framed by the long, dark lashes that now rested softly against the tops of his cheeks. His chin was strong and well-defined, his cheekbones perfectly balanced and his lips were full and beautifully shaped. His nose, though reportedly broken on more than one occasion, was remarkably straight considering, and seemed perfectly proportioned to his face. Perversely, she searched for any sign of a flaw upon his handsome features, an unappealing scar, a blemish, an unsightly mole, but she couldn’t find a single thing that detracted from the sheer beauty of his face. Unbelievable!
Distracted a moment later by the sudden ignition and gentle roar of the plane’s twin engines, Britney tore her gaze from Jake’s ridiculously perfect features and directed it out the window. Watching as they slowly made their way to the runway, she felt an uncomfortable tightening in her chest. Turning from the window, she leaned her head against the high seatback and closed her eyes. Breathe , she told herself , just breathe .
Keeping her eyes firmly closed, she tried to focus on the simple act of forcing air into and out of her lungs as the plane taxied to the runway. Nonetheless, her fingers clutched spasmodically against the armrests just a few moments later as the engines revved and the plane began to shoot forward. Then, as the sleek jet lifted into the air, she struggled to fight back the wave of terror that flooded through her as her last bit of safety and security abruptly slipped away.
“Nervous fly er?”
The sound of his voice s tartled her and she jerked as if she’d received an unexpected shock of electricity. Her eyes flew open and she turned her head in Jake’s direction. His own eyes were open and he was staring at her questioningly. “Sorry, what?” she asked, flustered.
“I asked if you were a nervou s flyer,” he repeated, arching his left brow as his gaze moved pointedly to where her fingers were still digging into the armrests of her seat.
“Oh…um… yes, just a little bit,” she lied, as she forced her fingers to relax their hold on the supple leather. “It’s nothing really.” She gave him a brittle, half smile and then turned her head back to the window.
Could have fooled me , Jake thought to himself. The Ice Queen looked like she was scared to death. He watched her curiously for a minute as she gazed out the window, but after a while he allowed his eyes to drift shut once again. A few minutes later, Allison tapped him on the shoulder to let him know that it was safe to lie down. She handed him a pillow and a blanket, asking him if there was anything else he needed, before quietly moving away. He was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Much to Allison and Heidi’s noticeable chagrin, and Britney’s relief, Jake slept through the entire flight to Sun Valley. Though less obvious than the other two women, her gaze had drifted in his direction more than once during the flight, her eyes lingering upon his handsome face and his large athletic body stretched out along the couch. She waited for him to start snoring, secretly hoped for it even, but of course he didn’t, breathing silently in and out in a tranquil rhythm instead. Perfect even in slumber. Why wasn’t she surprised?
They were about fifteen minutes from the airport when Allison finally woke Jake from his nap, lightly touching his shoulder as she leaned over him, speaking to him in a low voice.
Looking out the window as they began their descent, Britney scanned the scenery below. Sun Valley was one of the many domestic playgrounds of the rich and famous and the numerous, elaborate vacation homes sprinkled across the landscape attested to that fact. Jake’s property was likely amongst the collection of grandiose estates they passed over, dwellings that only the super wealthy could get away with referring to as cabins . The notion brought her a small measure of relief as
Distracted a moment later by the sudden ignition and gentle roar of the plane’s twin engines, Britney tore her gaze from Jake’s ridiculously perfect features and directed it out the window. Watching as they slowly made their way to the runway, she felt an uncomfortable tightening in her chest. Turning from the window, she leaned her head against the high seatback and closed her eyes. Breathe , she told herself , just breathe .
Keeping her eyes firmly closed, she tried to focus on the simple act of forcing air into and out of her lungs as the plane taxied to the runway. Nonetheless, her fingers clutched spasmodically against the armrests just a few moments later as the engines revved and the plane began to shoot forward. Then, as the sleek jet lifted into the air, she struggled to fight back the wave of terror that flooded through her as her last bit of safety and security abruptly slipped away.
“Nervous fly er?”
The sound of his voice s tartled her and she jerked as if she’d received an unexpected shock of electricity. Her eyes flew open and she turned her head in Jake’s direction. His own eyes were open and he was staring at her questioningly. “Sorry, what?” she asked, flustered.
“I asked if you were a nervou s flyer,” he repeated, arching his left brow as his gaze moved pointedly to where her fingers were still digging into the armrests of her seat.
“Oh…um… yes, just a little bit,” she lied, as she forced her fingers to relax their hold on the supple leather. “It’s nothing really.” She gave him a brittle, half smile and then turned her head back to the window.
Could have fooled me , Jake thought to himself. The Ice Queen looked like she was scared to death. He watched her curiously for a minute as she gazed out the window, but after a while he allowed his eyes to drift shut once again. A few minutes later, Allison tapped him on the shoulder to let him know that it was safe to lie down. She handed him a pillow and a blanket, asking him if there was anything else he needed, before quietly moving away. He was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Much to Allison and Heidi’s noticeable chagrin, and Britney’s relief, Jake slept through the entire flight to Sun Valley. Though less obvious than the other two women, her gaze had drifted in his direction more than once during the flight, her eyes lingering upon his handsome face and his large athletic body stretched out along the couch. She waited for him to start snoring, secretly hoped for it even, but of course he didn’t, breathing silently in and out in a tranquil rhythm instead. Perfect even in slumber. Why wasn’t she surprised?
They were about fifteen minutes from the airport when Allison finally woke Jake from his nap, lightly touching his shoulder as she leaned over him, speaking to him in a low voice.
Looking out the window as they began their descent, Britney scanned the scenery below. Sun Valley was one of the many domestic playgrounds of the rich and famous and the numerous, elaborate vacation homes sprinkled across the landscape attested to that fact. Jake’s property was likely amongst the collection of grandiose estates they passed over, dwellings that only the super wealthy could get away with referring to as cabins . The notion brought her a small measure of relief as
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