While musing through all these thoughts had kept him occupied, it hadn't kept him from stealing a few glances in the cutie's direction. Dash kept an eye on her, his gaze drifting to the side of his laptop screen to snatch a few more details about her. Her eyes were big and blue, of that he was well aware. They’d hit him like a bolt of lightning the first time she’d looked at him. Her hair was long and brown with a bunch of loose waves. When she’d pulled it out of the makeshift bun she had on the top of her head, he’d admired her tousled mane even more. Currently, she was pulling it to the side and twisting the curls into submission by combing them with her fingers. Her lashes were thick and dark and fluttered beautifully against her pale skin. When she laughed, she closed her eyes. It was as if she took a moment to savor whatever it was that had delighted her. She was definitely more “the girl next door” than someone who'd sneak into the bathroom for a quick fuck. Hell, no. She had that Bambi-look, all wide-eyed and innocent.
He looked back at his screen. The latest tabloid news had a front-page picture of Ian with seven or eight girls hanging on him. Though he knew it was a different photo, they all looked the same no matter what paper was using Ian for sales. Ian's girls all had bleached blonde hair, heavy, black eye makeup, and a hard edge. Most were so skinny their bones nearly poked through their skin. The guys always joked that Ian’s had as many girls as he had coins in his pocket, and they were just as loose. For a cover story, those women didn't give a shit about privacy. In a hotel room or the band bus, they were happy to spread their legs or give a blow job as long as the payout was right. As Dash sneaked another look at America's sweetheart sitting across from him, he was glad she didn't know who he was right now. It might better his chances with her.
"Flight 1013 to Tampa will now be boarding at Gate C-26." The announcement over the PA system had her looking over in his direction.
"This is us. Thanks for coming to my rescue." Her blue eyes were gleaming. Sunlight coming through the window caught them as she bent at the waist. She was still smiling at him as she closed her laptop. The effect highlighted the silver within the blue. It shot a bullet of desire through his heart.
"Not a problem. Glad I could help." Suddenly, he remembered that he didn't know her name. He set out to remedy the situation. "By the way, I'm Darren. Most people call me Dash."
"Skylar Harrison." A delicate shrug shook her shoulders. "Also known as Eden Skye. You know, in case you want to read a sexy romance novel." The information was accompanied by a soft laugh. "I know you asked me my name before, but I honestly can't remember if I answered you. I was a little discombobulated at the time."
The tiny confession, so honest and sincere, made him suddenly want to be her priest. At least then he could discover if there were any sins within the heart she, so obviously, wore on her sleeve. He found himself wanting to assure her that her clumsiness had no bearing on his opinion of her.
"You're fine. You aren't the first person to spill coffee in this place, and I'm pretty sure you won't be the last." His words of consolation brought forth another smile, accomplishing the ease he’d intended.
"It was nice talking to you." She turned back toward her editor, whom she referred to as Vince. The two quickly gathered their belongings, and he did the same. He watched them line up according to their boarding position, all the while trying to see where an opportunity might arise to talk to her again. Skylar was lost in conversation with Vince, unaware he was enjoying the feast his observation brought. He intended to look for any chance to get her to remember him.
As he passed her in line, she gifted him a shy smile making his chest ache and his heart squeeze. He didn't know how she did it, but he couldn't remember any woman having the same effect on him. Unconsciously, he rubbed the spot. Yeah, this one was special. Hopefully, by the time they landed, her embarrassment from the earlier clusterfuck would be behind her.
Chapter 4
Though he usually thought himself lucky, today, he felt he was even more so. A seat across the aisle from Skylar was the opportunity he needed to have a perfect view of her for the entire flight. Looking up, with his eyes toward the sky, he thanked his good fortune. She looked over at him with a shy flutter of lashes and a graceful smile on her lips. As a passenger held up the line with a luggage struggle, he shifted in his seat, leaning in her direction so he could talk to her across the aisle. "The way you're looking at me says that you’re still self-conscious about dropping your stuff in the airport. You need to let it go."
Her tone was hushed. "I didn’t realize I was so transparent.” Doubt showed in the shrug of her shoulders. “Thanks for saying that. I do still feel weird about it, but it’s nice of you to try to make me feel better."
"It could've happened to anyone, sweetheart,” he consoled her. “Don't be so hard on yourself."
"Sorry to disappoint you, but that's an understatement. I'm always harder on myself than anyone could ever be."
Pink bloomed in her cheeks making him frown. It wasn't right that someone so perfect was so self-critical. She couldn’t see how rare, but how wrong, that trait was. Though he might not know her well, even he could see Skylar’s perfectionistic qualities. As if to prove his point, she lowered the tray on the back of the seat in front of her and began to type away on her laptop. It was a sure sign she took her work seriously. That fact alone put her above more than a quarter of the population of the United States.
Dash looked at his phone, though he wasn’t really paying attention to it. With his chin dropped down, his eyes tipped up, and as he stole occasional glances across the aisle, he made mental notes.
