Chapter 48

48

ROAN

W aking up the next morning tangled with Alaina felt like the best thing in the world. Her hair was splayed across the pillow, her steady breathing a soothing rhythm next to me. I didn't want to move, didn't want to break this perfect moment.

I took a second to watch her sleep. Last night, I jumped. I took the leap of faith and I didn't splat on the ground like I thought I might. I couldn't believe I waited so long. I could have been with her the whole time. Instead, I was in my own way. To think I could have ended up losing her if I wouldn't have taken that chance. I might have lost her for good and then I would live with regret.

Instead, I chose to jump. I found myself in her arms and we shared something that was more than just a physical connection. It was the connection of our souls. Watching her, something within me stirred. Technically, it was something on the outside that was waking up. A little morning delight sounded like a very good idea.

But then her phone rang, jarring her awake. Alaina groaned and reached for it, fumbling to silence the ringtone. I glanced at the clock and cursed under my breath.

"You were supposed to be at the airport, like, an hour ago," I said.

Her eyes widened as she registered the time. "Oh my god, Roan! How did we oversleep?"

"I guess because we didn't set an alarm." I shrugged.

She looked at me like I had two heads. "Why aren't you freaking out?! What about Rafe?"

"I imagine he's on his way to the airport with the class. He was supposed to be flying with them. I saw the flight confirmation. Are you telling me I have too much faith in the teachers in charge of my son?"

"No, but I should be there!"

She frantically started calling the other teachers to ensure everyone made it to the airport.

I went into the other room and grabbed my phone to call my pilot. "Hey, can you get the jet ready? We're running behind. I need to be at O'Hare by two. Can you do it?"

"Do what I can," he answered.

Alaina came out of the room wearing a blanket wrapped around her. "One of the teachers just confirmed he's on the plane with the rest of his class," Alaina said with relief. "He's apparently oblivious to the fact that his dad isn't with them. He thought this was just the way it was supposed to be."

I laughed. "Good."

We looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"We're a mess," she said, shaking her head. "I guess this is the price we pay for our wild night. I need to get another flight. We can fly back together, hopefully. Although you're probably used to first class. I'll see if I can find anything with two seats."

"I have a private jet, remember?"

She rolled her eyes with a smile. "Of course you do."

"You can hitch a ride." I shrugged.

"Gee, can I?" She laughed. "You're the one that made me miss my flight."

I smirked. "We'll have lunch on the plane. And we'll get to Chicago faster than a commercial flight. There's no reason to panic."

"Okay, Mr. Billionaire," she said, laughing.

"We should get dressed. I told the pilot we would be there soon."

As we got up to get ready, Alaina's face was flushed and her eyes were bright with amusement and a hint of embarrassment. "Thank you for the ride."

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I didn't intend for you to miss your flight but I'm not sad about it. It means we get some extra time together."

She smiled, laughter still lingering in her eyes. "Maybe I should miss more flights. It's a lot better than what I had planned."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What did you have planned?"

"Oh, you know, wrangling twenty or so kids and making sure no one gets peanuts that's not supposed to. Of course there would be the kids that were bored or afraid."

"How did Rafe do on the way down?"

"He was a little nervous to fly in a big plane," she answered. "He is apparently used to your private jet."

"Yeah, I was hoping to fly with him, but that damn meeting."

"Did you get things handled?"

"Yeah, it was just a case of cold feet," I told her. "I needed to be face-to-face to talk them down."

"You mean to intimidate them." She grinned.

"No—maybe a little."

She picked up her clothes and started to dress. "I need to go get my bag. I didn't ask if Rafe got his."

"He's probably wearing the same clothes he had yesterday."

"It's fine," she assured me.

We hastily got dressed, trying to make the best of the situation. The last thing we wanted was to keep my pilot waiting, as well as have Rafe stranded.

Despite the urgency, we couldn't help but steal moments to kiss and hold each other close.

"I better go get my suitcase," she said.

"I'll come with you. I'll call a car to pick us up."

We arrived at the airfield thirty minutes later. I had called ahead and had a late breakfast, early lunch delivered to my pilot and for us. When the car rolled onto the tarmac, the pilot was waiting patiently next to the jet, talking with a couple of ground crew.

Our bags were quickly taken on board. Once we boarded the jet, Alaina looked around in awe. "I've never even flown business class before. This is a whole new world."

I watched her take it all in, feeling a sense of pride. "Welcome to my world," I said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

We settled into the plush seats for takeoff. Once we were at our cruising altitude, I retrieved our meals from the flight attendant and let her know we'd like some privacy. She went up to the cockpit with the pilot, and Alaina and I moved to the table to sit and eat.

