Ready or Not

Chapter Two

Getting on the plane I motioned for Lucas to take my seat next to Pru in first class. I told them I would take his old one so that they could sit together. Due to the late booking of Luke's flight, we could only find a few seats left in coach, and I didn't mind trading places. I explained that I would only be reading when Luke said it was fine and that he would take his original seat. I waved at them and continued, trying not to keep up the line.

One guy behind me was cursing under his breath because of his impatience.

"Dad, chill. We are all leaving at the same time; we will all arrive at the same." A husky voice said from behind him.

The guy didn't say anything and just kept walking at whatever pace I would allow. I scrunched up my nose in satisfaction, trying to stifle a smile. I was toying with the old man now and he knew it. But fortunately when he started puffing up again, making aggravated noises, I got to my seat. I was thankful that the airline had offered free handling on my carry on and had put it below, so that I didn't have to struggle with it.

Unfortunately, I was a middle seat and the guy let out another groan when he noticed his seat was assigned to be next to mine.

"At least it's an isle seat." He said in a gruff voice.

The guy behind him was around my age, maybe a little older and he smiled at me and then picked up his duffel bag and flipped open the overhead compartment and his gray shirt rode up, exposing a taut belly and a dark but thin happy trail that extended from his navel and disappeared to below the hem of his low riding pants and the small peak of his boxers beneath. I diverted my eyes from its free roam when the older man cleared his throat. His son ducked down with a brilliant smile on his face, his gray eyes lighting up with something I had no name for.

When he spoke again, my knees turned to jelly for a moment. Giving one last push with his hands still above his head he said, "If you want, you can have the window seat. That way your not stuck between two strangers." His voice had that rough and sexy texture to it that I had only heard in movies and I barely registered what he said.

I stared at him, dumbfoundedly for a moment and then stood halfway up as I got what he had suggested. "Oh." I muttered a couple words that Abuela was sure to wring my neck for if she was here. "Thanks." I said as I situated myself and dragged my purse into my lap.

I tried not looking at him, for fear that he would think that I was a freak but my eyes just kept wondering. Every now and then he would catch me looking and smile a brilliant smile, exposing two small dimples.

Man I loved dimples.

I gave a hefty sigh and pulled my iPod out of my bag and shut it off for the take off and then grabbed my book and leaned my head against the window, trying to concentrate on anything but the hotty next to me. The flight attendant announced that we were delayed for about ten more minutes before take off and people groaned, some throwing their arms up in defeat. Hotty smiled and leaned his head back, stretched his legs as far as the small space would allow and placed his hand on my armrest.

I scooted uncomfortably and angled away from him, my body facing the window. I told myself to breathe normally and he wouldn't sense the effect that he was having on me. I mean, I didn't even know the guy and I was picturing pressing my lips to that happy trail.

Whoa, slow your roll Quincy. I chided myself. That wasn't me. My mind was never in the gutter unless I was chilling out and hanging with friends, just joking around.

There was a faint strumming as his fingers bounced on the armrest between us. I glanced over at him and saw that he had his eyes closed and ear buds in. I could lightly hear his music, the bass sounded familiar and I smiled in recognition.