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Instead of deterring me, all she’s making me want to do is demolish every wall she’s attempting to throw up between us.
“I’m curious as to what’s so complicated about it. You’re a college student. Are you secretly married or is there a fiancé tucked away somewhere?”
Panic leaps into her golden eyes before it’s quickly concealed. “Don’t be silly,” she whispers.
I lean closer and drop my voice. “Let me guess, you’re a criminal on the run.”
“No.”
“Okay. You’re undercover and you’ve been relocated to Western to blend in with the locals?”
“Ridiculous,” she mumbles before shifting in her seat.
It doesn’t escape me that she stares straight ahead, refusing to meet my gaze, the entire time I rapid fire questions.
I’m not sure what to make of that.
It might be something.
Or it could be nothing.
I don’t know Britt well enough yet. What I’ve discovered is that she likes to keep both her thoughts and feelings to herself.
She’s controlled.
Reserved.
Unflappable.
It makes me wonder what it would be like to unravel her.
And make her come undone.
I bet it would be fucking spectacular.
Like fireworks.
“Then tell me what’s so complicated about your life.”
Just as she’s about to respond, the plane jolts. Within seconds, the red and white seatbelt lights flash throughout the cabin.
Good thing I never took mine off.
“Sorry about that, folks,” the captain says, coming over the loudspeaker. “Seems like we’ve hit a patch of rough air. The flight attendants will be returning to their seats. But don’t worry, it shouldn’t last long.”
“I really fucking hate this,” I grit through clenched teeth. Any second, they’ll shatter into a million pieces.
“It’ll be fine,” she soothes, squeezing my fingers.
When we hit another pocket of turbulence, I’m pretty sure it’s game over for all of us and we’re seconds away from plummeting to our deaths.
It was nice knowing you, world.
It’s a surprise when Britt leans closer and sings,
“In the darkest nights, I stumbled, couldn't see the light. Lost in a maze, couldn't find what's right. But deep inside, a fire burned, refusing to fade away. A voice inside me whispered, “‘You'll find your way.’”
I squeeze my eyes tight as her soothing voice washes over me like a gentle wave.
If I’m going to die, this wouldn’t be the worst way to go.
When the lyrics fade, I mutter, “Don’t stop.” I gulp down the icy cold tendrils of panic that are trying their damnedest to wrap around my heart. “Please.”
“I'm rising up, stronger now than I've ever been. Every scar's a story, ain't letting them win. Through the ups and downs, I'll find my truth. In the chaos of it all, I'll find my youth.”
Her voice rises ever so slightly as she sings the chorus. Gradually, my fear recedes and my muscles lose their rigidity. I focus on her voice and the lyrics instead of what’s happening around us.
“Through every fall and every doubt, I'll stand tall. Gonna shake off the past, gonna give it my all. With each new day, leaving old fears behind, embracing every challenge, gonna free my mind.”
By the time her voice fades, I realize the turbulence has passed, and the seatbelt signs are no longer illuminated. My heart doesn’t feel like it’s being crushed in a vise, and I can suck a lungful of air into my body. The adrenalin rushing through my veins recedes.
My gaze stays pinned to hers. “Thanks for that. It really helped.”
Our faces are scant inches apart. It would be all too easy to close the distance between us and sweep my lips over hers. I’ve been jonesing for another taste ever since I walked her to her apartment after our impromptu date.
“It wasn’t a problem.”
She doesn’t move a muscle as everything around us falls away.
It’s like we’re the only two people on this plane.
“You have a beautiful voice.”
The corners of her mouth tilt upward at the compliment.
I rack my brain, trying to remember if I’ve heard that song before. There’s something familiar about it.
I think.
Maybe.
“What’s the name of the song?” Because now I need to find it on Spotify.
Her breath catches and her eyes flare slightly as she withdraws her hand from mine so that we’re no longer touching. The sudden loss after the intimacy we just experienced feels sharp and painful.
Strangely devastating.
“I don’t remember.”
“Really?” My brows pull together. “You knew every word.”
She jerks her shoulders and shifts in her seat. “Muscle memory, I guess.”
That’s a bummer.
Even now the melody continues to churn through my brain.
“Well, thanks again. You saved me from a total freak-out. Had that happened, the pilot would have diverted and made an emergency landing in Tulsa.” I wave toward the rows of passengers that surround us. “What you did was a public service to all those aboard flight 7809.”
She snorts. “I think you would have managed to hold it together.”
Now it’s my turn to shrug as the corners of my lips bow. “Maybe. Maybe not. Guess the world will never know.” Which is for the best.