Alaina took a bite of her sandwich and looked at me with a mischievous smile. "You know, I've always dreamed of joining the mile-high club."

I nearly choked on my sandwich. "Really?" I sputtered.

She nodded, her eyes sparkling with laughter. "Oh yes," she teased. "It's right up there with my dreams of winning the lottery and buying an alpaca farm."

"An alpaca farm?"

She shrugged, grinning widely. "Why not? Alpacas are cute."

I grinned in response to her infectious laughter. "Well, who am I to deny a lady her dreams?"

"Indeed," she replied, still smirking.

"Would you like to watch a movie?"

"Do we have time?" she asked.

I shrugged. "Maybe not, but we could still stretch out on the couch and get cozy under a blanket."

"Lead the way," she said, her eyes flashing with mischief.

We sauntered casually over to the white leather couch, which was plush and inviting. I picked out a fluffy blanket from a nearby basket and watched as Alaina sank into the cushions with a contented sigh.

Kicking off my shoes, I joined her on the couch, draping the blanket over us. Our fingers brushed against each other's as we settled in. There was that familiar jolt of electricity between us. Silently, I played with her fingers, tracing circles on her palm as she leaned against me comfortably.

"Wow," she murmured after a few moments of comfortable silence. "This is so much better than coach."

I let out a quiet laugh. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

She turned to look at me, her eyes soft and filled with love. "I really am," she whispered. "Thank you for this unexpected adventure."

It felt natural, comfortable, like we were finally where we were supposed to be. I turned her face to mine and kissed her.

"Always," I murmured against her lips. "I'm always here for unexpected adventures with you."

We fell into a peaceful silence as the plane hummed beneath us. She tilted her head back and kissed me. Last night hadn't been enough. I needed more. I pulled her into my lap, the blanket draped over her shoulders and creating a cocoon around us.

Her lips were soft against mine, the taste of her lingering from our shared meal. Her fingers threaded into my hair, pulling me closer. I cradled her body against mine, my hands exploring the curve of her back. The air was filled with the same energy crackling from last night.

If she wanted to join the mile-high club, there would definitely be a way to check it off her bucket list.

I slipped my hand under the purple sweater she wore, cupping her breast.

"What about the crew?" she whispered.

"The pilot and the attendant are in the cockpit. I asked her for some privacy earlier."

She giggled softly. "I feel so naughty."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," I murmured against her lips before pressing mine onto hers again with a growing urgency. She ground her body against mine. Soft moans echoed within the confines of the blanket, swallowed by the steady hum of the plane.

Breaking for air, a wicked grin spread across Alaina's face. "I should have clarified, joining the Mile High Club was supposed to be a joke," she whispered, her cheeks flushing adorably.

"Well, I'd like to make your dreams come true."

We both burst into laughter. There was an intimacy in shared laughter that went beyond physical closeness, a shared language that only we could understand. It was priceless to see Alaina so comfortable, so at ease in my world.

She jerked my shirt up, untucking it from my pants. The moment her nails scraped across my flesh, I sucked in a breath.

But just as we were getting lost in the moment, the pilot's voice crackled over the intercom.

"Mr. Lockhart, I'm afraid we have to divert our flight. There's a huge snowstorm rolling into Chicago, canceling all flights."

Alaina and I exchanged worried glances. She crawled out of my lap. "What does that mean?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

"It means we're going to have to land somewhere else and wait out the storm," I explained, frustration creeping into my voice. "Let me go talk to him."

I quickly fixed my shirt and ran my fingers through my hair. I walked up to the cockpit, knocking once before opening the door.

"Where are we landing?" I asked the pilot.

"We're diverting to Indianapolis," the pilot responded. "We should be able to land safely there and wait for the storm to pass."

"There's no way to land?" I asked.

"No, sir. They are diverting all flights and grounding any that were scheduled to take off."

I nodded, knowing safety was the priority, but still not happy with the change in plans.

"Okay. Thank you." I walked back to the cabin. "We're going to Indianapolis."

"Indianapolis?" Alaina repeated, looking at me. "What are we going to do there?"

"We'll figure it out," I said, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "It's just a temporary setback. We should probably take our seats."

I sat down with her across the narrow aisle. She reached over and lifted the blind on her window to look outside. "Wow," she said. "It was so beautiful an hour ago."

"Good ol' Chicago weather," I muttered.

I could see the worry in Alaina's eyes. "Hey," I said softly, lifting her chin so she would look at me. "It's okay. We'll wait it out. It's better to be safe than sorry. Besides, there's worse company to get stranded with."