously combust from stress and rage and a host of other unpleasant emotions.”