Page 17 of Shared By the Pilots

9

Veronica

“Okay,” I said while cuddling against Luke’s nude body on top of the sheets. “Your rule about not sleeping with a woman on the first date.”

“What about it?” he asked.

“It’s bullshit, right? Like, a test to see how a woman reacts?”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

I twisted to look up into his eyes. “Despite how much fun that was, I don’t like guys who play games.”

“No games.” He held out both palms innocently. “Thatisa rule of mine, and Idousually follow it.”

“Then what happened tonight?”

“Youhappened tonight. I went back to my hotel room and realized I was being, pardon my French, a fucking idiot.”

I smiled and rested my head on his chest again. “Sorry for making you break the rule. But also, I’m not really sorry.”

Laughter rumbled deep within his chest. “The most important thing about a rule is knowing when to break it. Like drinking during a flight. I used to break that rule all the time. Just kidding. I don’t drink while flying planes. Not since the incident.”

“You already made that joke,” I said. “Earlier today, on our inbound flight.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.”

“It’s a good joke. I laughed.”

“You didn’t laugh the second time.”

“It’s notthatgood of a joke,” I replied.

“Are you glad I broke my rule?” he asked.

I nodded against his skin. “Extremely glad. If you hadn’t knocked on my door, I would’ve tossed and turned all night.”

His fingers gently caressed down my neck and along my shoulders. “I’ll make you toss and turn all night.”

“There’s no way you’re ready to go again,” I said skeptically.

“Not right now. But in twenty minutes? Watch out.”

“I should probably go get the bottle of Mezcal out of the hallway,” I mused.

“Leave it. I’m too comfortable right now.”

“What if some teenager finds it?”

“Then I’ll pretend I’m the Santa Claus of underage drinking.” His fingers stopped moving on my back. “How were you going to find my room?”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You were rushing out of your room before I could knock. You knew I was on the next floor, but you didn’t know what room. Was your plan to knock on every single door until you found me? Or maybe shout my name up and down the hall until I opened up?”

I realized what he was asking—and what he had assumed. Rolling over until I was straddling Luke, I said, “Will it crush your ego if I told you I was going to the vending machine to get chocolate?”

He stared up at me, then closed his eyes and chuckled. “That explains why you had a one dollar bill in your hand.”

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