Where he usually took time spent in the air as an opportunity to sleep, he was confident he wouldn't be doing any of that on this flight. Instead, he would look for chances to interact with Skylar. That odd pulling sensation he had toward her grew more potent by the minute. He couldn't explain it. The best he could come up with was the feeling he had when an Eric Clapton guitar went up for auction. The minute he looked at it, he knew it was supposed to be his. Many people had tried to outbid him at that charity auction, but he hadn’t stopped until he’d gotten what he wanted. He won that Clapton guitar. He intended to win Skylar too.
It wasn't a long flight, but it was enough time to think of something clever to get her number or ask her out for coffee. He watched her, looking up from his laptop throughout the first hour of the flight. For the past five minutes, she’d been rummaging through the bag that had been tucked under the seat in front of her. He leaned over the arm of his chair. "Missing something?"
"Not really. Just trying to put some order to this mess." She motioned to the bag. "We have about an hour or so before we land. I'll have it sorted by then."
He nodded. "So, what kind of book are you working on? A love story?"
"She doesn't just write love stories," a male voice interjected, making it apparent Vince had been eavesdropping. Since he was a tall man, all he had to do was turn his head to chime in. He could see Dash just fine. "Skylar has two master’s degrees: journalism and creative writing. She writes books, articles, and op-ed pieces and she's damn good at it." He smiled proudly. Skylar’s cheeks were currently sporting a healthy shade of pink. "She notices everything, and she soaks in that information like a sponge. I wouldn't put it past this girl to win a Pulitzer."
Vince's comments earned him a snarky look from Skylar. A sigh rolled over her lips as her brows pulled together. "Yeah. Right."
"What?" He peered over the top of his reading glasses and peered down his nose at her. "Don't look at me like that. It's possible. You work your ass off, and you're good. People are going to notice."
Her lips tightened, and, again, she rolled her eyes, dismissing him in the process. Dash watched the exchange, amusement curling his lip. They seemed more like father and daughter than business counterparts.
"Right. I'll take that look as a compliment." He returned his attention back to his work, but when Skylar looked over at Dash, Vince quickly pivoted and pointed hi
s index finger down toward her head. He mouthed the words "she's good" to Dash. Sky must have seen Dash's gaze go above her head because she quickly snapped her head back to Vince. He gave her an innocent look as he pulled his hand back down. Dash was humored by the exchange. He leaned closer.
"So, I'll ask again. What are you working on?"
"I've just finished writing a novel, and you guessed right, it's a contemporary romance. I'm going through Vince's edits on that. As he told you, I also write articles for magazines. I have two galley proofs of those to go through. That's a formality, really. If a magazine accepts an article for publication, I have very little to do with it at that point. When I first started doing it, I didn't think much about it, but magazine and journal topics have been my bread and butter. I like writing novels better, though. I'm hoping that one of them will do so well indie I'll crack open the big five in New York. Of course, if you listen to Vince, I'll have them begging at my feet."
Upon hearing his name, Vince stuck up a hand for a wave, then pulled it back down, making it clear he continued to listen in on their conversation. A protective measure, for sure. Good for him.
Her eyes softened, a pleasant expression warming her features. Even when she was kidding, when she talked about writing, her whole face lit up.
Seeing Skylar smile did something to him. His heart lurched. It was as if seeing her happy jump-started his heart. He figured it had something to do with that odd connection he’d first felt at the airport. He was such a cynic when people talked about love at first sight, but there was something about this girl. He sure as hell wasn't in love, but he was definitely "in like" with her.
Skylar turned toward Vince, then stood. She paused a step as she walked past him. "I'll be right back." Dash nodded. In the meantime, Vince moved into her aisle seat and watched until she disappeared into the lavatory. A question raised his brows as he looked over at Dash. It was apparent he was protective of her. If Dash hoped to get to know her better, Vince wasn't someone he wanted to alienate.
"So, she's that good, huh?"
Vince's head tipped. "She’s better than that good, and I believe what I said. One day she will have them begging for her work." His confident tone said it was more a question of when, not if, it would happen.
"I would never have guessed. She doesn't seem pretentious at all."
"She isn't, and I'm not sure what a stereotypical writer looks like in your head, but she's the real deal. Her writing is honest. More than that, it’s relatable." He paused. Pride softened his brow and lifted his cheeks as he nodded. "And that's what makes her so damn good—even if she can't see it herself. It's a gift, really, how she watches people and sees the stories in their eyes. She writes it how she feels it. She doesn't try to spin the narratives for the masses. She simply observes, plots, and writes the tale as it comes into her head. People resonate with her take on things because they see themselves in her characters. Her biggest problem is that she underestimates herself."
Noting Skylar's return down the aisle, Vince indicated their conversation was over with a nod of his head. He slid back over to his seat and pulled down the armrest before Sky returned.
As she passed by, his eyes lifted to hers. She flicked a glance at him and gave him a responsive smile. Dash watched her with interest. He liked that she was unpretentious. Being humble wasn't as common these days as it was when he was a kid. People bragged on themselves without saying a word. A pair of Frye boots or a Hermes bag silently told people you could afford the finer things. Of course, some people would tell you directly in conversation how wonderful they were. He couldn't count how many people had tried to impress him with "I did this" and "I did that" conversations. It was nice to meet a woman who didn't try to impress, instead she let her actions speak for themselves.
