VINA IN VENICE (THE 5 SISTERS)

by Kimberley Reeves

  Inside her room, she realized it hadn’t occurred to her to ask for the overnight case she’d brought onboard, which meant she’d either have to sleep in her underclothes or go back out to retrieve it. Simple though the choices were, Vina hesitated to do the sensible thing and get her suitcase. She was certain Travis had shuffled her off to rest for a while so he could resume his flirtatious banter with blondie. Vina didn’t relish the idea of finding the woman fawning all over Travis, but it would have been infinitely worse to discover them both missing.

  Given her emotional state, Vina decided it was probably wiser to stay in her room. After kicking off her shoes and removing everything but her bra and panties, she slipped between the sheets and made a futile attempt to fall asleep. But every time she closed her eyes, Vina envisioned Travis with the flight attendant. Rolling onto her back, she stared up at the ceiling, torturing herself by listening for sounds from the sleeping quarters next to hers. How long she lay there nursing the dull ache in her chest, Vina didn’t know, but the hum of the plane’s engines eventually lulled her into a restless sleep.

  Haunted by the same nightmares that had been plaguing her for weeks, Vina woke with a start, gasping for air and drenched in sweat. Throwing off the heavy comforter, she curled up on her side and quietly cried herself to sleep. Within a few minutes, she was drawn back into the dream.

  She felt the vibration of the airplane and immediately knew something was terribly wrong. Leaning towards the window, Vina peered down at the vast ocean below, fear clutching at her heart when she saw how quickly they were descending. She turned her head and saw her parents sitting across the aisle, apparently so absorbed in their conversation they were oblivious to the danger they were in.

  Vina opened her mouth to warn them, but no sound came out. In a panic, she struggled with the latch of her seatbelt, but with every tug, the belt cinched tighter and tighter until it was biting into her skin. Giving up on the latch, she waved her arms to get their attention, but they only had eyes for each other.

  Silent screams locked in her throat as the plane’s engine gave one final, fatal cough then sputtered and died. For a few breathless moments they glided smoothly through the air, giving Vina a glimmer of hope just before they plunged into the ocean.

  “Don’t worry, darling,” her mother said, even as the body of the plane sank beneath the water, “we can never truly be separated as long as we hold onto our love for one another.”

  More terrified than she’d ever been in her life, Vina frantically fought to free herself from the seatbelt. If she could just get lose, maybe there was still a chance she could make her parents understand they had to get out of here. The sound of creaking metal echoed all around her as they descended deeper into the murky depths, slowly immersing them into darkness. Vina watched in horror as water began to seep in through the widening cracks in the plane’s shell; and still, her parents did nothing to save her or themselves.

  That’s when it finally hit her. They weren’t trying to get out because they had already resigned themselves to their fate. Victor and Lucinda Moore weren’t fighting death as Vina was doing; they were facing it together. And as long as they were together, they were happy. Tears streamed down Vina’s face, not just because she was going to die, but because she didn’t have anyone to hold her, comfort her, love her. She was going to die alone.

  “You’re not alone,” the murmured words instantly stilled her fears. “It’s okay, baby, I’ve got you.”

  Warmth engulfed her as two strong arms tightened their hold, binding her to the solid mass of a muscular chest. Vina let her cheek rest just over his heart, finding solace in the slow, steady beat. She closed her eyes while he gently rocked her, one hand moving lightly up and down her spine until her tears finally subsided and her mind began to drift.

  Any second now, she would feel the water lapping over her feet, or maybe the windows would shatter and it would come rushing in all at once. How long did it take to drown, four or five minutes? Probably faster if she didn’t fight it. It didn’t matter. Travis was here. In his arms, she felt safe…protected. If it took one minute or ten to die, she wouldn’t feel anything but this blissful happiness.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” Travis asked.

  Talk about it? Vina’s brows drew together. She didn’t want to talk about anything. “No, I…I just want you to hold me until it’s over. You’ll stay with me, won’t you?”

  “I’m not sure I know what you mean, honey, but I’ll stay for as long as you need me.”

  “Good,” she sighed, “I was so scared when I couldn’t get the seatbelt undone, but now that you’re here…” Vina stopped as the hazy fog clouding her brain began to clear.

  “Is that what your nightmare was about?”

  Fresh tears squeezed from the corners of her eyes. “I was there…in the plane with Mom and Daddy,” she choked out. “I tried to warn them we were going to crash, but I couldn’t get the words out. Then the seatbelt got stuck, and the plane…it hit the water and started sinking…”

  “Shhh, it was a bad dream, but it’s over now. You gave me quite a scare,” he said thickly. “I heard you crying and thought you’d fallen and hurt yourself. It…uh…could be a little embarrassing if any of the flight crew sees me sneaking back to my room though.”

  Vina stiffened. “Why? Are you worried she…they might think we’re sleeping together?”

  “I think they’d more surprised to know we weren’t, considering they have no idea our relationship is platonic. I’m concerned they’ll think I’m an exhibitionist,” Travis chuckled. “I was in bed when I heard you crying and didn’t think to grab my robe when I charged to the rescue.”

