The Fling (18+)

Chapter 1

"-Once again, United flight 1805 to Omaha is delayed – we will provide updates as they become available."

Leaning my head back in the uncomfortable terminal seat, I muttered, "Fuck."

Waiting at this gate since 3:00 pm had long since drained my phone battery and my patience. It was now 7:30, and abundantly clear that we weren't leaving anytime soon.

Maybe, if I'd been travelling for fun, I would have handled this frustration better, but attending my father's party wasn't giving me much to look forward to. Not when I was already dreading his glaring disapproval and his wife's passive aggressive needling.

Pursing my lips, I glanced over across the walkway for the thousand-and-tenth time.

Hell with it.

Picking up my bag, I stalked over to the dimly lit chain restaurant and planted myself at the only remaining seat at the bar.

I pulled out my debit card and held it between my fingers, trying to get the bartender's attention.

Catching sight of me, she held up a finger as she finished decorating a violently blue cocktail.

As she handed it off, she came over, wiping her hands on a towel. "Hi there, what can I get started for you?"

"Could I get a gin and tonic?"

"Can I see some ID?"

Shit. Still not used to this.

"Right – yeah, give me a second." Digging my wallet back out of my purse, I took the card and held it out for her inspection.

"Awesome – I'll bring that right over!"

"Thank you."

Leaning forward on my elbows, I rubbed my eyes.

"You waiting on the Omaha flight too?"

I glanced over, noticing the man seated to my right.

Salt-and-pepper stubble graced the strong line of his jaw and offset the rich darkness of his eyes. A suit that had doubtless been pristine this morning now bore the wrinkles of a day spent in this modern purgatory. Breathing in, I tasted a subtle, spicy cologne.

"Yeah." I shook my head, "It would have been faster to drive at this point."

The waitress returned, sliding a squat glass on a napkin in front of me.

"Cheers." He held up his own amber colored drink. "To the airline industry."

Taking hold of my cold, condensated glass, I toasted our mutual misfortune.

Unable to stop myself, I watched as his Adam's apple bobbed against the unbuttoned collar of his dress shirt.

"So," he began, "what takes you to Omaha?"

I shrugged, not wanting to get into the details. "Family stuff. You?"

"Business." He didn't elaborate, and I got the distinct feeling that he was as reluctant to share as I was.

"Hmm." I took the lime wedge off of the rim of my glass and dropped it in. "So, when do you think we'll actually get out of here?"

"No idea. Apparently, they're still waiting on a mechanic?"

Bringing my drink up for a quick sip, I swallowed. "That's what they said two hours ago."

"Well, that's the good news at least."

Turning toward him, I cocked an eyebrow. "It is?"

He nodded. "If the flight gets delayed overnight and it's their fault, they'll pay for rooms at a nearby hotel. If this were weather related, we'd be fucked."

"Huh." I shrugged, "Good to know."

By the time it hit 8:30, I'd caved and ordered a second drink, and the conversation had turned to deep, philosophical matters.

"Schwarzenegger's best movie was The Terminator – period."

He scoffed, "Please-"

"He played an unstoppable, inhuman murder machine – it was perfect casting."

"What about Predator?"

"Oh, right, an American army commando in the 80's somehow has a thick, Austrian accent?"

"It's called suspension of disbelief-"

"It's called bullshit."

He glanced over at me, quirking an eyebrow. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Smirking, I replied, "You don't know the things I can do with this mouth."

And in the next second, I realized what I had said.

I felt my eyes shoot open wide as my hand clapped over my lips.

Fuck!

I'd spent the last hour fighting off increasingly dirty fantasies about him, but saying that out loud was crossing a line.

Fucking gin-

Leaning forward, eyes curious, he asked, "Was that an invitation?"

My breath caught in my chest and blood froze in my veins, The world itself stopped spinning as I processed what this man had just said to me.

His gaze, sharp and predatory, raked over me, and I shivered under his scrutiny.

It wasn't that I was inexperienced – I'd left my virginity in my high school boyfriend's basement. No, it was the immediate and acute awareness that I was completely out of my depth.

I was released from my paralysis as his gaze darted behind us.

"They're making an announcement."

Gratitude and disappointment warred within me as we paid quickly and hurried toward our gate.

"...will be providing vouchers for one night's lodging at a United contracted hotel and refunding all checked baggage fees. Again, we apologize for the inconvenience, but United flight 1805 to Omaha has been rescheduled for 7:00 am, tomorrow."

My companion leaned over to whisper in my ear. "Told ya."

The warmth of his breath on my skin set my heart racing, while my mind was fixed on one thought:

We're going to be spending the night in the same hotel.