His eyes softened as his mouth took a curve. He watched her scroll the screen of her phone with her thumb. His gaze traced her contours, admiring her assets. Time trudged forward and he realized that, somehow, by the time they landed in Tampa, he needed to come up with a plan to get to know her better. He was determined to see her again. He just hadn't figured out how to do that. One thing was for sure, the idea they would part ways once their flight had ended was no longer an option.
Chapter 5
Dash looked at his watch. There wasn't much time left on the flight. Though he'd offered to buy her a drink, she’d politely declined. She never noticed his observations. Instead, she was lost in a universe of words.
He grinned, the lazy curve filling his lips. He liked Skylar, from what little he knew of her. What pleased him most was she had no idea who he was. Not one sign of recognition teased her eyes. To her, he was just another guy. It helped that, before this trip, he’d shaved off his long beard and cut his shoulder-length hair. While the band had a two-week hiatus between their concert in Florida and their next gig at National Harbor in Washington, D.C., Dash was using the time to complete his move and take care of some personal business. Running back and forth between Florida and Maryland left little time for pleasure. But meeting Skylar at the airport? That was an added bonus.
For the remainder of the flight, she paid no attention to him. A set of Bose headphones dented her hair as she tuned out everything around her.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are beginning our final descent into Tampa. Please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in the full and upright, locked position."
Dash's heart raced as Vince got her attention. He'd come up with somewhat of a plan during the last half hour. If it worked, he'd see her again.
A smile split his lips as he watched her slide the headphones to the back of her neck. His fingers twitched with jealousy as he wondered what it would feel like to thread his fingers through her long mane. It was crazy, he knew. He should have dismissed their chance meeting, but he couldn't. Somehow, he felt like the fates were smiling on him today. He felt like a schoolboy, the way she made his heart race. The driving beat of his pulse felt like a mini drummer had crawled inside his skin. Thankfully, he was sitting across from her, or he might have scared her away. She missed the way he watched her with anticipation in his eyes.
As if she could hear his thoughts, Skylar stood and turned. A coy smile stretched her glossy lips. Dash read the act as an invitation. It was the extra dose of encouragement he needed to carry through his plan. He returned her smile, watching her as she reached up high to put something into the overhead compartment. Her tight, gently worn jeans hugged her ass in all the right places. The hemline of her top rose above the waistband an inch or so as she stretched, giving him a glimpse of lightly tanned skin. Apparently, she wasn't as much a recluse as he believed most writers to be. He guessed her skin had been kissed by the sun a few times from what he could tell by the slight tan. Lucky sun.
Clicking metal filled the cabin space with sound as passengers fastened their seat belts. Dash kicked his bag under the seat in front of him, savoring his view of Sky as she tugged at the bottom of her shirt and took her place. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a piece of gum to aid in equalizing the pressure in his ears. Skylar laid her head back during the descent, and he did the same. Within fifteen minutes, they were on the ground. He'd have to improvise some of what he planned to say and do, but he thought the strategy would work. The last thing he wanted was to use the "I'm in a band" line. Though he knew other guys would take advantage of that status, he avoided that line like the plague. His private life was nearly non-existent, but he would enjoy whatever moments of anonymity he could get. Even if his identity escaped her for a little while, it would be refreshing while it lasted.
There’d been only six people separating them as they disembarked, but, once up the gangway and into the airport, the crowd grew thick, and he lost sight of her. Fuck! This couldn't be happening.
As he scouted the masses, irritation bristled the small hairs on the back of his neck. Taking cautious steps, he searched for the girl with a sexy ass and mop of curls. Dash quickly scanned through the score
s of people. He focused on the restroom area, which was usually the first place people headed once they'd gotten off their plane. Instead of air, stress was now the constant pressure in his head. He was about to give up and move on when he saw Vince come out of the men's room. A sigh of relief escaped his chest when Skylar appeared from the opposite door. He lingered for just a moment, hoping that if he followed a few steps behind them, they wouldn't notice he trailed them.
While on the moving walkway, he saw a week-old poster of the band up ahead. They had finished playing their date in Tampa, but it hadn't yet been removed. A green "sold out" banner was plastered over the date and time. Beneath the bold, black letters was a photo of the band members. Thank God he no longer resembled the man in the advertisement, or his plan could've gone up in smoke. He didn't look anything like he did nearly two weeks before. The bleached blond color that he’d worn well past his shoulders was now lying in a trash heap somewhere between the hair salon and the landfill.
Dash’s eyes lingered on the advertisement for a moment. For one millisecond, he nearly fell into the same mindset that made Ian a self-serving asshole. An errant thought raced across his mind, you don't chase chicks. They chase you, lit up in red, neon letters. He quickly dismissed it. Though the other guys bought into all that bullshit, he was a bit more down to earth. Besides, Skylar didn't seem like the kind of girl who was easily impressed—and that was okay with him. He liked a challenge.
As Dash entertained the egotistical thoughts, he calmly followed Sky into the baggage claim area. The air hummed with voices. He planned to ease over to where she was standing, keep the conversation light, and hope she didn't notice he had no baggage to claim.
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