Chapter 30

30

MERRITT

W hen I saw the man sitting in my aisle seat, my heart sank. I’d specifically chosen that seat because I liked the freedom to get up whenever I wanted without bothering anyone. Being stuck in a middle or window seat felt suffocating. I knew that sounded like first-world problems, but I paid for it. Technically, my boss did, but still. We paid, but he didn’t.

I looked at the guy—broad-shouldered, wearing oversized headphones, and casually perusing the magazine in his hands. I felt my anxiety increase. He definitely didn’t look like someone who wanted to be disturbed.

I shuffled awkwardly in the aisle, trying to decide if I should say something more or just let it go.

Kannon’s voice came from right behind me. “What’s wrong?”

I pointed to the seat invader. My ticket was clear it was my assigned spot. I had no choice but to tell him.

“Excuse me,” I said, trying to keep my voice gentle. “I think you’re in my seat.”

The guy didn’t bother glancing up at me. “I don’t think so.”

Kannon reached out and tapped the guy on the shoulder.

The man slowly pulled off his headphones and looked up, irritated. “What?”

“You’re in the wrong seat,” Kannon said flatly.

The man shrugged. “So?”

Kannon stared at him, unamused. “So move.”

Without a word, the guy put his headphones back on and returned to his magazine.

I wanted to evaporate. I glanced up the aisle, but the flight attendant was busy with other passengers. “Kannon, please,” I said, tugging at his arm. “Let’s just sit down. It’s a short flight. Not worth it.”

But Kannon ignored me. He tapped the guy again, harder this time.

The man yanked his headphones off, visibly annoyed. “What now?”

“You’re in her seat,” Kannon said, nodding toward me. “Move it.”

The man leaned to the side, gesturing at the people still waiting in the aisle. “How about you be a big boy, sit down, and stop holding everyone up?”

I could feel the burn of eyes on us as the line stalled. My stomach churned with anxiety. I rifled through my bag, praying I had some Tums or anything to calm the acid rising in my throat.

Kannon, on the other hand, was cool as a cucumber. He pointed to the window seat again. “Move. Now.”

The man chuckled, looking Kannon up and down. “Pipsqueak.”

I froze, my hand in my bag. Oh, no.

“If you wanted this seat, you should have bought it,” Kannon said. His voice was low and gave me goosebumps. “But you didn’t pay for it. She did. So, you’re going to get your ass up and put it in the seat you did pay for.”

“Buddy you’re going to want to sit your ass down before I put you down,” the man said.

I groaned. I knew exactly what was coming.

Kannon glanced at me. I shook my head. “Don’t.”

“Sir, did you just put something down your pants?” Kannon’s voice rang out loud and clear throughout the entire cabin.

The man’s face went pale. “What?”

“That’s disgusting,” Kannon said, louder now, turning to the flight attendant a few rows back. “Ma’am, did you see what this pervert just?—”

“I’ll move!” The guy practically leapt out of his seat and shuffled over to the window.

Kannon plopped down in the middle seat. He leaned in close to the guy. “I don’t want to hear you breathe for the rest of this flight. Got it?”

The man didn’t respond. He just stared out the window, defeated.

I slid into the aisle seat, clutching my bag to my chest and trying to process what had just happened. I had not expected to make such a ruckus. I was not that person. I didn’t start drama. I avoided it. I was the one that could compromise.

Kanon looked over at me and offered a satisfied smile. “Comfortable?”

“You didn’t have to do that,” I hissed.

“I didn’t do anything.”

I tucked my purse under the seat in front of me.

“Shoot, I need to put my duffel in the overhead bin,” he said.

Kannon stood up to put his duffel bag in the overhead bin. As he reached up, his T-shirt rode up slightly, revealing a strip of skin and toned abs. I caught myself staring and quickly looked away, my cheeks flushing.

“See something you like?” he teased as he sat back down, catching my gaze.

I rolled my eyes, trying to play it cool. “Just making sure you don’t cause any more trouble.”

He chuckled. “Me? Trouble? Never.”

The flight attendants began their safety demonstration. I tried to focus on their monotone instructions, but my mind was elsewhere. Kannon leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear. “You know they never actually listen to this part, right? Everyone just tunes them out.”

“That guy is going to be trouble,” I murmured.

Kannon shrugged, adjusting himself in his seat. “Let him try.”

He had me flustered. Not in a bad way, but there was something about him sticking up for me that really excited me. It was hot. It made me want to drag him into the bathroom and have my way with him. I loved the alpha thing. I didn’t think I did, but when he did it, it was super sexy.

The plane started down the runway. I felt a sudden rush of adrenaline. My thoughts kept drifting back to him, that ridiculous confrontation, and how easily he had asserted himself. What was he going to think of Miami? I hoped like hell no one else messed with him. The last thing we needed was to get kicked off the airline. I didn’t realize I was traveling with a man with such a short fuse.

“Good?” I asked once we were airborne.

“I’m fine. I don’t like flying, but that doesn’t mean I’m afraid of it. It’s just not something I jump at the chance to do.”

