by Claire Adams
"Austin, oh yes," she moaned as she reached up and pulled my head down so she could devour my lips. I could feel us both heading toward the edge of orgasm, so I sped up the tempo of my thrusts and she matched me with every beat. My hands gripped her thighs tightly as I pounded harder and harder pushing us closer to a shared climax.
"With me, Emily, cum with me," I panted as my hips thrust forward again and again.
"Yes, yes, yes!" she cried as I slipped one hand between us and stroked her hard little clit.
I felt her begin to tighten around me just as I reached the edge and began to fall over the cliff. She cried out as she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me to her. Her hips thrust forward, inviting me to go deeper as I groaned and let go. I felt the rush of release as I gave into the orgasm that enveloped us both.
As we clung to each other, still pulsing and throbbing, I ran my hands down her back and pulled her as close to me as I could. I felt as if we were one, but I didn't know if she felt the same way. I wanted her to, though.
"Emily?" I whispered.
"Yes?" she answered.
"We have dinner reservations for eight," I said and then rolled my eyes, wondering what I was doing. "We should probably get cleaned up."
"Mmm hmm," she murmured in my ear as she nipped at it, sending a wave of pleasure down my spine.
"Now, don't start me up again," I warned. "We'll never make dinner if you do that."
"And that would be bad because..." she chuckled.
I pulled back and looked at her. She smiled up at me with shining eyes that made me feel ten feet tall. I shook my head and stepped back before helping her down off the counter.
"I should probably fix my lipstick," she laughed as she looked in the mirror and wiped away a bit of lipstick that had migrated across her cheek. "And you should probably wash your face," she said looking at me in the mirror pointing to my lips. I stepped in behind her and grabbed a paper towel as I scrubbed at the dark color that had stained my lips.
"Ah well, forget it," I said after a moment. "Let them think I'm a freak who likes to wear lipstick."
"Or a man who just took advantage of a lady in a restroom," she grinned.
"Hey, who took advantage of whom?" I objected.
"I think we both did a fair job of it, wouldn't you say, Mr. Morning?" she smiled as she looked in the mirror and applied a fresh layer of gloss to her beautiful lips.
"Indeed." I nodded as I tossed the towel into the trashcan and prepared to open the door. "Shall we go have some dinner?"
"I'd love to." She smiled as she turned and faced me.
At that moment, I knew Emily Warner was going to be mine. What I didn't know was how long it would take.
Chapter Fifty-Five
Emily
As I packed my bags and got ready to go to the airport, I thought about my night with Austin and how being with him made me feel hopeful that I could change my life for the better. After our passionate encounter in the ladies room at Le Sherry Butt, we got in the car and drove to Le Meurice where Austin had arranged for us to have dinner on the terrace overlooking the Eiffel Tower.
The table had been set with exquisite care. The small table was covered with a snow-white cloth and each place setting had been polished to a high shine. There were small glass vases ringing the outer edge on the far side of the table, and each vase contained rose petals and a floating candle. When lit, the effect was a soft glow that cast a warm light on Austin's face and left me feeling overwhelmed by his attention to detail.
We dined on the finest freshly made seafood and beef dishes as we drank vintage wine and talked deep into the night. He told me more about his childhood, and I shared my dreams of traveling the world. I even told him about how when I was young I'd pour through the National Geographic magazines that my mother scrimped and saved for and cut out pictures of far off exotic places that I hoped to visit one day. Austin smiled as he listened to me talk about how I dreamed of exploring the markets in Marrakesh and then float down the Nile on a cruise ship.
He reciprocated by telling me about how he'd run the streets of Brooklyn with his best buddy, Bax, eating pizza and hitting on girls. He said that they’d struck out more often than they’d scored, but that they agreed that the fun was in simply trying.
