Page 57 of Mother Pucker

“Parvatasana,” Fedir says as he folds down to the ground a few moments later. “Feel the stretch behind your thighs. Release the tension when you’re upside down. Viewing an upside-down world will allow you to appreciate the right-side up. Don’t let the need to vomit deter you.”

Finally, I’m able to peek behind Fedir to see that Smarmy is still talking to her! Does the guy not have a job to do?

That’s it. That’s fucking it!

I look behind me, noticing the other flight attendant handing out drinks, before I press the attendant button above me, making Smarmy excuse himself from the spot he’s gotten way too comfortable in.

A minute later, he’s tripping to get past Fedir in some sort of reptilian pose on the ground–“Bones are just constructs holding us back. Allow your bones to melt. Find comfort in melting.”–before he’s standing next to me.

Smarmy turns off the attendant light above me. “Can I help you?” he says with a flat tone, completely devoid of the smile he was giving my girl.

I steeple my fingers over my abdomen, letting my shoulders go slack. “Yeah, but I’m going to need you to come closer since it’s a private matter.”

Brooks pinches the bridge of his nose, but I don’t miss the smile on his face.

Smarmy-Sam bends, bringing his ear closer to me.

“I’m going to make this clear, once and only once,” I say without a hint of humor. “That woman you’ve been gabbing with in seat 3B? She’smine.”

His brows lift, but he keeps his ear near my mouth, likely knowing I have more to say.

“So, I don’t give a fuck how you manage it, because I know I wouldn’t be able to in your position, given how fucking beautiful she is. But, if you want to keep your job, I’d suggest you stop talking to her from this moment forward. You’re not going to look at her, smile at her, or even fucking breathe in her direction. Nod if I’ve made myself clear?”

Smarmy’s face blanches, but he manages a small nod.

“Oh, and Smarmy?” I add before he can rush off, because I know that’s what he wants to do. “Let’s keep this little chat between us, shall we?”

He nods again before running to the front galley like his ass has suddenly caught fire.

And right when I’m feeling pretty fucking satisfied with the way I handled things, I catch Shayla’s confused eyes. I shrug, giving her a sheepish grin, but it only makes her narrow her eyes at me like she knows I’ve done something that’ll piss her off.

She throws daggers of irritation my way before I wiggle my fingers at her, saying hi from afar, but she abruptly turns back to the front, unamused.

“Shit,” I say, under my breath, knowing I might have to explain this shit to her later.

Brooks laughs outright before bringing his pillow around his neck and closing his eyes. “No hidden agenda, huh?”

eighteen

rowan

Me

You’re mad at me.

I twist my mouth,looking down at my phone, before I lift my head to see if Shayla is reading the text I sent her.

We’re on the bus to our hotel, sitting in almost the same order we did on the flight, and I still haven’t had a chance to talk to her all day. It’s driving me crazy.

A message vibrates my phone.

Shay

I’m not an idiot, Rowan. I know you said something to Oscar because he refused to even acknowledge me after he came back from speaking to you. I asked him for some lemon to put in my water, and his face lost color.

Oh, right. She probably saw that Smarmy was talking to me and put two and two together.

Still, irritation and jealousy climbs over my skin like a rash at the fact that she is on a first-name basis with the asshole on our flight.

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