Page 47 of Strong Side

Some people hate it, but I swear, if I could sit at an airport whenever I felt like it, I would. You want a drink at 7:30 a.m.? Go for it. Want to sit at a window and watch planes land and take off? Check. Do you like to spend hours people-watching? You’ve got it. Want to eat at a five-star steak house for lunch, then walk five steps to get a McFlurry at McDonald’s? It’s all yours.

It’s like there are no rules.

Except the ones strictly enforced by the federal government and the FAA of course. But besides that… the world is your oyster!

Clearly, Rocky doesn’t share the same sentiment because the longer we sit at our gate, the more agitated he looks. You’d think a night of being fucked senseless would loosen him up, but clearly not.

I should know better, really. Sometimes I feel like I’m in love with Carl Fredrickson fromUp! Warm and soft on the inside, cold and hard on the outside.

Maybe I should find him a talking dog… help loosen him up a little bit. Worked for Carl.

Rocky’s leg continues to tap furiously in the seat next to me, his elbow propped on the armrest as he rests his scowling face against his hand. “You know for someone who flies several times a year, you’re not a very relaxed traveler,” I say, leaning down to whisper in his ear.

He shoots me a clearly perturbed look out of the corner of his eye. “I actually don’t mind traveling, Clayton. But our flight has already been delayed twice; everyone keeps staring at me because I look like a fucking leopard, and”—he winces as he shifts in his seat, and I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing because I know exactly what he’s about to say next—“my ass feels like—”

“You got fuckedsix ways to Sunday?”

His head snaps in my direction, and his eyes widen. For a moment, I really think he’s going to hit me, but then I notice the deep shade of blush covering his almond skin, which is now a few shades darker than it was at the start of the season. I take my chances and wrap my hand around his thigh, stopping his leg from bouncing. “I gotta say, I’ve been enjoying watching you limp around this airport.”

Rocky narrows his eyes at me as I now shift in my seat, fighting the erection that’s growing beneath my joggers. “Is that why you’ve been dragging me all around this god-forsaken airport?”

“No. Well, I mean… I really like airports, but watching you is an added bonus.” I lean in to kiss his cheek before stopping myself, not knowing how much PDA he will be comfortable with, if any at all. Then I remember my hand is still wrapped around his thigh, where it seems to fall so naturally. But, as I start to pull it away he wraps his hand around mine and holds it there.

I’m about to suggest we go grab some ice cream from the shop a couple of gates down when the gate agent’s voice sounds from the intercom, signaling that boarding is about to begin. Grabbing our carry-ons, I stand from my chair, but Rocky grabs my hand and tries to pull me back down. “Easy,Garotão.We don’t need to crowd the gate. We might as well justwait here.”

I smile proudly down at him. For a moment, I forgot he didn’t know about this part of the surprise. “Nah, we get to be one of the first ones to board.” I pull him to a standing position. “One of the first in line, Baby.” He pinches his brows in confusion, and I huff a laugh while nodding to the gate agent. “Just come on.”

Somehow, Rocky sneaks in front of me, so I reach around him and hand the gate agent our tickets, which I wouldn’t let him hold onto. Once we get onto the plane, Rocky begins to walk toward the economy seats. Reaching out to grab his wrist, I stop his movements. “What? Come on, I don’t want to hold up the line. What seats are we anyway?”

Nodding to the side, I grin ear to ear. “Right here.”

Rocky does a double take, looking to the first-class seats, then to me, then back to the seats, before finally looking back at me slack-jawed. “Clay… you didn’t?”

“Oh, but I did, Baby. And I don’t want to hear a word about it; this trip was for you, and I wanted to spoil you.” I lean forward so my face is merely an inch away from his, and speak quiet enough for only him to hear, “Now close you’re mouth unless you want me to find something useful to do with it.” Standing up straight, I smile and motion for him to sit. “Hurry up now, don’t want to hold up the line.”

A flight from San Diego to Pensacola takes just under six hours, which is long enough for them to serve an in-flight meal. So, just over two hours into the flight, Rocky and I have both enjoyed our dinners, and I am now settling in to watch a movie while Rocky cracks open a book he got at the bookstore in the airport. I smile as I watch him get comfortable in his first-class seat.

I’m not going to lie, the seats did cost me a pretty penny since I booked them so last minute, but knowing that Rocky is ending his trip on an exciting note makes every dollar spent more than worth it.

Our seats are nothing overly extravagant, but they certainly aren’t economy. Each first-class seat has partitions on three sides, with a retractable door facing the aisle. The partition facing the middle also slides away in case you’d like to chat with whoever is sitting nextto you. Obviously, I’ve kept ours open the entire time, wanting to have an unobstructed view of Rocky experiencing this for the first time.

Not the last either, if I have any say in it.

?1?With both of our aisle doors closed, I lean my seat back as far as it will go, stretch my legs all the way out—being able to do that makes these tickets worth it in and of itself—and settle in to watch10 Things I Hate About You. I must have drifted off to sleep because a bump to my leg causes my eyes to open after what only feels like a few minutes, yet when I look at the screen in front of me, Kat and Patrick are already kissing in the school parking lot. However, that’s not what shocks me the most because the nudge that woke me up was Rocky situating himself on the floor in front of me between my spread legs, and now he’s staring up at me with that look that tells me he’s up to no good.

Quickly, I look around the cabin to ensure no flight attendants are walking down the aisle because they can easily see over the partitions. Thankfully, there’s no one to be found, and with the time-zone changes as we fly toward Florida, the cabin is now dark. A few overheard lights remain on, and I’m sure most ofthe passengers are either wrapped up in a movie or are asleep, but the fact still remains that we are on a plane filled with people just feet away.

And if he’s about to do what I think he’s about to do, I’m so. Fucking. Here. For. It.

Unable to help myself, I thread my hand through his jet-black curls. “If you’re doing what I think you’re doing, I literally might die right here in this seat.”

Rocky tugs his bottom lip between his teeth before smiling. “You said you’d find something to keep my mouth busy, and…” he sighs dramatically. “I got bored reading, so I figured why not thank you for the trip.”

“You don’t need to thank me for anything, Baby. I did it because I wanted to.” I don’t want him to think he ever has to thank me with sexual favors when I do something for him just because I know it will make him happy.

Rocky’s eyes soften. “I know you did, and I want to do this. Please let me.”

There’s an apprehensiveness to his tone, as if he thinks I’m really going to turn him away.

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