As I listened to him talk, I felt like I was listening to the other half of my soul expressing all of my deepest desires and dreams. Everything about Austin felt right in a way that everything with Tommy felt wrong. As we talked late into the night, gathering all the details about each other so that we could replay them in the light of day, I looked at Austin and just knew that things in my life had to change. I couldn't bear living such a dull, dreary existence with Tommy. No matter how much I'd loved him in the beginning, we'd grown in very different directions and now were on a path to destruction. I knew I needed to go home and end things so that I could start anew. I wasn't entirely sure that Austin would want to start anew with me, but at this point, that wasn't the issue. My freedom was.
I tucked my travel case into my rolling bag and zipped it up as I scanned the room one more time to make sure I hadn't left anything behind. Satisfied that I had everything, I grabbed the handle of my bag and headed to the elevator. I was scheduled to work the flight back to Los Angeles and then hop a shuttle to Vegas where I'd go home and break the news to Tommy. I wasn't sure how well he'd take it, but I was certain that it was time to call a halt to our limping marriage.
Once on the plane, I chatted with my co-worker for a bit before we began preparing the cabin for our passengers' arrival. I loved the way first class was laid out and how it gave everyone a little bit of privacy on a crowded airline. Whoever had designed the cabin knew what they were doing. I checked each small pod to make sure that there were blankets and pillows ready and set a small box of chocolates on each ottoman to welcome the passengers. It was a lovely touch that always seemed to surprise and delight the passengers.
As we opened the doors and prepared to welcome everyone aboard, I checked my nametag and made sure I was wearing my brightest smile. Our first passenger required help lifting her baggage into the overhead bin, so I stepped away and let Joan be in charge of greeting everyone. I had just placed the bag in the bin and was closing the latch when I heard a familiar voice say, "Is Emily Warner on this flight?"
I spun around and saw Austin grinning at me from the doorway. My face immediately began burning as I blushed all the way to the tips of my toes. He hadn't said anything about flying back on this flight!
"Why yes, Mr. Marks," I said as I walked toward him with my hand out. "I certainly am! How may I assist you today?"
"I'm glad to see you, Ms. Warner," he said, taking my hand and shaking it. We were both trying to maintain a calm professional demeanor, but I knew down deep that he wanted what I wanted – to run off to the back and pull of clothing as we searched for new ways to sate our heated need for each other. "I'd appreciate it if you could make sure that I'm not disturbed during the flight."
"Oh, okay," I said as my smile faltered. He was on the flight to work, not because he couldn't stay away from me. I had read it all wrong – again. "I'll make sure no one disturbs you, sir."
"Except for you," he whispered as he quickly bent down and spoke into my ear. "I want you to disturb me."
"Oh!" I gasped and then smiled up at him. "I see. Yes, sir, I'll take care of it."
Austin flashed me a mischievous grin as he disappeared into his private pod, and I turned back toward the front door where more passengers were waiting for me to direct them to their seats. This was going to be an interesting flight, that was for sure.
Chapter Fifty-Six
Austin
When I walked onto the flight and saw Emily helping stow a bag in the overhead bin, I smiled. I knew she was on this flight and I'd booked a place so that I'd be able to continue our previous night's conversation. After our bathroom romp, I'd decided that trying to push it into an overnight visit in my suite would be too much,
so I'd dropped her off at her room and headed back to mine. It took everything in me not to walk back and knock on her door.
I wasn't afraid of being rejected. I knew that Emily wanted me as much as I wanted her. What I was afraid of was forcing her to make a decision and having her hate me for it later. I didn't want to end up like my father: a bitter man who'd forced everyone in his life to bend to his selfish desires and lived to regret it. If Emily was going to be with me, then she was going to have to make the choice on her own without me pressuring her.
But I wasn't above a little enticement.
I settled into my pod and looked around at the interior. When we'd designed the airline, I'd said that one of the things I disliked the most about flying was that it made me feel like just another number. There was nothing personal or unique about the interior of most airline cabins, so I'd set out to collaborate with designers who envisioned the flight experience as a way of asserting individuality, while conforming to standard regulations. These pods were the solution.