  Vina’s eyelids snapped open. Suddenly conscious of the fact his chest was bare and that nothing except a thin piece of silk and lace covered her breasts, her entire body began to tingle. Thank God, Travis hadn’t turned on the light, although it was highly unlikely he didn’t know how scantily dressed she was.

  “Travis…please tell me you didn’t…that you aren’t…”

  “In the buff?” he supplied with obvious amusement.

  Vina nodded against his chest, certain he could feel the searing heat radiating from her cheek.

  “I don’t even own a pair of pajamas,” he told her, then laughed when she groaned out loud. “Don’t worry, I did pull on my boxers, but that’s all.”

  “I’m sure you’re new little friend will enjoy the show,” Vina blurted out before she could stop herself.

  “My friend?” he sounded genuinely bewildered.

  “Never mind,” she pulled away from him. “Thank you for waking me up. I’m fine now, so you can go back to your room.”

  “Oh, no you don’t,” Travis said. “You’re not shutting me out without an explanation.”

  She felt him shift away from her and realized too late that he was reaching for the light switch. Blinking against the sudden brightness, Vina blindly grabbed for the comforter to cover herself. Her fingers curled around the material and froze as her eyes adjusted to the light and zeroed in on the wisps of dark hair dusting Travis’ chest. It was thickest in the middle, thinning into smooth bronze skin on his pecs and tapering down his flat belly to disappear beneath the band of his boxers.

  Vina had seen Travis in swim trunks before; at the beach, and when they went for a swim in the pool at the mansion. She’d even admired his exceptionally well-toned physique before, but never with such avid fascination and sexual awareness. Her palms itched to touch the patch of hair on his chest to see if it was as soft as it looked. She wanted to sift her fingers through the curls, to span them across his bulging pecs and follow the trail of hair downward and see how far it went.

  She licked her dry lips, her eyes darting up to lock with his when she heard Travis draw in a sharp breath. “Wh-what?” she rasped, trying not to look guilty as sin, and failing miserably.

  “Keep looking at me like that,” Travis growled, “and I won’t be responsible for my action
s.”

  His hungry gaze raked over Vina’s nearly naked form, causing a visceral reaction that scared the living daylights out of her. Heaven help her, but she wanted him to lose control. She ached to feel his hands on her bare flesh, to experience the sensation of lying beneath his powerful body as they made love to each other. It would be so easy to give in to temptation and ignore the danger of raw desire she saw smoldering in those dark eyes of his. Easy, but incredibly stupid, she reminded herself.

  Shoving her lusty thoughts aside, Vina dragged the comforter up over her legs and chest and tucked it beneath her arms. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said with an indignant huff. “I think you’re just trying to take advantage of the situation.”

  “I’m what?” his tone was incredulous.

  “Well, I…I’m still groggy from sleep. And that horrible nightmare makes me so emotionally vulnerable that…”

  “Whoa, back up, sweetheart,” Travis cut in. “I didn’t come in here to seduce you, and even if that was my intent, I wouldn’t have gone through with it once I saw how emotionally vulnerable you were.” He stood up and strode to the door, an angry scowl marring his handsome features. “A word of advice,” he said as he opened the door. “Don’t accuse a man of taking advantage when you’re the one who issued the invitation.”

  Vina waited until he’d gone to unleash the torrent of tears she’d been holding back. Everything Travis said was true; she had devoured him with her eyes and done nothing to hide the potent impact he had on her, both emotionally and physically. She had no right to accuse him of such base behavior when it was his concern for her that had brought him to her room in the first place. Vina couldn’t blame him one bit for being so angry after the horrible way she’d treated him.

  “So, what are you going to do about it?” she sniffed.

  She could let it go for now and try to smooth it over later, but what would that do except prove what a coward she was? Travis deserved an apology, and delaying it would only widen the rift she’d caused in their relationship. What she’d done was inexcusable; practically begging him to make love to her and then acting as if she was the injured party when he’d called her out for it.

  Thoroughly disgusted with herself, Vina threw the covers off and climbed out of bed. Hastily pulling on the jeans and cotton top she’d worn to travel in, she couldn’t help comparing her mundane clothing to the snug skirt and crisp white blouse the blonde flight attendant was wearing. It would have been silly to wear something dressy for a sixteen hour flight, of course, but that didn’t keep Vina from wishing she would have chosen nice slacks and a more flattering blouse.

  “And since when do you worry about how you stack up against other women?” Vina muttered.

  Her mind was a jumbled mass of confusion, and her heart was doing a fine imitation of her useless brain! Was it really Travis she wanted? Or had she simply reached a point in her life where she was ready for a real relationship and he just happened to be the first man to awaken her passion?

  And what about Travis? Did he really want her, or had he merely been responding to the signals she’d been sending? Honestly, what had she expected him to do? He was male, after all, and she had been clinging to him with next to no clothing on.

