“The stain isn’t that big. You just poured water all over the front of my shirt!”
“There was no easy way to avoid that.”
“You could have not done it!”
“That wouldn’t have been any fun.”
I looked down at myself. My nipples were peeking through the wet fabric. “You can see right through my shirt now!”
“I’m painfully aware of that.” He sucked a breath in, his eyes glued to my chest. “Christ, are you not wearing a bra?”
“Actually, I’m not.”
He finally looked up. “Might I ask, why you’re at an airport with no bra on?”
Clearing my throat, I said, “I wanted to be comfortable on the flight. Plus…I’m…perky. I don’t really need to wear one in general. Well, at least, I didn’t until you poured seltzer all over me! I wasn’t expecting a strange man to assault me with water.”
His eyeballs descended upon my chest again. “Perky…huh?”
“Could you not stare at me like that?” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting...”
“To see me practically naked? You don’t say…”
He laughed guiltily. “What am I supposed to say? Look, I came here for a bite to eat and got way more than I bargained for. You have fantastic tits. You’re right. They are perky…just like their feisty owner.”
He suddenly took off his leather jacket and wrapped it around me. “Cover yourself with this.” It was heavy and felt like a warm hug coated in his sandalwood scent. If this felt good, I could only imagine what his actual body would feel like wrapped around me. I shook my head at the thought.
Looking down while I zipped it up, I noticed a small pair of metal wings pinned onto the chest. “What’s this pin? Were you a good little boy on your flight or something?”
He smirked. “Something like that.”
When I cracked a smile, he reached his large hand out. “Let’s start over. Hi, I’m Carter.”
Carter.
Huh.
He sort of looked like a Carter.
I took his hand and felt shivers roll through me when he squeezed mine with a powerful grip. Narrowing my eyes, I said, “Carter…I thought your name was Trip.”
“No. You assumed my name was Trip because that was what Louie called me. Trip’s a nickname.”
“Where does it come from?”
“Long story.”
“How do they know you here anyway? Do you travel a lot on business?”
“You could say that.”
“You’re a little dodgy, you know that?”
“And you’re fucking adorable. What’s your name?”
“I told you my name.”
“Oh, that’s right. Sydney…and your last name’s Opera-House. Sydney Opera-House.” He laughed, lifting the magazine and pointing to the actual Sydney Opera House on the cover. “Why did you lie to me, Perky?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t like giving my real name out to strangers.”
“That’s not it. You’re not shy. You don’t even wear a fucking bra in public, for God’s sake. And it took you almost a full minute to cover your tits after you knew I could see them. You’re not reserved, and you’re certainly not being cautious.”
“So, then why do you think I lied about my name?”
“I think it gave you a thrill to pretend you were someone else. You figured you’re never gonna see me again, so why not? Am I right?”
“You think you have me pegged as a careless thrill-seeker? You’ve known me for what…ten minutes?”
“It takes one to know one.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes. It’s how I live my life…always looking for the next thrill, never in one place.” After a moment of silence, he squinted his eyes with an examining look. “You don’t know where you’re going.”
“How do you know that?”
“When I first walked up behind you, you were talking to yourself, wondering where you should go. Remember?”
“Oh. That’s right. Yes. I’m taking myself on a trip…Trip.”
“What are you leaning toward?”
“I still have no idea.”
He startled me when he put his hand on my shoulder. “What are you running away from, Kendall?”
My heart beat faster. I moved backwards, away from him a bit.
“How did you know my name?”
He reached into his back pocket and waved a passport. “You really need to be more careful traveling alone. You walk away for one second, someone could slip something in your drink or take your belongings.”