Big enough to accommodate two people sitting up and one sleeping, I saw it as a glorified sitting room. There were standard amenities in every one such as television screens that rose up from behind the ottoman, sinks with mirrors, and individual refrigerators at the back of the pod behind the main seating area. There was a tray table that could be extended to act as a desk or a dinner table for two and all of the linens were top quality Egyptian cotton. The entire pod was self contained and designed to allow the passenger to feel like they were traveling in their own airplane.
When the captain turned on the speaker and told the flight attendants to prepare for takeoff, I knew it wouldn't be long before Emily would peek in and asked if I needed anything. Moments later, the door opened and she stuck her head in.
"Do you need anything, Mr. Marks?" she smiled warmly.
"Just you," I said as I motioned for her to come in.
"I can't!" she protested. "I've got a cabin to prepare for takeoff!"
"Then come back once we're in the air," I said as I gave her the once over and sent her into a fit of giggles.
"You're crazy," she laughed.
"It's entirely possible," I said seriously. "You seem to have that effect on me."
I settled in with my laptop and began reading the files that Bax had sent me on Daniel's German business dealings. There wasn't anything new in the first several reports I read, and I began to get antsy as I continued reading. I wasn't sure we were going to be able to stop Daniel from going ahead with the Berlin project, and quite frankly, I didn't know if it mattered. What did matter was whether he stalled the Paris project. If he did, then we were going to find ourselves holding an enormous amount of debt we'd taken on in anticipation of starting the project before the end of the year. I sighed and rubbed my eyes as I looked at my watch and realized that it was almost time to eat.
"What would you like for dinner, Mr. Marks?" Emily asked as she stepped into the pod and closed the door. She looked like the consummate professional in her form fitting dress and jaunty scarf tied neatly around her neck.
"You really want to know?" I asked as I pushed the tray aside and stood up.
"Mmm hmm," she nodded. "It's my job to get you whatever you want. This is, after all, first class."
I laughed softly as I gathered her in my arms and kissed her lips lightly. She wrapped her arms around me and returned my kiss as I felt the heat rising between us again. I knew we probably shouldn't, but I couldn't help myself. When I was near her, all I wanted was to touch her and feel her touching me. I sat back down in the recliner and pulled her onto my lap as I slid a hand up under her dress.
"Oh Austin, we shouldn't..." she whispered into my lips. "I'm working!"
"I know we shouldn't, but I own the damn company, so I can," I said as my fingers slipped under the filmy fabric covering her moist center and began gently stroking the velvety folds. She moaned softly into the kiss as I played in her wetness. She was so soft, and I could feel that she wanted me, too.
"Austin..." she groaned as she stood up and slipped the panties down around her ankles before stepping out of them. She bent over and unzipped my trousers, pulling out what I knew was a raging hard on. "Oh my," she smiled as she leaned down and licked the tip of my shaft causing me to shudder and push my hips up to meet her tongue.
Emily sunk to her knees and began running her tongue up and down the length of my shaft as she coated it with her warm wet saliva. It was so slippery and wet that when she wrapped her lips around the head and began to gently suck, I groaned. I had to hold back as she worked it with her expert tongue, teasing the underside and sucking the shaft as she moved lower and lower, taking more of my length into her mouth. When she finally took the entire length of my stiff rod into the back of her throat, I gasped and looked down to see her looking up at me with those beautiful eyes. It took everything I had not to release at that moment.
She sucked her way back up to the tip of my shaft before starting a second descent. I wasn't sure I could hold out long enough for her to work her magic, so I ran my fingers through her hair and pulled her head up.
"On my lap," I said in ragged gasps. "On top. Now."
