Graceful Deception

5. So We Meet Again...Though Under Better Circumstances, That's For Sure

***This chapter is dedicated to Blackheart013 for her awesome review of both BH and ATT!  Thanks again!***

Chapter 5

So We Meet Again…Though Under Better Circumstances, That’s For Sure

 

 

I woke to a trail of kisses leading from under the edge of my jaw to the hollow beneath my ear.  They were feather light, but my heart still started to race in my chest with each gentle touch of lips to my skin.

“Wake up, Emmy love,” John’s voice whispered in my ear.  I could hear him smiling.  “The plane’s about to land.”

I smiled slightly, snuggling more into his side, which made his lips brush the skin of the hollow beneath my ear.  I had to fight off the shiver that ran through my body.  “That’s a new one.”

“What?  The nickname?” he laughed quietly.  “I’m trying it out, though I’ve come up with a few alternatives.  Crazy Emmy, stubborn Emmy, won’t-get-up-even-though-the-flight-attendant-is-staring-daggers-at-us Emmy…”

“And I’ve got one for you, too, Johnny boy…oh, well, two now,” I stated, smiling wider even though I hadn’t moved from his side or even opened my eyes.  “A complete idiot.”  He snorted out a laugh as I leaned away from him, opening my eyes to see his smiling face just a few inches from mine.  “But I’m kind of stuck with you, so I’ll just have to get used to it, I guess.”

Another snort.  “Nice one.  And here I was trying to be all awesome…”

“And guess what…you are awesome, even if you are an idiot.”

“Well, I think you’re both idiots since you keep going back and forth when, you know, you’re kind of pissing off all of the flight crew.”  I looked behind me to see Stella leaned over the back of our seats, a grin stretched across her face.  “But you’re two idiots that I’ve grown to love, so that kind of makes up for it.  And save all the lovey-dovey stuff for later.  You know, when the two of you are…catching up…”

My cheeks flamed as John laughed and I swatted her away, making that grin of hers turn into a knowing smirk. 

“Shut up,” I growled at John, who was still chuckling as we both buckled our seatbelts. 

For the almost eight hour flight, I’d pretty much slept the entire time, using John as a pillow, of course, despite the first class seats we were in.  Totally inconspicuous if the Knights decided to try and figure out where we were going, if you ask me…but it sure beat economy.

Once we touched down, John and Ren got our bags from the overhead compartments, handing Stella and me ours first.  Since we didn’t have much, we bypassed baggage claim and headed out of the airport. 

John seemed to know where he was going as we set out for car park.  Stella and Ren were walking a few paces behind us and all three of them looked like they were on high alert, like they were expecting something to happen.  John kept me close to his side nonetheless, holding my hand tightly in his as we walked to a black Range Rover, and I saw him pull a set of keys out of his pocket before the lights on it flickered as the doors unlocked. 

“New car?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as I slid into the passenger seat.  “I’m so used to the black sedans, but now we get an SUV.  And a nice one at that…”

“This one is mine,” John said a moment later after he shut my door before getting in the driver’s seat.  “And mine only.”

“He’s like a little kid who doesn’t like sharing his toys,” Ren said, giving me a look.  “And trust me on that one.”