Foreplay?
For her, the attraction had always been hidden beneath the surface, kept at bay only by being on the defensive with him. He probably did have good qualities. She had just never wanted to look at them. It was easier to keep her distance. Besides, they really did have very little in common.
It’s only for a weekend, a special few days off work that I never have. I can manage to tolerate his bossiness for that long. “Okay,” she finally relented. “If you stop being a high-handed jerk, I’ll stop fighting with you for a few days.”
He nodded, a stormy look on his face as he inclined his head.
“Drinks?” The flight attendant stopped beside the table, a beautiful woman with rich dark hair, a skinny body, and wearing a dress with heels.
Julian asked for a beer and then looked at her.
“Ginger ale?” she asked tentatively. She had no idea what they stocked on this plane, but her stomach had settled, and she wanted to keep it from rebelling again. Living through the humiliation of puking in front of Julian once was enough.
The woman nodded and walked away, so Kristin assumed the bar was well equipped. “Nice jet,” she mumbled, still not able to quite take in the opulence of the aircraft. Maybe she’d never flown, but she’d seen what a normal airplane looked like on the inside. And it never appeared this comfortable on TV.
The seating area was in sections, but all of it was done in cream leather. There was a couch along the wall in the front, some plush leather loungers, and the seats with a table in between that she and Julian were presently occupying. The bedroom and bathroom had been a luxury she hadn’t expected, but she had taken full advantage of the facilities to feel human again.
“I like it. I avoided spending money when I was building a career. I wanted to be successful on my own. If I had to fly, I used Micah’s or Xander’s jet or just flew commercial.”
“What’s it like to fly in a regular plane?” Kristin was curious since she’d never stepped foot on anything that flew.
“Hell,” he admitted. “Especially in economy. No legroom, and if you get stuck next to somebody who doesn’t believe in deodorant, you’re screwed for however many hours the flight lasts.”
Kristin laughed, finding it hard to imagine Julian stuck in a small economy seat. The man took up space. But just the fact that he’d lived like a normal person made her soften a little. “I can understand why you didn’t want people to know who you were, but weren’t you ever tempted to tell anybody?”
“Once,” he answered thoughtfully. “A woman I was dating. In the end, I was glad I didn’t. Seems she didn’t want to be with a struggling actor. She wanted somebody to help her get upward mobility. She wanted to fuck me, but she didn’t really want to be with me.”
He was aloof, but she could hear the tiny thread of bitterness in his tone. “She hurt you. I’m sorry.”
“It was a long time ago. Not long after I finished college.”
“You went to college?” Since he was an actor, she’d just assumed he hadn’t continued on after high school.
“I went to Juilliard. My dad wanted me to chase my dreams, but he also wanted me to be educated when I did.”
“Your father must have been a smart man,” Kristin concluded. She paused before adding, “I’m sorry about your parents and Xander.”
She knew about what had happened to them. Almost everyone knew now. It was an unthinkable tragedy. Both of Julian’s parents murdered, and although Xander had come through his injuries alive, he would probably bear the emotional and physical scars of the incident forever.
“Thanks,” he acknowledged, then changed the subject. “So what were your dreams when you were a kid? Did you always want to be in medicine?”
She nodded her head. “I wanted to be a doctor when I was young.”
“Why didn’t you pursue it?”
“It wasn’t realistic for me. But I love what I do. Working with Sarah is wonderful. She’s a good doctor. The patients love her. I’m pretty happy doing exactly what I do now.” She didn’t regret not being a doctor, since she’d had other priorities when she graduated high school. Luckily, she was still able to do what she loved. “How’s the movie going?”
“Almost done. I just need to shoot on location for a few weeks.”
“Is it better than the last action movie?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen the whole thing put together yet, but the plot is pretty thin.”
“What’s next?” she asked curiously.