Emily smiled as she stood up and offered me the foil packet she'd tucked in the pocket of her uniform. I quickly split it open and rolled the thin sheath down over my swollen member, then grabbed Emily's arm and pulled her to me. She spread her legs as she reached down and firmly grasped my shaft as she guided it to the edge of her wet entrance. For a few moments, she rubbed the tip back and forth, covering it in her juices before sliding it up inside her needy hole. I gripped her arms as she slowly lowered herself onto me and then began gently rocking back and forth, driving me deeper and deeper.
When I started groaning, Emily bent down and covered my mouth with hers whispering, "Shhhhh, quiet," into my lips. I kissed her back as I wrapped my arms around her waist and thrust up into to her warm wetness over and over. I could hear her moaning into my lips as we moved together in time, seeking a way to get deeper into each other's bodies. I thrust up harder and faster as I felt us both on the edge of climax, and then in one long stroke, I released as she tightened around me, throbbing and pulsing.
I held her against my chest as we both caught our breath, and when she had recovered, she raised her head and looked down at me with a lazy sexy smile.
"Mr. Marks, you're going to get me fired," she said softly.
"Don't worry," I whispered. "I'm good friends with the boss."
Emily threw her head back and laughed loudly before she stood up, grabbed her panties off the floor and pulled them on again. I watched her, marveling at her beautiful body and her easy smile. She leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips before asking, "So, Mr. Marks, about dinner?"
It was my turn to laugh, and I looked up at her and said, "Just bring me whatever you think I'd like, and I'll be happy."
"Alright, then," she smiled as she turned toward the door of the pod. "I'll take care of you."
"Oh, and Emily," I blurted out. I wanted to tell her how much she already meant to me and how much I wanted her to stay here and spend the flight talking and letting our passion take over.
"Yes?" she turned and looked at me expectantly.
"Um, I'd like a beer with dinner instead of wine," I said as I looked past her into the cabin. "Just bring me whatever you've got."
"Will do, sir," she said giving me a mock salute as she exited the pod and returned to the cabin.
I washed up in the sink and then sat down with the laptop determined to figure out what it was that Daniel was doing, or at least, pretend like I was while I thought about Emily's lovely smile.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Emily
Austin and I spend the entire flight back to the States flirting, laughing, and when everyone else had gone to sleep, we sat and talked. I was worried that my fellow flight attendant would be upset that I was disappearing, but she said it didn't bother her a bit (partly because she had h
er own thing going with a businessman in 2A) and waved me off when I disappeared into Austin's pod once we'd gotten the other passengers settled in for the night.
We talked about our mothers, our childhoods, and the unexpected turns our lives had taken. I'd already told him about how much Tommy had wanted to play baseball, but I hadn't told him about the very dark days after the injury and how, some nights, I worried that I'd come home from the bar and find he'd hurt himself – or worse. It was hard to admit that part of the reason I was staying with Tommy was out of pity. I felt bad that his dream had been taken from him, and guilty that mine had not been.
"In fact, Tommy was actually the reason I became a flight attendant," I admitted as we sipped coffee in Austin's pod. "He encouraged me to apply so that I could get out of the bar. I didn't realize how much it would pull us apart, I guess."
"Did the job pull you apart?" Austin asked.
"No, if I'm honest, we were headed in different directions," I said. "I think if he'd been able to follow the baseball route, we would have been separated by that, it's just that it would have been easier for him. And, it didn't help that his methods of coping with the pain were to start drinking and gambling."
"He gambles?" Austin asked.
"Oh yeah, he's a poker player who is known for his ability to beat the house," I said shaking my head as if to shake off the thought. "The problem is that he only seems to win when he is stinking drunk and then that creates problems with his ability to play. He loses a lot more than he wins. That's the reality."
"Not to be too nosy, but is it a problem?" he asked tentatively.
"It's a big problem," I nodded. "I haven't told anyone, not even my mother, but we are in deep debt and if he doesn't rein it in, we are going to have to file bankruptcy soon. I picked up extra flights to try and pay down some of his gambling debts, but with the house payment and the repair business..."
"Repair business?" Austin asked. "I thought he was part of the ground crew at the airport."
