Pitch Imperfect(105)
He wouldn’t lose her again because he was too jealous or possessive. No, never that.
The stewardess pulled the cabin door shut and Rob leaned his head back on the headrest. He would telephone Anjuli as soon as he arrived in Boston and they would talk it through. Then he would wait and—
No, he bloody hell would not. Rob unclasped his safety belt and got up. The stewardess was young and looked alarmed. “I’m getting off the plane.”
“I’m sorry, sir, you must return to your seat.”
“I don’t think so.”
Another flight attendant brushed past them. She opened the cabin door and a flustered, dishevelled Anjuli rushed down the aisle. Her hair looked wild and her face pink with sweat. She’d never looked more beautiful.
“Rob,” she said, throwing herself into his arms.
He held her more tightly than he’d intended to and she coughed as he squeezed her. The stewardess gave them a strained look and he led Anjuli to their seats. “What happened?”
“Mrs. P. wanted a lift to her cousin’s in Edinburgh so I didn’t take the bypass off the motorway, and then we got stuck in traffic. We had a flat tyre and you know I can’t change tyres. I’d forgotten to charge my phone and Mrs. P. left hers at home,” she said, gulping for air. “I was so afraid you’d think the worst. Nobody would give us a lift until Mrs. P. hiked up her skirt and shocked half the motorway. I swear they’ll have nightmares for years. I know I will, but it worked because this man stopped and—”
Rob covered her mouth with his and held her close. “I thought you had changed your mind,” he admitted, his voice low.
“Never! They weren’t going to let me board, but sometimes it pays to be a has-been celebrity. One of the dispatchers recognised me and let me get on, provided I left all my luggage.”
Rob laughed at her annoyed expression. “We’ll have fun shopping.”
An exasperated look. “I’ll need more than underwear, you know.”
“Who says I want you to buy any?”
Her cheeks flushed and she turned her head away, flustered. He loved the way she blushed when he teased her, the way her lips trembled and her eyes turned sultry as soon as he got close.
Anjuli was a nervous flyer, he’d discovered, one of the new things he had learned about her. Rob kept her mind off the disappearing ground as they took off, telling her of Ben’s plans to move into his house in Halton Forest and his search for lodgers. Calm, soothing conversation about familiar people and places.
Rob took out his book and when Anjuli saw the title, she tried to grab it from his hand.
“I thought I’d donated Border Lord’s Captive and all the books that survived the fire to Mrs. P. for her church sales,” she groaned.
“I kept this one back,” he said. “I haven’t read the next chapter. Is it any good?”
Her face was bright red. “I don’t remember.”
Rob skimmed the first few paragraphs. “I’m going to love reminding you.”
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