Temporarily Yours(5)

But this visit wasn’t going to be the same old scenario.

Hence the fake boyfriend.

A gear kicked into place, or a door shut somewhere, and she jumped. Though Cooper had managed to keep her distracted in the boarding area, nothing could stop her from panicking now. Although the image of him getting gutted with a candy cane did bring a smile to her face. And, holy hell, the man was hot…even with a sticky sweater.

Those green eyes, paired with that light brown hair that had curled just right at the ends, had been a hell of a welcome distraction. And his lips…man, they’d been so sensual and full. It had made her wonder if he was a good kisser.

If he sat next to her on this flight, she might not even care that they were thousands and thousands of feet up in the air with nothing to save them when their deathtrap crashed to the earth below. Maybe she’d even discover if those lips were as kissable as they looked.

Okay. Enough of that line of thought. She didn’t even know the guy. It was probably a good thing he wasn’t sitting next to her. If he was, she wouldn’t be able to pass out through the flight until safely back on the ground again.

Because if she slept, she might snore. Or worse…drool all over his shoulder.

That would be an unforgiveable offense.

The flight attendant walked up to her with the double vodka cranberry she’d requested the second she’d boarded the plane, and Kayla was grateful that being in first class meant the drinks were mixed for her. Her hands were shaking so badly there was no way she could have done it herself.

“Thank you.” With jerky movements, she lifted the glass to her lips and gulped down three big swallows. “I needed this.”

Come on liquid courage.

If the flight attendant was shocked by Kayla’s desperate display, she didn’t show it. “Can I get you anything else, or would you like some peace and quiet now?”

Kayla eyed the passengers in front of her. Hopefully they wouldn’t be too noisy. “Quiet is good. I plan on passing out shortly so I’m not alive as we crash down to our fiery deaths,” Kayla blurted, her heart racing and her mouth drying out while her hands inexplicably got all sweaty. Trembling, she set her cocktail into the drink holder next to her seat. “I’m scared of flying. Really scared.”

The flight attendant blinked at her. “Don’t worry. We have one of the best pilots flying us today. You don’t have a thing to worry about.”

“Does he drink? Or do drugs?”

She laughed. “No. They’re pretty strict about that stuff nowadays.”

“I hope you’re right.”

The flight attendant smiled one more time, then backed off. “I’m going to check on the others now.”

Kayla bit her lip and watched the attendant leave. The woman probably thought she was one brick short of a house. Well, she could think what she wanted as long as she kept the drinks coming. Kayla put the sleeping pills on the travel table, thankful she didn’t have to worry about driving once she landed. After her self-medication, she’d be in no shape to operate heavy machinery.

Or to talk about anything, really…which was why she would be taking a shuttle to the hotel. Once there, she would spend a peaceful night alone, catching as much sleep as she could before the insanity of the wedding preparations consumed her.

She muttered, “I’m going to toss back this drink. Then off to sleep I go.”

Soft laughter sounded beside her, and she stiffened. “You’re adorable when you talk to yourself. You know that? But you don’t have to anymore. You’ve got me.”

“Cooper?” She blinked up at him, trying to put two and two together. “You’re in first class, too? But you said you weren’t.”

“I thought wrong. My, uh, travel agent told me I had to fly coach, but when I saw first class wasn’t booked, I switched.” He rubbed the back of his neck and shuffled his feet. “Your purse is in my seat.”

“Oh.” Swallowing hard, she moved it over so he could sit next to her. Snatching up the sleeping pills, she tossed them in her purse before he noticed—no way would she be taking them now—and threw the dirty wipe in with them. “Sorry about that. I forgot I’d have company.”

“It sure looks like you planned for company,” he said, with a pointed look at the nearly-clear-it-was-so-strong drink next to her. God, his eyes were so freaking green she couldn’t help but wonder if they were contacts. No one had eyes that color naturally. “Drinking to get rid of the nerves?”

Hell yeah.

She lifted the glass and tried to sip demurely, but she was pretty sure it sounded like a loud slurp instead. “It won’t get rid of them, but it will make them a little more bearable. I apologize in advance for any drunken rambling I’m about to make. Though it probably won’t sound much different from my nervous babbling.”