  How could she have made such a mess of things? They’d been best friends for years, and even when they disagreed on a subject, it had always been more of a debate than an argument. She’d never been reduced to tears before, and neither of them had ever walked away mad. Now it seemed they couldn’t spend more than a few minutes together without some misunderstanding cropping up.

  And whose fault is that?

  Okay, okay, so maybe she’d gone a little whacko on the poor guy. It was hormones or pheromones or some other type of chemical imbalance beyond her control. It had to be. What other explanation was there for these…intense feelings she suddenly had for Travis? Vina loved him, but she wasn’t in love with him, and she was sure it was the same for Travis.

  Yes, it had become increasingly evident he was sexually aware of her too, but that didn’t mean either of them had to act on it. Whatever attraction had sparked between them was an anomaly that would pass in time. Ultimately, she and Travis would be glad they hadn’t done anything that could prove to be embarrassing after it fizzled out.

  While Vina brushed out her hair and slipped her shoes on, she continued to present herself with good, solid reasons why it would be pure insanity to have an affair with him. She’d done a pretty fair job of it too, and was convinced she could hold onto her resolve to keep her wits about her. But all logic and sensibility abandoned her the moment she stepped out of her room.

  Discovering Miss tall and leggy standing in front of Travis’ door with a bottle of champagne in one hand and two stemmed glasses in another was enough to send Vina’s blood pressure sky rocketing.

  “Excuse me,” she said sharply, immensely pleased by the startled look on the flight attendant’s face. Instinct took over, and Vina quickly changed tactics by offering a friendly smile. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” She nodded to the bottle. “Did Travis request the champagne?”

  Color slashed the woman’s cheeks. “No, Tra…Mr. Malone mentioned earlier that he always had trouble sleeping on these long flights. I thought a little champagne might help him relax.”

  Yeah, right. And I’m the queen of England. “Well, isn’t that thoughtful of you.” Vina plastered a bright smile on her face as she plucked the bottle from the attendant’s hand. “I was having a bit of trouble sleeping myself, but then you must have guessed that…” she squinted at the woman’s name tag, “Catrina.”

  “I didn’t…that is, I wasn’t sure…”

  “So you brought two glasses, just in case.” Vina relieved Catrina of the glasses with another sugary smile. “I’ll be sure to tell Travis how kind you’ve been and ask him to leave you a generous tip.”

  “I am a flight attendant, not a waitress,” Catrina replied stiffly.

  “Of course you are, how silly of me. At any rate, this will help us both relax.” She tucked the bottle under her arm and reached for the latch on Travis’ door, effectively dismissing Catrina. “Oh, there is one more thing. I would really appreciate it if you could make sure my fiancé and I are not disturbed until dinner.”

  Catrina blinked. “Your…fiancé?”

  Vina flashed a positively wicked grin. “White weddings are so over-rated, don’t you think?”

  Having delivered the ultimate in parting shots, Vina opened the door and slipped inside the room. She expected to find Travis sleeping, and had hoped to sneak back to her own room in a few minutes without him being any wiser. No such luck. Not only was he awake, but he was so close to the door, Vina nearly ran into him. His arms were crossed, his expression unreadable, although one brow arched when she came to an abrupt halt. Mere inches separated her from his impressive chest.

  Travis waited until she’d mustered the courage to look at him before speaking only two words.

  “Your fiancé?”

  Chapter 8

  Travis overheard the entire conversation; shamelessly pressing his ear to the door when he heard Vina’s voice. He was annoyed to discover Catrina was bringing the champagne as an obvious ploy to get into his bed. True, he had carried on a conversation in Italian with the woman, but only because he wanted to make Vina jealous. Technically, he had used Catrina. But he’d purposely stuck to topics that were impersonal and couldn’t possibly be misconstrued as a come on.

  He was glad Vina interceded and sent Catrina away; it saved him the trouble of deflecting the woman’s unwanted attention. And he admired the clever way she had gotten Catrina to give up the goods without letting on she knew the real motive behind Catrina’s thoughtfulness. But he’d also been disheartened because he was sure it was merely Vina’s way of making sure he kept his word to not get involved with another woman.

  And then she’d made that sly comment about being his fiancé. Travis almost opened t
he door at that point just so he could see the look on Catrina’s face. He was glad he’d hesitated, or he might have missed Vina’s next brazen remark about white weddings. He found it amusing, and extremely revealing that she felt compelled to insure Catrina thought they were sleeping together. Vina had already put a halt to Catrina’s attempt at wheedling her way into his room with the announcement they were engaged, so there could only be one reason for what she’d done. Vina was staking her claim.

  Travis was elated, but he wasn’t about to let her know that. She’d probably accuse him of being arrogant, or try to pass it off as a simple misunderstanding. No, Vina had known exactly what she was doing, even if she didn’t know why. For the moment, it was enough that he understood Vina’s feelings for him were gradually changing, and that she was confused by it. His absence over the past week was supposed to give her time to think about the kiss they’d shared; now it was time to make her think about how much more they could share, and how good it could be.