Page 85 of Beauty Beneath the Sorrow
Lina unsuccessfully attempts to straighten her skirt, sliding her hands down to smooth the fabric.
I laugh.
She flashes me a quick side-eye, then glances in the mirror to fix a few loose hairs that have fallen out of her high ponytail. “Count to thirty, and then you should be good to go.”
Tucking my shirt back into my pants, I lean in for one more kiss on her soft lips. “Stay with me in Cabo tonight?”
Pinching her flush between me and the lavatory door, she slides the lock over. “I’ll think about it.”
“You better tighten that tie around your neck. Your chest always splotches red after you come,” I tease.
“Funny,” she spits before slipping away and closing the door behind her.
God. Her sass lights me up.We both know she’ll be staying with me, but I love that she makes me work for it—and I won’t ever stop.
I start counting.
Thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight, twenty-seven, twenty-six, twenty-five…After she shared with me what happened to her in high school, my feral urge to protect her only amplified. It’s now as powerful as a raging fire and only spreading with each passing day.
Twenty-four, twenty-three, twenty-two, twenty-one …I held back every bit of anger growing inside of me as she recounted that horrific incident. There were a million questions I wanted to ask her, combined with an equal amount of emotions that I was feeling on her behalf.
Twenty, nineteen, eighteen, seventeen, sixteen …I stayed with Lina until she fell asleep. Then I went home, changed into my workout clothes, and ran all the anger off at three in the morning. To my unfortunate surprise, I still woke up the following day, ready to fucking track down that Kirk motherfucker and kill him.
Fifteen, fourteen, thirteen, twelve, eleven ...But then I told myself this is Lina’s story to tell, and it’s her story to do what she wants. And despite my rage, I pushed it all aside, knowing the best way to support her is by showing her how I feel about her and what an amazing woman she is. And that’s what I plan to do for as long as I can.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five ...As I count, I can barely make out the muffled voices on the other side of the thin wall. Then, everything suddenly goes silent, but I continue. The cabin needs to be completely clear so that I can walk out of the same bathroom that Lina did less than a minute ago without raising suspicions.
Four, three, two, one …I take one final breath, hoping that no one is around. I slide the latch on the lock over. It makes an annoyingly hard sound. Pulling the door open, I decided to stroll out casually, as if I had walked in after she was finished.
I straighten my shoulders and take a few steps out before I hear the sounds of someone clearing their throat behind me. The plane is empty except for Avery, who is squished in the corner behind the bathrooms with her phone up to her ear.
Fuck. We’ve been caught. She had to have heard us.Instead of looking shocked, she shoots me a wicked smile, confirming that she already knew. Avery is Lina’s best friend, and I bet she knows more than I think she does.
I sigh in relief. Smiling, I tip my cap in her direction and make my way up the aisle and into the cockpit. The flight was quick and smooth–as expected. The minute the wheels touch down on the tarmac, my dick is ready to go for round two. I blew my load inside of her less than two hours ago, but I’m desperate to do it again.
Once the passengers have successfully deboarded the plane, I will mentally start planning my night with her. The hotel that we’ll be staying for the night is one the airline uses often. It’s beautiful and has incredible suites. I hope they have one available for tonight because my plan is to fuck her all over that place.
Our flight crew takes the shuttle over to the hotel. The warm Cabo San Lucas breeze whips around me the moment we’re dropped off in front of the hotel. The tropical air immediately flips on vacation mode. The large open lobby boasts two water features and opens to an infinity pool with a swim-up bar.
I slide my phone out to text Lina.
Me: I’m getting us a suite. Check in as normal.
Lina: I never said I was staying with you, Captain Hernandez.
Me: You are, baby.
Lina: What if I’m tired from our preflight escapade?
Me: Well then, you better loosen up because you’re about to be in for round two.
My eyes quickly dart up, and I catch her giggling as she reads my message.
Lina: I do have a hot running partner who always makes sure I’m getting a good workout.
I grin.
Me: I bet he works you out in other ways too.
