Shortcake*

Chapter 15: Ladies Night

*Copyright: Stephanie Myrick, 2023. Posted to Wattpad ONLY*

The first part of the five-hour flight to Ontario was mostly quiet. Link was reading a script on the couch across from Cleo, long legs stretched out in front of him, head tilted to the side and resting on two fingers. His beard was growing back in, and he looked better with it. His hair was still slightly long on top and shorter on the sides, 1920's style he had it in for the movie. She watched curiously as the flight attendant, who said her name was Sandy, approached them and offered him a drink. Link barely glanced up as he shook his head, and Cleo smirked as the pretty blonde frowned momentarily, but then she laid her hand on his arm with a bright smile as she told him to call if he needed anything, anything at all, then walked away without offering Cleo anything. "Rude." Cleo muttered. 

"You could play up the spoiled actress bit and bitch her out." Link grinned at her over the script. Cleo twisted her mouth and shook her head. "Or you could come here and remind her I'm your boyfriend." Cleo glanced up to where the flight attendant was sitting, flicking through a magazine, but considering said magazine was upside down, and her eyes were on Link, she was pretty sure she wasn't that interested in the supervolcano cover story. Link put the script to one side and held his out hand. "Come over and cuddle with me Shortcake." Cleo took his hand and let him pull her over to him. But instead of having her cuddle into his side, he pulled her down so she sat across his lap.

"What are you doing?" She smiled as he adjusted her so she was more comfortable, picked up the script again, and continued reading.

"Holding my girlfriend." He kissed her temple, not taking his eyes off the script. "What were you thinking about before Sandy was rude to you?" The way he said her name, with a slight curl to his lips, reassured Cleo in a way she didn't know she needed.

"Thinking about?"

"Yeah, when you have something on your mind, you purse your lips and furrow your brow." He shook out the script holding it in both hands as he leaned close to her ear. "The flight attendant looks a little irritated, wouldn't you say?"

Cleo glanced at her. She was tall, blonde, leggy, and pretty, but her lips were in a thin line, and she was staring down at the still upside-down magazine angrily, her hands gripping it so tightly her knuckles were white. "Makes sense. She is your usual type, probably thought you were a sure thing."

"Nope, that's a disproportionate reaction to being rejected by someone who has spent the last six months in a very public, very loving relationship with someone who is in the room." He absently brushed his lips across her cheek. "Why would she think I would take her up with you sitting across from me?" Cleo watched as he furrowed his brow, then looked at her and smiled. "So, what were you thinking about?"

Cleo glanced at the flight attendant again and leaned in next to his ear. "Do you really think Anthony was gay?" She whispered. Link studied her face as she pulled back, then looked up at Sandy.

"Excuse me?" He said loudly.

"Yes, Mr. Hart?" She stood up immediately and came toward them eagerly. "Can I do anything for you?"

"Yeah." Link jerked his chin toward the cockpit. "Go up front with the pilot. I want to be alone with my girl." He smirked as he ran his hand through Cleo's hair to cup the back of her head and pulled her in for a kiss. When he slowly pulled away from Cleo, he saw her glaring at them and stiffened, his whole body going tight. "Now." He snapped.

"Link!" Cleo scolded softly. "Be nice." When the door to the cockpit slammed closed, Link looked at her.

"She was incredibly disrespectful, and I'll be making a complaint too." He relaxed beneath her, and Cleo felt her tension melt away. "But I also wanted to talk to you without whispering back and forth like two little girls in the classroom. Why do you ask?"