Save Riley(6)

As the plane backed away from the gate, I put my chin in my hand and watched out the window. I was excited for the takeoff even though the end result would be a heartbroken family and a funeral.

I sighed as the plane slowly rolled forward. One more takeoff and we’d be next. Five minutes later, the engines on the plane came on as we started to roll down the runway.

“Ms. Riley; the shutter,” Jax said quietly.

I looked at Jax whose eyes were now open. His head was still leaned against the seat, but he was looking at me the same way he did in the Sci-Fi section of the bookstore. Dangerously and intensely, mixed with a hint of seductiveness.

“What about it Jax?” I asked tiredly.

“Shut it.”

“No.”

Jax gave me his sexy grin before he leaned over and pressed his forehead against the side of my head. He used his fingers to gently move my hair away from my ear.

“I’d rather not do this to you so soon and in such a cramped environment if I don’t have too,” he whispered. “Close. The. Shutter.”

The heat of his breath on the side of my face, the way his fingertips trailed along my neck when he moved my hair, and the grazing of his lips against my ear sparked something in me that I never felt before.

Submission.

With shuddery breaths and a shaky hand, I reached for the shutter and brought it down just in time for our plane to take off.





Six


“I’ve never been to Louisiana,” Jax remarked as we walked through the Louis Armstrong International Airport.

“I haven’t been here in five years,” I replied.

“Was that when you left, Ms. Riley?” he asked, glancing at me.

I nodded.

We walked in silence after that. I led him out the main doors wondering how the hell we were going to get to my parents’ house from here.

“I saw signs for rental agencies inside, Ms. Riley. Should we take a look?” Jax asked.

“Yeah. Catching a cab from the airport is going to cost a fortune and I already owe you,” I replied.

“Yes you do,” he said with a small smile creeping across his lips.

I rolled my eyes as we went back through the terminal toward the rental car counters. Jax walked over to the closest counter with a female behind it and put his bag down. He leaned across the counter with a dashing smile and began to chat with her.

She was bright red and giggling within seconds. I watched him reach a hand across the counter and take the pen from her shirt pocket and wink at her before he started filling out the rental information.

And for some odd reason, I felt jealous. I felt damn angry that he had seemed to have forgotten why he was in Louisiana to begin with and that I was standing only twenty feet away from them watching.

The rental car agent looked over at me and gave me a friendly smile. A smile that said, “I’ll be with you in just one second.” I returned it with a look that said, “Keep your hands to yourself or I’ll rip your hair out by the root.”

Her smile faltered. Jax finally looked up and shoved the paperwork and pen across the counter toward her.

Two can play this game.

I knew that I potentially had enough money on my credit card to rent a car, so I went to the counter three spaces down from Jax and the Giggler. The guy behind the counter smiled brightly at me and I couldn’t help but notice how pretty his blue eyes were.

“Hi there. My name’s Mason. What kind of car are you interested in?” he asked cheerfully.

“Something small and compact. I won’t need much space, it’ll just be me and my bag,” I responded loudly.

I felt Jax’s eyes turn to me, but I refused to return his look. Mason gave me a half smile and turned his computer screen to face me. Seeing as though I knew it would be hot in New Orleans, I was wearing a pastel yellow tank top and my short denim shorts. I lifted myself off of the floor and leaned over to get a better look at the screen. And also to give Mason a better look at me.

“How about that one?” I asked pointing at a white Toyota Corolla.

I glanced up at him and saw that he was staring at my breasts.

“Mason?” I asked with a giggle. I kicked my legs a little since they were dangling above the floor, to add more to the flirtation.

“Um, sure,” he said, tearing his gaze away and turning the monitor back to face himself.

As he started to tap the keys on the keyboard, I felt a hand firmly land on my ass. I yelped and dropped down off of the counter. Before I could turn around, Jax pressed his body firmly against mine, pinning me to the counter.

“I think we’re okay here. I booked us a rental already, Ms. Riley. Sorry to waste your time,” he said to Mason.

I tried to take a deep breath to protest but I found myself starting to feel a bit lightheaded. My air supply was starting to become cut off by being held against the counter at the waist.