The Ending I Want

Our mouths part. Both of us are breathing heavy, staring into each other’s eyes.

God, his eyes are amazing, really unique—a mixture of green and hazel, like a greenish gold. They remind me of autumn when the leaves are turning from green to brown.

Autumn just officially became my favorite season.

I can’t remember ever feeling as turned on as I do right now.

The instant my lips connected with his, my body felt like it was doused with gasoline, and a match was struck between my legs.

And I don’t think I’m alone in this. I can see the heated glare of lust in his stunning eyes.

Then, the realization of what I just did hits me.

I just mauled a complete stranger with my mouth. Oh my God!

I don’t know whether to laugh maniacally or crawl under my seat in embarrassment.

Yanking my gaze and my leg from him, I turn in my seat and stare at the window, which I can’t see out of because the shutter is still closed.

He never did get to open it because I stopped him with my kiss-crazy mouth.

I quickly slide the shutter open and stare out at the open airfield.

I can’t believe I just did that. I kissed him. Holy shit!

I kissed a total stranger. A hot stranger but a stranger nonetheless.

Guess I can cross that one off my list.

A bubble of laughter climbs up my throat, but I manage to hold it in.

Really not the time to laugh, Taylor.

You just kissed the guy. You don’t want him to think you’re crazy.

He already thinks you’re crazy. You just kiss-attacked him, moron!

And kissing a stranger who I have to sit next to for the next six hours probably wasn’t the best idea.

Nice going, Taylor.

Oh, shit! What if he’s married? I could have just violated a sacred bond. Forced the guy to cheat.

Turning my face a little, I surreptitiously check out his left hand, which is resting on his thigh—he has really nice thighs—and there’s no ring.

Thank God.

But what if he has a girlfriend?

Well, he did kiss me back, so I would hope the hell not.

Still, I should probably say something. Like, Sorry for kissing you.

But I can still taste him in my mouth.

I touch my fingers to my lips, and I can’t help but smile. At the memory of his kiss and the way he felt under my hands, a quiver happens in my belly.

It’s really hard to be sorry for kissing him when he’s made me feel this amazing. But I should say it anyway even if I don’t mean it. It’s just good manners to apologize when you’ve kissed a guy you don’t know without any warning even if he did kiss you back.

“Um…I’m not exactly sure why I just did that.” I bite my lip, unable to look him directly in the face. “I’m really sorry.”

He’s silent for so long that I have to look. And he looks like he’s…almost offended by my words. Or maybe he’s just offended by me planting my lips on his. I mean, I would be offended if a random person kissed me out of the blue. Well, maybe not if they looked like him. I would pretend to be offended, but inside, I’d totally be doing cartwheels.

His eyes meet mine, and his look sears through me. “Don’t be sorry. I’m not.” His hot English voice sounds all rough and sexy, making me shiver even more.

And…he’s not sorry that I kissed him. Interesting.

“But you lied when you said you didn’t know why you kissed me,” he adds.

That gets my attention. My brows lift. “I lied?”

“Mmhmm. You know why you kissed me.”

“I do?”

“It’s because I’m irresistible.” A smile flickers in his eyes, lighting up his whole face.

Goddamn, he’s handsome.

I fight to keep the smile from mine. “Oh, is that so?”

“Yep. Strange women kiss me all the time.”

“God, it must suck to be you.”

“Yeah, it’s hard going.” He gives a dramatic sigh, that damn smile still on his face.

I stare down at my hands as a beat of silence passes between us.

“Actually,” I say, “it wasn’t that—not that you’re not irresistible—but I kissed you because I wanted to kiss a stranger.”

I lift my eyes back to him. He’s still looking at me.

“Interesting thing to want to do.”

“I have a whole list of things I want to do.”

Why did I tell him that?

My eyes seek out my list, which is on the floor along with my pen and the Hunter Airways brochure. They must’ve fallen when I was busy sticking my tongue down his throat.

Leaning down, I pick them up and set them on my lap—list facedown, of course.

He stretches out in his seat and then nudges my leg with his. Heat travels from the spot he just touched, heading straight to my happy place.

“Well, I’m glad I could be of service to help you cross that off your list,” he says. “If you have anything else on that list—you know, like sex in an airplane bathroom—then I will definitely be down for helping you out with that, too.”

I can’t help but smile. “Good to know. Thanks.”

And, now, I can’t stop staring at the restroom sign.

Fuck.