“Got it.”

I took off my seatbelt and reached for my purse that was loaded with snacks. Kannon reached for the screen in front of him, messing with it with a scowl on his face.

“It’s not working,” he said, tapping the screen again. Then he turned to me, and his expression shifted. “What about yours?”

“Honestly? I wasn’t planning on watching anything,” I admitted, opening my bag of mixed nuts. “It’s a short flight. I figured I’d nap.”

He raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his seat. “Sleep?”

I shrugged. “Sure.”

Kannon’s lips curled into a smirk. “Alright, princess. Sweet dreams,” he said. “I’ll stand guard. Someone steals your seat, I’m sure they’ll have no problem snatching your snacks.”

“Princess?” I arched an eyebrow at him, surprised by the nickname.

“It suits you,” he said.

“And I’m almost afraid to ask what you would do if someone tried to steal my cookies,” I teased.

He grinned, his eyes brightening with mischief. “They’ll wish they packed a parachute.”

I chuckled, leaning back in my seat. “I had no idea you were so…”

“Cranky? Heroic.”

“Don’t say it,” I groaned and rolled my eyes.

“Say what?” he asked, feigning innocence.

“That you’re my hero or whatever.”

He grinned, leaning back in his seat. “I wasn’t going to say it. But if you want to, I won’t stop you.”

I shook my head. “I would have been perfectly fine sitting in the middle seat.”

“You don’t have to be perfectly fine doing anything you don’t want to do,” he said.

I held out the bag. “Eat some nuts.”

He raised his eyebrows but he took the bag from me, nonetheless. “Are you trying to silence me with food, princess?”

“No, just offering them,” I replied, unable to stop a grin from spreading across my face.

“If there’s food in my mouth I won’t talk?”

“One can only hope.”

When the flight attendant came by with drinks, Kannon ordered a ginger ale, which made me laugh again.

“What’s so funny about ginger ale?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Nothing. It’s just such a grandma drink.”

He smirked, taking a sip. “Grandma drink, huh? Says the woman with dry, boring nuts.”

“Sorry my nuts aren’t exciting enough for you,” I defended, while he laughed playfully at my expense. “They’re a good source of… something.”

“Yeah?” Kannon leaned back in his chair, popping a few of the nuts in his mouth before continuing. “I’d wager they’re a good source of nothing but salt. And cotton mouth.”

I couldn’t help but smile. His teasing manner was reminiscent of the old Kannon. For a moment, I realized that we sounded like one of those couples you’d spy on during a flight. Comfortable and familiar like we had been together for years instead of days.

He wiped his hands on his pants. “What else you got in there?” He nodded at my purse. “Something sweet. Or stout. I could use a shot.”

I rolled my eyes. “No liquor. But I have cookies or a candy bar.”

His eyes lit up at the mention of sweets. “Hit me with the cookies.”

I rummaged through my bag, pulling out the pack of chocolate chip cookies. He reached out his hand to take them, but I pulled them back with a teasing grin. “Promise you won’t be an alpha jerk when we land?”

Kannon rolled his eyes. “I can’t make promises I can’t keep,” he said, trying to stifle his laughter. “I don’t take shit, and if you’re with me, you’re certainly not going to take shit either.”

“Wow, always the defender,” I said, tossing him the packet of cookies. “Noted.”

He caught it and tore into the packaging, not caring about the crumbs that spilled onto his jeans. He munched happily, his eyes closing for a moment in sweet indulgence.

I watched him with a soft smile. The man had been through so much, but still his spirit shone through.

“Did I earn my knighthood?” he asked.

“What?” I blinked, wondering if I had dozed off and missed part of a conversation.

“Since I’m vowing to protect you, I feel like that grants me knighthood. You can call me Sir Kannon.”

I raised an eyebrow, stifling a chuckle. “Sir Kannon? Seriously?”

“Why not?”

“Well, for starters, you’re eating chocolate chip cookies like a five-year-old, not like a knight,” I pointed out.

“Did you know,” he began while waving a half-eaten cookie in my face for emphasis, “that during the medieval ages knights ate whatever they could get their hands on? They didn’t care how it looked.”

“Are you trying to impress me with your knowledge of the eating habits of medieval knights?” I asked, feigning astonishment.

“Maybe.”

“I would have thought you forgot about your knighthood. Do you remember when we used to watch Princess Bride and that Heath Ledger movie…” I trailed off. “What was it called?”

I knew exactly what the name was, but I wanted to know if he still remembered.

“A Knight’s Tale.”

I grinned. “How many times have you watched it in the last ten years? Be honest.”

He shrugged. “Once or twice.”

“Liar!”

For the rest of the flight, we bantered back and forth, stealing each other’s snacks and flipping through the in-flight magazine to make fun of overpriced gadgets.

When the plane finally landed, I glanced over at him, feeling lighter than I had in weeks. He caught me looking. “What?”

“Nothing,” I said, smiling. “Just glad you’re here.”

“Yeah,” he said with a smirk. “Me too.”