I let him be, hanging up his coat. I checked on my other two passengers, who sat in the last row of first class. I sent an unmoved James a glance as I walked back into the galley to prepare two Jack and cokes.
He kept his eyes tightly shut even on takeoff. I watched him, my brow furrowed. Stephan glanced between the two of us.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
I gave my little shrug. “I don’t know. He doesn’t like me being friendly with Damien and Murphy. But I am, and I’ve only known James for a week. I don’t understand him at all.”
Stephan sighed. “I told Damien that you were involved with someone. He took it well, but he was obviously bummed about it. You know he’s always liked you.”
My eyes widened. “He always likes every woman he meets. What does that have to do with anything?”
Stephan gave me a meaningful look, then shook his head. “Never mind. Once James realizes just how unreceptive you are to any interest on Damien’s part, I’m sure he’ll be more reasonable.”
I rolled my eyes. Reasonable did not seem to be part of James’s repertoire, so far as I had seen.
At ten thousand feet I rose and began my service promptly, in spite of the fact that it would only take minutes, and then I would have hours to kill.
I stopped by a still unmoving James, debating whether to ask him if he needed anything, or just to pass him by, pretending he was sleeping. I knew he wasn’t by his hard mouth and clenched fists.
I decided to tend to the other passengers first, easily putting off the decision on how to deal with him.
I served the couple two more cocktails, and two waters, heading back to James. I sat in the empty seat beside him, but he still didn’t open his eyes. I touched his hand lightly, then his arm.
“Mr. Cavendish?” I asked him quietly.
“Didn’t I warn you what would happen if you touched me in front of other people?” he asked without opening his eyes.
I looked around. “No one can see us, so I don’t think this technically counts.”
He grabbed my hand, quick as a snake, placing it firmly against his rock hard cock. He was so ready to go. I was shocked. Just sitting here on the plane, fully aroused…
“Are you always hard?” I asked him quietly, almost more curious than anything else, though I was far from unmoved by his ardor.
He smiled, a pained smile. “Of course not. Just most of the time, lately.”
He moved against me slightly as he spoke, and I gripped him without thinking. He groaned.
I pulled back and stood, realizing what I’d been doing and where. And how fast it would lead to something more. I couldn’t believe my lack of control.
“I need to get back to work. Can I get you anything?”
He just gave me an ironic, arched look, his arousal obvious where he lounged, hands on his armrests now. “I don’t need a drink, if that’s what you’re asking.”
I left him hastily. Things were quickly getting out of hand.
I hand served the snack since I only had three passengers. James nodded that yes, he wanted the snack, then didn’t move. I had to open his tray table for him, something I did often. But folding it open on top of his impressive arousal was definitely a new experience for me.
He gave me a very heated, heavy-lidded gaze as I moved on.
Damned temperamental, arousing man, I thought in agitation.
I served the pilots next, then served the couple several more rounds of cocktails. They looked about ready to pass out, but still spoke quietly to each other and drank heavily.
As I re-entered my galley, I nearly jumped, my hand going to my heart.
“Damien, you startled me,” I told the pilot. Stephan was helping in back, and I hadn’t expected to find anyone behind the curtain when I’d swung it open.
He just smiled. “Sorry, beautiful. How’s it goin’? Are you bored out of your mind with an empty cabin?” he asked, knowing that I liked to keep busy.
I nodded, smiling. “I may have to cut off the couple in first class. They’re slurring their words, but show no signs of stopping. That’ll add a bit of excitement, if they’re the usual disgruntled drunks I’m used to dealing with.”
He flexed an arm. “Lemme know if you need a hand. I’d be happy to throw my weight around for you,” he joked.
I just laughed. “That won’t be necessary. They’ll probably just send me nasty looks for the rest of the flight, if I’ve judged them correctly.”
“So Stephan tells me that you’re actually seeing someone now. I thought you didn’t date… And he told me it’s pretty serious. Is that true?” he asked. That line of questioning is inappropriately personal, I thought. And it came out of left field.
My eyes widened in dismay at a number of his comments. I thought it was possible James could hear us from his close seating. I didn’t want him to think that I was telling people falsehoods about our purely sexual relationship, so I was quick to correct the Captain.
“Serious? No, of course not. I’ve only known him for a week. We’re actually not even dating. It’s…complicated.”
Damien looked way, way too happy with my explanation. An explanation that I never would have given Damien if I didn’t want James to be sure that I would correct any false assumptions about what we had going.
Damien was the type of guy I could be friends with, but he wasn’t anyone I would have confided in about a rocky relationship. I felt like I had revealed way too much, by his reaction. He positively beamed at me.
“Ah, I see. So you’re not gonna break my heart by going off the market, before I’ve even had a shot?” he teased, giving me a harmless smile.