33

Liliana

Alistair bent down to kiss me, and this time, I lacked the resolve to push him away. His lips grazed mine just as the stockroom door creaked open.

"You in here?" Benedict's voice rang out, accompanied by the jingle of his keys.

I stepped back hastily, dabbing beneath my eyes to clear away any mascara smudges before Benedict caught sight of me.

Alistair shot Benedict a glare before turning his gaze back to me, a faint smile lingering on his lips.

"Saw your cars in the lot and couldn’t find you anywhere. Can’t believe you got locked in here. We’ll need to have a chat with Carl about—" Benedict started.

"Not Carl's fault," Alistair interjected, still looking at me. "He had no way of knowing we were down here."

"Are you both packed for the trip? We need to leave for the airport soon," Benedict queried.

Realizing the time, I exclaimed, "I’ve got to get home and gather my things, or we’ll never make the flight."

"Need any help to speed things up?" Alistair offered sincerely. I knew he meant it, but if I accepted, we'd risk missing our flight. The tension between us had been palpable before Benedict's interruption, and if he hadn't shown up, we might not have been standing there talking.

If I let Alistair into my house, I wasn’t sure I could resist him. And part of me didn't want to try.

"I think I can manage, but thanks." I hurried out of the stockroom and dashed upstairs to grab my purse and phone, eager to rush home and pack.

I should have had everything ready and waiting to grab and walk out the door. But I was so conflicted about everything, I thought maybe I’d delayed fully packing as some sort of delaying tactic.

I didn’t have long to get the rest of my things into my bag if I had any hope of making the flight.

I quickly showered first, then I ran through the house, grabbing and shoving, and finally had everything I thought I needed. The whole time, I thought about what Alistair told me about Julian. How his life had fallen apart for a while, and they hadn’t even been on speaking terms for so long.

I felt guilty about that, even though intellectually I didn’t feel like I’d done anything wrong.

And I felt guilty for the night Alistair and I spent together before I left for New York.

I hated it. Feeling guilty about everything, but even worse than that was the uncertainty.

Alistair made it clear that he wanted me. But did he want me for one night, two, or a couple of months? Was it a relationship he wanted or just sex?

He’d been divorced for a while, but he didn’t have a girlfriend. And he had his pick, judging from the way women treated him at the brewery.

What if he was just a hook-up kind of guy and not someone who was looking for anything serious?

I worried that if I let my heart take over, it might be in for another beating if Alistair and I wanted very different things from each other. It always felt complicated when it came to Alistair.

I raced through the airport terminal, hoping like hell that the flight didn’t leave yet.

If I miss it, that’s a sign, I told myself. Maybe it really wasn’t meant to be if that happens.

I didn’t miss it. I was the last one boarded, but I made it. I couldn’t quite bring myself to believe that that was a sign, but at least it didn’t rule anything out.

Out of breath, I stepped onto the plane and hurriedly made my way to my seat. I spotted Benedict several rows back and waved at him. Alistair was a row behind him, sitting next to Bethany. He nodded at me, looking relieved I’d made it.

As I went to stow my carry-on in the overhead bin, the man sitting next to my aisle seat stood up.

"Here, let me help you with that," he offered with a smile. He reached to grab my bag from me.

Before he could take it, I felt a hand on my waist. I turned to see Alistair smiling at me.

"I've got it," Alistair said to the man, gently moving me aside and easily lifting my suitcase into the compartment.

The man gave Alistair an uncertain look but sat back down without argument.

"You just made it," Alistair said. "I was getting worried when they started boarding that you wouldn't make the flight."

"Me too, I hit every red light on the way here," I said. "Good thing traffic cleared up just in time."

Alistair smiled, looking genuinely relieved I'd made it. That warm grin still made my heart skip a beat.

"Well, I should let you get to your seat," I said, moving to slip past Alistair to my aisle spot.

But Alistair gently stopped me with a hand on my arm.

"Actually, do you mind if we trade spots?" he asked the man in the seat next to mine. The man hesitated to answer so Alistair added, "I'd love to sit with my girlfriend for the flight."

My eyes widened in surprise. Girlfriend? But I didn't correct him.

The man glanced between us and obligingly stood up again.

"No problem, enjoy the flight together," he said politely before heading back to Alistair's vacated seat.

I raised an eyebrow at Alistair.

Alistair just winked and gestured for me to take the window seat. I felt a flutter in my stomach as I slid in next to him.

“Playing my fake boyfriend again?” I asked cheekily.

Alistair chuckled as we settled in our seats.

"Hope that wasn't too presumptuous," he said. "Just wanted an excuse to be close to you." His eyes were soft, unsure.

I felt my cheeks warm. "It's okay with me," I said.

Alistair reached over and laced his fingers through mine, stroking his thumb over my knuckles absently.

“I feel like we need to make up for lost time as much as possible, even if it’s just through sitting next to you on an airplane.”

When I didn't pull away, Alistair's grip tightened gently, our hands resting together on my thigh.

I liked that he wanted to be near me, even if we didn’t talk. Then Alistair leaned close.

“I’m glad Benedict came when he did, so we didn’t miss this flight,” he whispered. “But I also want to punch him for interrupting us.”

I glanced down at my lap. He squeezed my hand tighter. “How about you?”

“Punch Benedict? No way. He could take me with a hand tied behind his back.” I looked at him sideways. “But I’ll admit he has terrible timing.”

“He also has terrible ideas,” Alistair said, still whispering conspiratorially. “He wanted he and I to share a room to save on business expenses. But I vetoed that.”

“I have a separate room anyway,” I pointed out, realizing he’d brought that up to hear my reaction.

To verify that I was already thinking along the lines of spending time with Alistair alone, in a hotel room.

I rolled my lips. “You could have doubled up to save cash.”

Alistair’s mouth turned in a half-grin, seeming to like my answer.

Then he shook his head. “Benedict snores like a buzzsaw, so it’s worth the extra expense.”

We had to stop talking then, to listen to the safety procedures, but Alistair didn’t let go of my hand. He rubbed his thumb over my knuckles again and again.

After we were in the air, my hand still in his, I felt him staring at me. So I turned to face him, and he smiled broadly.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said. “Bed hair, or freshly showered and ready for business. You’re amazing, Liliana.”

I felt my cheeks warm up at the compliments. And the rest of me warmed up at the way Alistair was looking at me, lust obvious in his gaze.

“I know it’s a cliche,” I said, “but you’re not so bad yourself.”

Again, I wondered how no other woman had snapped up such an amazing man as Alistair.

Handsome, successful, charming, so damn thoughtful.

What was not to like? To love?

He grinned at that, and in a few minutes, he whispered, “You know, if Benedict hadn’t shown up when he did, I think we’d have both looked pretty rough when he finally came. Because I was definitely going to mess your hair up even more.”

My whole body went hot at how much I’d wanted that.